Assessment Reporting Overview
The Office of Institutional Assessment and QEP has established a periodic assessment reporting process to ensure that all Educational Programs engage in the continuous improvement process thereby meeting SACSCOC expectations of Institutional Effectiveness (IE).
EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES ASSESSMENT
Educational Program Student Learning Outcomes (SLO) assessment is the process of collecting and reviewing data related to the accumulated knowledge, skills, and attitudes students develop during a course of study and using that information to understand and improve an academic program.
DEFINING EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES ASSESSMENT
Educational programs are defined by the Southern Association of College and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) as a coherent set of courses leading to a credential (degree, diploma, or certificate) awarded by the institution (SACSCOC Resource Manual).
At WC, student learning outcome assessment plans must be developed for each:
- Bachelor’s degree program listed in the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) program inventory.
- Undergraduate stand-alone associate degrees approved by WC.
- Undergraduate stand-alone certificates approved by WC and, when required, the THECB.
Program Assessment Glossary of Terms
Yearly Comprehensive Assessment Cycle
This year plan submitted once at the beginning of a reporting period in the fall and updated as needed, identifies expected student learning outcomes (SLOs) and assessment methods for evaluating student achievement of each SLO.
The multi-year plan is submitted once at the beginning of a reporting period and updated as needed.
Program Review 5-year Assessment Cycle
Program Learning Outcome PLO Matrix
Annual Assessment Report
ANNUAL ASSESSMENT REPORT
On an annual basis, departments are expected to provide retrospective reports of assessment results, analysis of assessment data, and plans/actions for using results to maintain or improve the quality.
REPORTING TIMELINE
Over the four-year data collection period (2023-2024; 2024-2025; 2025-2026; 2026-2027), departments are expected to submit Annual Improvement Plans (AIPs) Reports that detail assessment results, analysis of assessment data, and plans/actions for using results to maintain or improve student achievement from the previous year.
Annual Improvement Plans are due in Planning and Self Study (PSS) at the beginning of the fall term by October 1st and are concluded by May of each Spring term. The months of June and July area time of reflection to revise AIPs for the Next Cycle and to consider the findings, and to determine actions for the next planning cycle.
THECB Current Inventory of Degree and Certificate Programs
Two Year Core Yearly Assessment Timeline
Measures and Results
Identify the measure(s) and benchmark(s) for the student learning outcomes assessed during the previous year and provide results for each measure.
Summary of Results
Identify whether the results from your measure(s) indicates that the outcome was met, partially met, or not met. If applicable, compare current results to prior results for this outcome. Also, describe how results were shared with faculty and others concerned with your program. Be prepared to provide documentation that results were shared. Examples of dissemination of evidence include program retreat, newsletters, reports, websites, emails, etc.
Analysis
Describe what desegregating the data revealed the pattern of strengths and weaknesses in student achievement for the outcome. Also, provide an evaluation of the program’s assessment methods by describing the strengths and weaknesses of the program’s assessment process. The information provided in this section will guide responses to the Improvements section of the Annual Improvement Plan Report.
Improvements
Identify and describe any efforts to seek improvements/enhancements to the curriculum (e.g., course changes, program policy changes, personnel or resource allocation changes, changes in services, etc.) and/or the assessment processes (SLOs, measures, benchmarks, assessment instrument, etc.). If improvements/enhancements were implemented, be prepared to provide documentation of when and how they were implemented via meeting minutes, policies, and/or syllabi and reflect on any lessons learned from changes that are in progress or implemented.
REPORTING TEMPLATE
Example of Annual Assessment Report in Watermark
RESOURCES FOR PLANNING AND SELF STUDY (PSS)
How to log into Watermark's Planning and Self Study (PSS)
How to Add and Edit an Organization’s Mission in PSS
How to Create and Edit Outcomes in PSS
REPORTING THE USE OF RESULTS
Guiding Questions for Measure Activity
Guiding Questions for Analysis
Guiding Questions for Actions or Use of Results