Some states have attempted to streamline the process of providing prior learning assessment (PLA), also referred to as credit for prior learning (CPL), for work and life experiences. In terms of enrollment management, colleges nationwide look to increase student enrollment and positively impact attrition. Credit for work experience could have a…

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to examine how faculty chairs at a large, Midwestern community college understand and engage with the assessment of student learning outcomes within academic programs. This study was informed by two conceptual paradigms of assessment: accountability and improvement. Sensemaking was used as a…

Evaluation decisions regarding students' success in Open Education faculties such as pass/fail based on cut-off scores affect the quality of these systems. The qualification of Open Education students to obtain a bachelor's or associate's degree is determined by their passing grade. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether the minimum…

Whereas Kindergarten through Grade 12 teachers go through extension education and training to teach, it is rare for a college faculty member to go through training on how to teach. Since there is little research about higher education faculty professional development, the purpose of this study was to learn the perspectives of college faculty who…

Remedial courses have been part of the college landscape in the United States since at least the 1800s when nearly 250,000 students were placed into remedial courses. Traditionally, students who enrolled in remedial courses were placed into that course solely based on one test score. Students who enrolled in traditional remedial courses were more…

This chapter describes a model of assessment based on Action Research that promotes and relies on faculty engagement to improve student learning.

This chapter describes the role of faculty in conducting quality assessment and includes suggestions for preparing for successful meetings with reviewers on accreditation teams.

Colleges use academic success strategies to improve the retention rates of students with disabilities. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to investigate community college faculty's perceptions of their level of self-efficacy in meeting the learning needs of students with hidden disabilities (SHD) in higher education. Bandura's theory…

This article describes a faculty-led project to assess and revise institutional student learning outcomes at a small urban community college. The revision process involved four stages: (1) exploring stakeholders' explicit and implicit understandings through an experimental assessment; (2) using statistical tools to identify redundancies and…

Learning assessment at two-year colleges is growing, but not much has been published about it yet. In general, our smaller classrooms, diverse student population, high proportion of adjunct faculty, and academic freedom in teaching methods and tools set the stage for a different approach to assessment than at four-year institutions. This is the…

The purpose of this study was to investigate the content, student learning outcomes, and types of measures used for assessment in music appreciation courses across the State University of New York (SUNY) community colleges. Data was collected using a researcher-designed questionnaire; instructional faculty of music appreciation courses at SUNY…

This chapter affirms the increasing value of outcomes assessment at one of many institutions where once it was mostly ignored, how the knowledge afforded by increased use of assessment functions as a precursor to change, and how the faculty and staff work of program and outcomes assessment--discussions, decisions, preparations, actions,…

Enrollment rates for student with disabilities in higher education continue to rise, particularly in 2-year colleges, but graduation rates have not kept pace due to barriers not addressed by traditional disability supports (Black et al., 2014; NCES, 2019; Smedema et al., 2015). Inclusive instruction is a low-cost, high-impact solution that can be…

In this report we walk through a systematic review of how PLA [prior learning assessment] was implemented under the ideal circumstances provided by the TAACCCT [Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training] grant program. We found that there was positive policy development, but student use of PLA opportunities remained low. In…

As participation in online learning continues to expand, higher education institutions must implement policies and procedures to ensure quality at the course, program, and institution levels. In this paper, the authors describe a process that the State University of New York (SUNY) System implemented, utilizing the OLC Quality Scorecard, to help…