Degree Level Assessment

Comprehensive degree-level assessments at KU are conducted on a four-year cycle in conjunction with Academic Program Review and any specialized programmatic accreditation. Learning outcomes assessment is an expectation for institutional accreditation (Higher Learning Commission, HLC), the Kansas Board of Regents (KBOR), and most especially for improving the student learning experience at KU.

Over the last several academic years, faculty have engaged in a reflective review and revitalization of degree-level learning outcomes. These efforts have focused specifically on the identification of how degree programs measure and assess student learning and how students matriculate through the curricula within each degree program. The Center for Teaching Excellence has worked with faculty on these efforts and shared meaningful feedback for improvement. In addition, new mandates from the Kansas Board of Regents have prompted faculty to ensure the student degree plan is clear, efficient, and aligns with the expectations of the curricula.

What does a 4-year cycle look like? 

Year 1:

Comprehensive Review, Report, & Assessment Planning

Assessment data is gathered and reviewed by a representative faculty group for all learning outcomes identified for the program.

A report of the process and findings including 3-5 action items based on those findings and related to improving the student learning outcomes will be submitted and archived in the degree level assessment repository on Teams. The department (Chair/AD/Dean), the degree-level assessment subcommittee of UAC and the accreditation manager in Academic Affairs will have access to current and historical reports.

Year 2, 3, and 4:

Status Report

Programs will begin to implement their identified action items and provide an update on the status of identified action items annually as well as report on any additional actions taken place to improve student learning for that academic year.

This update will be submitted and archived through the degree-level assessment repository on Teams. The department (Chair/AD/Dean), the degree-level assessment subcommittee of UAC and the accreditation manager in Academic Affairs will have access to current and historical reports.

Year 5:

(New Year 1):

Repeat Year 1 above.

 

Alignment to Academic Program Review

To align efforts and inform academic program review, the 4-year degree-level comprehensive assessments have been scheduled in the year prior to each program completing its academic program review. A combined schedule for both academic program review and comprehensive degree-level assessment is available here.

Alignment to Academic Program Review

Using the established foundation, programs will conduct a comprehensive assessment of all degree-level learning outcomes once every four years, based on the self-identified measurement proposed by the unit. Once the comprehensive assessment has been completed and the data analyzed, each program will develop an assessment action plan and timeline backed by data and focused on the improvement of student learning.

During the years between comprehensive assessment(s), programs will monitor their action plans through a cursory review by submitting an annual assessment plan report which will include a brief update on the status of identified action items and notate changes in those items when necessary.

The goal of the annual reporting cycleis to document a continuous cycle of improvement within the degree program on three levels:

  1. The systematic measurement of student learning with results-based planning to evidence continuous learning outcomes improvement, which would include a holistic mix of summative and formative tools.
  2. The quality of the degree program itself, with dual focus on curriculum design and instructional practice.
  3. The support of all students’ learning, persistence in, and completion of the degree program, with a specific focus on examining and addressing possible inequities in performance across groups.

The Center for Teaching Excellence (CTE) will continue to guide the degree level assessment subcommittee to provide feedback designed to make the work of assessment meaningful, manageable, and sustainable.

The goal of the feedback communications to academic departments would be to both support and direct these three forms of improvements by:

  1. linking together year-to-year efforts such that a department’s prior annual report provides the basis against which the current report will be evaluated
  2. suggesting areas of improvement in assessment practices, curriculum design, instruction, and students’ success in meeting learning outcomes that will create concrete action items for the department to pursue during the next assessment cycle
  3. disseminating examples of best practices and evidence-backed methods between peers by including a more narrative-driven response from faculty reviewers providing examples and encouragement from their personal experience
  4. creating a record of program quality across the entire campus, which would directly inform development initiatives aimed at increasing faculty awareness of, aptitude with, and confidence in leveraging assessment for program improvement

Need to access your assessment reports?

All degree-level assessment reports (since AY 2017-2018) are available in aDegree-Level Assessment Repository on Teams. Archived documents include learning outcomes, curricular map(s), annual assessment report(s), assessment plan(s), assessment updates, and feedback.  (Note: You will need to log into SSO using your KU credentials to access these reports).

Need to submit an assessment plan or revise an existing plan?

If you need to submit an assessment plan or revise an existing plan, contact Academic Affairs.