Description of the Assessment Plan at New Mexico Junior College

Vision Statement 1 of the New Mexico Junior College Mission Statement states that the college will

Provide the highest quality education and community services possible by maintaining an educational environment where continuous assessment ensures student learning.

The following information addresses the continuous assessment of student learning on the course, departmental, and institutional level.

Course Level Assessment

During spring 2003, the OAC, with input from all faculty, developed institutional outcomes (See Appendix A). The following fall, faculty completed a survey indicating the degree (see box below) to which courses address these outcomes.

Summative and formative assessment strategies exist on the course level. As shown in the next section, course level assessment is implemented through the departmental assessment plan.

Documentation of assessment activities is reported on the departmental and institutional levels.

The Departmental Assessment Plan

The Departmental Assessment Plan flows from the department’s mission and is structured around

1. determining department level outcomes that link back to the institutional outcomes; and
2. designing and implementing a long-range assessment plan that will focus annually on a specific departmental outcome.

The Institutional Assessment Plan

The Institutional Assessment Plan is structured around

1. gathering evidence of student learning for an institutional portfolio. This evidence will demonstrate learning on three major institutional outcomes; and
2. scoring and analyzing the evidence using an institutional rubric that will be adjusted to fit the actual evidence submitted.

DEPARTMENTAL ASSESSMENT PLAN

Assessment should be ongoing and systemic. By implementing a departmental assessment plan, faculty determine their department’s learner outcomes, develop and apply assessment strategies, and use the results for continuous improvement of learning. The OAC adopted the following guidelines and process for initiating a departmental assessment plan.

Characteristics of the Departmental Assessment Plan

The OAC recognizes that successful assessment plans:

1. Involve input and discussion by all faculty.
2. Develop around the department as a whole and allow the individual courses to support the plan.
3. Incorporate departmental mission statements supporting the mission statement of the college.
4. Focus on the most vital 4-6 learning outcomes (goals) for the department.
5. Incorporate ongoing and flexible, long-range strategies.
6. Embed multiple assessment activities in the normal course of class sessions, department meetings, and in-service activities.
7. Evolve in stages.
8. Utilize all faculty (and consider external assessors) in the evaluation of assessment results.
9. Create meaningful conversations and positive changes based on assessment results.

Logistics of the Departmental Assessment Plan

1. Define the departmental mission statement.
2. Develop the departmental learning outcomes (goals).
3. Develop an initial long-range plan based on learning outcomes.
4. Identify possible assessment methods. Evaluate and select appropriate methods.
5. Determine outcomes to assess and define performance criteria.
6. Develop a plan and timeline for carrying out the assessment.
7. Implement the assessment.
8. Evaluate the results.
9. Determine an action plan based on the results.
10. Document and communicate results with appropriate stakeholders.

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INSTITUTIONAL ASSESSMENT PLAN

The institutional portfolio consists of a collection and review of student work (“artifacts”) produced throughout the curriculum for each of our major outcomes. As with the departmental assessment plans, a continuing process of gathering evidence, analyzing that evidence, and implementing improvements is vital for making improvements in student learning.

As a first step, the OAC invites and encourages participation of faculty in submitting classroom sets of student work which represents evidence of skills, abilities or attitudes related to one or more institutional learning outcomes. The long-term goal in gathering evidence is to have five classroom sets of artifacts submitted for each outcome each year.

The next step in the portfolio process is the scoring of these artifacts by faculty and professional staff teams using scoring rubrics. Results of the scoring are compiled, analyzed, and reported in the aggregate. Analyses may include breakdowns on variables such as credit hours earned, prior courses completed, etc. The OAC reviews the results and reports to the faculty.

In this continuous process, the next step involves discussion and action among faculty to develop a plan for improvements in student learning.

Characteristics of the Institutional Portfolio

1. The scoring teams are multidisciplinary thus "responsibility" rests with the institution/faculty as a whole, rather than single departments.
2. The process is invisible to students, decreasing the motivation problems and other significant problems sometimes associated with standardized tests.
3. The process is minimally intrusive for faculty.
4. The portfolio is a dynamic process—potentially forever growing, forever improving.

Logistics of the Institutional Portfolio

1. Office of Learning and Assessment and/or OAC selects courses based on responses to an invitation to faculty.
2. Faculty selects assignment(s) in each selected class.
3. Office of Learning and Assessment copies artifacts before they are graded.
4. Four-to-six person interdisciplinary faculty and professional staff teams score the artifacts.
5. Scoring takes place individually by team members after training has taken place.
6. Five classroom sets for each outcome are collected each year.
7. Fall artifacts are scored in the spring. Spring and summer artifacts are scored in the fall.
8. Office of Learning and Assessment compiles results; OAC reviews the results and presents a summary to faculty who propose curricular improvements.

:A Brief History:  :Statement on Assessment:  :Student Learning Outcomes:  :Process for the Departmental Assessment Plan:  :Process for Compiling the Institutional Portfolio:  :Outcomes Assessment Committee:  :Assessment Resources: 

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