Assessment at SUNY Orange
What is assessment?
Assessment is the systematic collection, review, and use of information about educational
programs undertaken for the purpose of improving student learning and development.
-Palomba & Banta
The systematic and regular gathering and analyzing of both qualitative and quantitative
data in order to facilitate the continuous improvement of each program, to guide resource
allocation, and to assist the administration in making decisions about programs.
-Austin Community College
Why assess?
Assessment serves a variety of purposes including demonstrating accountability to stakeholders, increasing institutional effectiveness, and especially improving programs to increase student learning. Assessment provides academic programs with the tools and the information to make improvements to the curriculum in order to effectively assist students in the mastery of their knowledge, skills, and values.
Benefits of program assessment
Listed below are a few of the many benefits of assessment:
- Program Improvement - Assessment provides information for programs to determine how they can be improved
- Program Instruction - Results of assessments can be used by faculty to assist them in reviewing and revising their instruction strategies and methods
- New Courses & Course Revisions - Assessment of SLO will assist programs in revising existing course content as well as developing the content for new courses
- Curriculum Revision - SLO assessment allows programs to determine whether redundancy occurs and where gaps exist in the curriculum
- Increased Learning Awareness (for students) - By participating in SLO assessments, students will know what learning is expected of them as well as the criteria used to grade both assignments and tests
- Improved Marketing Materials - Assessment findings can be included in current materials used to promote programs as well used to develop new marketing strategies and materials
- Resource Allocation - Assessment can provide information to assist in determining appropriate allocation of resources
- Stakeholder Communication - The results of program assessments should be communicated to stakeholders in order to demonstrate accountability of student learning
- Accreditation Requirements - Participating in the ongoing process of assessment will demonstrate to accreditation bodies that the academic programs are achieving accreditation requirements
