Assessment Planning & Reporting Template

A. What should students achieve? 

For the department/program you assess, what student learning outcomes do you expect students to be able to achieve if they are successful?    

Department/Program

• College and department/program mission/values, course competencies, etc. 
• What General Education outcomes should students achieve? (SCC students will be able to critically analyze and effectively communicate in Written, Oral, Visual or Numerical form upon completion of an Associates Degree).

   Consider the following:

• Focusing on specific outcomes lends itself to improving instruction.

B. How will you measure it?

How will you measure these outcomes?   

Attach any measurement tools (e.g., tests, rubrics, etc.) you can to the plan. If instrument is not available, describe it in as much detail as you can, and attach it to the final report.   

Consider the following:

• Is there an assessment method that is more objective (free from assessor or student bias), e.g., a standardized test, outside adjudicator, rubric, portfolio evaluation?

C. How do you define “success”?

At what level will you consider that a student has successfully achieved the desired outcome?   
 

Consider the following:

• What should a successful student be able to do?
• Can you identify levels of competency; e.g., exemplary vs. competent vs. insufficient achievement?
• What would others outside of your discipline consider successful achievement?

D. Results  

What did you actually find out about students’ achievement of the competency?

Consider the following:

• How many students successfully achieved the desired outcome?
• How do these results compare with what you expected to learn?
• What do these results tell you about teaching and learning in your department/program/curriculum?

E. Changes 

What changes will you make based on students’ performance?  

Consider the following:

• How might you change the curricula, teaching methods, and/or modes of assessment to increase learning in this area?
• What other interventions might be necessary?
• What resources would you need?
• How will you know if your changes are successful? (This might form the basis of your next assessment cycle.)