What is Assessment of Student Learning?
The word assessment has taken on a variety of meanings within higher education. These varied uses have, unfortunately, moved us away from a focus on the central role that assessment should play in educational institutions: the gathering of information to improve institutional practices. Therefore, let us be clear:
Assessment is the systematic collection and analysis of information to improve student learning.
Defined in this manner, assessment asks you to think about the following questions:
- What should students be learning and in what ways should they be growing?
- What are students actually learning and in what ways are they actually growing?
- What should you be doing to facilitate student learning and growth?
What Assessment is NOT
Assessment is NOT an evaluation of individual faculty members, staff, or students.
Why Assess?
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. |
