Connecting Program Outcomes Assessment with Designing and Improving Courses and Curricula by Denise Webster

How can we make program assessment work for us in designing courses and curricula? There is a multitude of excellent resources to assist faculty with answering this question. One in particular is a book written by Richard Diamond, Designing and Assessing Courses and Curricula. Throughout his book, Diamond challenges the reader to think in a more holistic manner; to appreciate the relationship among courses, curricula and planned out-of-class activities. It is within this holistic framework that program level assessment is used to inquire and gather the appropriate evidence about our students’ achievements and abilities to integrate their learning. Since students and faculty interact most directly in the classroom setting it seems reasonable that the classroom is an appropriate environment to gather evidence about student learning whether it be associated with assessing the individual student, course, program or institutional outcomes.

Effective assessment does rely on gathering multiple measures or indicators of learning from a variety of sources. Given the number of potential data sources and the amount of evidence that could be gathered, program faculty must be of the same opinion regarding several important points. Faculty need to agree and articulate the purpose of the program (mission) and the intended learning outcomes, as they relate to the knowledge, skills and attitudes that students must possess upon graduation. It is from this shared understanding that faculty develop the learning experiences that offer students the opportunities to learn and practice specific skills. It is from these learning experiences that evidence is gathered to confirm the level of student performance and learning as it relates to the program’s intended learning outcomes. An assessment technique that worked well in improving teaching and increasing student learning in the classroom can often be used or adapted for assessment at the programmatic level. Examples of such assessment techniques include sampling of writing, oral presentations, computational skills, portfolios, performance assessments, course-embedded questions on common exams, standardized tests, or surveys of student and faculty attitudes.

PUTTING IT INTO PRACTICE

"A quality education does not happen by chance; it requires careful planning, skilled teaching, and an overall structure that ensures that every student has the opportunity to reach the goals of the program in which he or she is enrolled." (Diamond, 1998).

In the end it is each course and learning experience that plays an important role in the overall educational program. It is the understanding that each opportunity is but one element in a learning sequence. The closer the relationship is among courses and curricula, including planned out-of-class activities, the more effective the learning experience will be for our students (Diamond, 1998; Huba & Freed, 2000; Maki, 2004).

Resources

Allen, M. (2004). Assessing academic programs in higher education. Anker Publishing.

Angelo, T & Cross, KP. (1993). Classroom assessment techniques. Jossey-Bass.

Association of American Colleges and Universities: Washington, DC.

Diamond, RM. (1998). Designing and assessing courses and curricula: A practical guide. Jossey-Bass.

Huba, M & Freed, J. (2000). Learner-centered assessment on college campuses: Shifting the focus from teaching to learning. Boston: Allyn & Bacon.

Maki, P. (2004). Assessing for learning: Building a sustainable commitment across the institution. Stylus.

Miller, R & Leskes, A. (2005). Levels of assessment: From the student to the institution.

Suskie, L. (2004). Assessing student learning: A common sense guide. Anker Publishing.