{"id":259,"date":"2021-12-15T15:13:22","date_gmt":"2021-12-15T21:13:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp.stolaf.edu\/assessment-committee\/?page_id=259"},"modified":"2026-07-22T15:56:55","modified_gmt":"2026-07-22T20:56:55","slug":"decennial-assessment-cycle","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/wp.stolaf.edu\/assessment-committee\/decennial-assessment-cycle\/","title":{"rendered":"Decennial Assessment Cycle Description and Resources"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

In the Spring of 2021, the Academic <\/span>Assessment Committee launched a new Decennial Assessment Cycle, designed to sync with departments’ and programs’ ten-year external review cycle and more intentionally link assessment with this review process. Below are links to a description of the decennial cycle process and other resources related to creating a decennial assessment plan.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Decennial Cycle Documents<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Decennial Cycle Process Description<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Decennial Assessment Plan Template<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Decennial Assessment Report Template<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Assessment Plan Example Strategies<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

ILOs for departments and programs<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

IE&A assessment homepage<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t

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Example Decennial Assessment Plans:<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t<\/header>\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t
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\n\n\t\n\n\t\n<\/figure>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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\n \t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t \n\t\t\t\t\t\tBiology Department\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n <\/button>\n \n\t\t\t\t\t
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Decennial Assessment Plan for Biology<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Timeline: Plan<\/strong><\/h3>\n

2021-22 Action Year<\/h4>\n
    \n
  • Finish and formalize New Program Intended Learning Outcomes<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    2022-23 Assessment activity 1<\/h4>\n
      \n
    • Question:<\/strong> Is the Biology major meeting our goals for effective delivery of content?<\/li>\n
    • Relevant Intended Learning Outcome:<\/strong> TBD (ILOs are under revision)<\/li>\n
    • Assessment Activity:<\/strong> Evaluation of performance on national exam<\/li>\n
    • Summary of Plan:<\/strong> We have identified two standardized exams that may be useful here, the major field test in biology (previously used by the department in 2009 and 2013) and Bio-MAPS. Senior biology majors will be asked to participate.<\/li>\n
    • Anticipated Action:<\/strong> We anticipate revising content of core courses in response to the exam scores.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      2023-24 Reporting Year<\/h4>\n
        \n
      • The report will summarize findings from the previous year’s assessment.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

        2024-25 Assessment Activity 2<\/h4>\n
          \n
        • Question:<\/strong> Is the Biology major providing an antiracist curriculum and context in which all students can position themselves?<\/li>\n
        • Relevant Intended Learning Outcome:<\/strong> TBD (ILOs are under revision)<\/li>\n
        • Summary of Plan:<\/strong> We think this is a good place for indirect assessment of our majors via surveys and focus groups. There are already many ways that individual faculty and courses are implementing antiracist content and\/or antiracist pedagogies, and one goal is to provide more such opportunities. Indirect assessment of students will help us understand where this is working (we would plan to do this in a way that did not single out individual faculty since the assessment is about student learning and not about how each faculty person supports that learning).<\/li>\n
        • Anticipated Action:<\/strong> We anticipate revising content of courses in response to the survey results.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

          2025-26 Reporting Year<\/h4>\n
            \n
          • The report will summarize findings from the previous year\u2019s assessment.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

            2026-27 Assessment Activity 3<\/h4>\n
              \n
            • Question:<\/strong> Is the Biology major equipping students with quantitative skills?<\/li>\n
            • Relevant Intended Learning Outcome:<\/strong> TBD (ILOs are under revision)<\/li>\n
            • Summary of Plan:<\/strong> We think this could be a good place for direct assessment of students artifacts from one or more of the courses involved in our scaffold of quantitative skills. We could collect, anonymize, and sample from lab reports and design and use a rubric to assess the depth of one or more quantitative skills demonstrated.<\/li>\n
            • Anticipated Action:<\/strong> We anticipate revising content of core courses, and scaffolding of skills across those courses, in response to the direct assessment findings.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

              2027-28 Reporting Year<\/h4>\n
                \n
              • The report will summarize findings from the previous year\u2019s assessment. It will also include a plan for gathering additional data for the upcoming self-study.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                2028-29 Prepare Self-study<\/h4>\n

                2029-30 Program Review<\/h4>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/article>\n\n\t\t\t\n
                \n \t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t \n\t\t\t\t\t\tEducation Department\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n <\/button>\n \n\t\t\t\t\t
                \n\t\t\t\t\t\t
                \n

                Assessment Plan
                Education Department 6\/8\/21<\/h2>\n

                Collection of Candidate Key Assessment Data<\/strong><\/h2>\n

                Student-level data are used both for monitoring the progress of candidates as they progress through the program as well as for the evaluation of program effectiveness. The student data collected include the following:<\/p>\n

                Educator Preparation Program Candidate Data Collected in Tk20<\/strong><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
                Data Category<\/th>\nTransition Point 1
                \nApplicant to Candidate<\/em><\/th>\n                		Transition Point 2
                \nCandidate to Student Teacher<\/em><\/th>\n                		Transition Point 3
                \nStudent Teacher to Licensure<\/em><\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
                Grades and Courses<\/strong><\/td>\n\u2022 Overall GPA
                \n\u2022 Content GPA
                \n\u2022 Grade in Educational Psychology (ED 290)
                \n\u2022 Transcripts<\/td>\n                		\u2022 Overall GPA
                \n\u2022 Content GPA
                \n\u2022 Grades in Education and content area courses
                \n\u2022 Transcripts<\/td>\n                		\u2022 Overall GPA
                \n\u2022 Content GPA
                \n\u2022 Grades in student teaching courses
                \n\u2022 Transcripts<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
                Dispositions<\/strong>
                \nILO #3<\/em><\/td>\n                		\u2022 STO Evaluations from ED 290 early field experience cooperating teacher
                \n\u2022 STO Dispositional ratings from ED 290 faculty
                \n\u2022 STO Dispositional self-assessment ratings in Teacher Education application
                \n\u2022 STO Dispositional ratings from Dean of Students<\/td>\n                		\u2022 Evaluations from early field experience cooperating teachers
                \n\u2022 Dispositional ratings (on Student Concerns Form) from instructors
                \n\u2022 STO Dispositional self-assessment rating in Candidate Portfolio
                \n\u2022 STO Dispositional ratings from Dean of Students<\/td>\n                		\u2022 Evaluations from student teaching cooperating teacher
                \n\u2022 Evaluations from college supervisors
                \n\u2022 Dispositional self-assessment ratings<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
                Field Experience<\/strong>
                \nILO #2, 3, 4, 5<\/em><\/td>\n                		\u2022 STO Early field experience placement data (for ED 290), grade level, hours, content area, student populations
                \n\u2022 STO Evaluation from early field experience cooperating teacher
                \n\u2022 STO Records of background checks<\/td>\n                		\u2022 Additional early field experience placement data (ED 330, 374, special methods, multicultural interim), grade levels, content area, hours, student populations
                \n\u2022 Evaluations from early field experience cooperating teachers
                \n\u2022 Records of background checks<\/td>\n                		\u2022 Student teaching placement data, grade level, content area, student populations
                \n\u2022 Midterm student teaching self-assessments from candidates
                \n\u2022 Midterm student teaching assessments from cooperating teacher
                \n\u2022 Final student teaching assessments from cooperating teacher and college supervisors
                \n\u2022 Student Teaching Attendance record
                \n\u2022 Records of background checks<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
                SEP standards and content standards<\/strong>
                \nILO #1, 2, 4, 5<\/em><\/td>\n                		\u2022 Key assessments and rubric scores for SEP standards assessed in ED 290 portfolio<\/td>\n\u2022 Key assessments and rubric scores for SEP standards assigned to be assessed in all other Education courses
                \n\u2022 Standard 1 assignment from ED 374
                \n\u2022 Standard 1 portfolio from special methods
                \n\u2022 STO Candidate Presentation portfolio addressing SEP standards
                \n\u2022 Licensure report from Tk20 listing all SEP standards as met\/not met<\/td>\n                		\u2022 Key assessments and rubric scores for SEP standards assigned to be assessed in student teaching from cooperating teachers and university supervisors
                \n\u2022 Standard 1 portfolio
                \n\u2022 Official edTPA scores<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
                MTLE<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\n\u2022 Record of MTLE pedagogy and content area test scores<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
                Other<\/strong><\/td>\n\u2022 STO Teacher Education Program Application and Education Course Plan
                \n\u2022 Individual Development Plans (if needed)
                \n\u2022 Case notes
                \n\u2022 STO Department admissions decisions<\/td>\n                		\u2022 Music Department continuation decisions
                \n\u2022 Spanish and French OPI language proficiency test scores
                \n\u2022 Individual Development Plans (if needed), including follow-up and decisions
                \n\u2022 Case notes<\/td>\n                		\u2022 Exit interview data and rubrics
                \n\u2022 Student teaching Individual Development Plans or Contracts and results (if needed)
                \n\u2022 Case notes<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

                Aggregating Key Assessment Data<\/strong><\/h2>\n

                Aggregating student data allows the Education Department to see patterns in program data and therefore make data-based changes to the program in curriculum and scope-and-sequence, predict course enrollments, determine diversity and variety in off-campus placements, develop MTLE test prep sessions based on program results, etc. Faculty, candidates, graduates, school personnel, and the Teacher Advisory Board all contribute to the continuous review and evaluation of the program and its mission.<\/p>\n

                Annually, the Education Department collects data on the performance of graduates in their first year of teaching from principals and from the graduates themselves. Each semester, candidates evaluate courses, student teachers evaluate college supervisors and the Teacher Education Program, and school personnel provide feedback on candidate performance in clinical experiences. Assessment results are shared with unit faculty, and strategies for change and improvement are implemented as a result of dialogue at department meetings and at an annual summer department assessment retreat.<\/p>\n

                Analysis of Key Assessment Data<\/strong><\/h2>\n

                Assessment data is shared at the annual assessment retreat held with Education Department faculty
                \neach summer. Additionally, data is shared with the external advisory board (Teacher Advisory Board) annually.<\/p>\n

                Please provide your year-by-year proposed schedule of ILO assessment:<\/strong><\/h2>\n

                Annually, we prepare the following reports:<\/p>\n

                  \n
                • Title II (required federal report)<\/li>\n
                • Data report required by our MN Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board (PELSB)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                  Every third year, we file a continuing application for each of our individual licensure programs (Communication Arts and Literature, Math, English as a Second Language, World Languages [Spanish, German, French], Latin, Science [General Science, Life Science, Chemistry, Physics], Music [Vocal and Instrumental], Social Studies, Theater, Visual Art) to the state (PERCA).<\/p>\n

                    \n
                  • 2020\/2021<\/strong> – PELSB site visit<\/strong> and required state\/federal annual reports; make programmatic adjustments<\/li>\n
                  • 2021\/2022<\/strong> – PERCAS due (but this may be delayed depending on the adoption of the new SEPs) and required state\/federal annual reports. The state releases new Standards of Effective Practice to which our courses need to re-align.<\/strong><\/li>\n
                  • 2022\/2023<\/strong> – Review data for ILO #1 based on course-realignment; make programmatic adjustments. File required state\/federal annual reports.<\/li>\n
                  • 2023\/2024<\/strong> – Review data for ILO #2 based on course-realignment; make programmatic adjustments. File required state\/federal annual reports.<\/li>\n
                  • 2024\/2025<\/strong> – PERCAS due and required state\/federal annual reports<\/li>\n
                  • 2025\/2026<\/strong> – PELSB site visit<\/strong> and required state\/federal annual reports; make programmatic adjustments<\/li>\n
                  • 2026\/2027<\/strong> – Review data for ILO #3 based on course-realignment; make programmatic adjustments. File required state\/federal annual reports.<\/li>\n
                  • 2027\/2028<\/strong> – PERCAS due and required state\/federal annual reports<\/li>\n
                  • 2028\/2029<\/strong> – Review data for ILO #4 based on course-realignment; make programmatic adjustments. File required state\/federal annual reports.<\/li>\n
                  • 2029\/2030<\/strong> – Review data for ILO #5 based on course-realignment; make programmatic adjustments. File required state\/federal annual reports.<\/li>\n
                  • 2030\/2031<\/strong> – PELSB site visit<\/strong>; make programmatic adjustments<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/article>\n\n\t\t\t\n
                    \n \t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t \n\t\t\t\t\t\tPolitical Science Department\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n <\/button>\n \n\t\t\t\t\t
                    \n\t\t\t\t\t\t

                    St. Olaf College, Department of Political Science<\/strong>
                    \nAssessment Plan (7\/1\/2021)<\/strong><\/h2>\n

                    As our year-by-year schedule demonstrates, we systematically focus on one or two ILOs in a given year. Following the assessment, the next year will focus on \u201cclosing the loop.\u201d That is, following each assessment we will spend a year implementing changes, if necessary. We will also consider whether ILO changes might be appropriate. Our \u201cdiverse perspectives\u201d ILO will be focused on twice over the next decade. The remaining ILOs will each be assessed once.<\/p>\n

                    2021-22 (ongoing):<\/strong> We are currently in the process of coding senior seminar papers to examine how students understand inclusivity and diversity. This is primarily aimed at evaluating ILO #2 on diverse perspectives.<\/p>\n

                    2022-2023:<\/strong> We will reflect on how well our major is addressing familiarity with diverse perspectives, and implement changes, if needed. We will revisit ILO #2 and consider possible changes.<\/p>\n

                    2023-2024:<\/strong> It has been some time since our department examined writing in our senior seminars. Given this, and given that the new \u201cWriting in the Major\u201d OLE Core requirement will be fully implemented by this point, we plan to replicate (with modifications) our 2013 assessment of senior seminar writing. This primarily evaluates ILOs #1 and #3, on critical analysis and writing.<\/p>\n

                    2024-2025:<\/strong> We will reflect on how well our major is preparing students for critical analysis and writing, and implement changes, if needed. We will revisit ILO #1 and #3 and consider possible changes.<\/p>\n

                    2025-2026:<\/strong> Our department has a longstanding interest in fostering thoughtful and effective citizenship. We will evaluate civic literacy and effective citizenship, which is the only ILO not addressed in previous parts of the assessment cycle (#4 above). Our tentative plan is to focus on the varied pedagogies in our ACE courses, with a special focus on the DC practicum course.<\/p>\n

                    2026-2027:<\/strong> We will reflect on how well our major is preparing students for a life of engaged participation in their community, and implement changes, if needed.<\/p>\n

                    2027-2028:<\/strong> Our intention is to dedicate this year to evaluating inclusivity and diversity (ILO #1). Our study design for this ILO will depend on the results of the 2021-22 cycle.<\/p>\n

                    2028-2029:<\/strong> We will reflect on how well our major is addressing familiarity with diverse perspectives, and implement changes, if needed. We will revisit ILO #2 and consider possible changes.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/article>\n\n\t\t\t\n

                    \n \t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t \n\t\t\t\t\t\tPsychology Department\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n <\/button>\n \n\t\t\t\t\t
                    \n\t\t\t\t\t\t

                    Psychology Department Assessment Plan<\/strong><\/h2>\n

                    2021-22 to 2024-25:<\/strong><\/h3>\n

                    As a result of conversations subsequent to our self-study and external review, we intend to follow two significant assessment paths:<\/p>\n

                      \n
                    1. Assess ILO#4: \u201cStudents will demonstrate knowledge of the influence of culture and diversity on the field of Psychology.\u201d<\/strong>\n
                        \n
                      • Assessment will include direct and indirect measures of student learning, and consider revisions to the stated ILO itself. This is an important (and timely) ILO for students in the major but it has not previously been assessed, and it is due much deeper consideration than we have given it in the past.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
                      • Assess the impact of the following proposed curricular changes to the Major:<\/strong>\n
                          \n
                        • Removing labs from all 200-level courses<\/strong><\/li>\n
                        • Adding research-dedicated courses at the 300-level<\/strong><\/li>\n
                        • Dropping one 200-level course requirement from the Major<\/strong><\/li>\n
                        • These proposed changes come, in part, out of finding from our self-study and external review. It is especially important that we assess these impact of proposed changes in light of increasing student access to the major. For example, what is the potential impact on students and faculty for the reduced numbers of IS\/IRs that would likely result from these changes? Will there be a more diverse spread of students across all the 200-level courses in the absence of labs? Will there be an increase in accessibility to research experiences for underrepresented students in the revised model? This assessment will, in part, involve reexamining student trajectories through the major and from student feedback. We will spend this time determining how we will assess these factors utilizing direct and indirect assessment techniques, with a particular emphasis on how to employ pre- and post-change data most effectively.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

                          2025-26 to 2028-29 (our next self-study is 2029-30)<\/strong><\/h3>\n
                            \n
                          1. Revisit all Major ILOs in light of expected upcoming revisions of the American Psychological Association\u2019s \u201cGuidelines for the Undergraduate Psychology Major.\u201d<\/li>\n
                          2. Submit an Assessment Report in February of Year 4 summarizing the assessment activities, reviewing the findings, and reflecting upon the implications of the data.<\/li>\n
                          3. We appreciate that program assessment is an iterative process and will revise our Assessment Plan accordingly based on knowledge gained from our earlier assessment data.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/article>\n\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t<\/div>\n\n\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

                            In the Spring of 2021, the Academic Assessment Committee launched a new Decennial Assessment Cycle, designed to sync with departments’ and programs’ ten-year external review cycle and more intentionally link […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2679,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-259","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp.stolaf.edu\/assessment-committee\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/259","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp.stolaf.edu\/assessment-committee\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp.stolaf.edu\/assessment-committee\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp.stolaf.edu\/assessment-committee\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2679"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp.stolaf.edu\/assessment-committee\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=259"}],"version-history":[{"count":47,"href":"https:\/\/wp.stolaf.edu\/assessment-committee\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/259\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1626,"href":"https:\/\/wp.stolaf.edu\/assessment-committee\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/259\/revisions\/1626"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp.stolaf.edu\/assessment-committee\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=259"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}