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Assessment at Emerson

Defining Assessment

Following on the work of Tom Angelo and Natasha Jankowski, we define assessment as:

  • “The systematic collection of evidence of student learning;
  • The process of making sense of the evidence collected; and,
  • The subsequent use of the evidence of student learning to improve individual student learning, specific learning experiences, programs, and even institutions.”

Our definition of assessment centers students and instructors first and foremost, while also meeting our institutional obligations to show evidence of academic excellence. We believe it’s important to collect information about students’ achievement of departments’ learning outcomes in order to inform program decisions and enhance learning. 

Academic assessment can be an incredibly powerful tool for understanding what our students have learned. Many faculty and administrators find the mere mention of "assessment" off-putting though, because we frequently conflate it with evaluation. Academic assessment is not an evaluation of the quality of faculty's teaching or a program's curriculum. Rather, according to Tom Angelo: "Assessment is an ongoing process aimed at understanding and improving student learning. It involves making our expectations explicit and public; setting appropriate criteria and high standards for learning quality; systematically gathering, analyzing, and interpreting evidence to determine how well performance matches those expectations and standards; and using the resulting information to document, explain, and improve performance. When it is embedded effectively within larger institutional systems, assessment can help us focus our collective attention, examine our assumptions, and create a shared academic culture dedicated to assuring and improving the quality of higher education." Source: AAHE Bulletin, November 1995, p. 7.

Our central question is: as an Emerson alum, what skills and/or content knowledge should our students demonstrate and how are we ensuring they can do so?

Course-Level vs. Program-Level Assessment

Course-level assessment focuses on evaluating student learning within a specific course. It helps faculty understand how well students have mastered the course objectives and content. This type of assessment often involves quizzes, projects, general participation, etc. The primary goal is to improve teaching and learning with that particular course. 

 

Program-level assessment, on the other hand, takes a broader view. It examines the overall effectiveness of an academic program in meeting its stated learning outcomes. This involves collecting and analyzing data from multiple courses with the program to determine if students are achieving the program's goals. Program assessment is essential for making informed decisions about curriculum, resources, and faculty development. For more information on how OAA engages in program-level assessment, see our page on the Learning, Equity, and Assessment Program. 

Course vs. Program Assessment Infographic

Image describing the differences between course-level and program-level assessment. Course-level assessment of student learning is conducted by faculty. It entails evaluating students' achievement of course outcomes, using assignments, activities, in class projects, and other student work. It is provided via grades, feedback, and peer or self assessments. Faculty members use these assessments to plan revisions at the course level. Program-level assessment of student learning is conducted by LEAP fellows working with department faculty. It entails measuring students' achievement of program learning outcomes at various points across the curriculum, using samples of student work as well as Canvas Outcomes assessments. Reports are provided to the department, which then decides how to act on the data.