Overview

The primary purpose of Minnesota State University Moorhead (MSUM) is to educate our students. The true measure of our institution is how well our students learn the knowledge and skills we have determined are critical to their success as individuals, professionals, and citizens. The process of assessing student learning, then, is a vital part of understanding how well we are accomplishing our goals.

In recent years, increased attention has been paid to assessing student learning.

• Assessment has become “professionalized” allowing educators to gain access to a wide body of literature and expertise available on the topic.

• Additionally, regional and national accrediting agencies have required increased attention to documenting student learning.

• Finally, the institutions’ constituents—students, their families, the state government, and system office—are asking that we can publicly demonstrate our effectiveness.

Assessment of student learning at MSUM has two major components:

• The first focuses on student learning outcomes as stipulated in the expectations of degree-granting programs. These student learning outcomes are also specified in the MSUM Bulletin. If appropriate, non-degree programs may also specify student learning outcomes and assess those outcomes.

• The second component is assessment of student learning in the Dragon Core by the Dragon Core Assessment Committee. Dragon Core student learning outcomes are specified in the Dragon Core Competency Areas.

Assessment Principles

The following principles should guide assessment activities at Minnesota State University Moorhead. These principles have been articulated by the Higher Learning Commission as good standards for the assessment of student learning.

1. Appropriate. A program’s stated student learning outcomes should be appropriate to the university mission and department/program goals. MSUM’s teaching and learning processes should cohere in ways that are meaningful for students.

2. Documented. Programs should be able to document that student learning is appropriate for the degree awarded and consistent with MSUM’s standards of academic performance.

3. Useful. Departments and programs should regularly gather evidence of student learning and make decisions regarding the program using this evidence.

4. Collaborative. The collection, interpretation, and use of student learning evidence is a collective endeavor, and is not viewed as the sole responsibility of a single office or position. Those at MSUM with a  stake in decisions of education quality should participate in the process. Ultimately, the development, implementation, and revision of assessment plans rest with academic departments responsible for their major course of study. Departments and programs should develop plans that reflect their unique mission, goals, and academic content.

5. Institutionalized. Assessment of student learning will become part of the MSUM culture, allowing us to monitor our quality and drive us to achieve our mission. Woven throughout the MSUM decision-making and planning processes should be a commitment to student learning and reflection on the evidence that documents student learning at MSUM.

Additional documentation on Assessment of Student Learning is available from the Higher Learning Commission.

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