University of Nevada, Reno
Model for the Assessment of Student Learning
The University's Assessment Plan (.pdf)
Assessment Office Strategic Plan (.pdf)
Accreditation & Assessment - Northwest Commission on Colleges & Universities (NWCCU)
- Standard 2, Program Effectiveness (See 2.B.1, 2.B.2, & 2.B.3)
- Policy 2.1, General Education
- Policy 2.2, Educational Assessment
Faculty Opportunities:
- To Present/Publish Scholarship on Assessing Student Learning in Higher Education
- For Faculty Development (Teaching Tips Index)
Develop an Assessment Plan:
Step-by-Step
Developing a Program Plan to Assess Student Learning Outcomes
Programs, for assessment purposes, refer to all degrees offered by the university and those in student services designated by the Vice President for Student Affairs. All programs are expected to develop a Plan to assess priority program outcomes that may determine the efficacy of student learning outcomes through current practice or determine areas for program improvement. Programs should collect data to inform the Plan and the program should use all available information in making program modification decisions.
The general model for assessing student learning in academic programs and services/benefits in student affairs programs adopted by the University of Nevada, Reno includes an Assessment Plan with four basic steps plus an annual Report that summarizes assessment findings and anticipated program modifications:
- Assessment Plans include: (Plan template example)
- Annual Reports include:
(Report template example)
- Description of student achievement for each student learning outcome (SLO)
- Faculty estimates for student achievement
- % that fully met expected learning outcome
- % that substantially met expected learning outcome
- % that failed to meet expected learning outcome
- Summary of Key Findings (analysis and meaning)
- Description of Program Modifications, if any
A template to create and submit program Plans to the Assessment Office (OUA) is available to each program Assessment Coordinator through a secure log-in via the OUA website. Log-in is managed via authentication of the faculty members assigned NetID. Only the Coordinator has permission to edit and submit the Plan or Report. All submitted Plans are published on the OUA website. Plans may be edited/updated by the Coordinator at any time.
An annual Report on the previous year’s assessment activities is expected during each fall semester. Coordinators may access the Report template on the OUA website during this period.
Programs having concerns or challenges adapting their Assessment Plan to this model should contact the Office of University Assessment to determine an alternative approach.
Assessment Plan
Mission Statement
As determined by consensus of faculty within the program, the mission should provide a brief indication of the main educational goal of the program? The foundation of an effective assessment plan is faculty understanding regarding the program’s underlying values and goals for student learning. Even when consensus is not fully reached, it is important that faculty dialogs surrounding expectations for student learning are ongoing.
While these things may seem intuitive, such is not always the case. Broad-based and explicit consensus is important to efficiently develop the program’s assessment plan. An effective educational program, beginning with the University (UNR mission), college and departmental missions, will have its mission, learning outcomes, curriculum, instruction and assessment in alignment. Time spent in discussions to reach consensus will not only pay dividends in the time and effort required to develop the remainder to the plan (particularly specifying expected student learning outcomes), but may also help faculty reflect on the content and sequence of the major curriculum.
Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs)
SLOs are the key feature within an Assessment Plan. SLOs are concise statements which indicate what students in a program are expected to know and be able to do at some mid-point and/or at the conclusions of their studies. Each program will have a wide range of expected student outcomes however faculty should prioritize what is most valued and those things that could be changed, rather than outcomes beyond the program’s control. (SLO examples)
Each SLO also need at least one measurable Performance Indicator, which identifies what students will do to demonstrate their competence, a behavior or student product. Performance Indicators are used to assess how well students’ achieved the expected outcome. Each Performance Indicator also needs as companion Assessment Method that outlines how faculty will go about the process of assessing the student behavior or product, the Performance Indicator.
Graduate programs that are highly individualized may wish to take a different approach. Since specific learning outcomes would be cumbersome as well as extensive to account for every student's program of study and research interests, the program may elect to focus on those benchmark activities that mark progress through the program. Masters programs may be less individualized than doctoral programs. For masters' degrees, it is more reasonable to define knowledge and skill outcomes specifically ( master's level program plan example ). In doctoral programs, we all know that a student's major advisor and his or her committee will conduct multiple assessments, from providing written comp questions through the dissertation defense. We can and must rely upon faculty expertise and judgment to assure candidates achieve the program learning outcomes required for granting the degree without burdening programs with an unmanageable number of learning outcomes. ( doctoral level program plan example )
Use of Results
This step is provided for the program to specify how assessment data will be used. This step is the payoff! Accumulating assessment data is of little value in itself, the value is in using it as a mirror to reflect back how effectively your students are achieving the stated learning outcomes. This is a two-part process:
- Summarizing assessment data so that results can be clearly portrayed for faculty to review;
- Evaluating assessment results and recommending program modifications.
This step should describe how the information will be organized, analyzed, and summarized.
Implementation Plan
Just as the program is responsible for the assessment plan design and report, it also is responsible for designing and managing the implementation. Although the program Assessment Coordinator likely will provide oversight and coordination, involving faculty in the implementation process is strongly recommended. This step should identify:
- Who will manage the planning process?
- When and where will assessments occur?
- Who collects the assessment data?
- Where and how are data stored?
- Who manages the data?
Having such a plan, in writing, can be very helpful to insure critical details have been addressed.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES FOR DEVELOPING A PLAN FOR YOUR PROGRAM
- Step 1
- What is the main educational goal or mission of your program?
- Step 2
- What do programs want your graduating majors to know and be able to do?
- How will programs know how well graduates are able to do it?
- How will students demonstrate their competence?
- How will you measure their levels of competence?
- Step 3
- How will programs use the information to improve your program's effectiveness?
- Step 4
- What is your implementation process for Steps 1-3?
Performance Indicator Data Sources
Assessment Method Considerations
See also: Assessment Instruments and Methods Available to Assess Student Learning in the Major (University of Wisconsin)
