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Washington State University Graduate Program Assessment
Assessment: A systematic process of research and evidence gathering aimed at understanding and improving student learning in relation to institutional, program, and course goals and outcomes.
Assessment Plan: A faculty driven framework that helps to inquire about student learning, which uses both direct and indirect evidence to support any changes to goals and program learning outcomes.
Benchmarks: Predefined standards to objectively measure the quality of learning outcomes; essential to continuous quality improvement and help to overcome complacency and establish what level of performance for a program outcome is acceptable for a program graduate.
Curriculum Map: A visual representation of the course of study that shows in which courses each learning outcome is introduced or reinforced, and in which courses students will demonstrate mastery.
Degree Program Assessment: The systematic process of research and evidence gathering aimed at understanding student learning and experience in relation to a program’s goals,initiatives, and outcomes. Includes both learning outcomes assessment and other program evaluation measures.
Evidence: Materials gathered to analyze learning outcomes; can take the form of direct or indirect.
Direct Evidence: Evidence gathered by evaluating student work (artifacts or performances) in light of learning outcomes. Direct evidence is usually quantitative but can also be qualitative (e.g, collected faculty comments evaluating student artifacts in relation to an outcome).
Indirect Evidence: Evidence of learning gathered by evaluating student perceptions of their learning or experience. Indirect evidence can include interviews, surveys, focus groups, self-reports, or student reflections. Indirect evidence can be quantitative (e.g., likert scale questions from a survey) or qualitative (written responses to open-ended questions, interviews).
Learning Outcomes Assessment: Assessment focused on measuring student learning in relation to program goals and outcomes. Focuses on improving student learning.
Program Assessment: The systematic process of research and evidence gathering aimed at understanding student learning and experience in relation to a program’s goals, 68 initiatives, and outcomes. Includes both learning outcomes assessment and other program evaluation measures.
Program Learning Outcomes (PLOs): A measurable expectations of student learning, curriculum, and teaching that can be assessed to inform faculty, departments, institutions, and students about what to expect from a program
Rubric: A form that guides faculty in scoring or evaluating student work or performances in relation to learning outcomes. Rubrics help make expectations clear to students, contribute to consistency and fairness in evaluation, and facilitate gathering program assessment data.
Targets: Set a percent of students that should be achieving these benchmarks for the program to consider itself a success in completing the program learning outcomes.
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