Assessment

Assessment is the method of "closing the loop" on planning in a systematic cycle. According to one definition, assessment if "the maximum and review of evidence representing levels of performance, accomplishment and knowledge."

Who does assessment?

All areas of the University, including administrative units, academic administrative offices, and academic programs, complete assessment each year and submit reports for a cycle of review outlined in the Annual Planning and Assessment Plan. All assessment is reviewed by the SACSCOC Liaison in the Office of the Provost in conjunction with members of the SACSCOC Coordinating Council.

Why do assessment?

The type of assessment done to link back to planning is formative in nature; it is "focused on providing feedback to support improvement."

How does assessment relate to planning?

Planning and assessment are separate but related issues; combining the two allows efforts to be fused and intentional. This collection allows for a robust process in which growth is nurtured and sustained.

Academic Program Assessment Helpful Hints

Annual Program Assessment forms the core of communicating what the program is examining with regards to student learning. It is imperative that programs update grids as modifications occur, specifically in their yearly assessment reports or updates. The program assessment plans document and/or define:

Student learning outcomes: Student learning outcomes (SLOs) are specific, measureable objectives that describe how students can demonstrate mastery of program goals. Because learning outcomes provide the basis for valid and reliable assessment of effective curriculum and instructional strategies, it is imperative that they be well-worded to provide a clear communication of expectations to students and to select those activities that promote learning.

Measurement tools (and where assessed): The listing of measurement tools and where (in which course/where in the curriculum) they are assessed allows reviewers to see the data-collection methods that programs have chosen to use to guide their measurement of student learning. These tools vary from:

direct measures from student performance or product: test-embedded questions, paper-/project-scoring rubrics, pre-/post-tests, portfolios
indirect measures of perception, attitude or opinions: surveys, grades, placement data

Success criteria : At what level the program indicates a student has “successfully” met each outcome’s measurement tool. Common starting criteria include:

70% of students answer an embedded test question correctly
70% of students score‘good’ or higher on a particular rubric assessing a paper, project, portfolioor presentation
70% of students show improvement from the pre- to the post-test
70% of students or instructors perceive student work to be ‘good’ or higher on a particular survey
70% of students place into graduate school or a discipline-related job within 1 year of graduation

This does NOT included overall course or exam grades as there is no specificity to this type of data

Annual Planning and Assessment Plan

Prior Year Review of Unit Assessment and Summary of Findings

August 31– The deans, in cooperation with the school faculty, will review the previous year’s assessment results and determine any changes in program learning outcomes for each program for the academic year, reviewing and updating the program curriculum mapping if necessary.

Establishment of Criteria & Measurement of Outcomes

By October 31 – Deans and school faculty will finalize changes to criteria for success and measurement for each unit’s learning outcomes for the current year. Changes will be recorded in Campus Labs planning module.

Capture of Supporting Documents

September – May – Program coordinators and unit directors utilize the Gallery in Campus Labs for uploading sample student artifacts and other documents that demonstrate assessed results as they are completed.

Annual Assessment of Objectives

May 31 – Program coordinators and unit directors report assessed results and use of results for each objective. Supporting documents are linked from the Campus Labs Gallery to the Planning module for demonstration of achievement. A summary narrative is completed for each academic program or administrative unit across the institution.

Multi-Unit Annual Summary

June 30 – Deans and supervisors of multi-unit departments will prepare an annual statement which links overall School/departmental goals with the institutional mission and strategic plan. This narrative is expected to provide context for the work of the units in that School/department.

Prior Year Institutional Review and Comments

June 30– The Assistant Provost and faculty on the SACSCOC Coordinating Council will review the unit goals and summary narratives for the previous academic year and provide feedback to colleagues.

Prior Year Final Edits

August 1 - Deans, program coordinators and unit directors finalize additions and edits as requested by the SACSCOC Coordinating Council.

Learning Outcomes Assessment (PLO)

Download all files

2014-15 Reports by School

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SOCM

Required

SOCM_3_1_16.pdf

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While focused on a reorder icon, press the Enter key or spacebar to "select" the icon. While a reorder icon is selected, pressing the up and down arrows will change the order of the selected item within the list. Pressing Enter key or spacebar again will drop the selected item at that location in the list.

While focused on a reorder icon, press the Enter key or spacebar to "select" the icon. While a reorder icon is selected, pressing the up and down arrows will change the order of the selected item within the list. Pressing Enter key or spacebar again will drop the selected item at that location in the list.

Non-Academic Assessment

Ungrouped

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Assessment FAQ

What is assessment?