2022-2023 AY Program Assessment Reporting

Given that the principal purpose of assessment is to foster improvement, conversations among faculty regarding student performance data (quantitative and qualitative) is extremely important as a step to determine and guide decisions for continuous improvement.  This is partly because recommendations made, and actions undertaken for continuous improvement of student learning and instruction is the most important and valuable part of the assessment process.  Absence of discussions among faculty regarding student performance and practical action plans on improvement invalidates or diminishes the value of data and the assessment process. In light of the current challenges, we highly recommend that discussions around various aspects of assessment at course and program levels (including general education) be done at one or more of the planned regular department/school faculty meetings (in person or online) faculty meetings.

Documenting Assessment for the 2023-24 Academic Year

The deadline for submitting program assessment reports for the 2023-2024 Academic Year is Friday, September 27, 2024. Please review the important details below regarding this year’s submission of assessment reports.

 

PART A: Annual assessment reports are required for the following:

1.     Each degree program (undergraduate, graduate, and professional)

2.     Each certificate program (undergraduate and graduate)

3.     Each degree and certificate program offered entirely online.

 

PART B: The Higher Learning Commission (HLC) requires evidence of comparability of outcomes based on:

1. Mode of delivery: All programs offered in both face-to-face/blended formats and entirely online.
2. Location: All programs offered at both the Norman and Tulsa Campuses.

If your department, school, or division offers any certificate or degree programs as outlined in (A) or (B) above, please ensure that your assessment reports include:

• The same overall mission or description of the program.
• The same student learning outcomes.
• Disaggregation of assessment results.

 

PART C: Platform Information:

All assessment reports must be submitted via the Platform, OU’s official repository for program assessment documentation. The Platform is active 24/7, allowing submissions until midnight on September 27, 2024. To complete a report, log into the Platform using your 4x4 at the following link: https://solutions.nuventive.com/Account/SSOInit/b03a7f23-59d4-4b42-b881-131cf38ba852

 

Please note the following:

1. We have created a Nuventive Improvement Platform User Guide for OU, offering step-by-step instructions on completing each aspect of the program assessment process, including Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs), Assessment Methods, Assessment Results, and Use of Assessment Results. Access the guide  here Guide Link]
2.  New Assessment Liaisons without Platform access should contact Dr. Felix Wao at wao@ou.edu to request “read and write” access.
3. Completing a report in the Platform is equivalent to submitting it. There is no separate submit button; ensure you save all information as you progress through each section/step. Submit reports promptly, as the Platform is accessible 24/7. Avoid waiting until the last minute
4. The Platform will be inaccessible from 12:01 AM on Saturday, September 28, 2024, to 12:00 AM on Friday, October 31, 2024, for Office of Academic Assessment reviews. Therefore, upload assessment information for degree and certificate programs by the deadline. No extensions will be granted.
5. Platform Training Sessions/Consultations: Academic Assessment will host workshops on Platform usage in early Fall 2024. For more information, please visit the “Assessment Workshops” page under “Resources”. 

 

PART D: Program General Information

Each assessment report should include the following Program General Information:

1. Mission Statement of the program: A concise description of the degree or certificate program, obtainable from department/school websites.
2. College and department/school where the program is housed.
3. Name of the current Assessment Liaison.

 

PART E: Documenting the Use of Assessment Results

As documentation of recommendations and action plans for continuous improvement is crucial, the Platform now includes specific fields/areas for systematic alignment with faculty recommendations examples.

• Curriculum (e.g., changes in course sequencing, program modality, course content, improving academic advisement process)
• Faculty Development (e.g., recommending faculty workshops at CFE, conference attendance)
• Learning Outcomes (e.g., revising learning outcomes, articulating new learning outcomes)
• Methods of Assessment (e.g., modifying major assignments, changes in general exam procedures or dissertation defense process, adopting or developing a rubric)
• Assessment Process/Procedures (e.g., changes in course sequencing, program modality, course content, improving academic advisement process)
• Overall Program Effectiveness (e.g., modifying admission standards seeking new faculty lines)
• Other (Please select this option if changes proposed by faculty do not fit any of the areas above)
• No Changes Needed (Please select this option if faculty have determined that, based on the results of student performance for a given SLO, no changes are needed. It is crucial that a rationale is included in this section to indicate, for instance, that faculty will continue to monitor student performance for that outcome in future semesters and make curriculum modifications as needed. Because there’s always room for improvement, please avoid selecting this option (1) for the same SLO every year and (2) for all SLOs each year. 

When completing the "Use of Assessment Results" section, it's important to ensure that at least one field/area is completed for each Student Learning Outcome (SLO).

Discussion Among Department/School Faculty:

1. Disseminate aggregated data among faculty in the specific program.
2. Hold meetings (in-person and/or virtually) to discuss the implications of the data and determine practical recommendations for improving student learning, teaching, and other aspects of the program's curriculum.
3. Consider appointing a Facilitator and/or Note Taker for these meetings. If available, involve the Managerial Associate to take notes, and consider recording the meeting for reference. Documenting the conversation through meeting minutes provides strong evidence of faculty engagement in the assessment process.
4. Additionally, consider gathering assessment information from faculty using a simple survey. The survey can be distributed to faculty whose courses are directly linked with one or more Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs) for a degree or certificate program. The survey should inquire about the SLO addressed in the course, the assessment methods used, student performance results, and intended use of assessment results. The Assessment Liaison would then synthesize this information for the assessment reports. Feel free to use the  sample program assessment survey (xlsx) to gather data/assessment information from faculty in your department/school.
5. Ensure that progress is evident from one year to the next in the Use of Assessment Results. For example, if in 2022-2023, the department reported faculty were reviewing assessment results, in 2023-2024, action plans resulting from these reviews should be documented, along with any completed initiatives. Avoid repetitive statements without showing progress.

 

PART F: Resources for Program Assessment

1. Spring 2024 Assessment Workshops:

• Documenting Assessment Activities for degree and certificate programs:
  • This workshop focuses on developing content for each step of the OU program assessment process. Therefore, it is intended for Assessment Liaisons and faculty involved in articulating program SLOs, implementing various assessments, providing data on student performance, and discussing result utilization. Visit the Resources page for details about documenting assessment activities for degree and certificate programs.

• Comparability of Learning Outcomes:
  • This session centers on ensuring comparability of learning outcomes for programs offered in different formats and locations. Visit the Resources page for details about comparability of learning outcomes.

2. Fall 2024 Assessment Workshops:

• Uploading Assessment Plans/Reports to the Platform: 
  • This session will focus exclusively on how to upload contents of various steps of the assessment process to the Platform. Visit the Resources page for details regarding uploading assessment reports to the Platform. 

3. Program Assessment Guidelines:

• For further information about steps of program assessment and to view exemplary assesment reports, please visit the guidelines for program assessment page.

 

Please don't hesitate to reach out to me at wao@ou.edu if you have any questions or need further clarification on any of the information provided above. We value the time, effort, and care that you put into preparing out students for success, and we are honored to partner with you on this vital mission.

With sincere appreciation,

Felix