Planning * Implementing * Evaluation * Analysis * Improvement * Planning * Implementing * Evaluation * Analysis * Improvement * Planning
Below is a general look at AWC's assessment program.
A more in-depth look at AWC's General Education and the planning process can be found in this 13-page PDF file:
The Student Learning Outcomes Assessment Program at Arizona Western College is an ongoing process that helps us understand what we do and prepared in a coordinated way to help us continually improve our educational processes and student learning. Our outcomes assessment is done in three categories: (1) General Education, (2) Program: degrees/certificates, and (3) courses, and designated course clusters. Assessment planning at all levels (course, program, and insitutional) begins with understanding our College Mission, Purpose, and Learning-Centered Values. Please refer to the AWC A Vision in Progress booklet.
General Education
AWC's four General Education Outcomes include: Communication, Critical Thinking, Quantitative Analysis and Technology Applications. Our assessment committee, known as LEAP, has chosen the four outcome areas as the intitial focus for assessment of student learning outcomes in general education. AWC Graduates are assessed for competency in four general education outcomes: Communication, Critical Thinking, Quantitative Analysis and Technology Applications. See "General Education" on the left side of "Section Links" of this webpage for more information on General Education. This section includes reports on each general education outcomes and annual reports.
Degrees, Certificates and Course Clusters
The LEAP Committee (previously known as the Assessment Committee) developed a five-column matrix entitled, "Academic Achievement Report" or AAR. Faculty engage in meaningful dialogue for the purposes of identifying student learning outcomes by completing an AAR. Faculty use the AAR to identify, collect, and use assessment information they have collected. (See the left hand side of the webpage under "Section Links" and see "Academic Achievement Report" (AAR)). Here you can see the AAR Timeline, AAR Samples and accessibility to past AAR reports.
Assessment of student learning is an organized collection of information about student learning. Through this collection of information from AWC's Academic Achievement Reports (AAR) we become informed of student learning. By organizing the information we are able to review the results and make decisions about how to improve learning. This collection of information is achieved through the Academic Achievement Report that include three key steps:
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Articulate goals for student learning-reflect upon and evaluate the intended learning outcomes
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Describe with evidence the accomplishments of the outcomes--gather evidence about how students are meeting those goals
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Provide plans for improvements and opportunities to celebrate success
The outcomes assessment program at AWC is evolving and dynamic. It is based on shared values and goals of the stakeholders and provides grist for the improvement of learning, planning, and budgeting. Outcomes assessment is done in four categories: general education, degrees, certificates, and designated course clusters.
Assessment tools are chosen, and performance standards are set. Assessment tools are used to gather information about learning. This information is used to determine what students know and can do. The student outcomes are measured against outcomes standards with the results indicating strong areas and areas that need improvement. Faculty use the results for curriculum planning and changes in learning activities to improve student learning.
A variety of assessment tools are used at AWC. Many assessment tools are embedded in the curriculum to minimize the time and effort required form students and faculty. Regular assignments may be evaluated to find out if learning outcomes are being achieved. Students may be asked to participate in surveys, interviews, or special testing. These do not affect the status of the individual students. The objective is to improve learning for all students.
An initial step in an assessment program is to state broadly what graduates or completers should know and be able to do as a result of completing a program. These statements appear as "Program Purpose" in every degree and certificate program.
In addition, degree completers are assessed for competency in four general educaiton outcomes: communication, critical thinking, quantitative analysis, and technology applications.
Assessing Learning at the Course Level:
At the course level, student learning is assessed by faculty on the skills, values, and knowledge students are expected to know upon completion of the course. Faculty develop tests, student participation in discussions, role playing, student research projects/papers, and writing assignments are some of the requirements used to evaluate the effectiveness of AWC students achieving desired learning outcomes at the classroom level. End of course surveys are also used to monitor and develop teaching effectiveness and maintain and improve the overall quality of programs and courses.
"Assessment is an ongoing process aimed at understanding and improving student learning. It involves making our expectations explicit and public; setting appropriate criteria and high standards for learning quality; systematically gathering, analyzing, and interpreting evidence to determine how well performance matches those expectations and standards; and using the resulting information to document, explain, and improve performance." Dr. Tom Angelo, Reassessing (and Defining) Assessment. The AAHE Bulletin, 48(2), November 1995, pp.7-9.
9 Principles of Good Practice for Assessing Student Learning
1. The assessment for student learning begins with educational values.
2. Assessment is most effective when it reflects an understanding of learning as multidimensional.
3. Assessment works best when the programs it seeks to improve have clear, explicitly stated purposes.
4. Assessment requires attention to outcomes but also and equally to the experiences that lead to those outcomes.
5. Assessment works best when it is ongoing, not episodic.
6. Assessment fosters wider improvement when representatives from across the educational community are involved.
7. Assessment makes a difference when it begins with issues or use and illuminates questions that people really care about.
8. Assessment is most likely to lead to improvement when it is part of a larger set of conditions that promote change.
9. Through assessment, educators meet responsibilities to students and to the public.
(A more detailed explanation of each principle can be seen at AAHE Principles)
"The primary purpose of the faculty and staff in Learning Services is to plan, develop, and provide effective learning activities that enable students to achieve their educational goals."
"Assessment is like learning in that it will never be completed. We will just work to get better and smarter at it so that our students will demonstrate higher levels of competencies."
