June 2020 OPA Blog

Comparing 2017-2018 Assessment Results to 2018-2019 Assessment Results

The Office of Planning & Assessment (OPA) has continued to conduct a meta-analysis of university-wide assessment results since 2015.  This meta-analysis has always included professional staff from OPA, and our staff has always used a detailed rubric to evaluate all TTU degree programs.  Historically, the rubric evaluated degree programs on the following categories: student learning outcomes, assessment methods, results, and actions for improvement.  However, in 2018-2019, we included follow-up statements as a new category. We decided to include this separate category as a way to truly “close the loop.”  By including follow-up statements, we could provide evidence that degree programs engaged in some type of reflection regarding their assessment findings. 

In addition to adding a separate category of follow-up statements in 2018-2019, OPA also included TTU faculty in its meta-analysis of degree programs.   Faculty provided meaningful qualitative comments, which will be included in a report to department chairs over the course of the Summer 2020 terms.

The chart below demonstrates negligible declines in student learning outcomes, assessment results, and actions for improvement when comparing 2017-2018 overall university results to 2018-2019 overall university results.  OPA will monitor these findings to determine whether the results are declining, or whether these results are the result of a more stringent rubric.  We are encouraged by the gains in 2018-2019 actions for improvement and follow-up statements.  These results certainly convey that TTU faculty are more actively engaged in documenting these final steps of “closing the loop.”