General and Discipline-Specific Assessment Guides
A curated list of online assessment guides.
Assessment Commons
Assessment Commons is the most comprehensive list of online assessment resources. Inevitably in a list this massive, some links are broken, but the site is otherwise impressively well maintained and up to date. The list is divided into several major sections, each organized alphabetically. Two sections are particularly useful. The first is the section on "General Resources." Among the categories in this section are the following: administrative and support units, assessing online education, assessment rubrics, course-based assessment, graduate program assessment, institutional support for outcomes assessment, and tools to help organize assessment information.
The second section of particular value is that on "Assessment of Specific Skills or Content." A number of these materials are highlighted in the "Assessment in Specific Disciplines" box elsewhere on this guide page.
Other major sections include a listing of assessment handbooks from dozens of institutions, of assessment-related pages from hundreds of institutions, of websites for state boards and commissions and accrediting bodies, and of student assessment of courses.
Assessment in Specific Disciplines
The materials listed here all focus on assessment within individual programs or disciplines. They come from diverse sources and vary considerably in their depth and detail. Most of the materials cited were found on the Assessment Commons site. In most cases, the single highest quality resource for a specific program or discipline is listed here, but further resources for your discipline may be available on the Assessment Commons site in the "Assessment of Specific Skills or Content" section. Many Lindenwood programs are not represented on the list. If you are aware of an online assessment guide pertinent to your discipline, please email a link to Dr. Bethany Alden-Rivers.
Art
Biology
- Assessing "Scientific Abilities"
Chemistry
- Assessing "Scientific Abilities"
Business
Chinese Studies
- See Languages
Criminal Justice
Economics
Education
English
French
- See Languages
Languages
- American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages Proficiency Guidelines and Performance Descriptors for Language Learners, and the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.
Mathematics
- The Mathematical Association of America's Assessment Practices in Undergraduate Mathematics
Music
Philosophy
- American Philosophical Association's Statement on Outcomes Assessment
Psychology
- The extremely detailed Assessment CyberGuide for Learning Goals and Outcomes from the American Psychological Association
Spanish
- See Languages
Theatre
Developing Learning Outcomes and Assessment Criteria
The following resources all pertain to the development of strong institutional learning outcomes and clear criteria for assessment. They were developed by the Association of American Colleges & Universities (AAC&U), the United States' chief advocate for liberal education. Also included is an occasional paper from the National Institute for Learning Outcomes Assessment (NILOA) with real examples of the AAC&U's Degree Qualifications Profile being put to use.
Talking Points: AAC&U 2009 Member Survey Findings
Note: An AAC&U member survey resulted in these key findings. Its audience is the general public rather than people working in higher education.
Note: The AAC&U's set of learning outcomes align closely with Lindenwood's Institutional Learning Outcomes (ILOs).
Degree Qualifications Profile
Note: The Degree Qualifications Profile was developed because the AAC&U felt that "the U.S. sorely needs and can be enticed to adopt a shared set of reference points that describe the meaning and value of college degrees at the associate, baccalaureate and master’s level." The DQP "incorporates virtually all of AAC&U’s Essential Learning Outcomes" and "builds on the national consensus on the broad set of learning outcomes linked to successful student preparation for success in life, as engaged citizens, and productive members of a global society." Many higher ed institutions are experimenting with proficiency-based curricula that require mastery of skills for graduation, and even those that are not are increasingly under scrutiny with regard to the skills of their graduates. The DQP is a step toward defining what any U.S. graduate should be able to do.
The Lumina Degree Qualifications Profile (DQP): Implications for Assessment
Note: This occasional paper, published by NILOA, provides a brief background of the DQP's creation and purpose as well as examples of how various institutions have begun to incorporate it into their curricula.
Note: The goal of these Valid Assessment of Learning in Undergraduate Education (VALUE) rubrics is not to be prescriptive or standardizing (institutional tailoring is encouraged), but to work toward a common framework that will allow for a better dialog between institutions on defining and assessing student success. The rubrics may be downloaded for free after registering with the site (also free). There are rubrics available for evaluating the following 16 learning outcomes:
--Intellectual and Practical Skills: inquiry and analysis; critical thinking; creative thinking; written communication; oral communication; reading; quantitative literacy; information literacy; teamwork; problem solving
--Personal and Social Responsibility: civic engagement—local and global; intercultural knowledge and competence; ethical reasoning; foundations and skills for lifelong learning; global learning
--Integrative and Applied Learning: integrative learning
Best Assessment Practices
Below are some statements and guidelines on best practices in assessment published or endorsed by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), the accrediting body of which Lindenwood is a member, or published by the National Institute for Learning Outcomes Assessment (NILOA).
Student Learning, Assessment, and Accreditation
Note: This two-page statement explains why the HLC values assessment and what qualities it expects to see in a strong assessment system.Committing to Quality: Guidelines for Assessment and Accountability
Note: This eleven-page paper is a brief guide to best assessment practices, from setting ambitious goals to reporting evidence and results.
Guidelines for the Evaluation of Distance Education (On-line Learning)
Note: This five-page guide to assessing online learning was developed by the Council of Regional Accrediting Commissions (C-RAC), of which the HLC is a member.
Using Assessment Results: Promising Practices of Institutions That Do It Well
Note: Using nine institutions as case studies, NILOA sought to determine what practices make for the most effective assessment systems. The report's findings are used to create a series of reflective questions to assist readers in assessing their own institution's assessment system and culture.
Transparency in Higher Education Assessment
The need for greater accountability in higher education has led to calls for greater transparency in assessment. Learning outcomes; assessment plans, resources, and activities; evidence of student learning; and the use of that evidence should all be made available (and comprehensible) to various stakeholders in an academic institution: faculty, staff, students, families, and the public. The National Institute for Learning Outcomes Assessment (NILOA) developed a Transparency Framework to guide institutions toward greater transparency. A report issued by NILOA examines what institutions are currently doing (or not doing) to make their assessment processes transparent.
Understanding Assessment's Role in Contemporary Higher Education
The following materials provide a sense of the recent history of assessment in higher education and its growing importance in the public eye. The pieces referenced here are written by two of the most significant organizations confronting the national implications of higher ed accountability today: the liberal education advocacy group, the Association of American Colleges & Universities (AAC&U); and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). The latter is an organization which, along with the Department of Education, performs quality control in higher education by recognizing rigorous accrediting organizations (including the Higher Learning Commission). Its institutional membership includes 3,000 degree-granting colleges and universities (including Lindenwood). It advocates for the self-regulation of academic quality, working with Congress and the Department of Education to keep educators (rather than the government) in charge of academic decisions.
Committing to Quality: Guidelines for Assessment and Accountability in Higher Education (2012)
Note: This brief statement explains the importance of assessment practices to maintain accountability in higher education. It serves as an introduction to the "Assuring Quality" self-evaluation tool described below. New Leadership for Student Learning and Accountability: A Statement of Principles, Commitments to Action (2008)
Note: This brief manifesto outlines CHEA's position on the role of higher education institutions in assessment and public accountability.
Statement of Mutual Responsibilities for Student Learning Outcomes: Accreditation, Institutions, and Programs (2003)
Note: This document is less a statement than a brief overview of the roles of accrediting organizations, institutions, and programs in assessing student learning. It concludes with explanations of key terms, including student learning outcomes, evidence of learning, program effectiveness, assessment, and standards.
