Get Student Outcomes Assessment Memorandum Of Understanding

Outcomes Assessment (OA) is the process of collecting information that will tell the College whether the services, activities, or experiences it offers are having the desired impact on those who partake in them. In other words, is the College making a difference in the lives of the individuals it serves?

The purpose of Outcomes Assessment is to improve student learning. Outcomes Assessment is a collaborative investigation of student learning, as it relates to explicit course-, program-, and/or college-wide learning outcomes. Its sole purpose is to improve student learning.

Examples: Surveys, Interviews, Focus Group Studies, Document Analyses, Students' Self-Reports. Program-Level Measures: Refer to assignments or tests that assess students' knowledge and skills at the end of the program, not embedded in any particular course.

Outcomes-based assessments are important for student learning because they allow students to learn at their own pace and focus on skills rather than earning a grade. This can increase motivation and engagement, and allow students of different abilities to enter where they are able.

The assessment measures should focus primarily on direct evidence of student learning that is free from opinion, tangible, and compelling evidence of exactly what students have and have not learned. Examples of objective measurements may be standardized tests, portfolio evaluations, and course assignments.

For example, exams, writing assignments, research papers, performances, and group projects that are part of regular course assignments are excellent sources of assessment data. In some cases, data gathered from sources outside of the classroom may also be utilized (e.g., feedback from clinical placements, internships).

Building alignment between assessment and learning outcomes also allows you to develop and communicate the pathway for students' learning progression. It enables you to explain what knowledge and skills were expected on entry to the course and the knowledge and skills that will be developed throughout the course.