In this article, Julia So discusses the purpose of program assessment, four common missteps of program assessment and reporting, and how to prevent them. The four common missteps of program assessment and reporting she has observed are: (1) unclear or ambiguous program goals; (2) measurement error of program goals and outcomes; (3) incorrect unit…

The statewide program review process for Illinois community colleges required by the Illinois Community College Board (ICCB) is scheduled on a five-year cycle, however, the value of program review is lost without regular opportunities for engagement and reflection on what has been learned through the process (Eggleston, 2020). Furthermore, one of…

Strategic planning is the process in which organizations develop goals and objectives that drive actions for the purpose of fulfilling their institutional mission. This paper addresses how strategic planning can be utilized at community colleges. A review of relevant literature is also included. A qualitative case study research methodology was…

Institutions of higher education are expected by accrediting agencies to perform systematic monitoring of student learning and evaluate the effectiveness of programs of study and institutional operations to identify what needs improvement and then enact planned change to improve the institution; however, many struggle to make this connection. This…

Recent research has shown the use of standardized placement testing has caused more students to place incorrectly into developmental education due to the narrow and rigid cut scores. Placing unnecessarily into developmental education can be costly for both the student and the institution and cause negative emotional effects that may lead students…

Online learning at Pennsylvania community colleges increases access to education throughout the commonwealth and delivers programs of local interest to students globally. The academic technology leaders at these institutions find ways to promote and support quality online learning courses and programs, often with few or no additional staff,…

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…

As institutions cope with the difficult task of managing scarce resources to support student learning, college writing centers, like other student services, need to be able to articulate and, at times, quantify the benefits they offer the populations they serve. This study examined outcomes associated with visiting the writing center at one…

This research brief provides community college educators who are facilitating program review with tips, suggestions, and resources to ensure a high-quality review that advances equitable student outcomes.

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…

This chapter provides an overview of three assessment scholars whose work influenced the articles contained in this volume.

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…

Historically, colleges have used standardized testing to determine whether a student is ready for college-level work or requires developmental courses first, but this method has been criticized as inaccurate. To obtain more accurate placements, nearly three-quarters of colleges now use multiple measures assessment (MMA) systems. These systems…

Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA), like other community colleges, does not require Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT) scores or similar entrance examinations for admission. However, new college applicants must demonstrate their levels of reading, writing, and mathematics skills to determine whether they need developmental courses to prepare…

Since the George Floyd murder in 2020 and Black Lives Matter campaign, there has been increased interest among evaluators and PIs in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) in their projects and evaluations. Our previous research showed a lack of clarity in understanding the distinction between the terms in practice and desire to engage with these…