WNCC 2010 Self-Study Report - Western Nebraska Community ...

Criterion Three: Student Learning and Effective Teaching
The organization’s provides evidence of student learning and teaching
effectiveness that demonstrates it is fulfilling its educational mission.
Core Component 3a: The organization’s goals for student learning outcomes
are clearly stated for each educational program and make effective
assessment possible.
WNCC has a tradition of assessing student learning, and as the College looks to the future, it
seeks methodologies to improve academic achievement. In line with the College’s educational
purpose, WNCC believes that the assessment of student learning accomplishes the following:
1. Improves student learning
2. Involves all members of the College community and appropriate advisory committees
3. Measures student learning in all phases of the academic program, including the
competency level of graduates
4. Implements quality improvement based on data collection, analysis, following the
implications from results, planning, and strategic allocation of resources
The Assessment Initiative at WNCC
WNCC has been involved in assessment activities since the 1980’s. English instructors led the
way by initiating a placement requirement that all students entering Freshman Composition must
complete a holistically-scored placement essay prior to enrolling in the course. After screened
reading sessions, students would be placed in either a transfer course or the newly created precollege
writing course. After discussion and research, placement testing in other areas became
the standard practice.
The College developed and submitted a formal plan for the assessment of student learning to the
Higher Learning Commission in June 1995, since its plan had not been approved at its
accreditation visit in 1990; approval was granted by the commission in the spring of 1996. By
1999, WNCC had converted the plan into a college-endorsed program. During subsequent years,
the program has changed; however, the plan continues to serve as an assessment guide. In 2006,
a master plan was adopted to direct assessment activities (RR 65). The master plan was presented
and distributed to members of the President’s Cabinet, the WCCA Board, the Student Learning
Committee, to attendees at a faculty meeting, and to Division Chairs.
The Master Plan is available to internal viewers through the WebCT/Blackboard Assessment
website accessed through their WNCC Portal. External viewers can find the plan by going to
http://webct6.wncc.net/webct/entryPageIns.dowebct, then entering the word “assessment” into the
Western Nebraska Community College Page 97