The Academy for Assessment of Student Learning team at Wayne State College has collaborated with the General Studies Committee to develop an assessment process to assess student learning in the General Studies Program.
Students are assessed for competency of the four general education goals:
- develop expression
- participate in methods of inquiry
- expand knowledge
- encourage civic virtue
Assessment Tools at Wayne State College
In higher education, the term “assessment” can mean a variety of things. It can refer to the process of grading a student’s achievement on a test or assignment, or it can refer to the process of evaluating the quality of an academic program. The overall purpose of assessment does not focus on an individual student; rather, the emphasis is on what and how an educational program is contributing to the learning, growth, and development of students as a group.
At Wayne State College, many assessment tools are embedded in the curriculum to minimize the time and effort required from students and faculty. Regular assignments may be evaluated to find out if learning outcomes are being achieved. Students may be asked to participate in surveys, interviews, or special testing. These do not affect the status of the individual students. The objective is to improve learning for all students.
The following assessment tools are used at Wayne State College:
Cooperative Institutional Research Program (CIRP)
Students complete a freshman survey during orientation each year called the Cooperative Institutional Research Program (CIRP). The survey is a widely cited source of data on college demographics and attitudinal trends and the results from these surveys provide a comprehensive portrait of the changing character of entering students and American society at large.
National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE)
Every third year, Wayne State College randomly selects freshmen and seniors to complete the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE). The NSSE survey captures information about how much time students devote to learning, how involved they are in best learning practices, and how fully challenged and supported they feel by their college. The NSSE reveals:
- How much freshmen and seniors study, and how else they spend their time
- How much and what kind of assignments and intellectual activities their classes require
- How much contact they have with faculty members
- How often they take advantage of enriching activities like study abroad, service learning, or student government
- How they grade their own progress in key areas of knowledge and skill
- How satisfied they are with their educational experience
Assessment Oversight Committee
The Academic and Co-Curricular Assessment Oversight Committee exists to help create and promote an institutional culture of academic and co-curricular learning assessment at Wayne State College. The Committee is made up of faculty, staff, and administrators who are elected or appointed for varying terms of service. The WSC Assessment and Accreditation Coordinator serves as Committee chairperson.
Existing Program Review
Existing academic programs are reviewed on a regular basis, following the academic program review schedule established by the Coordinating Commission for Postsecondary Education (CCPE) for the Nebraska State Colleges. The schedule for upcoming review of WSC programs may be found on Academic Program Approval & Review page of the NSCS website.
