Saint Louis University conducts assessment to enhance and improve educational practices, processes, and policies through evidence-based decision-making and change implementation. The documentation of the process and resulting decision-making is important for illustrating organization, transparency, and accountability.
A critical component of effective assessment is the planning process. Planning is important because when it takes place, proper attention is given to all aspects of the assessment process. For this reason, UAAC and GAAC require assessment information as part of the proposal for any new or significantly revised academic program.
At SLU we have a program-level Assessment Plan Template that all programs should use to document their plans. The template includes sections for:
- Student learning outcomes (SLOs)
- Curriculum mapping
- Assessment methods
- Use of assessment data
- Schedule of assessment activities
- Involvement of program faculty
Additionally, there is an Assessment Plan Checklist that program faculty can use as they develop and revise assessment plans to ensure each section includes the necessary information before submitting to the University Assessment Office. Assessment plans should be revisited every 3 years at a minimum.
Once an assessment plan has been implemented and data has been collected, it is time to further consider the various requirements and other options for reporting, or more generally, sharing the assessment information. At SLU we have a program-level Assessment Report Template that all programs should use to submit their annual assessment reports. The template includes sections for:
- Student learning outcomes (SLOs)
- Assessment methods: artifacts of student learning
- Assessment methods: evaluation process
- Data
- Findings: interpretations and conclusions
- Use of current assessment findings
- Use of previous assessment findings (closing the loop)
Each school/college has identified their annual report due date; reports should not be submitted until program faculty have been able to review and discuss the results in order to identify how they will use the data moving forward. Reports are submitted to the dean’s office as well as the University Assessment Office.
The primary role of the University Assessment Committee is to review program-level assessment reports and provide feedback to programs via the Assessment Report Feedback Form. This form has sections that align with each component of the report template and identifies the expectations SLU has for program-level assessment. Program faculty are encouraged to use the form content as a guide when writing assessment reports to ensure the report includes a comprehensive record of the program's assessment of student learning and learning improvement.
Through its work reviewing and providing feedback to programs regarding assessment reports, the University Assessment Committee has identified a number of programs that have excelled at providing the desired information regarding their assessment process. Below are reports that stand out for their high-quality assessment process and depth of information provided in the report.
College of Arts and Sciences
College for Public Health and Social Justice
Chaifetz School of Business
- Business Administration, MBA (one-year program)
School of Education
School of Science and Engineering
Valentine School of Nursing