Peninsula College is committed to the assessment of student learning for the purposes of continuous improvement, student success, and academic excellence.
Outcomes assessment is the systematic process by which faculty review student learning outcomes (SLOs) and examine student achievement.
Faculty Role
Faculty at Peninsula College own the outcomes assessment process. Faculty recognize the complexity of evaluating performance, change, and growth by utilizing a diverse array of methods to measure and gather direct evidence of student achievement. Each year, faculty assess improvements and begin the cycle of assessment again. The process is designed to show alignment among course, program, and institution-wide outcomes while utilizing meaningful data (determined by faculty) to drive instructional improvements according to the goals and outcomes of each program.
The Faculty Assessment Committee oversees the development and refinement of outcomes assessment instruments and makes recommendations on improvements to the college’s outcomes assessment processes.
Assessment Instruments
Faculty utilize three assessment instruments to gather, analyze and articulate Student Learning Outcomes assessment for the purpose of improving learning and student success.
Course SLO Reports
Course SLO reports are developed by faculty to document, analyze, and report improvements focused on student success at the course level. Full-time faculty are required to complete at least one SLO report each quarter. The reports are then analyzed by the Center for Equity Teaching and Learning, which shares a summary of each quarter’s findings with faculty through the Vice President of Instruction’s monthly meetings. Faculty are also encouraged to share and discuss their SLO reports in division meetings.
Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs)
Curriculum Maps
Curriculum maps are developed by faculty and show where students are given the opportunity to achieve program and institution-wide learning outcomes (ILOs), from introduction to mastery, as they proceed through the curriculum. Curriculum maps align individual course outcomes with program outcomes and ILOs. The process of analyzing the level at which a course teaches to an outcome provides a meaningful review of outcomes and how they align with required courses.
Program Review
Program review at Peninsula College includes assessment of program outcomes according to specific metrics identified by program faculty. Assessments of program outcomes are used to plan continuous improvements that foster student learning.