Assessing learning outcomes

Why is ACE featuring this work? 

Many institutions have articulated the goal of producing “globally competent graduates,” but few have clearly defined what this means or how they will know when they have achieved this goal. In trying to achieve this goal, institutions tend to simply "do more" of what they already do under the banner of international education; for example, sending more students abroad, introducing more courses with an international or global focus, or increasing the number of international students who are enrolled at the institution. While all of these strategies are good, they do not necessarily ensure that all graduates will be globally aware or competent. Success is most often measured in terms of the level of activity, or the “inputs” to global learning. The unanswered question on most campuses concerns how international programs and courses (inputs) affect student learning (outcomes). 

The Assessment Loop

We define assessment as a cyclical process undertaken to improve learning. It consists of several components:  

• Articulating global learning outcomes
• Gathering evidence of students’ achievement of those outcomes
• Interpreting the evidence found
• Using the findings to improve learning opportunities

Principles of Good Practice

Thinking about Good Assessment, Barbara Wright (Pre-Meeting Workshop, ACE Internationalization Collaborative 2005)

Principles of Good Assessment, by Bob Mundhenk (Pre-Meeting Workshop, ACE Internationalization Collaborative 2006)

For more information about assessing international learning, please contact:

E-mail: christa_olson@ace.nche.edu
Phone: (202) 939-9739
Fax (202) 785-8056

Last updated: December 22, 2006