FOUNDATIONS OF

ASSESSMENT
Assessment Workshop
February 2017
 Overview
What do we mean by assessment?

Why assess?

Levels of learning outcomes

What do we mean by department-level assessment?

The 5-step process for department-level assessment

Resources
 What do we mean by
assessment of student learning?
Assessment is an ongoing process of:
Establishing measurable, clear, and documented expected
outcomes of student learning
Providing students with sufficient opportunities to achieve those
outcomes
Systematically gathering and analyzing evidence to determine
how well, and in what ways, student learning matches the
documented outcomes and expectations (criteria)
Using the evidence to inform decisions to improve student
learning

Adapted from: Learner Centered Teaching (https://learnercenteredteaching.wordpress.com/teaching-

resources/definition-of-assessment-of-student-learning/)
 Why Assess?
Help students achieve the learning
outcomes you want them to achieve

Have evidence that students are

learning what you want them to

Identify specific challenges and

strengths of student learning

Because HLC said so! We need to!

Levels of Learning Outcomes

8 College Learning Outcomes

College (CLOs)

CLOs + department level

Department learning outcomes + field
standards (if relevant)

Course Reference Form

learning outcomes (should
Course include some department and
college learning outcomes.
 Levels of Learning Outcomes
Exercise 1: Distinguish learning
outcome levels Example
Analyze a variety of resources
College to make decisions and solve
problems.

Department Conduct research on issues in

the study of English literature.

Analyze scholarly views of the

Course motivations of one of
Shakespeares characters.

Adapted from Assessing Student Learning: A

common sense guide (2nd ed.), Linda Suskie, 2009
 What we mean by department-level
assessment of student learning

Grades vs. Distinct Criteria

Licensure Exam Pass Rates vs. Results by Topic

Individual Student Results vs. Aggregate Results

Direct and Indirect Assessment

5-Step Department Assessment
Process
1. Define/refine learning March
outcomes and criteria for Workshop
success

5. Document results and

update assessment plan 2. Select assessment
to indicate changes in method(s) and design
curriculum, instruction, tools
etc.

May
Workshop April
Workshop
4. Analyze assessment
data and identify 3. Implement assessment
strengths and areas for tools to gather data
improvement
Step 1: Defining Department
Learning Outcomes Exercise 2: Define a department-
level learning outcome

1. Consider what your department wants students to learn

by the end of a program or something consistent or essential
across courses in your department
2. Consider the level of student learning you want students
to achieve by taking courses in your department (e.g. recall
vs application)
3. Operationalize and make your outcome measureable
and understood by your whole department
4.Consider the criteria for success in your department
 Exercise 3: Select a method
Step 2:Menu of Methods for your learning outcome
Method Examples Useful for assessing Not useful for Requirements for
assessing department
assessment
Multiple-choice Content-based Understanding Standardized
True-/false knowledge of processes assessment
Closed Tasks Fill in the blank Student knowledge of Students instrument (e.g.
Solve (without facts, skills, or application of test)
showing process) concepts concepts
Open-ended Use of processes or Strictly Standardized
questions strategies content assessment
Multiple possible Ability to interpret knowledge rubric
answers information Standardized
Open Tasks Multiple possible Ability to apply assessment
processes information instrument or
Writing assignments Reasoning assignment can
Class discussions Ability to be useful
communicate thinking
Tasks that integrate Ability to organize, Strictly Standardized
multiple skills synthesize, and apply content assessment
Presentations information and/or knowledge rubric
Performance Projects skills Standardized
Tasks Mock trials Use of resources assessment
Performances instrument or
assignment can
be useful
Where to apply the method?
3 possible approaches
End of program/ course
sequence

Outcomes across the

curriculum

High-impact courses
Caption
This!

3 4
 Step 3: Implementing and
Gathering Assessment Data
Issues to consider when preparing to gather assessment data:
1. Who will participate (which sections)?
2. When will the assessment take place?
3. How will you implement it in your course (which assignment will
you use)?
4. How will consistency be maintained across the department?
5. Is additional contextual information needed to help make sense of
data?
6. Which resources will you need to leverage for help with data
collection? (IEPR, BlackBoard)
Exercise 4: Imagine your role in
planning to gather data(# 3, 4, &5)
 Step 4: Analyzing Results
Steps
Identify team/person to
compile and analyze data
Aggregate the individual
student data
Look at average scores
among students and compare
to your criteria for success
Look at averages over time or
by student/course
characteristics
Look at results from your own
class(es)
Who you gonna call? IEPR
Example: CRJ
IEPR set up a spreadsheet,
CRJ student worker entered
data
IEPR aggregated data in the
spreadsheet and calculated
averages
Reported averages compared
to criteria
Examined averages by
individual questions and
questions grouped into
content areas
 Step 5: Plan of Action to Impact
Learning Outcome Achievement
Redesign an Implement
assignment to Share results
address gaps in
changes to Course with Career
student performance Reference Files
Advisory
Committee to
Create a professional development inform
experience for faculty around a core curriculum
learning concept revisions

Develop supplemental course

materials for challenging concepts
5-Step Department Assessment
Process
1. Define/refine learning March
outcomes and criteria for Workshop
success

5. Document results and

update assessment plan 2. Select assessment
to indicate changes in method(s) and design
curriculum, instruction, tools
etc.

May
Workshop April
Workshop
4. Analyze assessment
data and identify 3. Implement assessment
strengths and areas for tools to gather data
improvement
 Support Resources
TLETC: Developing and delivering dept. trainings
Page Wolf, Faculty Instructional Developer
pwolf@clcillinois.edu, ext. 2446

WAC Coordinator & Reading Consultant: Writing and Reading Support

Amanda Cash, WAC Coordinator, acash@clcillinois.edu, ext. 2988
Kelly Black, Reading Consultant, kblack@clcillinois.edu, ext. 2770

Division Offices: Helping with assessment project logistics

Dean or Associate Dean

IEPR: Collecting and analyzing results

Nick Branson, Assistant Director for IEPR, nbranson@clcillinois.edu, ext. 2417
Megan Lombardi, Accreditation & Assessment Manager, mlombardi@clcillinois.edu , ext. 2502

Assessment Team!
Vasilka Maslanka, ASLC Chair, vmaslanka@clcillinois.edu, ext. 2364
Ali OBrien, AVP, aobrien@clcillinois.edu, ext. 2409
Quiz Time!
1. On your cell phone, use your browser to go to: kahoot.it
(You can also download the Kahoot app)
2. Enter the game code (on the screen up front)
3. Enter a nickname of your choosing

Questions will appear on the screen up front. You will answer using
your phone. Select the color/shape of the correct answer using your
phone.

Hurry! Questions are timed.