Assessment

Student Academic Assessment at SCC

Shawnee Community College (SCC) is committed to exploring ways to continually improve student learning, course design, the effectiveness of programs, and overall teaching and learning. 

Assessment provides the means for transformative learning by providing relevant, clear, and timely feedback to all stakeholders for informed decision-making.

 

GENERAL EDUCATION ASSESSMENT >PROGRAM ASSESSMENT >COURSE ASSESSMENT >

 

Student Academic Assessment Team (SAAT)

COMMITTEE CHARGE MINUTES

 

The Student Academic Assessment Team (SAAT) mission is to promote assessment practices that both support institutional effectiveness and advance the continuous improvement of student learning.  At the institution level, SAAT provides planning, support, and leadership to promote the achievement of the College’s goals pertaining to outcomes assessment by ensuring alignment of assessment processes and procedures with the Board of Trustees Policy Manual, the SCC Effectiveness ModelSCCES, and the SCC Strategic Plan. In doing so, the SAAT can feel confident in the resulting evidence required for accreditation with the Higher Learning Commission (HLC).

 

Outcomes

 

Nested within the institutional level outcomes are the General EducationProgram, and Course level student outcomes. The general education core competencies are intentionally interwoven throughout SCC curricular and co-curricular programming and represent the identified qualities that students need to succeed after leaving SCC. At the program level, student learning outcomes address the required industry, accreditation, and licensing standards. Individual courses are mapped to meet programs’ student learning outcomes and general education core competencies.

 

SCC Academic Assessment Principles


Assessment at SCC is one of the vital resources used in each of the programs within the College, identified as assessment entities, to identify strengths, areas for improvement, and possible inequities to support continued improvement to student learning. The following principles guide the College’s work with assessment:

  • Learning objectives are observable and measurable;
  • Curriculum alignment provides the opportunity for students to achieve these objectives because the curriculum is driven by intended learning outcomes and assessment evidence;
  • A variety of instructional and student success strategies is utilized to promote student engagement and contribute to student learning;
  • Successful program completion provides students with the requisite skills for goal completion;
  • Employee engagement is priority in increasing student learning and obtaining desired institutional outcomes.

 

SCC Academic Assessment Process


Academic assessment at SCC is a collaborative process. While SCC faculty lead the development of student learning outcomes and assessment activities, the SAAT is comprised of administrators, faculty, and staff from across the College. The Assessment Coordinator is a full-time faculty member responsible to lead the College in the implementation of the  Student Academic Assessment Plan. This plan details the systematic collection, examination, interpretation, and documentation of student outcomes data.

 

Stage in Continous Improvement Process Step in SCC Academic Assessment Process
Stage 1: Define/Refine Step 1: Identify General Education Core Competencies
Step 2: Identify Program Objectives
Step 3: Align course curriculum with Core Competencies and Program Objectives (Curriculum Maps)
Stage 2: Strategies Step 4: Create Data Collection Processes for measuring student learning directly related to Core Competencies and Program Objectives (General Education Rubrics & Core Competency Assessment Form (CCAF), Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) form, Program Review form)
Stage 3: Data Step 5: Collect Data
Stage 4: Share Step 6: Analyze Results at all levels (section, course, program, institution)
Stage 5: Close the Loop Step 7: Use Results to Implement Improvement at all levels (section, course, program, institution)
Step 8: Celebrate Successes!
*Start the process again at stage 1 by refining the core competencies, program objectives, curriculum, and assessment processes and procedures annually as informed by steps 5-7. 


To manage and track the student academic assessment process, SCC utilizes Weave. Weave is a learning outcomes assessment software where all results of student learning outcomes assessment are posted and all college faculty, staff, and administration have access to view results.