FAQs

Western Michigan University touts itself as a student-centered research university. As such, students are the main focus of our mission. We must be continually concerned with what our students learn and do what we can to improve. Assessment is at the core of the process by which we measure student learning and improve programs. Students should receive clear learning objectives so they know what they are expected to learn. Data should be collected that measures that learning, and most importantly, that data should be used to make improvements. The use of the data to improve student learning is the essence of assessment. In addition to contributing to the improvement of student learning, assessment results are used to address standards and requirements of professional and regional accreditation agencies. While "assessment for accountability" is often used as a driving factor for initiating assessment activities, on-going assessment is key for instructional planning and program development.

Gathering assessment data is in itself simply data collection. Assessment occurs when that data is analyzed to determine areas in which desired student learning is not occurring, or not occurring to the desired degree. Assessment in itself does not improve learning; it is the processes put in place due to the analysis of the data that improves learning.

Faculty and staff use assessment results when planning instruction, evaluating programs, and proposing curricular change. Assessment results provide information about the extent to which students have attained the intended learning and/or operational/process outcomes and possess the knowledge, skills, and dispositions required for subsequent learning or professional practice.

Faculty and staff are deeply concerned that students leave their courses/programs with knowledge they didn’t possess when they entered. Assessment gives us the answer to this question and suggests areas in which improvement can be made. In this way, faculty and staff become engaged in the learning process of their students.

WMU has stated from the outset that assessment results will not be used to evaluate faculty or staff. Doing this defeats the purpose. If our colleagues think that the results will be used against them, they will be hesitant to do assessment. In reality, those who are doing effective assessment should be rewarded no matter what the outcome of the data.

The easiest, and possibly best way to provide information about assessment to your students, is to include it on the course syllabus and discuss it during the first day of class. Likewise, it could be shared prior to the start of a co-curricular program. It is always a good idea to link the specific learning outcomes of the course/program to the assessment methods being used. Faculty may feel that including this on the syllabus will make it too long. In that case, a short discussion of the assessment and how this relates to the learning outcomes can be given to the students as assignments are made.

In some programs, an outside accreditation body dictates the learning outcomes. When this is not the case, the faculty and/or staff of a particular unit can create them. A simple process to follow to design outcomes, is to think about the skills, knowledge or abilities that you want students to have when they complete your program. Ideally, these would be skills, knowledge or abilities they do not have when they begin the program. However, an outcome could enhance what a student already has learned in these areas. We recommend using the Backward Design framework to design outcomes. If you would like to learn more, WMUx has some excellent resources available on this topic.

The fact that a student gets a grade at the end of the course, or receives grades on particular assignments and exams, usually is not effective assessment and often doesn’t supply much useful data. For example, if a student gets a B in a class with 5 learning outcomes, it is impossible to tell how well the student achieved each one. One could assume that they learned each of the 5 at a B level, but this is only an assumption based upon no facts. It could be that the student achieved 4 of the 5 at an A level and flunked the fifth learning objective. The final grade of B does not indicate that the student did not achieve one of the learning outcomes. The same applies to grades on individual exams/assignments unless the exam/assignment is set up to assess only one learning objective.

Assessment focuses on measuring the achievement of specific objectives and informing improvement; evaluation involves a comprehensive judgement of effectiveness and worth; and research contributes to the generation of advancement of knowledge. These distinctions are essential in understanding how each process serves distinct purposes within higher education institutions.

Assessment

Assessment is a systematic process that focuses on measuring the outcomes and effectiveness of educational programs, services, or activities. It often involves collecting and analyzing data to gauge the extent to which specific objectives, learning outcomes, or goals have been achieved. Assessment is primarily used for improvement and informing decisions related to program enhancements, instructional effectiveness, and student learning.

Evaluation

Evaluation is a broader process that extends beyond assessment. Evaluation involves the systematic examination and judgment of programs, policies, or processes to determine their overall effectiveness and worth. Unlike assessment, evaluation can include considerations of the program's impact, sustainability, and alignment with organizational goals. It is often used to make decisions about the continuation, modification, or discontinuation of initiatives.

Research

Research is a systematic inquiry or investigation aimed at generating new knowledge or contributing to existing knowledge. In the context of higher education, research often involves designing studies, conducting experiments, or analyzing data to address questions or hypotheses. Unlike assessment and evaluation, which primarily serve internal improvement or decision-making purposes, research has a broader scope and contributes to the scholarly and academic knowledge base. However, there is a field called the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SOTL), where assessment and research intertwine. For more information about this:

https://www.centerforengagedlearning.org/studying-engaged-learning/what-is-sotl/

If you are interested in SOTL, and would like to use assessment data for research, you will need to obtain IRB approval prior to conducting any research. For more information about this: https://wmich.edu/research/compliance/wmuirb

• Concise handout with definitions and examples of assessment, evaluation, and research.

• NASPA’s resources on assessment, evaluation, and research in student affairs.

Direct assessment is characterized by the use of a particular tool used to measure how well a student has achieved a particular learning outcome. Examples of direct assessment are rubrics, embedded exam questions, and evaluation of portfolio material. Indirect assessment occurs when impressions of learning are obtained. Indirect methods usually consist of a student or employer survey. Most accreditation bodies prefer direct methods of assessment that could be complimented by indirect assessment. Ideally, using multiple methods to measure outcome achievement is recommended.

• Formative assessment refers to low-stakes tools that identify misconceptions, struggles, and learning gaps. These tools provide a means to give feedback to students on their learning at a certain point in time and can help instructors to improve their teaching.

• Summative assessments evaluate student learning, knowledge, proficiency or success at the conclusion of an instructional period, like a unit, course, or program. Click on this link to visit the Carnegie Mellon University Eberly Center website for more in-depth information.

Not all assessment tools need to result in a numerical evaluation. It is fine to develop an objective way to measure certain outcomes as long as the assessment is as consistent as possible from student to student. In many cases, for example, portfolios are an excellent assessment tool. The material within a portfolio can be assessed in an objective way using specific learning outcomes. Judgments can be made about how well the student achieved the learning outcomes using non-numerical ratings.

Assessment reports help to show what assessment activities have occurred, what actions have been taken because of those activities, and if the actions had the desired outcome. They also provide information about how results were used to make improvements. Periodically completing an assessment report can be a catalyst for reflecting and acting upon assessment planning efforts including:

• Determining the current relevance of outcomes;
• Thinking about news ways to assess outcomes (if needed);
• Providing time to ponder assessment results to help determine where to focus efforts for improvement;

and

• Creating an action plan to address areas that have been found to need improvement.