Student Learning Outcomes
Assessment & Accreditation

The Revolving Wheel of Assessment

Instructional Planning Assessment Cycle for Transfer and Basic Skills Programs

 Note: The Instructional Planning calendar and assessment cycle begins in January, using the normal calendar cycle, not the academic calendar year.

 Year One

Spring             Present your Instructional Plan to CIP.  Make revisions as required.    

Fall                  Assess Course SLOs. As a department, choose which courses you want to examine.  Use the course-embedded assessment process that is also used for the Core 4.  Assess sample SLOs from half the courses that your department offers (Departments that offer a large number of courses can choose to spread this work over the next two years).

                        December 15 – one page report due to Instruction Office.  Report should mention any student needs and issues revealed by the assessment process and any plans made to improve student learning or teaching to address those needs.

 Year Two

Spring             Meet during Flex to discuss assessment results.  Fill out the Assessment Analysis Form for Course SLOs to record the results of the meeting.

Fall                  Assess course SLOs.  As department, choose more course SLOs to be assessed.   Use the course-embedded assessment process that is also used for the Core 4.  Assess sample SLOs from courses you did not assess the previous year.  This should result in SLO assessment for all the courses your department offers when combined with the previous years. (Departments that offer a large number of courses can choose to extend this work this work over the year).                   

                        December 15 – one page report due to Instruction Office.  Report should mention any student needs and issues revealed by the assessment process and any plans made to improve student learning or teaching to address those needs.

 Year Three

Spring             Meet during Flex to discuss assessment results.  Fill out the Assessment Analysis Form for Course SLOs to record the results of the meeting.                     

                        Assess a Core Competency.  As a department, choose one of four core competencies to assess.   Use the course-embedded assessment method.  In addition, departments which offer a large number of classes can opt to also assess any course SLOs which have not been assessed yet.  

 Fall                  Meet during Flex to discuss assessment results.  Fill out the Core 4 Assessment Analysis Form to record the results of the meeting.  Departments which opted to assess additional course SLOs should also discuss those results and record them on the Assessment Analysis Form for Course SLOs.  

Assess a Core Competency.  As a department, choose another Core Competency and, if needed, the final course SLOs to be assessed.   Use the course-embedded assessment process for both.

December 15 – one page report due to Instruction Office.  Report should mention any student needs and issues revealed by the assessment process and any plans made to improve student learning or teaching to address those needs.  

 Year Four

Spring             Meet during Flex to discuss assessment results.  Fill out the Assessment Analysis Form for Course SLOs (if needed) and the Core 4 Assessment Analysis Form to record the results of the meeting.

Assess a Core Competency.  Use the course-embedded assessment process.  

Fall                  Meet during Flex to discuss assessment results.  Fill out the Core 4 Assessment Analysis Form to record the results of the meeting.   

Assess a Core Competency.   Use the course-embedded assessment process.

                        December 15 – one page report due to Instruction Office.  Report should mention any student needs and issues revealed by the assessment process and any plans made to improve student learning or teaching to address those needs.

 Year Five

Spring             Begin writing Instructional Plan.  Analyze assessment results from the previous four years to identify student needs and issues you will address in your plan.  Use the results as evidence for what you request to improve teaching and learning. 

Fall:                Finish writing Instructional Plan.