Assessment at St. Olaf has long been understood as “inquiry in support of student learning.” We gather systematic evidence of our students’ knowledge, proficiencies, and learning experiences, so we can sustain what is working and strengthen what needs to be improved. In 2010, St. Olaf was one of four institutions to receive the national Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) award for “Outstanding Institutional Practice in Student Learning Outcomes,” the first liberal arts institution to be so recognized.
The Office of Institutional Research and Effectiveness gathers evidence every year concerning college-wide student learning outcomes, such as critical thinking, effective writing, quantitative reasoning, and research proficiency. The sources listed below provide a mix of direct evidence concerning students’ knowledge, proficiencies, and values, and indirect evidence concerning students’ experiences, perceptions, and attitudes.
- Alumni Survey
- Collegiate Learning Assessment (CLA)
- National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE)
- Research Practices Survey (RPS)
- St. Olaf Learning Goals Questionnaire (LGQ)
In addition, St. Olaf assesses its General Education (GE) program, in order to sustain and strengthen student learning within and across courses in the GE curriculum. Faculty and staff also gather evidence of student learning in a wide array of academic programs at St. Olaf, such as majors, concentrations, conversations, experiential learning, and study abroad.
To learn more about assessment at St. Olaf, visit the Office of Institutional Research and Effectiveness website.