Alignment ensures that course outcomes contribute directly to achieving broader program outcomes. Steps to align course objectives with program outcomes include:
- Review Program Outcomes: Understand the overarching goals and mission of the program.
- Identify Course Outcomes: Clearly define what students should achieve by the end of the course.
- Map Outcomes: Ensure that course outcomes support at least one program outcome.
- Assessment Integration: Plan assessments that measure achievement of both course objectives and program outcomes.
Designing Effective Assessments for Evaluation and Improvement
Best assessments of student learning measure outcomes directly (vs. indirectly; student self-assessment can supplement direct assessment but cannot not replace it).
Align your assessments with the learning outcome and specific level of performance (e.g., “identify the correct terminology” vs. “accurately use disciplinary terminology in writing” require different assessments).
Identify desired levels of performance using a rubric, and ensure that the assignment allows students to demonstrate the desired proficiency.
For example:
Learning Outcome: Students will accurately use disciplinary terminology in writing.
Designing the Assessment:
- Type of Assessment: Choose a direct assessment method that directly measures the students’ use of disciplinary terminology in writing. For example, a written assignment where students must correctly describe an experiment using appropriate research terminology, or analyze a political event from an academic perspective.
- Levels of Performance: Define the desired levels of performance using a rubric. Example levels might include:
- Basic: Uses some disciplinary terminology but with inconsistencies.
- Proficient: Demonstrates consistent use of disciplinary terminology with minor errors.
- Advanced: Uses disciplinary terminology accurately and effectively in a nuanced manner.
- Rubric Development: Develop a rubric that outlines criteria for each level of performance. Criteria may include accuracy, relevance, depth of understanding, and clarity of expression.
- Assessment Implementation: Administer the assessment according to the established timeline and guidelines in a uniform manner across different course sections as possible (allowing for necessary adjustments such as disability accommodation).
- Data Interpretation: Evaluate student performance based on the rubric. Analyze the summary of results to identify strengths and areas for improvement in student understanding and application of disciplinary terminology. Identify how a change in instructional methods could help improve the results.
Example Rubric:
| Criteria | Insufficient | Developing | Advanced |
| Accuracy of Terminology | Errors interfere with accurate communication | Demonstrates some errors | Uses terminology accurately and consistently |
| Relevance to Context | Limited relevance | Relevant with minor exceptions | Relevant and insightful |
Example Summary Evaluation
| Criteria | Insufficient | Developing | Advanced |
| Accuracy of Terminology | 27 % of students | 60 % of students | 23% of students |
| Relevance to Context | 5% of students | 45% of students | 50% of students |
Assessment Summary: Students understand the context, but a significant percentage struggle with using accurate terminology.
Action plan: Introduce engaging practice assignments earlier in the semester to support the terminology learning (jeopardy; using AI and identifying errors in AI output, etc).
Conclusion:
Designing assessments that align with specific learning outcomes and levels of performance ensures that students’ achievements are accurately measured and that instructional goals are effectively met. By using rubrics to define and assess desired levels of performance, faculty can create meaningful assessments that support student learning and program learning outcomes.