Assessment Tools & Resources

Academic Assessment Model

What is Academic Assessment at Utah Tech?

 

Academic assessment is an integral part of good instruction and is used to determine the degree to which student Program Learning Outcomes (PLOs) are met as measured by a systematic process using empirical data.  This assessment takes place in the classroom as part of regular curricular instruction.  Regular course assignments are used as data sources thus ensuring that both faculty and students are not overly burdened by extra work.

 

Why is Academic Assessment Important?

  •  To provide data that informs decisions toward continuous improvement of student success/outcomes.
  •  To verify the fulfilment of our contract with students that promises if they enroll in our programs and perform their learning responsibilities, they will achieve the competencies stated in the PLOs.
  • To provide faculty with empirical data related to student learning and success to meet Faculty Performance Standards (see Policy 641: Faculty Retention, Tenure, and Promotion.

 

Functional Structures

  • Master Map for every degree program listing core courses aligned with PLOs
  •  All courses taught through Canvas
  •  Approved PLOs for every program as documented in the current catalog
  • Approved CLOs for every course (same CLOS for all sections of a given course) as documented in the current catalog
  • Map of CLOs aligned with PLOs in syllabus for every class

Faculty Responsibilities

  • Set up courses in Canvas
  • Include CLO to PLO map in each syllabus
  • Identify which course assignments are aligned with which CLOs (Note: not every assignment needs to be associated with a CLO, and all PLOs do not need an associated CLO in every course.
  • Teach course, grade assignments, enter scores in Canvas Gradebook.
  • For assignments used as data for academic assessment, an additional step is necessary when entering scores in Canvas.  See the tutorial videos [link] for instructions.

What Happens to the Canvas Data?

Data from course assignments designated for academic assessment will be pulled from Canvas by the Office of Institutional Effectiveness and entered into Anthology, our institutional assessment platform, and aggregated by PLO for each degree program.  Selected individuals from each department will then have access to those data for further analysis as desired in order to make program decisions for continuous improvement.  Any faculty can obtain access to Anthology as needed.