RUBRIC FOR ASSESSING PROGRAMMATIC PLANNING & SLOS
PLANNING TO ASSESS THE PROGRAM
Programmatic planning should…
state mission in terms of educational
purpose or goals
relate its mission and goals to the
University mission and planning
connect program mission and goals to
its SLOs
link program-level outcomes to specific
course-level outcomes in measurable or
observable terms
Definitions of terms
Educational purpose and goals are broad
statements of purpose in philosophical
terms often describing values and
aspirations.
These statements help align the program
with the University’s mission and planning
as they describe how the program’s
mission and goals relate to and support the
overarching institutional planning.
SLOs that connect directly and specifically
to the program clearly support and
advance (or align with) the program’s
mission and goals, while identifying what
students should expect to know or be able
to do by program completion.
This linkage is generally depicted via tables,
lists, or other schema to represent
intended SLOs within courses or
sequences of courses as they relate to
overall program SLOs (e.g., showing
hierarchical programmatic connections
and/or explaining how courses fit together
within degree programs and other course
sequences such as options, minors,
credentials, or concentrations, etc.).
Rubric
4 = very clearly stated
3 = stated with some clarity
2 = stated, but generally lacking clarity
1 = not stated
4 = relationships very clearly stated
3 = relationships stated with some clarity
2 = relationships stated, but generally
lacking clarity
1 = relationship not described
SLOs are connected to program mission
and goals:
4 = clearly
3 = somewhat
2 = infrequently
1 = no connection apparent
The linkages are:
4 = very clearly described
3 = described with some clarity
2 = described, but lacking clarity
1 = not described
Score
Subtotal (16 points possible) _______
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PROGRAMMATIC STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES ASSESSMENT:
SLOs are CONTENT-specific, MEASURABLE, and the results of assessment are best used to IMPROVE student learning.
CONTENT
The SLOs should…
describe essential program-specific
content that students are able to
demonstrate in terms of knowledge,
skills and values upon graduation
Definitions of terms
SLOs identify in program-specific contentcentered terms (e.g., concepts, theories,
paradigms, etc.) the knowledge, skills, and
values that the program aims to convey
focus on student-centered learning
Student-centered outcomes are 1) outputoriented, focusing on what graduates
actually know and are able to do, 2)
competency-based and tied to the most
important skills and knowledge in a
program, and 3) designed to support
continual improvement through ongoing
assessment of student learning (Western
Washington University).
“Learning outcomes are statements of
what a student is expected to know,
understand and/or be able to demonstrate
after completion of a process of learning”
(ECTS Users’ Guide, 2005)
describe a learning outcome, not a
process
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Rubric
SLOs describe essential program-specific
content that students can demonstrate in
terms of knowledge, skills and values
upon graduation
4 = all
3 = most
2 = few
1 = none
SLOs are focused on student-centered
learning, not on instructional goals or
activities
4 = all
3 = most
2 = few
1 = none
Score
SLOs are stated as outcomes, not as a
process
4 = all
3 = most
2 = few
1 = none
Subtotal (12 points possible) _______
(SLOS CONTINUED) MEASURABLE
The SLOs should…
be measurable
be written using action verbs to specify
definite, observable behaviors, skills, or
end products
list only one skill per statement
Definitions of terms
Measurable outcomes link actual student
learning to intended post-graduate
abilities, and lead to the production of
evidence that graduates have met the
intended goals.
Assessment becomes most useful when
we know what we’re looking for. Using a
specific verb to describe student actions
makes the statement measurable and
helps define the type of assessments
needed to show that the objectives were
achieved. Action verbs provide definite,
observable actions to measure.
Keep the SLO simple by limiting it to one
skill per learning outcome (hint: the word
“and” often points to multiple skills.) If
multiple skills are included, the outcome
becomes complex and difficult to
measure. Divide multiple skills into
separate statements.
2
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Rubric
SLOs are stated in measurable terms:
4 = all
3 = most
2 = few
1 = none
SLO language is
4 = specific, definite and observable
3 = imprecise, general, approximate
2 = vague, ill-defined, or unclear
1 = so unclear as to be unmeasurable
Score
SLOs list one skill per statement:
4 = all
3 = most
2 = few
1 = none
Subtotal (12 points possible) _______
(SLOS CONTINUED) IMPROVE
SLO assessment results should:
be used to improve student learning
be used to identify areas to improve
show how the unit’s use of student
learning outcomes data is an effective
part of that program’s curriculum and
course development and revision
activities
Definitions of terms
A well-designed SLO leads to 1) the
collection of useful assessment data, 2)
productive analysis of the data, and 3)
results that inform revisions to the
curriculum and improve student learning.
Rubric
Score
Assessment of SLO data will:
4 = strongly lend itself to improvement of
student learning
3 = somewhat lead to improvement…
2 = unlikely lead to improvement…
1 = Not apparent that assessment of SLO
data will lead to improvement
Meaningful assessment lends itself to
Assessment of SLO data will:
adaptive curriculum that is responsive to
4 = strongly lend itself to improvement of
assessment results. This, in turn, lends
curriculum and/or learning environment
itself toward producing “a campus that
3 = somewhat lead to improvement…
becomes a learning organization, capturing 2 = unlikely lead to improvement…
information and making effective use of it
1 = Not apparent that assessment of SLO
in continuing to improve” (PKAL).
data will lead to improvement
This section should present a well4 = definitely
developed and coherent assessment plan
3 = probably
that includes continuous and well2 = possibly, but uncertain
integrated linkage among assessment,
1 = definitely not
planning, and implementation activities.
Subtotal (8 points possible) _______
Rubric developed and adapted from the following resources
 Cal State Hayward WASC Planning Process Rubric, December 2003
 University of Connecticut, “How to Write Program Objectives/Outcomes” retrieved from http://assessment.uconn.edu/primer/
 ECTS Users’ Guide (2005), Brussels: Directorate-General for Education and Culture. Available at
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http://ec.europa.eu/education/programmes/socrates/ects/doc/guide_en.pdf
PKAL: Project Kaleidoscope. Washington D.C. Retrieved from http://www.pkal.org/documents/AssessmentToImproveStudentLearning.cfm
Schreyer Institute for Teaching Excellence. “Identifying desired measurable learning objectives.” Retrieved from
http://www.schreyerinstitute.psu.edu/Tools/ProgramAssessment/MeasurableOutcomes/
Tomorrow’s Professor, (n.d.) Stanford University. Retrieved from http://cgi.stanford.edu/~dept-ctl/tomprof/posting.php?ID=170
University of Wisconsin LaCrosse. Retrieved from www.uwlax.edu/learningoutcomes/edreading/WritingStudentLearningOutcomes.pdf
Western Washington University’s Center for Instructional Innovation & Assessment. “Selecting measurable learning outcomes.” Retrieved
from http://pandora.cii.wwu.edu/cii/resources/outcomes/default.asp
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