Handbook for the
Assessment of Student Learning
STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK AT DELHI
JUNE 2011
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What is assessment?
Academic assessment is the process of gathering data to improve teaching and learning. This
begins with forming clear, measurable statements describing the expected outcomes of student
learning, coupled with learning opportunities that provide students with the ability to achieve
those outcomes. To measure learning, institutions develop measurement tools that are aligned
with the student learning outcomes, systematically gathering data based on the measurement
tool. The results can then be interpreted to determine how well student learning matches our
curricular expectations, and help to direct change. After implementing change, the process
begins again and continues cyclically so that teaching and learning continually improve.
Exams, labs,
projects, papers, etc.
Rubrics
Standards &
benchmarks
Provide learning
opportunities
Change outcomes,
change assessment tools,
change goals, change rubrics
Why do assessment?
SUNY Delhi faculty is comprised dedicated teachers who want their students to learn. The
assessment process provides feedback on the teaching and learning process while opening up
lines of communication between faculty and staff. With data, faculty and staff can determine
what is and is not working in order to make informed decisions about changes to their courses
and to the programs in order to expend resources wisely. For students, the assessment process
helps them learn more effectively by providing clear expectations for what they should know and
learn.
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What are the components of assessment?
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Program Goals
Student Learning Outcomes
Curriculum Mapping
Assessment Tools
Rubrics
Setting Standards or Benchmarks
Gathering Evidence
Closing the Loop
Goals
What you, your program, or your college want to achieve. For example, SUNY Delhi wants its
transfer students to succeed at their four-year institution of choice; the culinary department wants
to offer a quality, state-of-the-art educational program; Professor Burger wants her students to
appreciate Shakespeare.
Student Learning Outcomes
Student learning outcomes are goals describing what students take with them from a program or
a course. Learning outcomes typically explain not only what students will know or be able to do,
but why. Saying that students in your public speaking course will submit an outline for their
introductory speech may be a course objective or course requirement; but the learning outcome is
that students understand the importance of organization when speaking in public. (So all student
learning outcomes are goals—but not all goals are student learning outcomes.)
Not all learning outcomes are course-based. Some are programmatic—and, in theory, might
appear in more than one course outline in a program. In theory, all of a program’s student
learning outcomes should appear at least once in the aggregate course outlines/syllabi for
required courses in a program.
What are the difference between program student learning outcomes and course student learning
outcomes? Program student learning outcomes are the overarching learning that occurs in
multiple courses across the curriculum. They are broad descriptions of what the student should
know, how they should think about the discipline, or what the student should be able to do when
they finish the program. In writing these, one should also consider the institutional goals and
how the program student learning outcomes support the institutional goals. As with all student
learning outcomes, they should be written in terms that are measurable.
In contrast, course student learning outcomes are more specific and describe what the student
should know, think or be able to do when they finish the course. They should be more detailed
than program student learning outcomes and should be related to the course content, tests and the
other graded work of the course.
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Excellent guidelines and examples of writing student learning outcomes may be found at the
University of Connecticut Assessment website:
http://assessment.uconn.edu/docs/HowToWriteObjectivesOutcomes.pdf
Bloom’s Taxonomy, a multi-tiered classification of thinking and learning skills into six levels of
complexity that range from basic levels of knowledge acquisition to more complex levels of
creating and synthesizing (Bloom & Krathwohl, 1956). In the 1990’s, Bloom’s Taxonomy was
revised to reflect the emphasis on student learning outcomes in that the classifications are action
verbs rather than nouns. Bloom’s Taxonomy might prove useful in writing student learning
outcomes that include action verbs and encourage higher order thinking and learning.
Bloom’s Taxonomy
(New Version)
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Remembering: can the student recall or remember the information?
o define, duplicate, list, memorize, recall, repeat, reproduce state
Understanding: can the student explain ideas or concepts?
o classify, describe, discuss, explain, identify, locate, recognize, report,
select, translate, paraphrase
Applying: can the student use the information in a new way?
o choose, demonstrate, dramatize, employ, illustrate, interpret, operate,
schedule, sketch, solve, use, write.
Analyzing: can the student distinguish between the different parts?
o appraise, compare, contrast, criticize, differentiate, discriminate,
distinguish, examine, experiment, question, test.
Evaluating: can the student justify a stand or decision?
o appraise, argue, defend, judge, select, support, value, evaluate
Creating: can the student create new product or point of view?
o assemble, construct, create, design, develop, formulate, write.
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Objectives
Describe the details of goals or student learning outcomes—or the tasks that must be done to
achieve a goal (the means to the end itself—which is the learning outcome). A course objective
may be to have students complete 20 hours of community service. The goal isn’t to have students
complete the task: the goal is that students understand the value of working as a team and
develop a sense of responsibility to their communities.
What are the difference between goals and objectives?
Goals state intended outcomes in general terms and objectives state them in specific terms.
What are the difference between objectives and outcomes?
Objectives are intended results of instruction while outcomes are the achieved results of what
was learned. Objectives are more teacher centered and are written in terms of what the teacher
intends to do and the subject matter that the teacher intends to cover. Outcomes are more student
centered in that they describe what the student should learn and take away from the course or
program.
Curriculum Mapping
Once program level and course level student learning outcomes have been written, a curriculum
map can be written to examine how they fit together. Curriculum mapping is the process of
linking particular content and skills to particular courses. Creating a curriculum map can
determine where learning outcomes overlap, where they are missing or where they need
improvement.
In designing a curriculum map, create a grid by writing the broad program student learning
outcomes down the left side and courses and internships across the top, then check off the
learning outcomes that are addressed in each course.
Student Learning
Outcome 1
Student Learning
Outcome 2
Student Learning
Outcome 3
Course 1
x
Course 2
x
Course 3
Course 4
x
x
x
x
Excellent guidelines and examples of curriculum maps may be found at the University of West
Florida Center for Teaching and Learning website http://uwf.edu/cutla/curriculum_maps.cfm.
Assessment Tools
Student learning can be assessed both directly and indirectly. Direct assessment is tangible, selfexplanatory evidence of exactly what students have and have not learned and can be measured
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by tools such as tests, papers, presentations and projects. Indirect assessment is less clear and
less convincing than direct assessment in that it is a sign that students are probably learning.
Indirect assessment includes measures of student perceptions like surveys (alumni, student,
employer) and evaluations.
Questions to ask about Student Learning Outcomes and Assessment Tools:
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Is it possible to assess this outcome?
What types of activities (tests, quizzes, projects, essays) will best assess this
outcome?
How important is this outcome? What percentage of the final grade should be based
on this outcome?
Are the activities in this course actively measuring the outcomes?
Are the outcomes student-centered or course centered?
Do the questions on my exams directly measure the outcomes?
Do my assignments help student achieve the outcomes?
Is the time that students will spend on the assignment measuring this outcome worth
it? (Is the time you’ll spend grading the assignment worth it?)
Are my outcomes too broad? Too specific?
Why am I asking students to do the assignments I am requiring? (The answers to this
ought to be the learning outcomes.)
When creating the assessment tool to measure the student learning outcome, it is important to
word the question or assignment in a way that clearly indicates the product that should be
produced. Without a clearly written question, students may complete the assignment without
learning what we want them to learn.
While research papers, essays and tests can be used to assess student learning outcomes, there
are many ways that students can demonstrate their learning beyond the typical assignment. The
following shows examples of assignments that can be used to address higher order thinking
according to Bloom’s Taxonomy.
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Rubrics
A rubric is a scoring guide that seeks to evaluate a student's performance based on the sum of a
full range of criteria rather than a single numerical score.
Why Should I Use Rubrics?
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Rubrics improve student performance by clearly showing them how you will evaluate
their work and what you expect.
Rubrics help students judge the quality of their own work better.
Rubrics make assessment more objective and consistent—reducing student complaints
and arguments about grades.
Rubrics force the teacher to clarify criteria in specific terms, eliminating unintended
vague or fuzzy goals.
Rubrics reduce the amount of time you spend evaluating student work.
Rubrics make students more confident in their own peer evaluations.
Rubrics provide useful feedback to you regarding how effective your teaching has been.
Rubrics give students specific, structured feedback about their strengths and weaknesses.
Rubrics are easy to use and easy to explain.
Types of Rubrics
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Rating Scale Rubric
Uses checkboxes with a rating scale showing the degree to which required items appear
in a completed assignment.
Descriptive Rubric
Like rating scale rubrics, except that the checkboxes are replaced by descriptions of what
must be done to earn each possible rating.
Steps to Creating an Effective Rubric
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Look for models—someone else may already have designed a rubric that could be
modified for your use.
List the things you are looking for in the completed assignment.
Leave wiggle room: some percentage of the assignment should be based on “originality”
or “effort,” or you risk seeing neither in the final product.
Create a rating scale with at least three levels.
Label levels with descriptive names, not numbers.
Fill in the boxes (for descriptive rubrics)
Try it out—and modify it if it isn’t giving you the results you want.
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Example Rubrics
Descriptive Rubric for a Science Research Paper
Beginning
1
Developing
2
Accomplished
3
Exemplary
4
Introduction
Does not give any information about
what to expect in the report.
Gives very
little
information.
Gives too much
information-more like a
summary.
Presents a
concise leadin to the
report.
Research
Does not answer any questions
suggested in the template.
Answers some
questions.
Answers some
questions and
includes a few
other interesting
facts.
Answers
most
questions
and includes
many other
interesting
facts.
Procedure
Not sequential, most steps are
missing or are confusing.
Some of the
steps are
understandable;
most are
confusing and
lack detail.
Most of the
steps are
understandable;
some lack detail
or are
confusing.
Presents
easy-tofollow steps
which are
logical and
adequately
detailed.
Data &
Results
Data table and/or graph missing
information and are inaccurate.
Both complete,
minor
inaccuracies
and/or illegible
characters.
Both accurate,
some ill-formed
characters.
Data table
and graph
neatly
completed
and totally
accurate.
Conclusion
Presents an illogical explanation for
findings and does not address any of
the questions suggested in the
template.
Presents an
illogical
explanation for
findings and
addresses few
questions.
Presents a
logical
explanation for
findings and
addresses some
of the questions.
Presents a
logical
explanation
for findings
and
addresses
most of the
questions.
Grammar &
Spelling
Very frequent grammar and/or
spelling errors.
More than two
errors.
Only one or two
errors.
All grammar
and spelling
are correct.
Timeliness
Report handed in more than one
week late.
Up to one week
late.
Up to two days
late.
Report
handed in on
time.
Total
Score
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Checklist Rubric for Art Problem Solving Assignment
Not often
Usually
Always
PROBLEM FINDING (Task definition)
The student makes a plan or
draws a preliminary sketch.
Comments:
FACT FINDING (Information seeking and locating resources)
The student brainstorms
ideas in order to have several
solutions from which to
choose.
Comments:
SOLUTION FINDING (Synthesis: putting all the information together)
The student is willing to try
new things and make
changes in his/her art.
The student asks questions
when he/she does not
understand.
The student listens to
teacher's suggestions for
improvement.
The student works hard to
finish project or task.
Comments:
EVALUATING
The student looks for things
he/she can improve.
Comments:
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Checklist Rubric for Automotive Program (courtesy Steve Tucker)
Note to instructor: Prepare the vehicle by setting fan on any speed except high and
temp. any place but full cold, A/C control off. (award 1 point for each yes)
NO SAFETY GLASSES and/or failure to follow safety rules = minus 5 points.
Part 1: Performance Test
The student properly prepared the vehicle for the performance test ___yes ____no
(fan on high, full cold, normal A/C)
Installed the thermometer in the correct location
___yes ____no
Correctly interpreted pressure gauge reading on low side
___yes ____no
Correctly interpreted pressure gauge reading on high side
___yes ____no
Correctly interpreted performance test results or faulty readings.
___yes ____no
Part 2: Leak detection
Probe is used in the correct position (below a line) ¼” away
___yes ____no
Circles fittings and connections in lines/hoses
___yes ____no
Moves detector probe at proper rate ( no faster than 1- 2”/second) ___yes ____no
Knows the minimum PSI required for test (minimum of 50)
___yes ____no
Knows how detector will react when a leak exists.
___yes ____no
Overall performance: excellent (all “yes” with a high level of expertise) 5 points
satisfactory (2 or less “no” acceptable expertise) 3.5 points
more preparation needed (three or more “no”) 2.5 points
Total points______
Comments:
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Checklist Rubric for Automotive Program (courtesy Steve Tucker)
Rating Scale and Recommendation
Automotive Heating and Air Conditioning
Name____________________________
Date________
RATING SCALE:
# 1 No knowledge of subject matter, unable to perform minimal amount of task,
considerable preparation required.
#2 Inadequate Knowledge/skill. More preparation needed.
# 3 Basic understanding, minimal knowledge & skills, requires close supervision,
significant preparation required.
# 4 Moderate understanding & skills, requires some guidance, more preparation
required, exceeded allocated time limit.
# 5 Entry level, demonstrates excellent knowledge & skills, requires very little
guidance, within allocated time limit.
Based on classroom knowledge, practical and live work performance, for each of the
following the student demonstrated:
A/C system Diagnosis and repair: ____5
____4
____3
____2
____1
Refrigeration System Component
Diagnosis and Repair:
____5
____4
____3
____2
____1
Heating/Ventilation Diagnosis
and Repair:
____5
____4
____3
____2
____1
Cooling System Diagnosis
And Repair:
____5
____4
____3
____2
____1
Control System Diagnosis
and Repair:
____5
____4
____3
____2
____1
Refrigerant Recovery, Recycling
And Handling:
____5
____4
____3
____2
____1
Instructor____________________________
Date__________
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Rubric Template
Beginning
1
Developing
2
Accomplished
3
Exemplary
4
Score
In the shaded areas, list the aspects of the assignment you are looking for. In the boxes to the
right, list the descriptions of the performances that merit those ratings. Use as many rows as you
need.
More excellent examples of rubrics by subject area may be found at the Teacher Planet website
www.rubrics4teachers.com.
Setting Benchmarks or Standards
Before beginning the collection of assessment results, benchmarks or standards should be set.
Standards may be local (set by a program at SUNY Delhi), external (set by an external
accrediting agency or other organization), or historic (improving over time). To set appropriate
benchmarks, research what other programs at other colleges are doing, discuss ideas with faculty
members in the program, and use examples of previous student work to inform your decision.
Competencies/Proficiencies
Types of student learning outcomes that are focused on skills rather than knowledge. “Students
must be able to type 90 words per minute” is a proficiency outcome.
Standards/Benchmarks
Specific scores used to measure success in achieving outcomes. A department might set a goal to
have 75% of its students pass LITR 260 with a C or better—the “C” would be the standard we
want them to be measured against.
Measurement Criteria
The standards used to measure student success in meeting course objectives. Competencies and
Standards or Benchmarks are common measurement criteria in skills-based courses.
Measurement Criteria generally define quality in the course and specify how the instructor will
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determine the students’ level of understanding. Every Student Learning Outcome should be
measured; the method used to measure it should appear in the measurement criteria.
Course information documents at SUNY Delhi (commonly called “syllabi” or “course outlines”)
must include measurable student learning outcomes and measurement criteria as categories.
Course outlines and syllabi also, by necessity, contain other things: some outlines will list
benchmarks and proficiencies under “measurement criteria”; some will list objectives in the
“measurable student learning outcomes” section.
Course outlines and syllabi often contain objectives and goals that are not measurable—not
everything of value in academics can be set against a yardstick.
Gathering Evidence
The procedure for gathering assessment data can be overwhelming. It is important to develop a
system that is both manageable and meaningful. The following are suggestions from other
SUNY Delhi faculty members:
1. Don’t reinvent the wheel: Re-examine the assessment tools that you are currently using –
many of them are probably already assessing the student learning outcomes of the course.
If not, how can they be adapted to measure the student learning outcomes of your course?
2. Take a representative sample: In courses with multiple sections, choose a representative
sample of student work to assess rather than assessing every student in every section.
3. Break it up: Rather than collecting data for every student learning outcome each
semester, choose a two or three student learning outcomes to assess each semester.
Complete the assessment of all student learning outcomes on a two or three year cycle.
4. Collect student work and assess it at the end of the semester: Keep all assignments used
for assessment purposes rather than handing them back to students. At the end of the
semester, using a grading rubric, sit down with a group of fellow faculty members and
rate each piece of student work according to the rubric.
Typically results are reported as percentages. For example, 10% of students exceeded the
standard, 40% of students met the standard, 20% of students approached the standard, and 30%
of students did not meet the standard.
Reporting the Results
Results should be reported on the assessment web site once it is fully implemented. In the
meantime, report results to your division dean, who will in turn share them with the Document
Repository in the Library and the Deans’ Council and Provost’s Office.
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Closing the Loop
One of the most difficult parts of the assessment process is to use the results to improve teaching
and learning or “close the loop.” However, in order for assessment to be effective, this is the
most important part of the process. Once you have gathered and analyzed the data:
1. Re-examine the instruction: Is the student learning outcome being addressed completely
in the class? How can the instruction be improved to address the student learning
outcome? How can the course materials like handouts, textbooks, PowerPoints, and
assignments be improved?
2. Re-examine the student learning outcomes and goals: Are they appropriate for this
course or should they be covered in another course?
3. Re-examine the rubric: Did the rubric accurately measure the assignment? In other
words, did the grade assigned by the rubric match your “gut feeling” on what the grade
should be? If not, how can it be adapted to better measure the assignment?
4. Re-examine the assessment tool: Did the assessment tool measure the student learning
outcome? If not, can it be reworded so that students produce what is intended?
5. Re-examine the assessment process: Could this student learning outcome be assessed in
a better way?
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References:
Anderson, L. W., & Krathwohl, D. R. (2001). A taxonomy for learning, teaching, and assessing:
A revision of Bloom’s taxonomy of educational objectives. New York: Longman.
Bloom, B. S., & Krathwohl, D. R. (1956). Taxonomy of educational objectives: The
classification of educational goals by a committee of college and university examiners.
Handbook I: Cognitive Domain. New York: Longman, Green.
Center for University Teaching, Learning, and Assessment. (2011). Retrieved from
http://www.uwf.edu/cutla/index.cfm
Suskie, L. (2009). Assessing student learning: A common sense guide. San Francisco, CA:
Jossey-Bass.
University of Connecticut Assessment Prime. (n.d.). Retrieved from
http://assessment.uconn.edu/primer/index.html