Twenty-sixth International Conference on Learning

Abstract

Outcomes assessment in higher education has grown beyond basic formative and summative evaluation. To ensure full participation and educational advantages to under-represented groups we must begin to assess and evaluate the entire academic institution and its contribution to social change. Toward that end, our University developed a set of institutional learning outcomes (ILO) that encompass both academic units and student service functions. These ILOs are organized within five broad categories that include: foundational skills, interactions with others, connecting ideas, professional competence, and healthy behaviors. The intent was to determine and analyze the extent to which the ILOs are taught and assessed throughout the University at all levels within all units. The project collected data from 49 programs/departments concerning the extent to which each of the ILOs is taught and assessed within the unit’s courses and activities. Collecting the data from the units was relatively straight-forward; however, we found that comparative analysis was problematic given the nature of the data and the varied functions of the units. To solve this, we developed a visual mapping technique to represent the data that allows easy analysis and quickly draws attention to areas where ILOs are not adequately addressed. Our paper describes the ILO mapping project and demonstrates the visual technique it incorporated. The technique is generalizable to any level of the academic organization and provides the information needed to fine-tune teaching and assessment activities. This, in turn, can improve the overall effectiveness of the educational institution.