Academic Assessment

As a primary function of the Institute for Teaching and Learning (ITL), ITL coordinates and supports continuous improvement activities across campus, including academic student learning assessment. All academic programs at YSU are required to participate annually in reporting to provide evidence of their engagement in collecting, analyzing, and acting on student learning data. All information collected through assessment reporting is shared in aggregate form only, and the confidentiality of individual students is safeguarded.

Reporting Updates for 2025

As of Fall 2025, ITL has begun implementing a new and user-friendly assessment reporting tool, Watermark Planning and Self-Study. The majority of YSU Academic Programs will continue to report the way they have in past years via Taskstream AMS.  This fall, a few academic programs are piloting the new tool. ITL will use the pilot program feedback to improve the process for Fall 2026 reporting. All the information you input to Taskstream will be available to you and eventually be migrated to the new system. 

Due to the new software, programs will be reporting in various locations this year. Review the details for clarity on your program's annual reporting. 
 

When should I report? 

YSU Annual Assessment Reports are due on Friday, October 31, 2025. 
 

What should I report? 

Please review the reporting matrix to identify what your program should report. 

• Update: Focus on 1-2 program learning outcomes. Include student-level learning outcome data and findings from the previous academic year.
• Plan: Utilize the Plan Template to create an Assessment Plan (includes learning outcomes and measures) for the next 5 years that will be uploaded into the new Planning and Self-Study system.
• Teach-Out Update: Include an update of active students and any student-level data from the previous academic year.
• Newly Reporting - Associates and Certificate Programs: Program learning outcomes and a curriculum map. 
   

Where should I report? 

Please review the reporting matrix to identify what your program should report. 

• Update: Report through Taskstream AMS. Taskstream AMS is accessed via the Watermark card in the Penguin Portal.
• Plan: Complete the Plan Template and email to Alison at atkaufman@ysu.edu
• Teach-Out Update: Report through the online teach-out form.
• Newly Reporting - Associates and Certificate Programs: Report through the online form. Note: YSU credentials are needed to complete the form. 

If you need accommodations for your reporting location and/or format, please contact atkaufman@ysu.edu. ITL is happy to work with you to collect assessment reports in a manner that aligns with other reporting and/or accreditation processes in your program.
 

How do I get help?

Drop in virtually via Webex with any questions related to your assessment reporting. No RSVP required. Or, book a consult (Assessment Related Questions) with Alison Kaufman for training and/or support related to your program assessment. 

Assessment Archive

For reports submitted before reporting via Taskstream AMS, academic departments can access their reports and feedback by logging into the Assessment Archive using your YSU ID and password.

Resources

Academic Assessment Handbook: This document is meant to be a resource to those new (er) to assessment activities and a reference to those who have been participating in assessment activities for some time. The Handbook is in two parts; Part 1 explains the steps in the assessment process, including how to write SLOs, select methods, and analyze results. Part 2 outlines the reporting elements here at YSU and also includes guides to using Taskstream to submit reports.

Book a Consult: Schedule a one-on-one virtual or in-person meeting with Alison Kaufman for training and/or support related to your program assessment. 

On-Demand Training

• Watch Video: An overview of how to submit an assessment update through Taskstream AMS.
• Watch Video: An overview of how to submit a teach-out update using the online teach-out form. This is for programs that are identified for sunset. 

Taskstream Tutorials

These tutorials provide step-by-step instructions for some of the most common actions done on the Taskstream website. Tutorials come complete with screenshots and helpful tips about the processes.:

• Editing Outcomes & Measures
• Entering Evidence of Learning
• Entering Action Steps
• Entering an Update on Prior Action