Assessment of Learning Outcomes is an important part of improving student learning, building community, and promoting equity across UMSL. This handbook provides departments and faculty with tools for thoughtful assessment of learning outcomes for degree programs. This handbook also discusses what assessment means for faculty, students, and the institution overall. Through this handbook, you will understand why assessment matters, and how to conduct beneficial, sustainable, and actionable assessment for your degree programs.
About Program Assessment
I. Purpose of Degree Program Outcome Assessment
About this section: Learn about what degree program assessment at UMSL means and how it matters to you, your students, UMSL, and our community as a whole.
II. Principles of Good Practice for Assessing Student Learning
About this section: Find resources for creating and conducting a meaningful degree program assessment plan with an equity-minded lens.
Designing A Degree Program Assessment Plan
III. Identification of Team to Design the Assessment Plan
About this section: Explore strategies for building a team best suited to lead assessment responsibilities.
IV. Asking Questions / Meaningful Inquiry
About this section: Find information on how to use learning outcomes as assessment questions, and ensure these questions are meaningful to degree program assessment.
V. Reviewing/Reflecting on Program Learning Outcomes
About this section: Explore helpful tools for reviewing your program learning outcomes (PLOs) of degree programs; make meaningful updates to PLOs.
VI. Choosing Evidence of Student Success in Program Learning Outcomes
About this section: Consider a wide array of different types of evidence of student success to choose which sets of evidence are right for your degree program(s), and how to use rubrics in assessment.
VII. Establishing Benchmarks and Targets
About this section: Set goals that objectively measure degree program learning outcomes and set benchmarks and targets to reach those goals.
VIII. Sampling Methods for Degree Program Assessment
About this section: Strategically sample material, methods, and students to make assessment more manageable
Analyzing the Data and Preparing Your Report
IX. Continuous Assessment/Improvement
About this section: Learn the various steps in the assessment process, from establishing benchmarks, to analyzing results, to the final report.
X. Analyzing and Sharing Assessment Results
About this section: Discover information on collecting and analyzing assessment data, as well as how to showcase your results.
XI. Developing Action Plans (Closing the Loop)
About this section: Create an action plan to improve courses and programs; find information here about closing the loop between assessment and improvement after analyzing the data and creating a report.
Resources
XII. References and Resources
About this section: Explore additional resources for the assessment process, information about referenced materials throughout the handbook, and a glossary of terms.
XII. Sample Plan Template
About this section: View a sample template for the assessment of degree programs.
