Academic Planning and Educational Effectiveness Office of Academic Institutional Research

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Academic Program Assessment

Academic Program Assessment was institutionalized as an academic priority with the 1999 Academic Senate policy on program assessment. In 2002 the senate policy was revised to integrate four separate Academic Senate documents regarding assessment (link). Since that time, departments have developed assessment plans, and they report their progress toward enacting their plans to APEE.

The status of assessment process varies across departments. Most departments now have a full assessment cycle. That is, they have an assessment plan; they draw data regularly and analyze the data, and they make changes based on their findings. Departments that have assessed all SLOs and are confident that their curriculum is effective are encouraged to undertake focused mini-studies. Departments that do not have a mature assessment cycle are required to report on their assessment activities annually. These departments that have undertaken mini-studies are given an 18 months window for reporting their results.

What are the purposes of assessment?

  1. To understand the extent a program achieves its objectives and outcomes in order to inform:
    • program planning
    • decision-making to improve the program
    • revisions of program objective
    • resource allocation and budget requests.
  2. To report program progress and results to audiences such as faculty, deans, the provost, external accrediting bodies, colleagues in other programs and at other institutions, and current and prospective students.

Student Learning Outcomes (SLO)

Learning outcomes are succinct, measurable statements that describe the knowledge, skills, understandings, and/or attitudes students will possess upon achievement of that outcome. Attention is focused on the specific types of performances that students are expected to demonstrate.

Methods of Assessment

All departments are encouraged to develop assessment practices that are consonant with their own philosophies of teaching and learning. Science and social science disciplines typically use a social science model. While creative arts and humanities often take a quantative approach,. The use of both quantitative and qualitative data in encouraged.

Assessment methods consist of a variety of data collection strategies designed to measure the attainment of outcomes. All assessment plans should have at least 1 direct measure of student learning, along with indirect measures. Good assessment plans include details regarding the methods used to gather information in order to fully convey that department's process. In addition, samples of any rubrics, questionnaires, skills exams etc. used in assessment should be attached for clarity.

Assessment strategies and methods may include these strategies or a combination of them:

  • Assignments in capstone courses
  • Case studies
  • Content analysis (e.g., writing samples, papers, fieldwork or internship evaluations)
  • Departmental exams and essays specifically designed to examine a particular outcome
  • Focus groups, Interviews (e.g., midpoint, exit)
  • Matrices (e.g., charts summarizing relationships between program objectives & courses)
  • Course assignments or course syllabi
  • Portfolios, Performance Based Assessments
  • Reflective Essays
  • Scoring Rubrics (i.e., holistic rating sheets for student products, performances, portfolios)
  • Standardized Examinations
  • Student Projects (e.g., junior or senior projects)

SFSU Assessment Office resources (links):

Non SFSU Resources on Program Assessment (in progress)

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