Assessment examples and resources
Many assessment approaches developed for one purpose or program can be readily adapted for use in other contexts. Below are ideas and practical examples from assessment projects at St. Olaf and from other organizations in higher education.
Practical examples of assessment at St. Olaf
- Examples from St. Olaf departments and programs
Rubrics, test and exam questions, survey and interview questionnaires, and other approaches developed or adapted by St. Olaf faculty and staff- Adapting General Education assessment to program-level assessment
A version of the General Education assessment reporting form, adapted for use in program-level assessment
- St. Olaf Student Learning Item Catalog (SLIC)
An index of questions about specific student learning outcomes (effective writing, critical thinking, quantitative literacy, research proficiency, civic engagement, etc.) in the assessment surveys St. Olaf administers
Assessment support at St. Olaf
- IR&E assessment grants for departments and programs
Small grants are available to departments and programs to support expenses for gathering, analyzing, discussing, and acting on evidence of student learning in departments and programs- Center for Innovation in the Liberal Arts (CILA)
CILA periodically hosts Faculty Conversations focused on gathering and using evidence of student learning for program review and improvement- Institutional Research and Evaluation Staff
The Director of Evaluation and Assessment, the Director of Institutional Research, the IR&E Research Associate and the IR&E Administrator are all available for assessment planning consultations- Assessment Subcommittee of the Curriculum Committee
The subcommittee includes representatives from each of the five Faculties, all of whom are happy to consult with departments, programs, and individual faculty and staff
Assessment resources from professional associations
- AAC&U “Essential Learning Outcomes” rubrics
Rubrics developed by national faculty teams led by the Association of American Colleges and Universities for assessing outcomes common to many programs, such as critical thinking, oral communication, quantitative literacy, and effective writing- AAC&U assessment website
Helpful publications and examples of practice in a variety of institutions compiled by the Association of American Colleges and Universities, which seeks to “develop and advance assessment practices that deepen, integrate, and demonstrate student learning”- National Institute for Learning Outcomes Assessment
Reports, occasional papers, and examples of practice from a new organization working to make learning outcomes usable and transparent to professionals and stakeholders in higher education- NASPA Student Affairs Assessment, Evaluation, and Research Knowledge Community
Helpful publications and institutional examples for assessing student learning and development in student affairs programs- ACPA Commission for Assessment and Evaluation
Assessment resources from the American College Personnel Association intended to support student learning, development, and effective student affairs practice.