R Ck Valley College

Assessment Handbook

prepared by the Office of Institutional Research

in conjunction with the Executive Assessment Committee

3301 North Mulford Road, Rockford, IL 61114-5699(815)921-7821Toll-free (800)973-7821

Dear Colleagues,

It is my pleasure to introduce the fourth edition of Rock Valley College’s Assessment Handbook. This edition reflects a continued commitment to validating and improving student learning through ongoing assessment.

Efforts taken so far have yielded a greater understanding of assessment and the need to make all assessment activities meaningful and student-oriented. The need to organize and link assessment activities at all levels to the College’s mission and strategic initiatives is paramount. Clear linkages will help close the loop to making assessment meaningful to the College as a whole, and will help drive budget decisions from the institutional level to the course level. We have made great strides in assessment, and as we approach the next phase we look forward to using the results of our activities to improve curriculum and instruction in courses and programs.

Dr. Jack Becherer

Rock Valley College President

Table of Contents

Section I: Assessmentat RVC

Assessment of Student Learning……………...... 5

Assessment of Student Learning as a Key Performance Indicator (KPI).…………………………………..5

Purpose of Assessment………………………………………………………………………………………………………….6

Groups Supporting Assessment at RVC…………………………………………………………………………………..7

SectionII: The StructureofAssessment

Institutional Assessment……………………………………………………………………………………………...... 8

Discipline and Program Assessment………………………………………………………………………………………8

Course Assessment………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..9

Class Assessment…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..9

SectionIII:TheLanguageofAssessment

Key Terms...... 9

Essential Questions……………………………………………………………………………………………………………..12

SectionIV: TheRVC AssessmentProcess

Assessment Timeline………………………………………………...... 13

RVC Institutional Assessment Process...... 14

RVC Discipline and Program Assessment Process...... 15

RVC Course Assessment Process…………………………………….…...... 16

RVC Class Assessment Process…………………………………………………………………………………………….16

SectionV: Documenting Assessment Plans and Results

Template 1: Discipline and Program Assessment………………………………………………………………….17

Template 2: Course Assessment…………………………………………………………………………………………..17

Template 3: Master Course Syllabus Review and Mapping…………………………………………………….18

Appendix

Contact Information………………………………………………………………...... 19

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Section I: Assessmentat RVC

Assessment of Student Learning

Assessment is a continual and dynamic process of collecting, synthesizing, and interpreting information to aid in continuous improvement efforts and decision making. In higher education, assessment involves: identifying clear, valid and appropriate learning outcomes; collecting evidence of student learning from various assessment measures; engaging in dialogue to interpret the data; and using data to validate or enhance student learning and to make improvements in curriculum and instruction. At RVC, these efforts are guided, in part, by the Academic Plan.

Assessment of student learning is conducted at the institutional, program or discipline, and course level. This handbook describes the roles of those groups on campus responsible for aiding the College with the assessment process (i.e., Academic Chairs and Associate Deans, the Student Learning Outcomes Committee and the Office of Institutional Research), provides the framework for institutional and academic assessment, and outlines RVC assessment requirements and procedures.

Details about the assessment process at RVC can be found on the College website through the featured link, Assessment of Student Learning.

Assessment of Student Learning as a Key Performance Indicator (KPI)

RVC has identified KPI to inform the college community about institutional health and development. The College KPI are presented in five categories aligned to Illinois Board of Higher Education (IBHE) Public Agenda Goals. College KPI categories include Educational Attainment, Access, and Success; Affordability; Educational Quality; Accountability; and Addressing Regional Economic Needs.

Assessment of student learning is a KPI aligned to the College category of Educational Quality. As a measure of Educational Quality, this category is aligned to the IBHE Public Agenda Goal to raise the number of people with quality postsecondary credentials and to improve transitions along the educational pipeline.

Purpose of Assessment

An important aspect of assessment is the use of assessment data to validate student learning or recommend and make substantive changes. In order to close the loop on assessment, faculty and administrators need to use assessment data to drive decisions from the class and course level up through the institutional level.

First and foremost, assessment data should be used to validate and improve student learning. If the data confirm that students achieve institutional, program/disciple, or course objectives, RVC can use the data to promote the quality of learning and instruction. If the data indicate that students are not achieving stated objectives, then improvements may be required. Types of improvement may include changes in materials, curriculum, pedagogy, or student support. The ultimate goal is to make continuous improvements to student learning.

Assessment data also should be utilized when developing the annual budget at each level. For example, based on an assessment of students’ ability to problem solve an additional critical thinking unit may be needed as part of the College’s orientation course (STU 100). In addition, different programs may make changes in course sequence or course information based on licensure or certification data. Both examples impact budget decisions at the institutional and/or discipline/program level, and may require the College to reallocate resources.

The current assessment process closes the loop on utilizing assessment results as illustrated by the aforementioned examples. At a minimum, action plans based on calendar year observations may serve to inform the following calendar year assessment plans, and help to highlight budgetary needs at all levels of assessment. Furthermore, with the alignment of the assessment timeline (calendar year) and the College’s budget cycle the institution is able to close the loop in providing resources based on assessment data. Figure 2 depicts the assessment loop at RVC.

Figure 2: Assessment Loop

Groups Supporting Assessment at RVC

Student Learning Outcomes Committee

The Student Learning Outcomes (SLO) Committee provides leadership and guidance on assessment of the institution’s general education goals. It is comprised of a team of faculty and administrators for each of the student learning goals. Each team, with consultation from the SLO Chair and Institutional Research, selects the objective(s) to be assessed and determines the assessment project (including the scope, standards, method(s), and timeline for implementation). The committee is responsible for developing, implementing, and documenting an assessment plan for measuring the six student learning outcomes. The chair of the SLO committee provides monthly status reports to the Office of Institutional Research.

Office of Institutional Research

The Office of Institutional Research (IR)maintains the integrity of the assessment process by working with the SLO Committee and Academic Chairsand submitting regular reports to the Chief Academic Officer outlining each SLO sub-committee and Discipline/Programs’ progress on calendar year assessment plans in the Spring (January & April) and again in the Fall (September & December). In addition, IR submitsregular progress reports during the months of January, April, September and December to the Associate Deans and Chairs.

IR also provides consultation and training on assessment practices to Associate Deans, Chairs, and faculty. Examples of IR assessment responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Analyzing and documenting institutional assessment methods and results.

• Assisting with documentation and reporting the planning and results of assessment of student learning.

• Making recommendations to the faculty and administration regarding the assessment process and related methods being used at the various levels of assessment.

• Implementing a cycle of large-scale institutional level assessment including, but not limited to, administration of the Collegiate Assessment of Academic Proficiency (CAAP) and Community College Survey of Student Engagement (CCSSE).

• Assisting with planning, administering, and reporting of assessment of Student Learning Outcomes (SLO).

• Collaborating with the Deans’ and CAO Councils to link assessment activities and results to the planning and budgeting process throughout Academic Affairs.

• Promoting, facilitating, and coordinating professional development opportunities related to assessment of student learning.

Section II: The Structure Of Assessment

Figure 1 depicts the structure of assessment at RVC.

Figure 1: Structure of Assessment

Institutional Assessment

Institutional assessment depicts student learning and developmentacross the collegeregardless of program/disciple of study.Assessment at this level includes, but is not limited to, measuring the institution’s Student Learning Outcomes (SLO)[1]. Aggregate analysis of CAAP critical thinking scores is one example of institutional assessment of the third SLO (i.e., demonstrate competency in critical thinking).

Discipline and Program Assessment

Discipline and program assessment occurs in the context of ICCB Program Review. Each calendar year assessment activity may serve as a component of the overall review process. Assessment at this level is designed to measure success for a specific discipline/program, or a degree/certificate. Success may be related to faculty development, strategic initiatives (both college and or discipline/program), and student learning (e.g., SLOs or discipline/program specific learning outcomes). In addition, they may be used in combination with other elements of program evaluation (i.e. review of curriculum and instructional practices, analysis of trend data, recommendations by advisorypanels) to evaluate program effectiveness.

Course Assessment

Assessment at this level is designed to measure success in all sections of a particular course, such as ENG 101, MTH 099, or SOC 190. Course assessment is aligned to overarching discipline and program assessment and/or institutional assessment.

Class Assessment

Assessment at this level is conducted in a faculty member’s class to ascertain students’ understanding of class material. For a full list of classroom assessment techniques (minute papers, muddiest point, one sentence summary, etc.) please review Tom Angelo’s book Classroom Assessment Techniques: A Handbook for College Teachers, 2nd Ed or contact the Office of Institutional Research (). The book is available in the Academy for Teaching and Learning Excellence Library (ERC-2420).

Section III: The Language Of Assessment

Key Terms

Assessment includes many terms that are used interchangeably with definitions that change across fields of study and among authors. The following is a list of terms with their definitions as they apply to assessment at Rock Valley College.

Assessment Methods

A variety of assessment methods are available to faculty and administrators at Rock Valley College. Regardless of the method employed, assessment results should provide meaningful evidence of whether or not students are achieving the expected learning outcomes, should offer satisfactory validity, and should be efficient and affordable. Methods of assessment can be categorized as direct or indirect.

Direct Assessment –is based on observation and analysis of student work samples (behaviors or products) in which they demonstrate how well they have mastered student outcomes.Direct assessment makes use of performance or product, created by a student, that can be compared to expected outcomes.

Examples: Tests (specific questions align with specific outcomes); performances or presentations(specific components align with specific criterion); common questions embedded in tests; papers; portfolios; pre/post testing ties to specific learning objectives

Indirect Assessment –is based on analysis of reported perceptions about student mastery of learning outcomes and/or provides information that does not directly link the learning to the intended learning outcomes. Indirect assessment evaluates students’ success “from a distance.”

Examples: surveys of students, alumni, faculty, employers; individual or focus group interviews; reflective essays; completion and persistence rates; scores on standardized tests used for other purposes (GRE, MCAT, LSAT); placement rates in jobs or graduate programs

Both direct and indirect assessments are used at RVC, since various types of assessment data are necessary to inform planning, budgeting, and continuous improvement.

Outcomes

Outcomes are the desired or expected result of a process or procedure. Goal and outcomeoften are used interchangeably throughout the professionalliterature. For the purposes of assessment at RVC, outcomes, also known as learning outcomes, refer to knowledge, skills or abilities resulting from students’ educational experiences.

Outcomes are stated expectations of student performance and describe what a student can do with what he or she knows. They should reach beyond the immediate situation and focus on lasting results of courses, programs, and institutional mission. Outcomes are measurable statements of the intended learning for all lessons (in a course) or all courses (in a program). For example, students completing a course or program will be able to: <verb> <something>.

Objectives

Objectives are specific, measurable statements used to delineate broad goals or outcomes. For this reason, course objectives and course outcomes are often used interchangeably. The number of objectives for an outcome can vary, but usually ranges between three and five. Using a larger number of objectives (e.g., 8-10) to define an outcome may indicate that the outcome is too broad and needs to be split into multiple outcomes.

In general, objectives should be focused (e.g., audience and behavior) and measurable. The following outlines how these elements are structured within learning objectives:

Student-focused – Objectives that are used to delineate learning outcomes should be student-focused as students are the intended audience of instruction. As such, the learning objective statement typically begins with Students will.

Example: Students will organize written documents for a specific audience.

Non-example: The teacher will demonstrate strategies to students to help them develop written documents for a specific audience.

Behavior-focused – The purpose of the learning objective is defined by the expected or desired student action or behavior as a resultof learning. Action verbs are used to develop learning objectives with clearly articulated purpose. Table 1 provides a list of verbs that can assist in developing learning objectives with a singular purpose.

Example: Students will organize written documents for a specific audience.

OK-example: Student will be able toorganize written documents for a specific audience.

Non-example: Students will develop outlines to organize written documents for a specific audience.

Measurable –Measurable learning objectives are desired in order to gauge student achievement. To be measurable the articulated purpose of the learning objective must be observable.

Example: Students will organize written documents for a specific audience.

Non-example(too complex): Student will organize written documents and

explain how writing is adjusted for a specific audience.

Non-example(not observable): Students will understand how to organize documents for a specific audience

Table 1: Verbs for Assessmentby Bloom’s Taxonomy of Cognitive Domain Constructs

Stakeholders

Individualswho have a vested interest in the outcomes of a specific educational program are called stakeholders. They mayinclude students, families, employers, professions / trades, taxpayers, the higher education community, society, and the global community.

Essential Questions

Along with using a common language for assessment the following questions should be posed when undertaking any assessment project:

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