What do you want to know?

Design the inquiry

Articulate the focus

The questions you ask determine the types, sources, and amount of evidence you'll need to gather and analyze. Remember that the purpose of learning outcomes assessment is to improve student learning. 

Learn from the past

Before beginning a new assessment inquiry project, reflect on what the program learned as a result of the previous cycle. 

• Review guiding question(s); outcome(s) assessed; evidence gathered and analyzed; and findings.
• Consider curricular innovations the program undertaken since the last assessment cycle (e.g., curriculum redesign, online delivery of instruction, internship programs). What prompted the innovation? How has the department / program determined whether the curricular innovations have been effective and/or have resulted in growth of student learning?