INSTRUCTIONS FOR ACADEMIC LEVEL ONE ASSESSMENT REPORT 2013-1014
Assessment of Student Learning
THIS DOCUMENT IS INTENDED TO SERVE AS AN INSTRUCTIONAL GUIDE FOR THE ACADEMIC LEVEL ONE ASSESSMENT
REPORT.
General Instructions:
Assessment of student learning is required of all undergraduate degree programs, graduate degree programs and certificate programs. Assessment of student
learning is also required of any service units that provide educational programming that does not result in a degree or certificate.
Please respond to the items below to describe the assessment of student learning in your degree, certificate or educational program. The completed form should be
submitted as a Word document to your University Assessment Committee (UAC) liaison. For a list of UAC liaisons, please refer to the UAC website.
All assessment of student learning reports will be analyzed and summarized by your UAC liaison. This summary/analysis for all degree, certificate or educational
programs in your college or service unit will then be submitted to the UAC. The UAC will develop a report for the Provost, Chancellor and President analyzing
and summarizing assessment of student learning across all colleges and service units.
Draft to be approved by UAC
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INSTRUCTIONS FOR ACADEMIC LEVEL ONE ASSESSMENT REPORT 2013-1014
Assessment of Student Learning
Part One: Identify the program and guiding principles.
a. Provide the following information:
o Program/Unit Name
o Date
o Program/Unit Director(s) Name
o Person(s) completing the report Name (if different from Program/Unit Director)
b. Select the type of program from the options listed
c. Provide the mission of your program
d. Describe external accreditation status/guidelines
Mission:
Describe the mission of your academic program. In particular, describe the desired educational goals or career options for graduates of your program.
External accreditation status:
If your academic program is reviewed and accredited by an external organization, please provide information regarding this accreditation including the name of the
accrediting body, your accreditation status and the date of your next self-study and review.
If you do not undergo a regular accreditation process, but follow the guidelines of an external advisory body, please provide the name of this advisory body and
whether your program complies with their current guidelines.
Draft to be approved by UAC
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INSTRUCTIONS FOR ACADEMIC LEVEL ONE ASSESSMENT REPORT 2013-1014
Assessment of Student Learning
Part Two: Identify student learning outcomes.
a. List the student learning outcomes (SLOs) for the program.
b. Respond to questions regarding SLOs’ availability to students, course specific SLOs, and mapping.
c. Provide additional comments as necessary.
Student learning outcomes:
a. List the student learning outcomes (SLOs) for the academic or educational program. SLOs must be written in terms of measurable student behavior. SLOs
describe what students will be able to do or what skills students will gain as a result of instruction. More information about writing SLOs can be found at
the UAC website.
b. Answer questions related to SLOs.
Part Three: Identify the types of measures utilized in your program.
a. Complete the table to identify the following:
i.
Data collection methods, metrics and sources
ii.
Applicable student learning outcomes
iii.
Define measure as a direct or indirect measure of student learning
iv.
Frequency of data collection
v.
Person(s) responsible for reviewing the data
b. Provide additional comments as necessary
Assessment measures:
a. Complete the table provided in the template. List the explicit assessment measures or methods used as a means to confirm student learning in your
program. For each measure, provide information about whether it is a direct or indirect measure of student learning, the frequency of data collection and
the review of this information. Add additional rows as needed.
Note that a variety of measures to assess student learning may be employed. These must include direct measures of student performance, such as
performances, presentations, homework or exams. Indirect measures such as student surveys or career placement statistics may also be used, although
direct measures of student performance must be provided. Assessment measures may also come from external sources such as employer evaluations of
student performance during co-ops or internships.
Draft to be approved by UAC
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INSTRUCTIONS FOR ACADEMIC LEVEL ONE ASSESSMENT REPORT 2013-1014
Assessment of Student Learning
Part Four: Provide a sample of your assessment results and actions to improve student learning.
a. Complete the table to identify the following:
i. A sample of six of your findings from the 2013-2014 academic year
ii. Corresponding student learning outcome from Part Two of this report
iii. Target performance.
iv. Results from 2013-2014
v. Results from 2012-2013
vi. Actions to improve learning (please select one or more from the key provided below)
vii. Provide additional comments as necessary
b. Provide a brief narrative describing the significance of your results
c. Provide a brief narrative describing any actions taken to improve student learning based on your assessment results
Assessment results and actions to improve learning:
a. Complete the table below.
i. Provide a sample of six of your findings from the 2013-2014 academic year, including at least one example each of your best, needs most
improvement, and average results. Please also report on three additional results from of the measures listed in the table from Part 3 above.
Please limit your sample of results to a total of six. Use the key below to categorize actions to improve learning in the table.
Kinds of decisions that assessment findings may guide or contribute to:
(Enter letter(s) under “Actions to Improve Learning” in the table below.)
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
f)
g)
h)
i)
j)
k)
Curriculum (e.g., revise one or more courses for knowledge and skills; revise course sequence or prerequisites; continue or expand a successful course)
Instruction (e.g., pilot new instructional approach or assignment; improve communication of SLOs to students and faculty; continue or expand a successful approach
or assignment)
Faculty, professional development (e.g., opportunity for faculty to apply an aspect of assessment in their own courses; training for faculty on assessment, changing
faculty participation in assessment)
TA Training (e.g., introduce or adjust TA training)
Advising (revise advising practices)
Facilities (labs, classrooms, etc.)
Course Scheduling (modify frequency or schedule of class offerings)
Assessment Processes, Plan, or Infrastructure (e.g., change methods of data collection; revise student outcomes; adjust process of infrastructure to support
assessment)
Recommendations that involve other units of the university (e.g., units such as the libraries, that provide support to other programs)
Equipment (e.g. hardware/software)
Other (please explain in comments)
Draft to be approved by UAC
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INSTRUCTIONS FOR ACADEMIC LEVEL ONE ASSESSMENT REPORT 2013-1014
Assessment of Student Learning
b. Results Narrative:
i. Describe the significance of these data and how these data provide evidence to determine whether your program is meeting its student learning
outcomes.
c. Actions to Improve Learning Narrative:
i. Describe examples of changes made in your unit in response to the data gathered. You do not need to limit this discussion to the data
presented in the table above. Explicitly describe the data that led to the changes and provide the corresponding student learning outcome.
These changes or modification may be at the level of an individual course, including changes in course content or educational experiences; or
at the level of the program, including addition of new course options and elective experiences.
ii. Decisions may include the choice to continue current effective practices. If no changes are planned for the upcoming academic year (2014 –
2015), please state that this is the case and explain your decision by providing specific justification supported by assessment results.
iii. If changes were made for the previous academic year (2013 - 2014), please describe whether your assessment measures have shown that these
changes have led to improvements in student learning outcomes.
iv. Please also report on your progress from the changes stated in the 2012-2013 report. (if applicable)
Part Five: Describe how students are involved in the assessment process for your program.
Students’ involvement
Describe how students are involved in any aspect of the assessment process for your program. This could involve input on assessment measures, methodology and
frequency of data collection, eliciting their feedback on courses or the program in general, or their participation on curriculum or assessment committees that
review data and recommend program changes. Include any strategies used to encourage students to provide feedback that has the potential to improve learning
outcomes.
Draft to be approved by UAC
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INSTRUCTIONS FOR ACADEMIC LEVEL ONE ASSESSMENT REPORT 2013-1014
Assessment of Student Learning
Part Six: Discuss the assessment process within your program.
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
Describe any changes made to improve the assessment process
Identify with whom assessment data is discussed. Provide additional comments as necessary.
Identify assessment activities that have taken place during the 2013-2014 reporting cycle. Provide additional comments as necessary.
Identify the level of faculty involvement in the assessment process
List with whom your assessment report will be shared
a. Actions to improve the assessment process
i.
Describe changes made in any aspect of the process of assessment of student learning for your academic or educational program. These changes
may include new or revised assessment methods or tools, changes in the way data are reviewed, or new strategies related to communication of
assessment results revised methods.
ii.
In particular, you should address any issues raised by your UAC liaison during the review of your assessment process from the 2012-2013
academic year.
iii.
If no changes are planned or made, state that this is the case and explain your decision.
b. Sharing and discussing assessment
From the list shared in the template, check the corresponding individuals/groups with which assessment results are shared. (Check all that apply.) Provide
comments as necessary.
c. Identify assessment activities that have taken place in the 2013-2014 reporting cycle.
From the list shared in the template, check the corresponding assessment activities that have taken place in your program during the 2013-2014 assessment
cycle. (Check all that apply.) Provide comments as necessary.
d. Identify the level of faculty involvement in the assessment process.
From the description provided in the template, check the corresponding level of faculty involvement in the assessment process. (Check only one.) Provide
comments as necessary.
e. Dissemination of this assessment report
A copy of this report will be distributed to your UAC liaison, the entire UAC and your dean or vice-provost. Please list other individuals or groups to
whom you will send a copy of this report.
Draft to be approved by UAC
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INSTRUCTIONS FOR ACADEMIC LEVEL ONE ASSESSMENT REPORT 2013-1014
Assessment of Student Learning
Part Seven: Overall Program Summary
a. Provide a self-rating of your program.
b. Share examples of assessment-related artifacts.
c. Provide additional comments as necessary.
Self-Assessment/ Supporting Documentation
a. From the descriptions provided in the template, check the corresponding rating best represents your program. (choose one)
b. Please attach example(s) of artifacts of performance indicators (e.g., displays, rubrics, graphs, charts, etc.) that have been made available to constituents
(e.g., faculty, staff, students, administrators, etc.)
Draft to be approved by UAC
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