Program Assessment Overview
Program assessment is the process of establishing program learning outcomes, and assessing student performance for each outcome. At the most basic level, program assessment is the process of 1) Setting goals 2) Gathering information about progress toward those goals and 3) Taking action on the information received. Program assessment is described in each department's Assessment Plan, which include outcomes, threshold values, curriculum maps, and assessment schedules.
Purpose
The purpose of assessment in higher education:
Assessment is good educational practice because it demonstrates what is going on in the classroom, and provides data on improving our programs through continual monitoring of student learning. The steps of assessment include:
-
- Define what we expect our students to learn (learning outcomes) - GOALS
- Assess if learning outcomes are being achieved - INFORMATION
- Respond to assessment and integrate results toward continued quality improvements - ACTIONS
At Montana State university, assessment of student learning is governed by the Student Outcomes Assessment Policy and directed by the Assessment and Outcomes Committee, and MSU Core Curriculum Committee.
Resources
- Program Assessment Overview
- Assessment Report - Example
- VALUE - Association of American Colleges & Universities
- Graduate Program Assessment Guide
- SAMPLE Biennial Graduate Program Assessment Report
- Taxonomies of the Cognitive Domain
- Sample Learning Outcomes & Rubrics
- Glossary of Assessment Terms
- Workshop I Presentation 2/15/19: Evaluating Program Learning Outcomes
- Bloom's Action Verbs for Learning Outcomes
Questions or Suggestions?
Deb Blanchard, Assistant Provost
[email protected]