Student Learning Assessment

What is Assessment?

Illinois Tech's core mission is "to provide distinctive and relevant education in an environment of scientific, technological, and professional knowledge creation and innovation." How do we as an institution know if the education provided through our courses and programs is distinctive and relevant? How can we as an institution ensure that we focus on what our students can do in the workforce and in society in general? Through continuous assessment of student learning. In their handbook for course-based review and assessment, Martha L. A. Stassen et al. define assessment as simply “the systematic collection and analysis of information to improve student learning” (2001, p. 5). Assessment of student learning occurs at all levels: at the course level, at the program level, and at the institution level. At each level, data is gathered and analyzed to determine to what extent student are meeting course, program, core, or co-curricular learning objectives, not unlike the systematic collection and analysis of information that defines the scientific method. 

Like the scientific method, systematic assessment enables faculty and other stakeholders to maintain consistency across curricula and to determine when or where curricular adjustments are needed. Assessment is a crucial part of the accreditation requirements for Illinois Tech, and more importantly, assessment is a tool to ensure that students are developing the skills they need for success.

Student Learning Assessment and Grades

The spirit of the assessment is one of continuous improvement. Student learning assessment provides feedback to faculty about how well the program curriculum is working to help students achieve the learning objectives of the program. In contrast, course grades provide feedback to individual students about how well they are mastering the content of the course.