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At John Tyler Community College, students engage in a variety of educational experiences designed to help them develop their skills, knowledge, and abilities. Assessment of student learning is at the course, program, and general education core levels. Additionally, the college measures and reports student achievement data and state licensure exam pass/fail rates.
Students are expected to participate in assessment activities for the purposes of program evaluation and continuous improvement. Associate-level degree candidates are required to participate in college-wide assessment prior to graduation, if requested. Failure to complete required assessment activities may result in transcripts and/or diplomas being withheld until this requirement is fulfilled.
Course-Related Student Learning Outcomes
All courses contain a list of learning outcomes and/or objectives, located in the course syllabi. Faculty assess student learning through assignments, projects, quizzes, and tests. Course-related assessments, in total, comprise the student’s final grade in the course. Faculty may use the results of these assessments to evaluate student learning, at the course-level, to determine areas of improvement.
Program-Related Student Learning Outcomes
All approved and active academic programs have program-related student learning outcomes (P-SLOs), which are located on the Majors pages of the college website. Faculty measure and report the results of formal assessment of P-SLOs annually, and these reports are housed in the Office of Institutional Effectiveness. The results of annual assessment are also summarized in periodic academic program reviews, along with other key performance indicators (KPIs).
General Education Student Learning Outcomes
In 2019, the State Board of the Virginia Community College System approved a revised policy on general education outcomes, also referring to these outcomes as core competencies. According to VCCS Policy 5.0.2 General Education, the associate degree programs within the Virginia’s Community College System support a collegiate experience that meets the general education requirements of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) and the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV). The collegewide general education student learning outcomes are based on the VCCS definitions and aspirational statements below.
- Civic Engagement is the ability to contribute to the civic life and well-being of local, national, and global communities as both as social responsibility and a life-long learning process. Degree graduates will demonstrate the knowledge and civic values necessary to become informed and contributing participants in a democratic society.
- Student Learning Outcome: Demonstrate the knowledge and civic values necessary to become informed and contributing participants in a democratic society (Civic Engagement).
- Critical Thinking is the ability to use information, ideas and arguments from relevant perspectives to make sense of complex issues and solve problems. Degree graduates will locate, evaluate, interpret, and combine information to reach well-reasoned conclusions or solutions.
- Student Learning Outcome: Locate, evaluate, interpret, and combine information, to reach well-reasoned conclusions or solutions (Critical Thinking).
- Professional Readiness is the ability to work well with others and display situationally and culturally appropriate demeanor and behavior. Degree graduates will demonstrate skills important for successful transition into the workplace and pursuit of further education.
- Student Learning Outcome: Demonstrate skills important for successful transition into the workplace and pursuit of further education (Professional Readiness).
- Quantitative Literacy is the ability to perform accurate calculations, interpret quantitative information, apply and analyze relevant numerical data, and use results to support conclusions. Degree graduates will calculate, interpret, and use numerical and quantitative information in a variety of settings.
- Student Learning Outcome: Calculate, interpret, and/or use numerical and quantitative information in a variety of settings (Quantitative Literacy).
- Scientific Literacy is the ability to apply the scientific method and related concepts and principles to make informed decisions and engage with issues related to the natural, physical, and social world. Degree graduates will recognize and know how to us the scientific method, and to evaluate empirical information.
- Student Learning Outcome: Recognize and know how to use the scientific method, and to evaluate empirical information (Scientific Literacy).
- Written Communication is the ability to develop, convey, and exchange ideas in writing, as appropriate to a given context and audience. Degree graduates will express themselves effectively in a variety of written forms.
- Student Learning Outcome: Express oneself effectively by developing, conveying, and/or exchanging ideas in writing, as appropriate to a given context and audience (Written Communication).
These competencies are assessed, primarily, in student coursework. Graduate testing and stakeholder feedback may also provide supplemental evidence of assessment of these outcomes.
Student Achievement
The college measures and tracks student achievement of key performance indicators (KPIs) at the college-level. The data collected helps the college evaluate multiple measures of student success. In addition to analyzing and reporting KPIs, the college also reports pass/fail rates of state licensure exams. Student achievement data and pass/fail rates are updated annually and posted under the Student Achievement webpage.
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