Process for the Departmental Assessment Plan

Steps for Completing the Departmental Assessment Plan

This section details the steps in the process for the Departmental Assessment Plan and offers additional suggestions for faculty.

Step 1. Define (or review) the departmental mission statement.

What does the department value? These values should drive the mission and the assessment plan.

Step 2. Develop the departmental learning outcomes (goals).

Assessment begins by asking, “What are the most important outcomes I want my students to have?”

List your department’s 5-7 most important learning outcomes (goals), which will include knowledge, skills, or attitudes. State these outcomes related to what you want students to learn, not what you will teach.

Step 3. Develop (review) the long-range plan based on learning outcomes.

A long-range plan is

Systematic	Carried on using step-by-step procedures; purposefully regular; methodical.
Ongoing	Occurring on a regular basis in stages
Dynamic	Marked by continuous discussion and change

Step 4. Identify possible assessment methods. Evaluate and select the appropriate methods for the department.

Formative measures are used during the semester to measure improvement and growth.

Summative measures are final measures of achievement.

These formative and summative measures may include a combination of direct and indirect measures:

Direct measures require students to display their knowledge and skills. Objective tests, essays, presentations, and classroom assignments all meet this criterion.

Indirect measures such as surveys and interviews ask students or employers to reflect on their learning rather than to demonstrate it. Journals, feedback from employers and graduates, student self reports, pre and post tests or surveys that measure changes in attitudes, values, or beliefs, interviews, focus groups, all meet this criterion.

Step 5. Determine outcome(s) to assess and define performance criteria or standards.

Begin with a major outcome that needs a close examination. Embed activities in courses so assessment is a natural occurrence of the course(s).

Decide the performance criteria or standards. Examples:

A standard of 100% of students reach a certain standard
or
A standard of no more than 50% of students miss any question
or
A baseline will be determined

Consider developing a rubric that gives performance indicators showing work has exceeded, has met, or is below certain standards.

Step 6. Develop a plan and timeline for carrying out the assessment.

(The Assessment Implementation Timetable is linked to each individual outcome on your department’s outcome assessment webpage. Refer to Instructions for Completing the Online Departmental Assessment Template for step-by-step instructions.)

Each department’s situation will be unique in deciding on an assessment cycle. The following cycle is presented as an example.

A Possible Departmental Assessment Cycle
1st Semester of Cycle	Collect evidence
2nd Semester of Cycle	Analyze Data and Develop Action Plan
3rd Semester of Cycle	Implement Changes

Here are some questions to consider:

How many courses will be included?

The assessment committee recommends that departments or disciplines follow these guidelines:

Assess 3 courses each academic year. This may include assessing one outcome in multiple courses.

Target largest enrollment courses initially.

Determine a timeline that eventually includes assessment activities in all courses.

How many students will be assessed?

In classes of over 100 students consider pulling a random sample for assessment purposes. (The Office of Institutional Research will assist)

Remember that the goal is to assess the program not the individual student.

Use this guideline:

In a course with enrollment of more than 200, use a 10% random sample; less than 200 enrollment, use a 20% random sample; less than 100 enrollment, use a 30% random sample.

When will assessment activities occur (how often, what time of semester/year)?

Who will be involved in administering, scoring, evaluating, and reporting on the assessment?

Everyone in the department should play an equal role.

Consider outside evaluators.

Step 7. Implement the assessment.

Step 8. Evaluate the results.

Steps 8 and 9 are the steps most assessment plans lack. Assessment begins by asking, “What are the most important outcomes I want my students to have?” Evaluating the results helps faculty make important decisions possibly regarding (but not limited to) the following:

Curriculum decisions	Resource allocations
Pedagogy considerations	Sequencing of courses

To minimize bias, consider the following:

“Score” by multiple faculty. These evaluators may be other NMJC faculty, Deans, staff, external faculty, or Advisory Board members.
Analyze by department.

Step 9. Determine an action plan based on the results.

The action plan is developed from the evaluation and discussion within the department. The decision may be one of the following:

continue the same path and assess the same outcomes again to test results
or
implement corrective action

Step 10. Document and communicate results with appropriate stakeholders.

Summarize assessment results online and share with the appropriate Dean. Results will not be used for faculty evaluation. Finding gaps in learning can be a positive finding, because a need for improvement is recognized. Making incremental but continuous improvements in programs can begin to close those gaps.

The department is the decision maker in the assessment process.

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Many good references exist on the internet regarding assessment. The following site might be useful in answering some basic assessment questions.

“A Busy Chairperson’s Guide to Assessment.” Southeast Missouri State University.

The Office of Learning and Assessment will be a clearinghouse for all documentation. Please keep the documentation current by sending electronic files of the following:

Rubrics or other special assessment instruments
Minutes of Departmental Meetings regarding all assessment activities

Steps for Completing the Online Departmental Assessment Template

The following information is provided to show examples of the completion of steps 1-6 of the Process for the Departmental Assessment Plan. Note how the Related Institutional Outcomes at the bottom of each page shows a link between the departmental and the institutional outcomes.

This section is broken into three areas:
A. To Update an Assessment Plan (Action from Previous Semester; Strategies for Current Semester)
B. To Edit Mission Statement
C. To Modify or Add an Outcome

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A. To Update an Assessment Plan (Action from Previous Semester; Strategies for Current Semester):

Step 1. From the NMJC Home Page, select Assessment of Student Learning under the Academics menu.

Step 2. Select Log In on the Assessment of Student Learning page. Complete the login procedure.

Step 3. Select your specific department/discipline link (ie., Accounting).

Step 4.

To update a previous semester’s Results and Action Plan, click the link for the assessed outcome in the previous semester’s table. Enter your results and action plan in the appropriate boxes. Also, select the Related Institutional Outcome(s) at the bottom of the page. If necessary, select the appropriate boxes in the Timeline for Measuring Outcome.
To enter a current semester’s Strategy and Expected Outcome, click the link for the outcome to be assessed in the current semester’s table. Enter your strategy(ies) and expected outcome in the appropriate boxes. Also, select the Related Institution Outcome(s) at the bottom of the page. If necessary, select the appropriate boxes in the Timeline for Measuring Outcome.

Please remember to send an electronic file of any evaluation criteria or rubric, if applicable, to the Director of Learning and Assessment.

Step 5. Select Save Changes button at the bottom of the page.

B. To Edit Mission Statement:

Follow Steps 1-3 above.

Step 4. Select Edit Mission/Additional Information link under Admin Options. You may need to scroll down the page to view this.

Step 5. Enter information.

Step 6. Select Save Changes button.

C. To Modify or Add an Outcome:

You cannot change the wording of an outcome. However, you may add an outcome. Only outcome(s) that you are assessing that year will be seen for public viewing.

Follow Steps 1-3 above.

Step 4. Select Edit Assessment link under Admin Options. You may need to scroll down the page to view this.

Step 5. Select the Add link under Add New Learning Outcome on the Assessment Modification page. Enter information into boxes indicated in Steps 7-10.

Step 6. Learning Outcome Box. List one departmental outcome. Begin the outcome statement with an action verb such as demonstrate, compile, compute, discuss, etc.

Step 7. Strategy for Measuring Outcome Box. List specific activities (project, internship evaluation, practical exam, essay, etc.) for measuring expected outcomes. List course number(s) where activity will be performed. Multiple strategies are appropriate.

Step 8. Expected Outcome Box. State the specific criteria for assessing the outcome. Examples:

80% of the students will score no lower than a 3 on the rubric
No more than 50% of students will miss any one question
The student successfully analyzes a problem
100% of the students will score satisfactory on oral communication on their clinical evaluation tool
A baseline will be developed and will chart progress in subsequent years

Step 9. Related Institutional Student Learning Outcome. Scroll down, if necessary, to select the related institutional student learning outcome(s):

Communication
Critical Thinking and Problem Solving
Self and Community

Step 10. Timetable for Measuring Outcome. Complete the timetable for the semester(s) that data will be collected, analyzed, etc. for each outcome. This timetable can be updated as you annually review your assessment activities.

Step 11. Outcomes Results and Action Plan Boxes. The following semester, after outcomes are assessed, analyzed, and action determined, post results and action plan.

Step 12. Communication with Dean. Discuss assessment results and action plan with Dean.

Examples of Completed Steps 1-6 for an Exercise Science Program (PDF Format)

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