University Studies Assessment Plan Development
The Board of Trustees approved a new Strategic Plan for Millikin University in May 2004 which included a revised Mission and Vision. It states that our mission is to deliver on the promise of education. At Millikin, we prepare students for:
- professional success,
- democratic citizenship in a global environment, and
- a personal life of meaning and value.
The assessment of student learning in the University Studies requirements is focused on the fullfilment of the three prepares by all students who complete the Millikin Program of Student Learning.
Assessment Plan Development
In 2005 a University Studies Assessment Team was formed to lead the development of Assessement of Student Learning in each requirement of the general education program. Each requirement had a team of 3-4 faculty from areas in the unviersity responsible for delivering that requirement working to develop an assessment plan. Assessment plan development was based on the following guidelines:
(1) Identify the key learning outcome goals of the University Studies requirement. These 3-5 key learning goals should be expressed as measurable behavioral objective—outcomes for all students completing this requirement.
(2) Connect your requirement learning outcome goals to university-wide learning goals. How does this requirement help Millikin students prepare for professional success, active engagement in diverse global communities, and a personal life of meaning and value?
(3) Tell the learning story experience of students in this requirement, include details of syllabi review audit plans, and place your requirement on the university-wide curriculum map. As a team (with all of University Studies Assessment Leaders), we will create a curriculum map of all University Studies requirements, indicating which individual University Studies requirements most directly fulfill university-wide learning goals.
(5) Identify points of data collection and assessment methods for each learning goal. What are your methods of assessing fulfillment of learning outcomes? (a) student artifacts, (b) student reflection, (c) surveys, and (4) tests. Identify program review elements, such as syllabi reviews, that can become part of the annual snapshot.
(6) Establish rubrics with scales of performance levels for evaluating fulfillment of learning outcomes. We are suggesting a performance indicator based on the green, yellow, red light analogy. (see below)
(7) Plan an annual assessment report and method of sharing the report with faculty responsible for deliverying the requirement. Explain how the report will be used to establish initiatives and improvements based on the results and recommendations of the annual report.
Learning Performance Indicators:
Each effectiveness measure will receive a performance indicator using the following rubric:
Green - an acceptable level or clearly heading in the right direction and not requiring any immediate change in course of action. Continuing support should be provided.
Yellow - not an acceptable level; either improving, but not as quickly as desired or declining slightly. Strategies and approaches should be reviewed an appropriate adjustments taken to reach an acceptable level or desired rate of improvement.
Red - our current status or direction of change in unacceptable. Immediate, high priority actions should be taken to address this area.
blank - insufficient information available (or governance decision pending) |
