North Dakota state university horticulture and forestry program assessment

Abstract

Assessment at North Dakota State University is considered to be a conversation about learning outcomes enriched by data with a goal of improving student learning. On the classroom level, this focuses on developing techniques to assess course-related knowledge and skills but may also include techniques to assess learner reactions to teaching and their course-related learning, study skills, and self-confidence. On the program level, this consists of an assessment plan and a corresponding assessment report. These assessment plans identify how the entire curriculum will be assessed over time, whereas the report documents plan implementation. The report consists of the activities designed to collect information on the success of each course. These activitiesmay be direct, indirect, or non-measures of student learning. The direct measures along with a few indirect measures provide answers to the university assessment committee on student learning assessment questions: "what did you do?," "what did you learn?," and "what will you do differently as a result of what you learned?".