General Education Assessment

Aesthetic Awareness

Students will demonstrate an appreciation of aesthetic expression.

The faculty at OCC have defined two dimensions of the aesthetic awareness general education learning outcome to clarify learning expectations for students. They include:

• Analyzes the relationship between form and content.
• Identifies and evaluates how aesthetic expression leads to an understanding of cultural context.

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Communicate Effectively- Writing

Students demonstrate effective written communication.

The faculty at OCC have defined six dimensions of the Communicate Effectively -Written general education learning outcome to clarify learning expectations for students. They include:

• Student demonstrates understanding of audience, purpose, and assigned task illustrated by effective focus and thesis, or introductory statement.
• Student demonstrates sufficiently developed content.
• Clearly organized.
• Usage of grammar and mechanic.
• Style and presentation.
• Incorporation of primary and secondary source material (when use of sources assigned or writer chooses to support with material from outside personal experience).

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Communicate Effectively - Oral Communication

Students demonstrate and apply skills for effective oral communication.

Faculty at OCC have defined seven dimensions of the communicate effectively-oral general education learning outcome to clarify learning expectations for students. They include:

• Student demonstrates an understanding of how communication shapes self-concept, perception, and worldview.  
• Student demonstrates an understanding of how self-concept, perception, and worldview shape communication with others.
• Students can analyze a variety of communication styles and effectively adapt their style to the styles of others.  
• Students effectively identify and employ listening strategies.
• Student will demonstrate appropriate forms of verbal and nonverbal expression.
• Student communicates ethically and respectfully.
• Student can form responses and organize ideas in a logical and constructive way in order to achieve communication goals. 

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Critical Thinking

Students can effectively analyze, interpret, synthesize, and evaluate information before accepting or formulating a hypothesis or opinion, or drawing a conclusion.

The faculty at OCC have defined five dimensions of the critical thinking general education learning outcome to clarify learning expectations for students. They include:

• Evaluates information.
• Identifies the connections between ideas and concepts.
• Uses information to formulate an opinion or conclusion.
• Applies knowledge, concepts, paradigms, or theories to the assigned task.
• Completes the assigned task using an efficient and effective method.

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Global Understanding & Responsibility

Students will demonstrate an understanding of global issues and the potential impact of their individual decisions on themselves and on other individuals, groups, and environments. Students will identify opportunities and articulate potential solutions to improve personal, local, and global conditions. 

The faculty at OCC have defined five dimensions of the aesthetic awareness general education learning outcome to clarify learning expectations for students. They include:

• Student can demonstrate self-management skills, discipline, or the value of assessment goals in local or global contexts. 
• Student can articulate the differences and/or similarities that exist between local and global cultures, situations, and issues.
• Student can identify the potential impact of their decisions on global or local individuals, groups, situations, and the environment. 
• Student can identify and/or use resources to articulate potential solutions to improve personal, local, or global conditions.
• Student can describe social and civic engagement with stakeholders in the context of diverse communities at local, regional, or global levels.

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Information Literacy

Students will demonstrate the ability to analyze the need for information and to strategically access, critically evaluate, and use information effectively, ethically, and responsibly. 

The faculty at OCC have defined four dimensions of the Information Literacy general education learning outcome to clarify learning expectations for students. They include:

• Evaluate Authority: Student demonstrates an understanding that research sources vary in their authority.
• Use Information Ethically: Student demonstrates an understanding that information has value by using it ethically.
• Synthesize Information: Student demonstrates an understanding of research as the basis of inquiry.
• Access Information: Student demonstrates an understanding that searching is strategic.

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Quantitative Literacy

Students perform computations, identify and draw inferences from relevant information/data and represent it graphically, symbolically, numerically and verbally.

The faculty at OCC have defined six dimensions of the Quantitative Literacy general education learning outcome to clarify learning expectations for students. They include:

• Shows all of the necessary steps to complete the task.
• Performs computations with appropriate accuracy.
• Uses critical thinking to draw inferences from relevant information.
• Models information/data graphically or using visual representation.
• Represents information symbolically and/or numerically.
• Interprets numerical, symbolic, or graphical information or computation results.

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Scientific Literacy

Students can apply fundamental scientific principles and methods to explain the impacts of scientific research and technology.

The faculty at OCC have defined four dimensions of the Scientific Literacy general education learning outcome to clarify learning expectations for students. They include:

• Uses appropriate terminology to describe core scientific concepts.
• Collects, evaluates, analyzes, and interprets information and data.
• Synthesizes information and data to draw conclusions and solve problems.
• Applies scientific knowledge to personal and global issues.

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