PLO Assessment

Programme Learning Outcome Assessment

3‐yearAssessmentPlan

Requirements: foreveryacademicprogramleadingtoaHCTcredential:

  • Eachprogramme learning outcome istobeassessedatleastonceoverathreeyearperiod.
  • Aminimumof30%ofprogramme learning outcomesmustbeassessedeachacademicyear.

Process

For each program/major, the AcademicDivision:

1.Developsalongtermassessmentplantoprovideevidenceofstudentachievementofeachprogramme learning outcome overa3-yearperiod.

2.Submitsthe plan forendorsement byDeputy Vice Chancellor Academic Affairs priortoimplementation by April 14.

Note: Any subsequent changes to assessment plans will require prior approval from the Deputy Vice Chancellor Academic Affairs.

Selection of Assessments

AcademicDivisions select the mostvalidassessments tobeusedasevidenceofstudentachievementofprogramme learning outcomesfromyear3or year 4BAS courses, and from year2of standalone Diplomacourses.

The Mapping of CLO to PLO reports available from CurricUNET are a useful guide for identifying appropriate courses to obtain evidence of student achievement of each PLO.

Best practice indicates that Division’s should identify a number of different assessment tasks to provide for a wider sampling of student learning allowing students to demonstrate a wider range of knowledge, skills and competencies than can be observed from reliance on a single form of assessment such as a written examination.

The designated assessment must provide sufficient depth and scope to produce valid evidence of student achievement of the targeted programme learning outcome. In cases where no single assessment is sufficient, a number of assessment may be designated.

Each designated assessment becomes a common assessment i.e.the assessment instrument (oral defence, portfolio, project, report, test etc.), marking scheme or rubric, grading and standards of achievement are the same for all students taking the assessment across the system.

Illustration:3-­‐YearPLOAssessmentPlan
PLO
No. / PLO / 2015-­‐16 / 2016-­‐17 / 2017-­‐18
1 / Anabilitytoapplyknowledgeofcomputingandmathematicsappropriatetothediscipline / CIS3003 Final Exam
2 / Anabilitytoanalyzeaproblem,andidentifyanddefinethecomputingrequirementsappropriatetoitssolution / CIS4906:Capstoneproject
3 / Anabilitytoanalyseaproblem,andidentifyanddefinethecomputingrequirementsappropriatetoitssolution. / CIS4906:Capstoneproject
4 / Anabilitytofunctioneffectivelyonteamstoaccomplishacommongoal / CIS4103 Project
5 / Anunderstandingofprofessional,ethical,legal,securityandsocialissuesandresponsibilities / CIS3103:Case Study
etc

AnnualAssessment

Aminimumof30%ofprogramme learning outcomes fromeachprogramare assessed eachacademicyear.

Schedule & Responsibilities

Action / Responsibility / When
Annual Assessment Plan / Executive Dean / By April 14
Endorsement of plan / DVCAA / By April 28
Assessment of student learning / System Course Team Leader / Current AY
Analysis & Evaluation of Implementation of action plan
New Action Plan / Executive Dean / August following AY
Implementation of action plan / Curriculum Leader & System Course Team Leader / Following AY

Assessments

EachPLOisassessed by a:

  • Directassessmentina required coursesuchas a final assessment,capstoneproject,externalassessmentetc.
  • Commonassessmentinstrument(oraldefense,portfolio,project,report,testetc.),markingscheme/rubric,gradingsystem,moderationprocess,andstandardsofachievement.

Course Files

AcademicDivisions must ensure that the following are kept for example in the relevant electronic Course File:

  • Copiesoftheassessmentinstrument
  • Marking scheme/rubric
  • Detailsofmoderationprocess
  • Samplesofstudentworkreflectingtherangeofperformance-­‐whereverpossible
  • Quantitative analysis of results

Learning Outcome Reports

Gradebook has a facility to create sub-assessment for each course assessment which can be used to generate Portal reports on student achievement of learning outcomes.

In order to provide valid data for each PLO for identifying specific strengths and weaknesses in students learning, ensure that:

  • Each sub-assessment assesses a single PLO
  • A discrete set of questions, tasks or rubric criteria within the assessment is identified for each PLO i.e. a question/task/rubric criterion aligns to only one PLO.

Instructions for using the facility are provided in the Gradebook User Guide refer to section ‘Managing Assessment Strategies’.

Annual Assessment Plan and Report

  • Designatetheassessment - identifying the course and assessment to be used
  • Identify the assessment components to be used i.e. the entireassessmentorpartof
  • ThedefaulttargetforeachPLOisthat80%ofstudentswillattainSatisfactory(GradeC)ontheassessment.ProposedchangestothedefaulttargettogetherwithasupportingrationaleshouldbesubmittedforapprovaltotheDean Programme & Curriculum
  • Submit the plan to Deputy Vice Chancellor Academic Affairs for endorsement
  • RecordresultsonGradebook (Note:GradebooknowhasafacilitytomapFinalAssessmenttoprogramme learning outcomes)
  • Interpretresults
  • Reportanyactionsorrecommendationstoimproveperformance(‘closingtheloop’):

a.Ifperformancestandardismet,useresulttodemonstratetheobjectivehasbeenachieved

b.Ifperformancestandardisnotmet,explainwhatactionswillbetakentoimproveperformance

c.Iftheplanitselfneedstochange,explainthechange

  • Assessownperformance.
Illustration
AnnualPLOAssessmentPlan

The Academic Division provides details of the PLO assessments in the ‘Annual Programme Learning Outcome Assessment Plan & Report’ template up to an including ‘Target’ as illustrated below and submits to Deputy Vice Chancellor Academic Affairs for endorsement.

PLO No. / PLO wording / Course code / Assessment / Evidence / Target / …
1 / An ability to apply knowledge of computing and mathematics appropriate to the discipline / CIS 3003 / Final Written Exam / Entire exam / 80% of students will be awarded ‘Satisfactory’ (Grade C) / …
4 / An ability to function effectively on teams to accomplish a common goal / CIS 4103 / CSA
Poster Presentation & Oral Defence Individual assessment / Rubric Criteria: 2,3,5,6 / 80% of students will be awarded ‘Satisfactory’ (Grade C) / …

Notes

1.Evidence:ifitisnotpossibletospecifywhichcomponentsoftheassessmentwillbeused,enter‘TBC’(tobeconfirmed).UpdateIEwhenthecomponentsaredetermined.

2.Target:thesametargetappliesacrossallcampusestoensureconsistencyofstandard. Changes from the default target require a rationale and approval from DVCAA.

AnnualPLOAssessmentReport

After the assessments have been administered and analyzed, the academic division completes the template by system and by campus as illustrated below:

… / Coursecode / Assessment / Evidence / Target / System/Campus / Result / Interpretation / Action/Recommendation / Self-­‐Rating(1-­‐5)
… / CIS3003 / Final WrittenExam / Entireexam / 80%ofstudentswillbeawarded‘Satisfactory’(GradeC) / System / 95%attarget / Generalopinionfromteachingfacultywasthattheexamwastooeasy. / Reviewtheexamspecificationandexammoderationprocesstoensurethatthedegreeofchallengeisappropriatetothelevelofthecourse / 3
… / CIS3003 / Final WrittenExam / Entireexam / 80%ofstudentswillbeawarded‘Satisfactory’(GradeC) / AAMC / 87% / Moststudentseasilymettherequiredstandard. / Noissues / 4
… / CIS3003 / Final WrittenExam / Entireexam / 80%ofstudentswillbeawarded‘Satisfactory’(GradeC) / ADMC / 97% / Notverychallengingforstudents. / Increasethelevelofchallenge / 5
etc

Notes

1.System/Campus:insertanewrowforeachcampusadministeringtheassessment

2.Result:resultsfromeachindividualcampustobereportedasevidenceofcomparableachievementacrossthesystem.

3.Interpretation:tobecompletedfortheSystemandseparatelybyeachcampus

4.Action/Recommendation:tobecompletedfortheSystemandseparatelybyeachcampus

5.Self‐Rating:ratingtobegivenfortheSystemandseparatelybyeachcampus using the statement and scale below

Indicateyourlevelofagreement(usingthescale:1–5)withthefollowingstatement:

“TheevidenceindicatesthatthelevelofachievementofthePLOmeetstheAcademicDivision’sexpectations.”

Page 1 of 6