Closing the Loop in Assessment Provost关闭循环评估教务长.ppt

BY DANIEL BUBB, PH.D. UNIVERSITY OF NEVADA, LAS VEGAS Closing the Loop in Assessment What does it mean? “Closing the Loop” is the third component of the assessment cycle 1.) Establishing a set of learning objectives 2.) Designing instruments to measure learning outcomes 3.) Closing the loop – how departments respond to learning outcomes results. This can range from adjusting a quiz question to major curricular changes “Closing the loop” is not a kneejerk reaction to student learning outcomes results, but is part of a larger, faculty-centered, fluid process of continuous assessment improvement Example: Department of History’s 2011 annual report - Created an environment of shared community - Created workshops designed to help students improve their research paper writing skills - A possible additional way to “close the loop” is to give a writing assignment with an embedded question to students to gage their comprehension of the material, and simultaneously measure their critical thinking skills (a core competency) A Second Example: Department of English’s 2011 annual report Made course and curricular changes based on survey results Considered other methods of assessment including portfolios and a capstone project Might consider designing a rubric, especially for upper-division courses, including a capstone course, which will provide considerable information about student learning “Closing the loop” should reflect course or programmatic changes and the Department’s Mission Statement Do the results and departmental response reflect what the Department is attempting to achieve with its students? Make gradual, incremental changes to a course or program. Easier to do Better assessment program Challenges to Closing the Loop Different student aptitudes Meeting students’ needs Budget cuts Possible Solutions Strong set of Core Competencies The University, in its Year One Peer-Evaluation Report has identified a set of University Undergraduate Learning Outco