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

username field and “guest 1” in the password field. It can also be accessed through live links on
the Assessment of Student Learning page found under the A-Z index on the WNCC home page.
WNCC has taken a proactive approach in educating faculty and staff members on the value and
use of assessment within the College environment. The objective for initial training sessions was to
institute change in the attitudes and culture relative to assessment and to show faculty and staff
members how proper assessment can improve instruction. Objectives of later sessions are to
provide opportunities for faculty and staff members to acquire the specific tools they need to
successfully integrate assessment strategies into their current efforts and future activities. Below
are examples of in-house training activities that have been conducted over the last three years:
Table 7-32 Highlights of Assessment Activities
Academic Year Activity Sessions
2006-07 Learn Shops on assessment methods 14
2006-07 Improving Student Learning classes 2
2006-07 Instructional Design course offered 1
2007-08 Adjunct Faculty Training Sessions 6
2008-09
In-house Workshops on rubric development and the
assessment of general education
6
2008-09 Linda Suskie’s three-part Assessment Seminar series 6
WNCC has benefited from the appointment of faculty coordinators leading the Student Learning
and Assessment Committee since 2004. The following projects and focus areas outline changes
and improvements made to the WNCC student learning initiative since the position was formalized.
Assessment Handbook
The WNCC Assessment Handbook was created during the summer of 2008 by the Student
Learning and Assessment Coordinator as a quick reference for faculty and staff members needing
to know more about the purpose and methods of assessing student learning. The document is
streamlined in its content and structured for ease of use. The Assessment Handbook additionally
serves as a ready reference to review the College’s philosophy and role and mission statements.
In the fall term of 2008, sessions were held at the Inservice program where Assessment
Handbooks were made available to faculty members, including those at the Sidney and Alliance
campuses. The Handbook is designed as an introduction to the assessment of student learning
and also contains reporting forms, a word list from Bloom’s Taxonomy, samples of classroom
assessment techniques, website addresses for helpful sites, and a section on rubrics.
Assessment Handbooks are distributed at each new faculty orientation, along with a briefing on the
institutional initiative. For the last two years, adjunct instructors have also received an orientation
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Western Nebraska Community College