Learning Assessment Council
Contact: Sylvia Gray | 503-977-4073 | sgray@pcc.edu
Learning assessment is a crucial piece of what PCC submits to its accrediting agency, the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU). In order to remain in compliance with accreditation standards, we must:
- Be engaged in learning assessment in some creative way
- Be able to show that we are using what we learn to make adjustments and improvements
Beyond these important requirements, however, is the institutional desire to demonstrate that our students are in fact learning what we say they are learning, and to make improvements where we find that improvements need to be made. These two motives can be synergistic rather than mutually exclusive.
What Are We Assessing? The College Core Outcomes!
- Communication
- Community and Environmental Responsibility
- Critical Thinking and Problem Solving
- Cultural Awareness
- Professional Competence
- Reflection
Learn more about the PCC Core Outcomes.
Learning Assessment Focus for 2009-2010
This year's core outcome choice of focus is Critical Thinking and Problem Solving, so assessment will focus on outcomes that:
- Identify and investigate problems
- Evaluate information and its sources
- Use appropriate methods of reasoning to develop creative and practical solutions to personal, professional and community issues