Assessing Learning across a Department, Program, or Domain

Assessment is meaningful only to the extent that it is grounded in genuine questions about student learning and to the extent that it improves teaching and learning. Given that the faculty in each unit are in the best position to know their students’ collective strengths and weaknesses, and that several areas are subject to the assessment standards set by their disciplinary accrediting bodies (e.g. NCATE, AACSB), DePaul’s Assessment Process leaves it to each department, program and domain to determine which of its learning outcomes(s) it wishes to assess in a particular year and the method for doing so.

Each academic department, program and liberal studies area conducts a direct assessment of student learning each year. That is, each of these units (a) selects at least one of its learning outcomes to assess; (b) draws conclusions about student achievement of that outcome by directly examining student work; and (c) when appropriate, proposes any necessary changes to improve student learning of that outcome.

While providing academic units flexibility in planning and carrying out their assessments, the TLA Office recognizes that some of the greatest rewards of an assessment project may not lie directly in its results. Indeed, assessment should give faculty members--who may approach an identical topic or outcome in vastly different ways--the opportunity to learn about what their colleagues do in their classrooms and expect from their students. For this reason, we suggest that assessments be conducted by teams or committees working together as they review student work. Further, we encourage each unit to involve as many faculty as possible in discussions of assessment plans and results.

Assessment Report Templates

Please see the Templates and Reports page for the report templates.