Demystifying Learning Outcome Assessment at the Program Level

In addition to being an essential part of the continuous cycle of improvement, program assessment helps to provide for documented accountability, improved learning content, and enhanced pedagogy.  The process of developing learning outcomes for programs using descriptions of the ideal graduate, program descriptive material, faculty and student input, and overlapping course outcomes will be demystified. Audience participation will be used to solidify the process using a public horticulture program within a hypothetical university.  Both direct and indirect assessment methods will be explained including classroom embedded assessment, capstone experiences, collective portfolios, standardized tests, pre- and post-tests, exit interviews, and various surveys.  A program matrix will be shown to indicate how to track where various program learning outcomes are being addressed within individual courses.  This presentation will give a fundamental first approach to assessing and documenting program learning.