ACE Assessment Digest
Current Issue

ACE Assessment Digest | January 2023
In this issue:
Reminder: 2022 Undergraduate Degree Program Assessment Reporting Window Open and Drop-in Support in Zoom
WSU undergraduate degree programs are responsible for reporting annually on program-level assessment, submitting a report during the open reporting window — anytime from mid-December 2022 through February 2023. Undergraduate programs will again use Qualtrics to submit their 2022 annual report about program assessment conducted during the 2022 calendar year (Jan 1 – Dec 31) and program assessment coordinators received emails from ace.office@wsu.edu in mid-December with unique links to access the Qualtrics form.
For information and resources related to annual reporting, visit our Annual Program Assessment Reporting webpages. We are also available to help assessment coordinators complete the report during our drop-in hours in Zoom: Each Friday in January and February from 2-4 pm.
Mark Your Calendars for NSSE 2023 Promotion
Help get the word out to eligible senior and first-year students on all WSU campuses about NSSE 2023! The main window for NSSE 2023 promotion will be March 1st – 31st. The nsse.wsu.edu website has additional information about key dates and materials to help faculty and staff promote the NSSE 2023 survey at WSU, including:
Every two years, WSU participates in the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) to help assess senior and first-year student engagement in educational practices associated with high levels of learning and development. After each administration, our office collaborates with WSU’s Office of Institutional Research to disaggregate results for undergraduate degree programs and colleges, focusing on responses from seniors. These disaggregated NSSE reports are distributed to WSU programs in which 10 or more seniors respond to survey. See our webpage focused on NSSE for program-level assessment for more information.
Program-level Student Learning Outcomes Toolkit: Resources for Developing and Updating Program-level SLOs
Program-level student learning outcomes (SLOs) identify core skills and knowledge that students are expected to achieve as they complete a program (e.g., core courses and electives for the major). The process of developing and regularly updating program-level SLOs invites faculty to reflect on and translate disciplinary knowledge and skills into clear expectations for students in the major. Our Program-level SLOs Toolkit includes resources intended to help WSU programs and faculty as they develop or update their program-level SLOs, including our:
We are also available to collaborate with undergraduate degree programs to develop or update program-level SLOs; contact us for additional information.
Reporting Program Assessment Activities in Activity Insight for Faculty Annual Review
WSU’s faculty manual provides recognition for faculty participation in program-level assessment in the annual review process, as part of Teaching or Service accomplishments, depending on the activity. This aligns with the university’s EPPM policies on assessment, which include recognizing assessment work in annual review at all levels.
Activity Insight continues to include drop-down menus and built-in prompts for assessment activities connected to teaching and curriculum in the Teaching/Mentoring section, as well as the ability to report work coordinating assessment and serving on related committees in the Service section. For more information, see our 2020 blog about reporting program assessment activities in Activity Insight.
Linda Suskie’s Blog on the Difference Between Course-level and Program-level Student Learning Outcomes
Student learning outcomes (SLOs) identify core skills and knowledge that students are expected to demonstrate upon successful completion of a learning experience (e.g., course, program, degree). While course-level SLOs are relatively narrow in scope and articulate what students are expected to achieve as they complete a course, program-level SLOs are broader in scope and articulate what students are expected to achieve as they complete a program (e.g., core courses and electives for the major). For more information, see Linda Suskie’s blog on the difference between course-level and program-level SLOs.
As mentioned in the blog, Chapter 4 of Linda Suskie’s book Assessing Student Learning: A Common Sense Guide further discusses student learning outcomes; contact us if you’d like to borrow Suskie’s book.
FYI – Calendar of Spring 2023 Dates Related to Program Assessment
Month | Date | Activity |
---|---|---|
Dec | Mid Dec | Program assessment coordinators receive an email from ACE with a unique link to their 2022 Undergraduate Program Assessment Reporting form in Qualtrics. Assessment coordinators can submit their report during the open reporting window — anytime from mid-Dec 2022 through Feb 2023. |
Jan | 6th, 13th, 20th, 27th | Drop-in hours in Zoom (2-4 pm) to help assessment coordinators complete their 2022 Undergraduate Program Assessment Report. |
9th | Fall 2022 [CAPS] Assessment Reports for UCORE are due (i.e., reporting closes). | |
9th | First day of instruction for the spring term. | |
Feb | 1st | Spring submission deadline for major Curricular Change Requests for new and revised courses. |
3rd, 10th, 17th, 24th | Drop-in hours in Zoom (2-4 pm) to help assessment coordinators complete their 2022 Undergraduate Program Assessment Report. | |
Early Feb | Fall 2022 [CAPS] instructors receive a pdf copy of their [CAPS] Assessment Report for UCORE from UCORE via email. Note: Typically, assessment in a [CAPS] course for majors can contribute toward degree program level assessment of student learning – see our resource related to [CAPS] Assessment Reporting for UCORE as part of degree program assessment. | |
7th | Deadline for undergraduate students to drop a course without record. | |
Late Feb | Spring 2023 [CAPS] instructors receive an email from UCORE with initial information about [CAPS] Assessment Reporting for UCORE for the spring term. | |
28th | 2022 Undergraduate Program Assessment Reports are due (i.e., reporting closes). Assessment coordinators (or another knowledgeable assessment contact) need to be available to answer questions until March 31. | |
March | 1st - 31st | Main window for NSSE 2023 promotion. |
April | 14th | Deadline for undergraduate students to withdraw from a course. |
Mid to Late April | Each program will receive a PDF copy of their final 2022 Undergraduate Program Assessment Report from ACE for their continued use and archive. | |
Late April | Spring 2023 [CAPS] instructors receive their link to the [CAPS] Assessment Reporting for UCORE form in Qualtrics via email (i.e., reporting opens). | |
28th | Last day of instruction for the term. | |
May | 9th | Final grade submission ends. |
12th | Spring 2023 [CAPS] Assessment Reports for UCORE are due (i.e., reporting closes). |
ACE Support for Program Assessment Efforts
We work with colleges and programs to assess student learning towards the improvement of undergraduate degree programs. ACE also provides assessment support for university-wide undergraduate education, serving all colleges, campuses, and UCORE general education. See What We Do for more information, including our mission.
Copyright © WSU Office of Assessment for Curricular Effectiveness (ACE), All rights reserved.
ACE Assessment Digest is a bite-sized email, sent twice a semester, communicating timely information about undergraduate program assessment at WSU. To send feedback, tips, or to opt out, email ace.office@wsu.edu.
Archive
Issue | Topic(s) |
---|---|
January 2023 (PDF) | Undergraduate Degree Program Assessment Reporting Reminder, NSSE 2023 Promotion, Program-level Student Learning Outcomes Resources, and More |
November 2022 (PDF) | Program Assessment Spotlight: 2022 WSU Celebration of Assessment Excellence, WSU Examples of Use of Assessment to Inform Decision-Making, Curriculum Map Resources, and More |
September 2022 (PDF) | Fall Welcome, WSU-wide Summary of 2021 Undergraduate Program Assessment, New Direct Measures Resources, and More |
March 2022 (PDF) | Undergraduate Program Assessment Reporting Thank You, Faculty Assessment Coordinator Transitions for AY 2022-23, Internships, Assessment Archives, Sampling and Sample Sizes, and More |
January 2022 (PDF) | Program Assessment Spotlight: Neuroscience, Resources for Creating Visual Displays of Rubric Data, Reporting Program Assessment Activities in Faculty Annual Review, and More |
November 2021 (PDF) | Program Assessment Spotlight: Human Development, WSU Examples of Senior-level Direct Measures, NSSE, and More |
September 2021 (PDF) | Fall Welcome, AY2021-22 Guidance for Undergraduate Program Assessment, WSU-wide Summary of 2020 Undergraduate Program Assessment, and More |
February 2020 (PDF) | NSSE Toolkit, CAPS Assessment for UCORE |
January 2020 (PDF) | Assessment in Activity Insight, NSSE for Academic Programs, Assessment Mini-grants |
November 2019 (PDF) | 2019 Celebration of Assessment Excellence, WSU-wide Summary, Examples of Use |
October 2019 (PDF) | Assessment Planning Resources, Making Assessment Worthwhile |
September 2019 (PDF) | ATL's Assessment Reporting Process, Warm Syllabi |
April 2019 (PDF) | Annual Report Drop-in Sessions, Warm Syllabus Workshop |
March 2019 (PDF) | WSU Featured as Example of Assessment Practice, Setting Benchmarks & Standards |
February 2019 (PDF) | NSSE and the Student Experience, WSU Qualtrics Summit |
January 2019 (PDF) | Reporting Assessment in Faculty Annual Review, Improvement Culture, Sampling |
December 2018 (PDF) | Course Evaluation Tips, Data Analysis Toolkit, Rubrics for Research Papers |
November 2018 (PDF) | NWCCU Reaffirmation, Assignment Design Resources, Grading Tips |
April 2018 (PDF) | 2018 Undergraduate Program Assessment Reporting |
March 2018 (PDF) | Assignment Design Workshop, On-site Visit for WSU Accreditation |
February 2018 (PDF) | Assessment Plan Resources |