Essential Steps in Outcomes Assessment

Formulate Learning Outcome Goals

• Articulate aims for the course or project
• Draft learning goals that are expressed as precise and specific outcome statements and are necessary and sufficient to achieve the aims

Design Teaching/Assessment Plan to Achieve Aims

• Determine what will be needed to create a learning context that will promote and facilitate goal achievement
• Use the learning goals to design classroom activities that will help the students learn the requisite knowledge and skills, keeping in mind the nature of the learning process
• Use the learning goals to craft various assignments that will be used to assess how well the goals have been fulfilled; include both formative (ongoing) and summative (concluding) assessment

Implement Teaching/Assessment Plan

• Begin with baseline studies whenever possible
• Develop a culture of evidence; collect all available data
• Revise teaching/assessment plan as necessary in light of early results

Analyze Data on Individual and Aggregate Bases

• Communicate results and discuss their implications with appropriate groups
• Revise and improve steps 1-3 in light of these results