Assessment

Student learning outcomes are statements that clearly state the knowledge, skills or habits of mind that students are expected to acquire. The student learning outcomes that are associated with the Clemson University General Education curriculum are in the Undergraduate Catalog. Each student learning outcome has an accompanying rubric for assessment (PDF).

Every course that is part of the General Education curriculum should have a “signature assignment.” This is one (or more) assignment created by the instructor and/or course coordinator to address the General Education student learning outcome and accompanying assessment rubric criteria.

By necessity, courses in the General Education curriculum involve more depth and breadth than what is depicted in the student learning outcome statements and assessment rubrics. The signature assignment is a tool for eliciting student learning around a common, shared outcome and allowing for authentic assessment of student learning in each course.

The Office of Teaching Effectiveness and Innovation and the Division of Undergraduate Learning work with faculty on adapting or designing signature assignments. We have created an asynchronous Canvas course that covers "Learning-Focused Assignment Design." In part 1, faculty can begin the course at any point (time estimate: less than 2 hours). In part 2, faculty engage in a facilitated peer review of an assignment with OTEI staff. The two-part series can be used as Evidence of Teaching Effectiveness according to the Clemson Faculty Manual definitions, and we can directly add a credential documenting participation to the faculty member's Digital Measures portfolio.

Not every student learning outcome is assessed every year. We assess General Education student learning outcomes on a biennial basis; the figure below shows the rationale. During the year that a student learning outcome is assessed, faculty of those courses will submit student work samples of the signature assignment. Assessment of student attainment of the student learning outcomes is performed by a faculty jury at the end of the spring semester. The results will be discussed at the annual General Education program retreat, and the faculty will use the results of the assessment findings to determine improvements to be made, if any.

Clemson University is responsible for demonstrating compliance with SACSCOC General Education core requirements every ten years. This planned rotation schedule will allow us time for collection, reflection, and correction as needed with regards to Crossings.

• Odd years (21-22, 23-24, 25-26, etc.) - Communication (oral and written), Mathematics, Natural Sciences
• Even years (22-23, 24-25, 26-27, etc.) - Arts & Humanities, Social Sciences, Global Challenges (since fall 2022)
  
  

Assessment of the extent to which our students achieve student learning outcomes occurs through assessment of student work products on the signature assignment.

The rotation schedule details which student learning outcomes will be assessed each year, and sampling is used as specified in the assessment plan. Because of items such as differing student enrollment patterns, student academic cohorts, pedagogies, and levels of commonalities among sections, specific details of the sample will be determined in advance of each academic year by the Division of Undergraduate Learning and shared with the General Education Committee. All attempts will be made to ensure that the samples are representative of the populations of students who take courses in certain terms.

Instructors and/or course coordinators will receive notification each semester from the Division of Undergraduate Learning if a sample of students from the courses they are teaching/coordinating will be assessed.

As per SACSCOC guidelines, the University must have student learning outcomes for General Education, we must assess the student learning, and we must show evidence of improvement. Meeting these standards is a key purpose of an effective assessment plan. We need to be able to identify areas for improvement, and revision can be directed toward any of the following as needed: the courses included in the curriculum, the signature assignment instructions given to students, mentoring on teaching, the student learning outcomes, the General Education assessment rubrics, or even the assessment plan itself.

To have impactful and meaningful assessment results, we must be able to determine where we need improvements. However, data resulting from General Education assessment will not be used to evaluate individual instructors teaching in the General Education curriculum. Assessment of learning is not appropriate assessment of teaching. Furthermore, student learning outcomes assessment data will not be used to make comparisons across academic programs.

Instructors will be able to see the de-identified assessment results of the student work samples they submit from their own courses, along with the distribution of scores. Department Chairs will receive a summary report describing the results of the student learning assessment and strengths and suggested areas for improvement for the general education courses taught in that department.

Common campus software – such as Canvas – will be used by instructors for collecting student work. No student work will be downloaded from Canvas without the instructor’s knowledge or permission.

These are the most common questions we receive from faculty members and instructors of record. If your question is not addressed here or within this website, please email GEPAssessment@clemson.edu.