General Education Assessment Plan

Per this plan, assessment of all courses in the general education program will happen over the course of a four-year cycle (Please see the timeline below). The plan is detailed below. The information for the pilot year is also included. The purpose of this assessment is to determine how well a course is meeting the learning outcome(s) for the knowledge domain and to provide feedback for continuous improvement.

  • Each fall, the department chairs will be notified which courses in their department  will be evaluated during that academic year.
  • The faculty members (or appropriate/responsible party) will submit all requested  materials for the course for evaluation. Due dates for each academic year will be  communicated to the appropriate/responsible party (please see the plan below).
  • Submission will include: 
    • A completed coversheet for each course identifying the Knowledge Domain  Learning Outcome(s) applicable to the course and relevant to this  assessment.
    • A copy of the description of the course assignment/assessment that will be  submitted as evidence to support students’ learning as related to the  selected Knowledge Domain Learning Outcome. Where appropriate based  on course design, the reporting party may choose to submit evidence from  more than one course assignment/assessment. 
    • A sample of student artifacts (including, but not limited to score reports,  written work, completed projects, videos, etc.). When multiple sections of a  course are being offered, the sample of student artifacts should represent  strengths and challenges in learning across course sections. Student  artifacts should help the reviewer understand the included narrative.
      • A narrative addressing the following:
        • Assessment methods and how those measure the LO.
        • Please be sure to attach artifacts that support the evaluation of  conclusions, identifying strengths or challenges, and other  conclusions related to the LO. Include a sample of student artifacts  that represent strengths and challenges in learning across course  sections. Student artifacts should help the reviewer understand the  included narrative.
        • Action steps, if needed, based on data linked to student learning  and/or evaluation of the assessment methods
  • After the semester ends, a group of full-time and part-time faculty volunteers who  are actively teaching in one of the domains evaluate how well each assessment (along with student samples) meets the learning outcome for the course knowledge domain. Assessors will hold a norming session before the evaluation process begins. Assessors will only evaluate within the knowledge domain in which they teach and will use the rubric for general education (based on the rubric for program assessment).
  • Each course will be evaluated by a minimum of two assessors. 
  • Assessment feedback focused on continuous improvement will be shared with  department chairs. 
  • Each general education course will be assessed once during a 4-year cycle. 

 

2026-2027 (Pilot Year)

  • The 2026-2027 academic year will function as the pilot for the assessment plan.
  • Before the end of the spring 2026 semester, chairs in departments that have general  education courses will receive a request for possible courses to be evaluated in the  2026-2027 academic year.
  • The committee will select five courses from each knowledge domain from the list  provided by the department chairs.
  • Department chairs will be notified prior to the start of the fall 2026 semester which  courses will be assessed. The General Education Coordinator will meet with  impacted department chairs (and faculty) to discuss the assessment and  submission requirements. 
  • Requested materials will be submitted to the committee by January 15, 2027. The  selected courses will be evaluated by the faculty members who are assessing the  courses with the rubrics and assessment. Feedback focused on continuous  improvement will be shared with department chairs by April 15, 2027.
  • During the spring 2027 semester, the general education committee will meet with  department chairs and faculty to discuss the assessment and the feedback to  determine what changes, if any, should be made to the assessment process in  order to better evaluate how each course meets the learning outcomes. 

 

Four-year cycle

Year One (Pilot Year)

Courses selected for evaluation from each knowledge domain will submit materials after the fall semester for evaluation. Evaluators will provide feedback on each course that will be returned to the department chairs. During the spring 2027 semester, faculty and chairs will provide feedback on the process.

  • Submit materials by January 15, 2027, for Fall 2026 data. The committee will provide feedback by April 15, 2027.

 

Year Two

Assessment of the Natural Science and Social and Behavior Sciences knowledge domains is conducted using the identified assignments. Results are submitted and reviewed, and feedback is provided.

  • Submit materials by November 15, 2027, for data collected during the 2026-2027  academic year. The committee will provide feedback by April 15, 2028.

 

Year Three

Assessment of the Arts and Humanities knowledge domain is conducted. If appropriate,  departments may report to the General Education committee on any changes made in  response to feedback from the previous year.

  • Submit materials November 15, 2028, for data collected during the 2027-2028  academic year. The committee will provide feedback by April 15, 2029

 

Year Four

Assessment of the Core Competencies and Communication knowledge domains is conducted. Departments report on any changes made in response to feedback from the previous year.

  • Submit materials November 15, 2029, for data collected during the 2027-2028  academic year. The committee will provide feedback by April 15, 2030. 

 

Note: While the current timeline requires the University to begin with data collection, the General Education Committee recognizes that effective assessment practice is grounded in faculty involvement in planning. Accordingly, after the initial four-year cycle of data collection, the Committee will implement a planning phase that engages faculty teaching General Education courses in developing a structured, multi-year, assessment plan. This will include determining how and when specific learning outcomes are assessed (e.g., sequencing outcomes across years) as well as refining course-level assessment methods where appropriate.

 

 

General Education Rubric

QuestionProficientDevelopingRevision Needed
Prior Action Steps  Status (if applicable)
  • Action step(s) status explained
  • Action steps may be listed as completed
  • If not complete, some next steps included
  • Action step(s) status may not be fully explained 
  • No action steps or status provided
Assessment Methods
  • 1-2 measures for each general education learning
  • No measures identified outcome (LO) (overlap in methods is acceptable)
  • At least one measure is a direct measure
  • Methods are appropriate and measure the target LO
  • Reference to where and when measure taken 
  • Some/all methods may not be aligned with LO or may not measure student learning
  • Outcome measured does not show progress through cycle (e.g. same LO is measured each year, while others are left off) 
  • May have incomplete information about students being assessed 
  • No measures identified
  • And/or no information  about students being  assessed 
Evidence and Findings of Student Learning
  • Strengths and/or challenges in student learning identified 
  • Findings based in data collected, though other sources/professional judgment also may be used to support conclusions
  • Identifies strengths and/or challenges, but may not  be related to the LO or may not be based on data. 
  • Findings focus on program effectiveness, rather than  student learning strengths and challenges 
  • No strengths and/or  challenges identified 
  • Not related to students  learning
Use of Results
  • Action step(s) (no action, if supported by data)  linked to student learning findings 
  • Action step(s) are appropriate to the learning outcomes and can reasonably be carried out
  • In some cases, further study or confirmation of results by re-assessment is appropriate 
  • Action step(s) are mentioned, but not linked to  analysis of LO data (i.e., strengths and challenges  analysis
  • Action step(s) may not impact learning outcome
  • Action step(s) may be unattainable 
  • Action step(s) are not  provided
  • Action step(s) are not related to student learning 

Note: Leave space on your rubric for comments or recommendations made by the Assessment Team, in addition to space for "Strengths of the Report" and "Feedback/Recommendations".