Student Learning Outcomes Assessment

A Step by Step Guide to Preparing an Outcomes Assessment Plan

Writing a NEW Plan

Form a working group

Organize a series of discussions to review existing practices and determine what the college will assess. How complex is the assessment option you are considering? 'Guesstimating' the following may help you assess your planned assessment methods:

Likely cost	low	medium	high
Extra work	low	medium	high
Time required	low	medium	high
Number of people required	low	medium	high
Estimated complexity	low	medium	high
Estimated value of assessment, if it works well	low	medium	high

Identify the questions

What is the educational goal or mission of your program?
What general outcome are you seeking?
How could you measure each of the desired behaviors?
Who cares about your results?
Would would you do with the results?

Identify the types of assessment instruments your program wants to utilize

Student work samples
Collections of student portfolios
Capstone projects
Presentations
Alumni, employer, student surveys
Job placement statistics, etc.

Evaluate and share results

Collect the information. How close does students’ actual learning come to meeting the expected outcomes? Evaluate what is found. Share the findings.

Make changes if needed

What elements of the teaching/learning processes should be added, deleted, or changed to improve student success? Did the assessment plan for the academic unit produce results that have face validity? If not, why not?

Submit plan

Attach complete plan to new program proposal at time of submission to Faculty Senate.
Send electronic version of completed plan (DOWNLOAD TEMPLATE HERE.doc format) to Office VPIA attn: Sarah Lewis.

Revising a Plan (currently under construction)

** Per NWCCU Accreditation Handbook Standard 2.B - Educational Program Planning and Assessment - the expected learning outcomes for each degree and certificate program shall be published. Read entire Standard.

References & Examples

View an Example Assessment Plan

Visit Websites on Assessment

View Bibliography of Printed Assessment Materials

For more information, contact:
Dr. Susan Henrichs, Provost
or Doris Nichols, Assistant to the Provost
Tele: (907) 474-7096, (907) 474-1836 (fax)
P.O. Box 757580
310 Signers' Hall, UAF Campus
Fairbanks, AK 99775
fyprov@uaf.edu