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.

• Essential Learning Outcomes

  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.

• VALUE Rubrics

  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

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.

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.