All courses at National Park College (NPC) utilize standardized Course Level Objectivs (CLOs) and Program Level Objectives (PLOs), regardless of instructor or delivery system. In these courses, each CLO is aligned with corresponding PLOs; these PLOs are then aligned with the institutional General Education Objectives (GEOs). Objective mapping from the CLO level up to the GEO level is therefore imbedded in all course objectives. As a result, any data that NPC collects on CLO attainment may subsequently be used to measure PLO and GEO outcomes as well.
The Learning Management System (LMS) at NPC allows faculty to link assessments—including select portions of assessments—to the appropriate CLOs for data reporting. This data is available for review by administrators via a few clicks of the mouse, and provides an enormous reservoir of assessment data. These reports are particularly important within specific programs that require student outcomes as part of their accreditation process.
Deans can specifically target CLO attainment in any field of study, use this data to discover areas with lower levels of attainment, and then work with faculty to improve CLO mastery by our students. NPC can also determine if every campus class is effectively meeting all of the standard CLOs assigned to that course during a given semester.
NPC is in a multi-year process to train all faculty in these procedures of CLO data collection. Each faculty member will link classroom assessment to one or more of their CLOs within the LMS. This training is on-going and is a required for all faculty. Once complete, every single classroom assignment will be assessable electronically, and the results will be available in usable, quantitative form.
Primary assessment reporting is fulfilled each year by the General Education common assessment and the Program assessment process, but campus-wide CLO assessment will provide NPC with tremendous amounts of data previously impossible to collect. The process (beginning in fall of 2019) looks like this:
- Faculty training in using the LMS to link assessments to CLOs
- Staggered implementation across the divisions
- Developing the proper data collection and reporting procedure for CLO assessment
- Utilizing CLO attainment as part of the annual assessment review
As collected, campus-wide CLO assessment data will be made available on the NPC Assessment Data Repository page.
General Education courses at NPC are primarily assessed using a common assessment method to guarantee quality data collection. NPC offers almost 90 courses within the Arkansas Division of Higher Education’s (ADHE) Arkansas Course Transfer System (ACTS). From this pool of classes students may satisfy their 35-hour core curriculum requirement. Each of these courses has standardized course-level objectives (CLOs) that individually align with both program-level objectives (PLOs) and/or the institutional GEOs. Common assessments allow the college to assess the GEOs that are most critical to the learning outcomes of that individual course.
NPC applies common assessments in courses that naturally and thoroughly test student achievement in one or more of the institutional GEOs. NPC specifically targets assessment to maximize the collection of quality, uniform data. Common assessments are faculty created and administered in all modes of course delivery by both full and part-time instructors. Every two years the common assessment is reviewed and adjusted as needed by the college’s deans and faculty.
General Education and the Institutional GEOs—Meeting Our Goals
The list below describes the link between General Education ACTS courses and the collection of GEO assessment data via the common assessment procedure.
GEO #1 — Communicate effectively using oral, written, and electronic methods
The goal of GEO #1 is to develop the multi-faceted communication skills necessary to complete degrees at NPC, and to ensure students are prepared to enter the workforce with the appropriate literacy tools to be successful. Improving literacy and proficiency in communication technology is the cornerstone of NPC’s General Education curriculum.
To measure learning outcomes for GEO #1, NPC collects assessment data in courses such as:
- English Composition I and II
- Fundamentals of Speech
- American Literature
- Introduction to Computing
- Spanish
- French
- Technical Writing
- College Seminar (First-Year Experience)
GEO #2 — Use critical and analytical thinking skills
The goal of GEO #2 is to produce students who can develop critical thinking skills, problem-solve, and apply the appropriate methodologies to reach sound conclusions. The ability to look at complex issues from a multiplicity of perspectives and isolate correct solutions is a required skill that permeates much of our General Education curriculum.
To measure learning outcomes for GEO #2, NPC collects assessment data in courses such as:
- College Algebra
- Quantitative Literacy
- American National Government
- State and Local Government
- Anthropology
- Geography
- General Physics
- Astronomy
- General Psychology
GEO #3 — Demonstrate discipline-specific knowledge, skills, and competencies
The goal of GEO #3 is to teach students the specific skills and competencies that directly impact their ability to work within a field of study. Can a student perform a stoichiometric equation? Differentiate the bones of the human foot? Are students able to properly calculate static loads for an engineering design? These assessments are crucial to determine how our students will be successful in transfer to another college, or upon entering the workforce.
To measure learning outcomes for GEO #3, NPC collects assessment data in courses such as:
- University Physics
- General Chemistry I and II
- Anatomy and Physiology I and II
- Geology
- Microbiology
- Introduction to Criminal Justice
- Calculus I, II, and III
- General Biology
GEO #4 — Exemplify professional demeanor, ethical behavior, and respect for diversity
The goal of GEO #4 is to prepare students to adapt and flourish in an ever-changing global community with the skills needed to be a good team member, co-worker, and citizen. We expect our students to be tolerant, professional, and empathetic within a diverse setting, and to understand that success in their community requires honest cooperation and engagement with all constituent parts of that community.
To measure learning outcomes for GEO #4, NPC collects assessment data in courses such as:
- Sociology
- Anthropology
- World Civilization I and II
- Social Problems
- Developmental Psychology
- College Seminar (First-Year Experience)
- U.S. History I and II
- Art Appreciation
- Music Appreciation
- World Literature
For each academic year, all documents associated with General Education assessment at NPC may be found at NPC Data Repository page.