CTE Assessment for 2010-2011
Our recommendation from the 2010 NWCCU Accreditation Report says that the college must “hasten its progress in demonstrating, through regular and systematic assessment, that students who complete their programs have achieved the intended learning outcomes of degrees and certificates," and further, must "begin to demonstrate in a regular and systematic fashion, how the assessment of student learning leads to the improvement of teaching and learning."
Since many CTE programs have Certificates for which the outcomes are a subset of the AAS degree outcomes, we will start by focusing on the AAS Degree outcomes. For programs with no AAS degree, the initial focus will be on the outcomes of the dominant Certificate.
The Core Outcomes will be addressed by way of their alignment with the degree outcomes on the plan. CTE SACs will not need to submit a separate Core Outcomes Plan for assessment of the Core Outcomes.
Part I – Planning: To be completed and submitted by November 15, 2010.
SACs are asked to describe how each of the outcomes in the AAS degree(s) will be addressed over the next 1- 2 years. Depending on the approach taken, the SAC may find it best to assess all of the degree outcomes in one year, or divide the work over two years. By 2012-2013, SAC plans will need to address assessment of alternative AAS degrees (such as degree options) and certificates - those plans are not required at this time.
The plan can be submitted using the CTE Plan - Template OR the CTE Plan - Worksheet or another presentation of the SAC's choosing.
Examples of how these might be completed are here:
- Sample CTE Templates:
- Bioscience AAS degree, assessment in end-of-program capstone
- Bioscience Certificate, assessment in the context of program courses
- Alternative presentation: Sample CTE Worksheets:
- Bioscience, AAS degree, assessment in end-of-program capstone
- Bioscience, Certificate, assessment in the context of program courses
- Radiography, AAS degree, assessment in several settings
Part II: Annual Assessment Reporting Due June 20, 2011, and each year thereafter.
This year SACs will report on the results of assessments for the designated AAS Degree outcomes (either all, or the set identified for assessment in 2010-2011). It is expected that reports will include information about the assessment design, summarized results, and note how the results may inform program improvements.
Reports should be submitted using the template: Annual Report on Outcomes Assessment.
An Example of how the Annual Report might be completed.
Some Suggestions and Notes
- Think about what kinds of assessments are already in place such assignments, projects, exam questions etc., that could be used or combined in order to report student attainment of outcomes and identify areas for program improvement.
- A robust assessment setting, such as a portfolio, capstone course or project can provide an opportunity to assess several outcomes, and both core and program outcomes.
- Individual courses may be identified in which specific activities are focused towards outcomes assessment and identified as such.
- A single assignment (class project or paper) might be used to assess more than one outcome.
- Direct Assessment (evaluating students on the performance of outcome related assessments) is expected - indirect methods (asking students to evaluate their own competence and growth with respect to the outcomes) may be used in conjunction with direct assessment.
- For completion of the plan, you will be asked to identify which AAS degree outcomes align to which individual Core Outcomes. Although an ideal is that all of the College Core Outcomes will be strongly addressed by AAS degree outcomes, it is understood that this may not presently be the case.
- CTE SACs who receive Perkins funding will need to develop Technical Skill Assessments (TSAs) for at least one [designated] AAS or certificate in their program. It’s likely that the industry standards addressed by the TSAs are represented in the Degree or Certificate outcomes, so the TSA can serve as assessments for these outcomes if it gives information needed for program improvement. The requirements for TSA approval and state reporting for Perkins are a little different, and somewhat more demanding than what we need to do for accreditation. Still, by designing TSAs that your SAC can live with, and using them where appropriate for the Degree/Certificate outcomes, you will avoid having to develop another layer of assessment for the TSAs.
- More on TSAs
Assessment Plan Workshops are scheduled:
Oct 15 |
Friday |
2:00 – 4:00 PM |
Sylvania, CC Cedar Room |
Oct 18 |
Monday |
6:00 - 7:30 PM |
Rock Creek Bldng 9/122A |
Oct 22 |
Friday |
1:00 – 4:00 PM |
Cascade, TH 112 |
Bring a laptop, your AAS outcomes and the template/worksheet you are working on. The goal is to leave with a mostly completed worksheet outlining a plan for when, where, and how these outcomes can be assessed.
This page last updated 10/26/2010