Technology can change higher education by empowering students to make an impact on the world as undergraduates. Done systematically, this would allow institutions to close the credibility gap with an increasingly dubious public. Authentic student achievements that are addressed to a "real world" audience can lead to richly detailed…

Prepared by the Outcomes Assessment Task Force (OATF) at Owens Community College (OCC), in Ohio, this document describes the philosophy guiding assessment at OCC and provides a non-prescriptive guide for implementing an assessment plan. Part I provides an introduction to outcomes assessment at OCC, including OCC's assessment philosophy, a list of…

Suggests steps in planning and managing student tracking systems: build support, determine the system's purpose, inventory available student data, identify information gaps, consider a small prototype, make tracking ongoing, and use the system. Reviews potential problems during implementation. Cites further sources of information. (DMM)

Designed to help community colleges establish institutional effectiveness programs, this workbook provides step-by-step instructions and sample forms from an effectiveness program developed by South Carolina's Midlands Technical College (MTC). Introductory sections provide an overview of institutional effectiveness and the reasons for implementing…

As state governments and the public demand greater accountability from community and technical colleges, increasing focus is placed on the concept of assessing student academic achievement. To be effective, assessment processes should provide institutions with information that helps develop specific plans for improving operations. While processes…

Background information is provided on the development and activities of Project Cooperation, a demonstration project to help institutions improve educational effectiveness by employing outcomes measures and assessment strategies. After highlighting the various activities of the project (e.g., a national survey, research on different plans and…

In June 1993, the Quebec Commission d'evaluation de l'enseignement collegial (CEEC) was created to conduct evaluations of the assessment of student achievement and quality of college programs of studies in the province. This report presents CEEC guidelines for evaluating institutional policies for the evaluation of student achievement (IPESA's).…

Many colleges and universities are engaged in new efforts to assess the outcomes they produce. As a first step, these institutions usually examine their mission statement, goals, and objectives. These form the foundation for assessment but they are also fundamental tools for enhancing institutional effectiveness in general. This handbook was…