Student Learning Assessment
At CLC, high-quality teaching and learning are extremely important. To foster high-quality teaching and learning, CLC has developed a Student Learning Assessment Program. The Student Learning Assessment Program supports high-quality teaching and learning both inside and outside the classroom. The Student Learning Assessment Program provides the tools, methods, and supports to faculty and staff to assess what students can do with what they know. After completing the assessment process, faculty and staff can make changes based upon the assessment results to further improve student mastery of specific learning outcomes. To measure these different types of learning outcomes, CLC has created four distinct types of assessment processes to promote high-quality teaching and learning and continuous improvement. These methods are College-wide assessment, Program-level assessment, and Course-level assessment, and Co-Curricular Assessment.
College-Wide Assessment
CLC has created three broad college-wide learning goals, called “outcomes,” for all students. Under those outcomes are eleven specific skills, called “competencies”. The following are the general outcomes and specific skills that CLC expects students to achieve.
Outcome # 1: Communicate Effectively
Understand and communicate effectively with others using a variety of contexts and formats, which include writing, speaking, reading, listening, and interpersonal skills.
Competencies:
Demonstrate oral communication skills
Demonstrate written communication skills
Demonstrate reading and listening skills
Demonstrate interpersonal communication skills
Outcome # 2: Solve Problems
Identify, evaluate, and apply critical thinking and creative problem-solving skills using multiple perspectives and appropriate technologies.
Competencies:
Assess alternative solutions to a problem
Analyze and follow a sequence of operations
Apply abstract ideas to concrete situations
Utilize appropriate technology
Outcome # 3: Demonstrate Personal and Social Responsibility
Develop and demonstrate personal and social responsibility and teamwork skills.
Competencies:
Apply ethical principles in decision-making
Work as a team member to achieve shared goals
Discuss/compare characteristics of diverse cultures and environments
College-Wide Assessment reporting occurs on an annual basis.
Program/Department Level Assessment
CLC Programs and Departments have also created Program/Department level objectives that must be assessed for students enrolled in classes in a technical program or liberal arts department. Under program/department-level assessment, methods of measurement are broader than course-specific assessment outcomes but less broad than college-wide outcomes. Program/Department Outcomes are listed on each Program or Department webpage. CLC Faculty collaborate annually to review Program/Department Level Assessment Data and make changes based upon the results to ensure that what students are learning is in alignment with Program/Department Objectives at a high rate of proficiency. Program/Department Level Assessment reporting occurs on an annual basis.
Course Level Assessment
Course Level assessment is the most common assessment tool and is conducted on a daily or weekly basis. Course-level assessment is an assessment that faculty members do to determine grades for student assignments and projects, as well as for the course itself. All CLC courses have common course outlines identifying course-specific and college-wide outcomes that students will be expected to achieve upon completion of the course. When teaching a course, CLC faculty must ensure the course content and specific course level assessment measures meets the course objectives. Course Level Assessment activities should occur regularly within the classroom.
Co-Curricular Assessment
CLC offers a wide variety of co-curricular options such as student activities, clubs/organizations, and supportive services that also promote student learning outside of a traditional classroom. CLC Co-Curricular Assessment allows staff & faculty with students in these modalities to evaluate student learning within their activity, club/organization, or supportive service in alignment to CLC College-Wide Learning outcomes. Co-Curricular assessment allows for continuous improvement of student learning which occurs outside of the classroom. At CLC, all co-curricular groups must document their assessment work at least once every five years.
