What is Assessment?

Assessment is an ongoing process aimed at understanding and improving student learning. It involves making our expectations explicit and public; setting appropriate criteria and high standards for learning quality; systematically gathering, analyzing, and interpreting evidence to determine how well performance matches those expectations and standards; and using the resulting information to document, explain, and improve performance. – Tom Angelo, AAHE Assessment Forum

Assessment is the systematic collection, review and use of information about educational programs undertaken for the purpose of improving student learning and development. – Palomaba & Banta, Assessment Essentials, 1999

There are five primary activities of assessment:

• Deciding what is important to know about student learning and institutional effectiveness
• Choosing the best ways to measure those objectives
• Gathering and analyzing information and data
• Communicating results to appropriate constituencies
• Using the information to for accountability and improvement.

Northwestern College is committed to the development and implementation of an assessment plan that focuses on important outcomes, uses multiple measures to gather the best information, uses the information to improve, and distributes this information to interested stakeholders.

The purpose of this site is to share Northwestern College assessment plan, provide faculty and staff with access to resources available and to communicate assessment results.