Do you ever have the feeling that there is so much information out there that you don’t know where to start? That can be the case with assessing student learning outcomes. There are books, articles, videos, podcasts, websites, conference presentations, and more! It can be overwhelming.
I’m going to share a good place to start for information, examples, frameworks and more: NILOA, the National Institute for Learning Outcomes Assessment. They advocate for systematic assessment of student learning and provide resources and research to support that endeavor.
If you are new to assessment, they have prepared resources just for you that include terminology, writing outcomes, learning frameworks, etc. There are even online modules to bring you up to speed. Whether you are just starting out, or need a little refresher, this is a good place to start.
While some of their work is geared to general higher education and the classroom, they also provide specific publications for student affairs professionals. These brief papers focus on the role that student affairs staff play in student learning and development.
If you are looking for activities to assess student learning that you could adapt to your organization or students, check out their assignment library. You can search it by discipline and assignment characteristics, degree level, and proficiencies. You may find something that fits with your program and engages students in their own learning.
If you are in the mood for some brief, but thoughtful, publications, they have a variety of publication types that cover all kinds of topics, including assessment design, accountability, emerging trends, technology, and equity-based assessment. Some are more theoretical and research-based, while others give good examples of assessment in practice.
If you need ideas about how to communicate the assessment work in your area, I encourage you to look at their evidence-based storytelling webpage. The toolkit gives you some step-by-step guidance to get your message out to the right people at the right time in the right way.
I highly encourage you to take a few minutes to browse the NILOA website every so often. You will find something of value to help you in the journey to assess student learning and improve student learning for all.