Phillips Community College of the University of
Arkansas began restructuring the assessment
plan in 2002. The
restructuring was based on the concept of assessment as a dynamic,
continuously changing process. Rather than focusing on creating a
specific document the
Assessment Committee developed a process which
would meet the needs of the institution as changes occurred.
The institutions commitment to assessment is
reflected by its commitment to providing resources
to insure the student
goals are attained. This may mean academic remediation, ensuring
proper training for adjuncts so there will be consistency from course to
course, and prepare for on-line
and compressed video instruction by
instructor and students. Additionally, the assessment
committee
instituted changes in procedures within the institution because of gaps
identified in assessment process.
The Assessment Committee established thirteen
assessment goals across all divisions in the institution. These goals
represent the institutions annual report of assessment outcomes. The
actual goals can change from year to year. Each of the goals
included operational definitions, expected outcomes, verification of
data, identification of a person responsible for collecting data,the
timeline for assessment, the assessment method, report of data
collection, and a plan for improvement.
In addition to institutional assessment, each
academic division has developed a division assessment which lists
specific outcome assessment strategies, data, and implementation
processes. The evidence and documentation found in the division
processes is the foundation in which the
goals and expected outcomes are
established in the overall institutional assessment outcomes.
The division assessment outcomes may be reviewed within the
Dean's offices, Director of
Assessment and Institutional Effectiveness'
office, Vice Chancellor for Instruction's office, or
under the Program
Assessment link on this web page.
This evolving assessment process is on-going,
inclusive, and responsive to change. In the last
two years, the
assessment committee and faculty determined that in order to influence
student learning outcomes, every division within the institution had to
agree that they would be responsible for student learning. Core
competencies were established and adopted (see
core
competencies).The core competencies are listed in the college
catalog, posted on bulletin boards on each campus,
as well as in the
assessment of student learning process annual reports.
The Assessment Committee evaluated tools used in
assessing student learning and institutional assessment (see
matrix of student learning). Each division reviewed the tools and
assessment process in place and found that although a formal document
did exist that combined assessment
by each division, assessment
procedures had changed. A matrix tool was designed to allow each
division to include measures of student learning at several levels.
These include course level, classroom level at end of program, program
level at end of program, and program level after graduation.
In addition to student learning, measure of
institutional assessment are included at the program
level prior to
registration, within the course, at end of program, and periodically.
Institutional level assessment included prior to registration, within
course, and at end of program. The matrix
includes information
about the assessment tool, definition, administration, use and location
of results.
