Objectives are statements of ways in which a unit aims to achieve its mission, how processes should work, and what their optimal result should be. Objectives should be measurable and attainable.
As a general best practice rule, whenever the unit is responsible for producing specific KPIs, deliverables, or milestones to measure specific Core Initiatives of the Strategic Plan Dashboard, the unit should define objectives that are aligned directly with those Core Initiatives and use the same KPIs, deliverables, or milestones to measure progress toward their objective.
Learning outcomes are statements of the knowledge, skills and abilities individual students should possess and can demonstrate upon completion of a learning experience or sequence of learning experiences. They should be measurable, attainable within the context of the learning unit (program, course, specific activity) and should contribute to the mission of the department.
You should develop 3-5 learning outcomes for your program. MSCHE provides guidelines in chapter 2 of the handbook on Student Learning Assessment: Options and Resources (2nd Edition, 2007). 听An alternative guide to developing learning outcomes is provided by the . The NILOA has several easy to use resources on the subject of drafting learning outcomes and quite a few are intended for neophytes. Their includes a 鈥渉ow to鈥 section for drafting Learning outcomes.
Describe how a learning outcome has been (or will be) assessed. The emphasis is on producing direct evidence such as student artifacts, research papers, responses to tests.
Examples of direct evidence (taken from the list of methods for the assessment of student听learning recommended on the MSCHE web site):
Indirect evidence, such as students' perceptions of their learning and the educational environment, may also be used. Examples of indirect evidence (taken from the list of methods for the assessment of student听learning recommended on the MSCHE web site:
NOTE: Indirect methods alone do not provide adequate information about student learning outcomes.
Department chairs have access to dashboards displaying relevant academic indicators about student numbers, classes, faculty, etc.
The creation of still other dashboards will also be considered, so as to make available relevant information to students (both personal and for various associations and student governance groups), parents, prospective students and their parents, and the Board of Trustees.
-