Assessment is fundamentally about understanding and improving student learning. As learning takes place in many places and at many levels so does assessment. The Assessment section of the TLA webpage provides a brief overview of assessment at DePaul University and offers information and resources to support faculty conducting assessments in their courses, for department and program committees charged with assessment of student learning in their areas, and for administrators who coordinate assessment across their college or school.
An Overview of Assessment at DePaul:
Assessment is done first and foremost to improve student learning. The process involves:
- gathering information about how our students are learning;
- reviewing and reflecting on that information;
- and then using those results to improve learning.
The Office for Teaching, Learning, and Assessment with its Faculty Advisory Board developed a formal academic assessment process designed to:
- clarify and communicate learning goals and outcomes;
- gather and analyze evidence of learning related to goals;
- encourage thoughtful revisions to curriculum and teaching strategies;
- facilitate the sharing of information about student learning and successful practices among the University's colleges, departments, and programs; and,
- meet HLC-NCA and other accrediting agencies’ requirements.
The assessment process incorporated input from faculty, deans, and university administrators and was approved by Faculty Council in 2001.
2011-2012 Assessment of Student Learning Grants
The Office for Teaching, Learning & Assessment (TLA) is pleased to offer assessment grants for the 2011-2012 academic year. TLA will provide grants of up to $1,000 to support departments and programs interested in developing innovative and rigorous practices as part of their annual assessment of student learning projects. The goal of this initiative is to support a climate of assessment that encourages continuous improvement through the assessment of student learning.