Part of assessing is knowing that the students have acquired the knowledge and skills as designated by the course, program, and institution. Therefore assessment (the collection and evaluation of data and making improvements if needed) must occur at multiple levels: class, section, program, General Education, and institutional.
- Class-level Assessment: Assessment on this level occurs in the individual classroom where faculty clearly measure course outcomes and make changes for the students or the next time they teach that course.
- Section-level Assessment: Assessment at the section-level occurs across multiple sections of a single course. The faculty of all of the sections have agreed to use a common assessment tool to collect data of all of the students taking that course.
- Program-level Assessment: Assessment of programs requires a high-level of collaboration of faculty across multiple sections and multiple courses. The faculty can agree to use a common assessment tool, such as a rubric, or to collect the assessment data in particular courses within the program.
- General Education (Institutional) Assessment: Assessment of the institution happens in a variety of ways and in a variety of college departments.
The intention of the assessment is to help the staff and faculty answer the question, "How do I know the required learning has taken place?" It should focus on informing faculty pedagogical processes and student services evaluation.
All of the institution's courses have course-level learning outcomes. These outcomes are established when a course is first proposed and vetted through the college's Curriculum Committee and then through the state-wide articulation process to ensure transferability or workforce readiness. These course-level learning outcomes are listed on each course outline and used regardless of instructional method or modality. Degree/Certificates Outcomes Each degree and certificate have established program-level learning outcomes. Degrees and certificates that utilize many of the same core courses share PLOs. These outcomes are established when a program is first proposed within the college and vetted through the Curriculum Committee. Additionally, the PLOs are focused and measured within the core courses of the degrees and certificates. The program-level learning outcomes can be found on the individual degree pages under "What will I learn?": TRANSFER DEGREES WORKFORCE DEGREES CERTIFICATES CCC's students are required to complete 35 credits of their degrees with courses selected from the institution's General Education program. The combination of these General Education courses develop essential intellectual skills and introduces students to the broad understanding of the human experience. These courses, and to a large part the transfer degrees, assess learning as defined by the General Education Learning Outcomes rather than more specific program-level learning outcomes, which focus more on discipline specific knowledge and skills. The General Education Learning Outcomes are available in the college's catalog. Thinking Skills Using a variety of inquiry methods, resources, and reasoning skills that support and promote lifelong learning. Communication Skills Conveying of ideas using one or more methods of expression (written, oral, signed) Diversity an Global Awareness An understanding and appreciation of diverse cultures, values, beliefs, and historical perspectives Ethical and Civil Values A better understanding of oneself and others in order to clarify individual and societal responsibilities, needs, and values Course-level Learning Outcomes (CLO)
Program-level Learning Outcomes (PLO)
General Education Learning Outcomes (GELO)