6 Solutions to Learning Outcomes Assessment

The documentation stage of the learning outcomes assessment process is critical in demonstrating to accrediting bodies that your program or institution is meeting standards through the implementation of a systematic and operationalized process.

The problem lies in the fact that most individuals responsible for accreditation documentation have never been formally trained in program evaluation. Luckily, there are multiple learning assessment products that can assist with data collection, accreditation documentation, and learning interventions. The following learning outcomes assessment solutions are all designed to meet requirements set forth by accrediting bodies like the AACSB, ACBSP, and IACBE.

ETS Major Field Tests

These assessment products are designed to be implemented in Bachelor of Business and MBA programs. The ETS Major Field Tests measure student learning outcomes and program effectiveness in order to benchmark student performance against other similar institutions.

Some of the learning outcomes assessment and accreditation reports generated by the ETS Major Field Tests include:

• Individual Student Report: total score and sub-score for each student.
• Departmental Summary: frequency distribution of total scores and sub-scores showing the percent of students scoring below each percentile.

Peregrine Academic Services

This learning assessment service is a customizable and nationally normed exam. It’s a summative assessment designed for Business Administration academic programs at the undergraduate and graduate levels. The Peregrine Academic Services allow you to evaluate retained student learning while assessing and analyzing program-level and course-level learning. This assessment method also allows you to benchmark results against other programs and institutions.

Peregrine’s assessment generates the following reports:

• Individual Student Results
• Summative Reports
• Comparative Reports

Comp-XM

Comp-XM is a simulation-based competency exam that measures students’ ability to apply knowledge gained in their academic careers. Comp-XM has an intuitive reporting interface that allows you to build and customize your own reports. In addition, the validity and relevancy of its expert-backed questions will demonstrate to accrediting bodies that you’re truly enhancing program and educational quality.

Comp-XM provides you with reliable data for accreditation documentation and generates easy-to-read learning outcomes assessment reports such as:

• Functional Area Report: course-level summaries drill down to individual student performances.
• Learning Outcomes Report: data from exam is collected for accreditation audits and program assessments.
• Comparative Scores Report: shows how well students understand business concepts relative to their peers.

Capsim360

This multisource-feedback assessment is designed to measure nine key managerial soft skills that directly impact student success post-graduation. Capsim360 allows you to demonstrate program value and effectiveness while meeting students’ need of developing relevant skills and knowledge.

Some of the benefits provided by Capsim360 include:

• Relevancy: research has identified the nine key managerial skills measured in this assessment tool as the most important for career success.
• Reliable and Valid Results: the 48 behavioral and 2 open-ended questions in this assessment tool have been field tested on more than 2,000 individuals and 16,000 responses.

In addition, Capsim360 generates the following learning outcomes assessment reports:

• Individual Data: personal development plans, curriculum choices, and co-curriculum needs.
• Learning Outcomes Report: descriptive and benchmark statistics, program evaluation, employee relations, and marketing efforts.

TeamMATE

TeamMATE is an easy-to-use, online assessment tool designed to enhance student learning while simplifying grading for professors. This assessment tool uses performance science and decades of research to collect quality data about individual and team performance.

TeamMATE’s benefits include:

• Easier Grading: online peer evaluations that can be implemented in any course.
• Valuable Feedback: aggregate data in easy-to-read interactive charts and tables.
• Personalized Developmental Tactics: personalized tactics based on evaluation data.

CapsimInbox

This simulation-based assessment measures five key soft skills that directly impact employability and promotability. The five soft skills, which have been cited in research as the most sough-after by hiring organizations, are the following:

• Organizing
• Leading
• Problem Solving
• Communicating
• Initiating

CapsimInbox objectively measures these five soft skills while providing students with the personalized actionable feedback needed for individual development. Features in this soft skill assessment tool include:

• Self-Assessment: students self-evaluate their perceived current skill proficiency.
• Inbox: students make real-world management decisions as they experience a day in the life of a manager and respond to various situations.
• Feedback Report: students are able to obtain a clear picture pf their current skill proficiency and can identify strengths and weaknesses.
• Individual Development Plan: students have personalized actionable next-steps to take ownership of their development and improve each soft skill.

CapsimInbox is the easiest way to assess and develop soft skills. Furthermore, it allows you to show accrediting bodies that your program and institution is enhancing educational quality by teaching and assessing relevant skills while providing developmental feedback.

To learn more about these learning assessment methods and how they can help with your accreditation documentation process, access your free eBook – The Ultimate Guide to Learning Outcomes Assessment. This eBook will also provide you with guidelines for improving the overall design and validity of your learning outcomes assessment process and reports.