Office of Institutional Effectiveness
Assessment Resources
General Resources
There are several web-based resources that provide excellent, comprehensive links, publications and resources to support student learning outcomes assessment.
Internet Resources for Higher Education Outcomes Assessment is a web site maintained by North Carolina State University. It is considered a definitive resource for learning outcomes resources. The site provides a wealth of information on all aspects of student learning outcomes assessment. A particular strength of this resource is that it provides assessment resources for myriad academic majors.
The National Institute for Learning Outcomes Assessment (NILOA). Recently established, NILOA provides research on learning outcomes assessment, tools to support assessment, and assessment resources, that are useful resources for assessing outcomes.
The University of Iowa’s Iowa Outcome Assessment site. Although this is tailored to the needs of the University of Iowa faculty, staff, and students, it provides excellent resources for developing or expanding a department-level assessment program.
The Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) Assessment site. The site provides informative publications, historical information on assessment and how-to guides.
AAC&U’s Valid Assessment of Learning in Undergraduate Education (VALUE) project. In addition to links to useful readings, the VALUE project also provides links to 15 rubrics that can be used as a basis for assessment activities across a wide variety of disciplines. The VALUE rubrics provide a basis for getting started with assessing student learning outcomes.
The Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA)’s assessment bibliography. CHEA is a national organization that works cooperatively with the regional accreditation organizations. Their assessment resource bibliography provides resources on assessment and accreditation applicable to a variety of higher education institutions.
Back to top Program-Level Outcomes Assessment
The University of San Diego Program Assessment Handbook. (PDF) This Handbook provides an excellent overview of the program-level (major) assessment process and how to go about performing assessment at the program level.
Western Carolina University’s Handbook for Program Assessment. (PDF) This handbook a good resource for developing a deeper understanding of how to develop program-level assessment plans.
Bridgewater State University’s section on the assessment of academic programs. This provides a succinct overview of the assessment process and how to complete a assessment cycle, from developing outcomes for a program and using the results of assessment for program improvement.
The Useful, Sensible, No-Frills Departmental Assessment Plan. (PDF) An excellent, easily understandable approach to developing an assessment plan at the departmental level. Authored by Barbara E. Walvoord.
Getting Started in Outcomes Assessment at UI (University of Iowa). A good overview of the process designed to support assessment planning and implementation.
The University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Developing a Departmental Assessment Plan. A useful resource for learning more about the process of developing a department-level assessment plan.
University of Massachusetts’s Program-Based Review and Assessment: Tools and Techniques for Program Improvement. (PDF) A wealth of information on developing a program-level assessment plan.
Back to top Learning Outcomes and Assessment Resources at other Institutions
- Pennsylvania State University.
- Portland State University.
- University of Arizona.
- University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
- University of Massachusetts Amherst
- University of Minnesota.
Future Reading
- Avoiding Assessment Pitfalls. (PDF)
- University of Florida’s Academic Learning Compacts
- Nine Principles for Assessing Student Learning
- Guide to Outcomes Assessment of Student Learning (PDF) by San Jose State University
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