Methods of Assessment

Assessing student learning within the context of General Education is complex and multi-faceted. As a result, the college employs a variety of methods to obtain meaningful information on student learning. These techniques include:

Faculty Assessment Day (FAD)

Generally recognized as more qualitative then quantitative, Faculty Assessment Day is an annual event which brings faculty from across the college together to engage in authentic assessment of student learning. On FAD, participants use faculty-developed rubrics to assess actual student work which depicts their knowledge and skill within the context of each General Education Outcome. It is through the application of locally defined rubrics that faculty gain a greater level of understanding of the General Education Outcomes, how well our students perform, and learn different techniques to enhance student learning

Student Assessment of General Education (SAGE)

SAGE is more quantitative in nature, where an entire week is devoted to administering various assessments to a randomly selected group of students. Both locally developed as well as nationally standardized instruments are used in order to determine the progress of student learning on each General Education Outcome.

Course Based Assessment

All courses approved for a General Education Outcome have identified a set of activities which teach the outcome, outlined a specific process by which the discipline will assess student learning in the course, how the information will be shared with all faculty in the discipline and how the discipline will use the information to enhance teaching and learning.

Related Research

OCC faculty and staff continually conduct a variety of assessment activities that examine student learning and the General Education Outcomes. Typically conducted as ad hoc studies these initiatives are a vital component of the college’s overall assessment program.

Cycle for General Education Assessment

In a broad context, a three step cyclical process has been established to ensure that each General Education Outcome is assessed on an on-going basis. Beginning with providing students with learning opportunities, subsequent steps emphasize assessing student learning outcomes and using the results to modify instructional techniques or the curriculum.

• Provide students with learning opportunities consistent with pre-determined outcomes.
• Assess student learning outcomes based on faculty determined criteria and interpret the implications.
• Modify the pedagogical approach or curriculum based on the assessment analysis.