Assessment Definition
Assessment is “the systematic collection, review, and use of information about educational programs undertaken for the purpose of improving student learning and development.” (Palomba & Banta, 1999).
Assessment Purpose
The primary purpose of assessment is to provide evidence (or validation) of student learning and to use that evidence to improve the learning experience. Good assessment practices ensure SDSU is offering high quality academic programs and co-curricular experiences.
Assessment Levels
Assessment can occur at different levels. Each level of assessment contributes to student learning and what students leave college knowing and being able to do. For example, faculty can assess student learning in a course, or an institution can assess general education learning. For the purposes of this handbook, the focus is on assessment processes and procedures at the program/unit level.
Assessment and evaluation not only differ in their purposes but also in their use of collected information. While it is possible to use the same tools for the two approaches, the use of the data collected differs. Assessment is ongoing (formative), focused on how learning is going (process-oriented) and identifies areas for improvement (diagnostic). On the other hand, evaluation gauges quality (summative), focused on what’s been learned (product-oriented) and is judgmental (arrive at a single, overall score).
The purpose of assessment is to gather evidence to describe effectiveness and guide practice. Research is focused on gathering evidence to guide theory and test concepts. Assessment is focused on the institution, program or unit, while research is focused on broader implications and generalizability.
Because assessment is primarily used internally for feedback and improvement purposes, Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval is not required. However, if there is intention to disseminate findings for presentations, publications or other research activity, then IRB approval is required.
Assessment Steps
At a basic level, an assessment cycle begins by identifying student learning outcomes. Then evidence is collected and interpreted. Finally, that information is used to implement change (Maki, 2010). The assessment spiral is another way to visualize and think about the assessment process. As suggested by Wehlburg (2007), the assessment spiral “visually demonstrates that the [assessment] process is continuous and that as we increase the quality of student learning and the ways in which we measure it, we will be moving upward in the spiral” (p.2). In addition, the assessment spiral never closes and “presumes that quality will increase, and that appropriate and meaningful changes will occur in student learning” (Wehlburg, 2007, p. 15).
Key Components of Assessment
Student Learning Outcome (SLOs) statements “clearly state the expected knowledge, skills, attitudes, competencies and habits of mind that students are expected to acquire from an education experience” (National Institute for Learning Outcomes Assessment).
Curriculum mapping is a method to align instruction with desired goals and program outcomes. It can also be used to explore what is taught and how.
Assessment methods are the tools we use to collect assessment data and information. There are both direct and indirect assessment methods. Direct methods are products or performances that can be used to assess how well students met expectations. Indirect methods are based on perceived student learning.
Rubrics are frequently used as an assessment method. A rubric can be defined as a descriptive guideline, a scoring guide or specific pre- established performance criteria in which each level of performance is described to contrast it with the performance at other levels.
Benchmarking is setting criteria or standards for our assessment. Benchmarking is used to compare the results in order to judge the results.
References
Maki, P. L. (2010). Assessing for Learning: Building a Sustainable Commitment Across the Institution (2nd ed.). Sterling, VA: Stylus Publishing, LLC.
National Institute for Learning Outcomes Assessment. Student learning outcomes statements. Retrieved June 16, 2023 from https://www.learningoutcomesassessment.org/ourwork/transparency-framework/components/student-learning-outcomes-statements/.
Palomba, C. A., & Banta, T. W. (1999). Assessment Essentials: Planning, Implementing, and Improving Assessment in Higher Education. Higher and Adult Education Series. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, Inc.
Wehlburg, C. M. (2007). Closing the feedback loop is not enough: the assessment spiral. Assessment Update, 19(2), 1-15.