Assessment Characteristics

Members of the Assessment Team, Assessment and Student Learning Committee, faculty and staff use the following characteristics of the Higher Learning Commission as guidelines in developing and revising the assessment process:

• Flows from the institution's mission.
  Assessment at NPCC involves Program, General Education, Course-Level, and Institutional assessment, and assesses the areas of general education, pre-college education, transfer program and occupational programs, all of which are part of the College's Mission. The assessments are designed to meet the needs of students, employers and other constituents.
• Has faculty ownership/responsibility and institution-wide support.
  Faculty ownership/responsibility and institution-wide support is the backbone of a good assessment process. NPCC's administration, faculty, and staff work together to provide an assessment process that is both meaningful and manageable to everyone involved.
• Uses multile measures.
  Both qualitative and quantitative data measure program outcomes. Qualitative data include surveys of students, alumni, advisory committees and employers of graduates to ascertain their perceptions of the relevance, currency and practicality of the program. Quantitative measures include standards set against regional and state accrediting agency norms.
• Provides feedback to students and institution.
  Assessement data are organized into a report that summarizes the findings and provides recommendations to improve programs and to enhance student learning. The document is available for review by College personnel and the public.
• Is cost-effective.
  The assessment process is "low-tech" and developed for the College's needs and budget. Nevertheless, it is effective, creates a minimum amount of conflict among the faculty, demands little in the way of added resources, and reasserts faculty control over curriculum.
• Does not restrict access.
  Students are initially assessed when they enroll in credit courses at National Park Community College through placement tests in reading, writing, and mathematics. Although the College maintains a policy of open admissions, placement scores may restrict admission to certain programs or courses.
• Leads to improvement.
  The goal of assessment is to provide evidence that students are learning. Faculty continuously seek to improve the learning process for their students, and assessment data does help them to validate what the students are learning. It also helps them to reevaluate their classroom techniques to facilitate the students' learning.
• Realistic timeline.
  The Executive Vice President and Assessment Coordinator encourage assessment within a reasonable timeline that is manageable by faculty and provides data that leads to improvement.
• Appropriate administration.
  The faculty has primary responsibility for assessment, with strong administrative support.

Back to Assessment Homepage