Assessment Reporting
The development of consistent and sustainable cycles for the assessment of student learning are foundational to program assessment in the academic division. Currently, we assess our programs at several distinct levels of the curriculum: the general education core (including FYEP and IHON), majors and minors, and course feedback delivered via student evaluations.
The following resources provide information on annual assessment reporting for departments and programs, as well as the general education program. Contact the Provost’s Office (provost@plu.edu) with any questions.
Assessment of General Education/Core Curriculum
The current general education program is assessed via multiple methods, including the direct measurement of student learning, indirect responses to surveys and focus groups, as well as course feedback survey questions. Each year, the Core Curriculum Committee, in coordination with the Dean of Assessment, designates two learning outcomes for direct and indirect assessment. Additionally, the First Year Experience Program (FYEP) and the International Honors Program (IHON) assess specific program learning objectives for their core requirements.
For AY 2021-2022, the Core Curriculum committee focused annual general education assessment on the Senior Capstone and the Diversity Requirement.
AY 2022-23 general education assessment focused on the Academic Study of Religion (RL; then named RC and RG) and FTWL (and more specifically FTWL 100).
AY 2023-24 general education assessment focused on VW (Value & Worldviews) and GE (Global Engagement).
Assessment within the Major
All programs are required to assess student learning via designated program-level learning outcomes. Programs submit annual reports that summarize student learning goals, assessment strategies, and actions taken as a result of assessment findings. This information is used by departments to modify curricula to best support successful student learning and to contribute to the seven-year program review process.
Each year, the Dean of Assessment compiles a summary of department/program reporting. These summaries broadly outline program assessment, including how many units reported assessment results and the form those assessments took. The reports can be found at the links below:
Chairs and program leaders can access the annual program assessment survey below. Additionally, the program assessment plan template is an important tool for maintaining a current assessment plan within each program. This is an essential step for ensuring programs have clarity and continuity in their assessment reporting.
If you have questions about the survey or the goals of assessment reporting, please contact provost@plu.edu.
Click here to access the Annual Assessment Report Survey.
Click here to access the Assessment Planning Template and Guidelines.
Assessment within the Minor
Students who choose to complete a minor have a wide range of options for completing these requirements. To assess the overall outcomes of the minor, students are asked each year (since AY 20-21) to complete a survey reflecting their personal goals and outcomes for completing the minor. Questions in this survey ask students to comment specifically on the value of their minor for professional and personal growth, as well as the extent to which the minor enhances their major program. Minor survey summaries can be found at the links below:
Questions or comments?
Please contact the Office of the Provost (253)535-7126 or provost@plu.edu