FSD 16-24 Student Learning Assessment Plan

As stated in the bylaws of the PNW Faculty Senate, the purpose of the Assessment Steering Committee (ASC) shall be to provide faculty oversight of student learning assessments and support faculty assessment activity efforts such as designing, implementing, and/or reporting evidence of student learning. The specific functions of the ASC as stated in the bylaws are:

1. Establish the PNW Student Learning Assessment Plan in collaboration with the Curricula and General Education committees to include individual program, General Education,and Experiential Learning assessments.
2. Report annually to Senate the progress and results of assessment activities at PNW.
3. Oversee the compilation of student learning assessments for use in accreditation documents.
4. In pursuit of its responsibilities, work closely with various academic and Administrative units and their assessment personnel, e.g., Office of Academic Affairs, Office of Institutional Research.
5. Liaise with Administrative personnel in the development of a Data Resource for reporting and tracking Student Learning Outcome assessments.
6. Provide and monitor regular updates to the University’s Assessment website.
7. Forward to the Senate policy pertaining to University-wide assessment activities.
8. Review and recommend training of faculty members in assessment strategies and evaluation of assessment findings.
9. Increase campus-to- campus and system-wide cooperation on matters pertaining to teaching and learning assessment activities.

The ASC of the PNW Faculty Senate proposes the following resolution.

Implementing the mission of PNW as a provider of high quality and affordable education and embodying its commitment to excellence in all we do, the PNW Faculty Senate adopts the PNW Student Learning Assessment Plan consisting of the following functions, process and structure.

Consistent with the bylaws of the PNW Faculty Senate, the ASC proposes the following functions of the ASC which reflects the tasks and purpose of the committee which shall provide faculty oversight of student learning assessments and support faculty assessment activity efforts.

Consistent with the bylaws of the PNW Faculty Senate, the ASC proposes the following process of learning assessment. Please refer to Figure 1. The proposed student learning assessment process reflects the purpose of the ASC which shall provide faculty oversight of student learning assessments and support faculty assessment activity efforts. The learning assessment will take place at the program of study level. The first step in the process indicates that the goals must be selected. These goals include the goals of the program and its related general education. These goals might include university wide initiative goals such as the goals of experiential learning courses in the program. These goals are then assessed. The results of the assessments are then utilized as the basis for improvement and innovation. The ASC also actively facilitates the GAIN (Goals, Assessment and Innovation) process of continuous improvement and innovation in learning.

Goals

Each program shall develop its program’s learning outcomes. Each learning outcome shall contain both essential concepts and essential competencies (skills e.g. apply, evaluate, develop, communicate, think clearly, etc.). Each program shall develop a form that shows its learning outcomes and objectives and their definitions or description and justification or significance. Please refer to Form 1 of the Appendix. Finally, each program shall develop a map that shows how the objectives are exposed and assessed in the courses in the program. Please refer to Form 2 of the Appendix. The development of the program map and its outcomes and objectives shall be faculty-led.

Assessment

Each program shall describe how it assesses each of its objectives in terms of its measures, instruments, data collection and analysis. Please refer to Form 3 of the Appendix. Measures and instruments for the objective assessments must be valid and reliable. It is suggested that one or more goals are assessed every year. Assessment data shall provide evidence of student learning. Results of assessment ideally should allow for longitudinal and cross-institutional comparisons. Please refer to Form 4 of the Appendix. Academic programs with external accreditation body shall assess all goals within one external accreditation cycle. Academic programs without external accreditation body shall assess all goals within 4 to 5 years.

Innovation

Based on the assessment results, each program will identify learning gaps and challenges; and will derive closing the gap and innovation for continuous improvement initiatives. Closing the gaps might include better methods of implementation, assessment or the improvement of the selected outcomes and objectives. Innovation includes the addition of new materials in the program map, learning outcomes, objectives and their teaching implementation and assessment methods and process. Please refer to Form 5 of the Appendix.

Facilitate

The ASC also actively facilitates the GAIN process of continuous improvement and innovation in learning. The activities may include the facilitation activities related to the goals, assessment, and innovation steps of the process. The facilitation activities may include arranging workshops, conferences, etc.

Please refer to the figure above. The assessment activities will be coordinated by the department heads or their designees. The department heads or designees shall submit the program assessment reports following Faculty Senate Document 16-24 to the College Dean by the end of February of each year. Please refer to Form 6 of the Appendix. The College Dean shall submit all program assessment reports to the Senate ASC by the end of March. The Assessment Committee will file the reports to the Senate in May.