Definition of Assessment  at Pittsburg State University

The starting point for developing a definition of assessment at Pittsburg State University was with the work of  Tom Angelo (1995).  He defined assessment as “an ongoing process aimed at understanding and improving student learning.  It involves:

Simply put, assessment (often called outcomes assessment) should be useful, and used to:

Assessment helps departments affirm those things in their curricula and courses that are going well.  Assessment also helps identify what is not going well, and often points to the specific changes that might be needed.  Assessment is not static; rather, it is an ongoing and continuous effort to improve the quality of instruction, student learning, and overall effectiveness of a department or unit.” 

While the primary focus of any assessment activity is student learning, Pittsburg State University has expanded its definition to encompass the concept of assessing institutional effectiveness.  As stated in the institutional mission - “Pittsburg State University fosters a campus culture of accountability and assessment that supports strategic planning and the continuous improvement of its academic programs and administrative processes.”  The focus is on the continual improvement of all the university does in order to prove a quality learning environment and to integrate assessment with strategic planning.  All aspects of the university are involved in planning and assessment.  They must demonstrate how they serve the mission of the university and demonstrate how they have made changes based upon the results of assessment.  This information is then reviewed by a campus-wide committee (the Institutional Assessment and Effectiveness Committee) and a summary report is forwarded to the President and the University Strategic Planning Committee.