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Program outcomes are what students can DO with the major knowledge, skills, and abilities gained from successfully completing a program. Program outcomes assessment is the process of evaluating student performance on individual program outcomes for the purpose of continuous program improvement.
The Assessment Cycle at TCTC
The Assessment Cycle at TCTC
These are the general steps in the assessment cycle. Click on the links to learn more about each step.
Program outcomes
Assessment plan
Collect data
Determine action items for improvement
Implement action items for improvement
Addressing Concerns About Assessment
Addressing Concerns About Assessment
Program assessment sounds like a good idea, but it is time-consuming and complex; it is a waste of time.
Program assessment sounds like a good idea, but it is time-consuming and complex; it is a waste of time.
Useful program assessment will take time and effort, but there are things you can do to increase your skills and efficiency. Putting in the time and effort up front by setting up a comprehensive assessment plan and purposefully designing your assessment strategies can help save a lot of time down the road. Anything that improves student knowledge, skills, and abilities is never a waste of time. Contact the Office of Academic Development to set up a consultation to see how you can streamline your assessment efforts.
If it ain't broke, don't fix it! Students are learning, we don't need assessment.
If it ain't broke, don't fix it! Students are learning, we don't need assessment.
Assessment is a tool to provide feedback regarding student learning so programs can be continually improved. Students are learning something, but are they learning the right things? Are they learning what you want them to learn? Are they learning what you think they’re learning? Could they be learning more? Do they have gaps in their learning that could be filled? These are the questions assessment can answer. No matter how good a program is, there is always room for improvement. And it is true that SACS requires every program assess its student outcomes and uses the results for improvement. Not assessing isn’t an option.
Assessment results will be used to evaluate my performance.
Assessment results will be used to evaluate my performance.
The results of program assessment are used to improve programs and student learning in those programs. Faculty involvement is essential for successful program assessment and will not be used as a metric in faculty performance evaluation.
If assessment results aren't good, administration might use that to eliminate programs.
If assessment results aren't good, administration might use that to eliminate programs.
Assessment is a tool to provide feedback regarding student learning so programs can be continually improved. Program assessment is intended to facilitate the process of improvement not to judge the quality and worth of a program.
Assessment is just for SACS, there is no real benefit to students.
Assessment is just for SACS, there is no real benefit to students.
Here at TCTC, assessment is done for the purpose of improving student learning and continually improving our programs. It is true that SACS requires every program to assess student outcomes and use the results to improve the program. But that is simply documenting and reporting on the work being done to improve the program. If you are improving programs by enhancing student learning and growth, students will leave TCTC better prepared and better equipped for the workforce.
I don't know anything about assessment and there is no support available.
I don't know anything about assessment and there is no support available.
Many faculty are surprised to discover that they are already doing assessment and only need to tweak something small or simply document what they are already doing. If you have questions about assessment or want to learn more contact us in the Office of Academic Development! We are more than happy to schedule a one-on-one or group consultation/training!
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