Program Improvement Documentation

How to Document Program Improvements and "Close the Loops"

The Annual Program Assessment Report submitted in the fall includes program development recommendations for the program learning outcomes (PLOs) assessed. The recommendations are based on the program faculty/staff interpretations of the assessment results.

The intent of implementing recommendations is to improve student learning, which should be indicated quantitatively and/or qualitatively by assessment results compiled the next time the same PLO is assessed. Therefore, closing the loop occurs by nature of the ongoing, program assessment cycles. To document progress and the effects of any changes, programs do two things:

  1. Each spring the PAL provides an update regarding program development activities the program worked on during the academic year. This update is a brief survey form emailed to PALs in spring semester. Program development activities may be identified on Annual Program Assessment Reports, and by program review, integrated planning, and other means.
  2. In the next reporting cycle for the PLO(s), the program documents the new assessment results and the faculty/staff discuss the potential ways that the changes previously identified and implemented impacted the results. The information is provided on the report for each PLO in Section 2.