The foundations of good assessment work are well-written learning outcomes statements and usable curriculum maps. This page provides tips and resources for creating both.

Learning Outcomes Statements

Learning outcomes statements are concise, action verb-oriented statements that describe what a learner will know or be able to do after completing an assignment, course, or program.

In 2023, UIS was awarded a $2.25 million Strengthening Institutions Program (SIP) Grant from the US Department of Education that will allow the university to focus on improving and expanding high-impact educational practices.

In the spring semester of 2023, the Office of the Provost made available five assessment grants for faculty engaging in assessment work at the course or program level. Faculty completed their projects during the 2023-2024 academic year and presented their work at the 2024 Assurance of Student Learning Day. Final reports for each of the grant-funded projects are linked below.

First Year Experience at UIS

First Year Seminar (FYS) at UIS is a program of small, topic-based courses designed to introduce new, first-year students to content from an academic discipline while also developing foundational skills for academic success in college. Students take a first-year seminar ideally in their first semester. Seminars are 3 credit hours and fulfill the general education Freshman Seminar requirement.

General Education Assessment Timeline

Over an eight-year timeline, each of UIS's General Education Student Learning Outcomes is assessed over a two-year cycle using relevant AAC&U VALUE Rubrics.

Assessment of student learning at UIS occurs at the course, program, and institutional levels. Click the buttons below to learn more about ongoing assessment activities at UIS.

Assessment Plans

Assessment plans are guiding documents that outline where, how, and how often student learning will be assessed.

Good assessment plans:

The goal of assessment is improvement, but using assessment data for improvement is arguably the most difficult part of the assessment process. It is much easier to identify learning outcomes, plan for assessment, and collect data. Identifying changes to be made, implementing those changes, and assessing their impact require much more time and thought.