Get curious about the assessment process
What is academic assessment?
Academic assessment is the systematic collection and analysis of evidence of student learning with the intent to apply the results to improve learning, courses, and/or programs. The video below provides a brief overview on the what and why of academic assessment. There's much more to learn about assessment, but the video will help you get your feet wet.
Learning outcomes assessment is cyclical and recurring
There are many perspectives about how many stages comprise the assessment process. The important detail to remember is that assessment happens all the time (whether you realize it or not) and happens cyclically.
The UC Davis assessment team believes in simple and straightforward methods that center students and their learning. We divide the learning outcomes assessment cycle into four stages.
Assessment Stages
- articulating outcomes and clarifying curricula;
- discerning the types and sources of assessment evidence;
- planning and collecting evidence of learning; and
- analyzing and using results.
On the pages linked above, you'll find detailed topic guides for each stage. As you work through each stage and have questions, contact us at [email protected]. We're here to help!
NOTE: The focus of this website is providing clear guidance for faculty who are curious about assessing student learning outcomes in courses or programs. The assessment practices described herein align with expectations articulated by the UC Davis Academic Senate Undergraduate Council and the assessment expectations in the undergraduate program self-review process.