Assessment 101: What do
you (really) need to know?
Melinda Jackson, SJSU Assessment Director
October 5-6 2015
Focus on Learning Outcomes
Traditional course development:
• Instructor centered (What I am going to tell you.)
• “Students will learn to…”
Outcomes-based course development:
• Learner centered (What do I want students to be able
to do at the end of the term?
• “Students will describe/demonstrate/analyze…”
Adapted from: Sharlene Sayegh
WASC Assessment 101 Workshop, Oct. 3, 2014
The Assessment Cycle
5) Interpret results,
identify, and implement
revisions to pedagogy,
curriculum, programs,
criteria or outcomes.
1) Design Assessment: Goals,
outcomes, evidence, criteria and
standards (ex. rubrics)
4) Collect, review and analyze
evidence of student learning
2) Publicly share outcomes,
criteria and standards
3) Provide
intentional
learning
experiences
(curriculum &
pedagogy)
Based on Driscoll & Wood, 2007
Assessment Vocabulary
• Assessment (of student learning) – gathering information about student learning
and/or the learning experience in order to improve student learning
• Evaluation – making judgments about the quality of student learning on the basis of
assessment evidence
• Learning Outcome (L.O.) – description of
• Learning expectations: what we expect students to know, do, and be when they leave a
course, program or institution.
• L.O.s “convey to the learner exactly what is to be accomplished,” “identify specifically
what should be learned.” (AALL, 1994)
• Learning results: The knowledge, abilities, and/or attitudes students demonstrably
possess at the conclusion of a learning experience.
Assessment Vocabulary
• Authentic Assessment – assignments/assessments designed to replicate “real
world” activities via relevant and meaningful questions, tasks, problems, and
projects. Often they are powerful forms of learning, as well as productive sources of
insight into student ability.
• Alignment – connections among components of a learning experience (e.g.
curriculum, pedagogy, etc.) that support student achievement of an intended
learning outcome.
• Benchmark – a standard of performance against which assessment results can be
judged (often standardized exams, national accreditation standards, etc.)
• “Closing the loop” – the intentional process of responding to assessment results by
implementing changes intended to improve student learning, or concluding change
is unnecessary.
SJSU Assessment Vocabulary
On our campus:
• University Learning Goals (ULGs)
• Program Learning Outcomes (PLOs)
• Course Learning Outcomes (CLOs)
• Student Learning Outcomes/Objectives (SLOs) (still used in some programs, based on
external accreditation agency definitions)
For GE courses:
• GE Learning Outcomes (GELOs), defined for each GE Area
• Course Learning Outcomes (CLOs)
University
Learning Goals
1. Specialized
knowledge
2. Broad
integrative
knowledge
3. Intellectual
skills
4. Applied
knowledge
5. Social and
global
responsibilities
4. Critical
thinking
5. Quantitative
reasoning
Core
Competencies
(WASC)
1. Information
literacy
2. Written
communication
3. Oral
communication
Program Learning Outcomes
GE Learning Outcomes
Relationships between Annual Assessment Reports
and Program Planning
Who does what? (What do I have to do???)
• Instructors:
• Define Course Learning Outcomes (CLOs)
• Link CLOs to assignments, and Program Learning Outcomes (PLOs)
• GE courses: link to GELOs, collect assessment data (work with GE course coordinator)
• GE Course Coordinators:
• Be very familiar with GE Guidelines and GELOs for your course
• Work with all instructors for your GE course, ensure that GELOs are correctly included in
syllabi, collect assessment data based on schedule, submit annual GE course assessment
report due October 1
• Department Assessment Coordinators:
• Facilitate collection of assessment data for relevant PLOs each year, based on assessment
schedule
• Submit Annual Program Assessment Report, due June 1
• Work with College Assessment Facilitator to learn and share latest information and policies
on assessment with department colleagues, help to build assessment culture focused on
continuous improvement
Where do I find information and resources?
• Undergraduate Studies Website: http://www.sjsu.edu/ugs/
• Program Assessment: http://www.sjsu.edu/ugs/faculty/programs/
• GE Info: http://www.sjsu.edu/ugs/faculty/ge/index.html
• Program Records (archives, previous reports):
http://www.sjsu.edu/ugs/faculty/programrecords/index.html
• College Assessment Facilitators:
http://www.sjsu.edu/ugs/faculty/programs/committee/index.html
• Director of Assessment: Melinda.Jackson@sjsu.edu