Student Learning Assessment

Assessment Diagram

Assessment is the continuous process of collecting, analyzing, and utilizing data to understand and improve student learning. Assessment serves as a tool for educators to improve curriculum and instruction. Assessment ensures consistent learning expectations apply to all programs, courses, general education, and co-curricular areas of the College. It is also a critical component of Institutional Effectiveness, and a requirement of the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) and other accrediting or external standard-setting bodies. Finally, assessment demonstrates OCC’s high academic standards to students, transfer institutions, employers, and other stakeholders.

Faculty develop assessment plans to measure student learning on developed learning outcomes. Plans for each outcome include a specific benchmark (learning targets), assessment method, and an assessment frequency. Benchmarks identify the proportion of students expected to demonstrate competency at a specific level (e.g., 80% of students will score at least 4 out of 5 points on the writing rubric). Assessment methods identify the method used to evaluate student learning (e.g., rubrics, exams, papers, activities, etc). Finally, faculty choose how often they will assess student learning on each outcome (i.e., every one, two, or three years). After assessment plans are complete, faculty and administration manage student learning assessment data through the Assessment Results Tracking Information System (ARTIS).

Who is Involved in Student Learning Assessment at OCC?

Assessment at OCC is a collaborative process involving faculty and staff, with student learning and student success as the core focus. OCC faculty take the lead in developing learning outcomes (goals) and implementing assessment activities across the College to measure student learning. The Student Outcomes Assessment Committee (SOAC) is an advisory committee of faculty and staff committed to continuous improvement of student learning at the College. The Office of Institutional Effectiveness and SOAC provide support to OCC faculty in all assessment-related matters. The College supports assessment further by employing faculty assessment facilitators and program/student learning coordinators as identified leaders for student learning assessment in their respective programs or disciplines.  

SOAC exists to collaborate with OCC faculty, staff, and the Office of Institutional Effectiveness (IE) to help lead, shape, and support the implementation of student learning outcomes and assessment at all levels of the institution.

Student Learning Assessment Data 

At OCC, faculty and administration manage student learning assessment data through the Assessment Results Tracking Information System (ARTIS). ARTIS is a transactional website developed by OCC that program/student learning coordinators (faculty and staff), academic deans, and the Office of Institutional Effectiveness use to manage all aspects of student learning assessment. ARTIS also supports transparency of student learning assessment data by displaying outcomes, plans, findings, and actions in an assessment dashboard; this dashboard is available to everyone employed by the College via the College’s intranet.