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Academic Senate Certification68 2005-2006
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UNN IM IDADDEPUERTORlCCRECINTODER b IEDRA8
.%O&*YO. ~ W e NQflF"UCC3, Secretaria del Senado Acadkmico del
Recinto d e Ro Piedras, I Jniversida de Puerto Rico, C&~lmic, Que:I Senado Acadm ico en la reun in ord inar ia celebrada el 20de abr il de 2006 , tuvo ante su cons iderac in e l Punto Nm.5 : Pr e g u n t a s e n t o r n o al I n f o rm e d e l Co m i t d e A su n t o sEA c a d m i c o s s o b r e e l Plan d e Ev a l u a c i n del A p r e n d i z a j eE s t u d i a n t i l y acordb lo siguiente:
Enmendar e l In fo rme sobre el Plan de Eva luac in de lAprend izaje Estudiant i l en las pginas 12 y 2 0 , para que lea :Paaina 12:1. Prim era etapa
Cada programa acadmico con st l t uir , org anizar o designarun comit en cargado de preparar su Pla n de Evalu acidn de/ aprendizajeestudiantil y dirigir su implantacin. La par t lclpaci n estu diant l l recaeral m enos en d os es tud ian tes de l p rogram a concern ido o en sudefecto e l Consejo de Estud iant es de cada facul tad los designar. Elnm ero de los representant es estudiant i les en e l Com it no excedere l m x imo segn estab lec ido en e l A r t i cu lo 63 del Reglamento deEstud iant es del Reclnt o de Ro P iedras.
Paina 20: Columna 2 (Actividades) inciso 2.1 Const i tu i r , organizar o deslgnar un comit encargado de laEvaluacin del Aprendizaje en programas (denominado comoComits en los programas)
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Certificacin Nm. 68, AA o 2005.2009 Senado Acadmico Pglna NQm.2
El Informe del Comit de Asuntos Acadmicos en torno al Plande Evaluaci6n del Aprendizaje Estudiantil, segn enmendado,fue aprobado por el Cuerpo y formar parte de estaCertificacin.91WQflQileflsfCfOWTe,expido la presente Certificacin bajo
el sello de la Liniversidad de Puerto Rico, Recinto de Ro Piedras, a lasveinte das del mes de abril del ao dos mil seis.
UNIVERSI DADC f PUERTO RICCREClWODERlOPIEDRIS
L ~ * q + - - Carmen I . RafliucciSecretaria del Senadorema
AnejoCertifico Correcto:
Rectora Interina
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Office of the Dean for Academic Affairs
Plan for the Assessment ofStudent Learning
Committee for the Learning-Assessment Plan
Ro Piedras Campus
University of Puerto Rico
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I NDEX
INTRODUCTION 1
THE LEVELS OF THE PLAN 5
Institutional level 5Academic Program level 8
DEVELOPMENT OF THE PLAN FOR
THE ASSESSMENT OF STUDENT LEARNING 11
Schema 11
Program description 11
Description of proposed assessment process 12
Plan for the Assessment of Student Learning 12
Annual Progress Report 12
BIBLIOGRAPHY 13
APENDIXES
A. Committee, Plan for the Assessment of
Student Learning 16
B. Context 18
C. Implementation schedule 22
DIAGRAM 1
Structure of the Plan for the Assessment of Student
Learning, Rio Piedras Campus 25
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INTRODUCTION
In pursuit of the Campuss commitment to maintaining excellence in university-level
education at the University of Puerto Ricos Rio Piedras Campus, and to addressing the
institutional obligations contained in the Strategic Action Plan (SAP), Academic Senate
Certification 64, and the document entitled Toward A Learning Community: Reflections on the
Teaching-Learning Processes on the Rio Piedras Campus, and Recommendations (1999), a
committee1 designated by the Dean of Academic Affairs has developed the Plan for the
Assessment of Student Learning (PASL) described in this document. In addition,
recommendations and standards of accrediting agencies such as the Middle States Association of
Colleges and Schools were taken into consideration in formulating the Plan, while the Rio
Piedras Campuss mission statement is its point of departure (see Appendix B).
The Plan for the Assessment of Student Learning on the Ro Piedras Campus reflects this
institutions recognition of student learning as the moving force behind all educational activities
and experiences on the Ro Piedras Campus. This plan has the following objectives that are
expected to be accomplished in five years:
Establish a continous institutional system to evidence the progress and achievements of
the academic programs in relation to student learing as a result of the curricular sequence
of each student.
Articulate all the activities of the different offices in relation to the assessment of student
learning.
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Plan for the Assessment of Student Learning, Ro Piedras Campus
Improve the teaching-learning process and the academic planning in desicin making and
promote reflexion using the findings of the assessment process at the institutional and
academic programs levels.
Use the findings of the assessment process to revise the curriculum and services that the
academic programs provide.
In this document, academic programs is taken to mean all those programs which grant
degrees in accordance with certifications by the Puerto Rican Council on Higher Education
(CHE). The student-learning outcomes are identified in the UPR/RP mission statement as well as
in each academic programs mission, goals, objectives, and graduating-student profile. The
Campuss mission statement identifies the following domains that are to be expected of its
student body, regardless of college, academic program, or year of studies:
intellectual curiosity
capacity for critical thinking
ongoing learning
effective communication
appreciation and cultivation of, and commitment to, the values and ideals of
Puerto Rican society
social responsibility
capacity for independent study
research and creative endeavor
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Plan for the Assessment of Student Learning, Ro Piedras Campus
program expects from its students. Knowledge refers to the particular body of facts, data,
information and the many and various interpretations that can be given to these data, which the
program expects its students to acquire. Skills indicates what students are able to do with the
knowledge they have acquired. Attitudes represents students disposition to act in an ethical
and responsible manner. The PASL will also facilitate the gathering and interpretation of
information on student learning with respect to the expected domains set forth in the Campuss
mission statement and to the particular knowledge, skills, and attitudes of each academic
program.
In this plan, assessment is an ongoing, formative process aimed at gathering, analyzing,
and interpreting information on what students have learned and what they can do with what they
have learned. The academic programs will utilize the findings that emerge from this process to
improve student learning, teaching, academic planning, curricular offerings, and the programs
own academic administration. The PASL will also help to compile evidence on the performance
of students with respect to their learning vis--vis the expectations set forth in the Campuss
mission, goals, and objectives.
The assessment of student learning contemplated in this plan is designed to answer four
principal questions:
What do we expect students to learn at the UPR/RP?
What do we do to help them achieve that learning?
How do we gather evidence on the students learning?
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Plan for the Assessment of Student Learning, Ro Piedras Campus
These questions suggest that the purpose of the process is to promote reflection on the
institutions commitment to student learning. This reflection will, in turn, help direct efforts
toward improving teaching and student learning.
The plan provides a frame of reference common to all academic programs on the
Campus, enabling them to implement a system that can gather evidence on students learning
vis--vis the objectives set by each academic program and the Campus as a whole. The
committee has developed this plan with respect for the history, autonomy, and diversity of each
academic program; therefore, the plan is intended to serve as a general guide, and is not intended
to dictate or prescribe the assessment activities and instruments to be used.
Nor is the individual academic programs assessment plan designed to gather information
on everything that is important for that program in terms of student learning; it is not a
description of everything the academic program hopes its students learn. Rather, the plan, which
is ongoing, gathers information on elements of that learning, and as the Campus compiles the
information provided by each program, the Campus as a whole will be able to gauge the degree
to which the goals for the domains set forth in its mission statement have been achieved.
Information on everything that the Campus does and strives to do with respect to student
learning will not be gathered.
The PASL is underlain by the following principles:2
Its focus or center is the learning expected of students.
It requires many and varied sources of information, through time, on student learning.
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It documents the academic programs achievements vis--vis their educational objectives.
It is a participatory, dialogic process.
It disseminates information on learning outcomes.
It serves as a guide for reflection and decision-making on the achievement of the
academic programs objectives for their students learning.
It improves the teaching-learning process in particular, and the institutions educational
quality in general.
THE LEVELS OF THE PLAN
In order to put the PASL into effect on the Rio Piedras Campus, two operational levels
are proposed: the institutional level and the program level. Diagram 1 is a graphic representation
of the plans structure.
Institutional Level
The institutional level is structured to ensure that the Plan for the Assessment of Student
Learning is implemented as designed and is completed on schedule. The campus administration
(the Chancellor, the Dean of Academic Affairs, the Dean of Graduate Studies and Research, the
various college deans, and the directors of professional schools) is charged with leadership in
initiating, developing, and maintaining an institutional culture which gives major importance to
teaching and student learning and to its appropriate evaluation. At both the institutional and
program level, responsibilities for the development and implementation of the PASL are shared
by the institutions administrative personnel and faculty However we recognize that the key
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The Office of the Dean of Academic Affairs and the Office of the Dean of Graduate
Studies and Research will provide the financial support necessary for the implementation and
evaluation of the PASL. These offices will closely monitor the implementation of the academic
programs PASLs by maintaining close communication with the deans of colleges and directors
of professional schools. These offices are also charged with overseeing and facilitating
coordination with the other Campus offices that offer support for the assessment of student
learning, such as the Registrars Office, the Office for Academic Planning (OAP), and the Center
for Academic Excellence (CAE).
During the second semester of 20032004, the Dean of Academic Affairs established the
Office for the Assessment of Student Learning (OASL). The function of this office is to support
and give guidance to academic programs and provide follow-up on implementation of the
Campus PASL. It is charged with the following task:
Making recommendations on institutional policy relating to the assessment of student
learning.
Collaborating with the academic programs in developing their individual learning-
assessment plans.
Providing technical assistance and resources, when necessary, for the design of data-
gathering instruments and other assessment activities.
Gathering information on the implementation of the academic programs individual
PASLs, as set forth in the Campus plan.
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Carrying out a formative evaluation of progress in implementing the plan, and making
any necessary adjustments in that process.
Providing information to expand the SAGA database, in consonance with the Campus
PASL.
Coordinating with the CAE in the design and implementation of a training program on
the learning of assessment and the development of the PASL.
Encouraging professors and students to take an active part in the development and
implementation of their academic programs students learning assessment plans as well
as of the overall Campus plan.
Recommending to the administrators of academic programs that they offer incentives to
faculty members, such as sponsoring faculty participation in professional activities on
assessment and learning-evaluation in Puerto Rico and abroad.
Offering technical support to professors interested in developing research projects related
to student-learning assessment within the sphere of their teaching.
Offering technical support in the use of assessment findings (and/or outcomes) to
improve the teaching-learning process.
Analyzing the academic programs reports and incorporating data from the OAP so that
those reports can help the programs achieve an overview of the state of student learning
on the Campus.
Keeping the appropriate institutional authorities informed of the progress of PASL
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Academic Program Level
The academic programs will be responsible for the creation and implementation of their
own individual PASLs, which will take into account the following elements:
The domains set forth in the Campus mission statement.
The knowledge, skills, and dispositing appropriate to the discipline or field of study, as
identified in the programs mission, goals and objectives, and graduating-student profile.3
The courses and educational experiences in which student progress or achievement in the
selected knowledge, skills, and attitudes determined in the academic programs and other
college is fostered.
The way in which evidence on its students learning is gathered and evaluated.
The moment or time at which that information is gathered. Each program should gather
information on student learning at at least two points; one of these must be at the end of a
course sequence.
The sequence, scope, and depth of courses in which the selected domains, areas of
knowledge, skills, and attitudes are taught.
The information and technology knowledge and skills in which the library plays a central
role.4
The use of direct and indirect techniques for gathering information on student learning.5
3These principles should emerge from a consensus among the academic programs faculty members and students.
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The dissemination of the plan to the academy community.
Implementation of the PASL at the program level will initially be carried out in two
stages. In the first stage, which will last for three years, each academic program will gather and
interpret information on at least two of the following four domains within the Campuss mission
statement:
Capacity for critical thinking
Effective communication
Social responsibility
Research and creative activity
Each academic program will also gather, analize and interpret information on at least one
of the areas of knowledge, skills, or attitudes inherent to the discipline or field of study. In the
second stage, which will last for two years, each program will gather, analize, and interpret
information on the remaining domains within the Campus mission statement and at least one of
the other areas of knowledge, skills, or attitudes inherent to the particular discipline or field of
study. After the PASL is evaluated, the implementation schedule will be revised (see Appendix
C).
Responsibility for assessment of student learning on the Rio Piedras Campus will be
shared between the academic programs, the colleges or schools, and the institution as a whole, in
keeping with the calendar for implementation of the PASL on the Campus, but as we have stated,
the Campuss colleges and schools will be mainly responsible for implementation of their own
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Gathering and analyzing the reports from the various academic programs.
Outlining strengths and areas of need.
Structuring a plan of action for addressing the needs identified by the assessment.
Justifying the budget impact resulting from the findings.
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DEVELOPMENT OF THE PLAN FOR THE ASSESSMENT OF STUDENT
LEARNING
In order to design and develop a plan for assessing the students learning in academic
programs, we recommend the schema outlined below. Initially, this plan should include
assessment by and within the academic programs for the first three years. Every two years, a plan
is to be formulated for incorporating the additional mission domains and at least one of the fields
of knowledge, skills, or attitudes inherent to the particular discipline or field of study.
In addition, each program should submit to its dean or director an annual progress report
on the implementation of its plan. The format of this report is given at the end of this section.
The dean of the college or director of the professional school will gather and evaluate the annual
reports submitted by the academic programs. This administrator will analyze the findings with
the programs and submit a report to the OASL and the Office of the Dean of Academic Affairs,
summarizing those findings and recommending actions to be taken.
Schema
a. Program description
This part includes information describing the academic program that is designing the program
PASL. Once the plan has been designed for the first time, this information will be revised or
updated for each subsequent stage.
1. College or School
2. Department
3 Name of academic program
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b. Description of proposed assessment process
This space will contain a description of how the assessment process is to be carried out within the
program. The following questions may serve as a guide for this description: What is going to be done to
gather information on the studentss learning in the program? At what point is the information going to be
gathered? What technical and human resources are to be used? How is the process to be carried out?
c. Plan for the Assessment of Student Learning
This table summarizes the principal elements of the programs PASL. Each row will show what the
program proposes to do to gather information on student learning within the period of time allotted for
that mastery.
Domains of the Campusmission statement,
programs areas ofknowledge, skills, and
attitudes
Courses or ex-periences in
which infor-mation will be
gathered
Points at whichinformation will
be gathered
Data-gatheringactivities or
instruments
Criteria Person or unitresponsible
d. Annual Progress Report
Once its PASL is implemented, each academic program will submit an annual report containing,
as a minimum, the following information:
What information was gathered vis--vis what the Plan intended?
What were the findings (strengths and areas needing strengthening)?
How were the findings utilized?
What actions and decisions did the academic program take, or will it take, to address
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BIBLIOGRAPHY
Angelo, T. A., and P. K. Cross (1993). Classroom Assessment Techniques: A Handbook for CollegeTeachers. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Association of American Colleges. (1985). Integrity in the College Curriculum. Washington, D.C.:
Association of American Colleges.
Astin, A. W. (1993). Assessment for Excellence: The Philosophy and Practice of Assessment and
Evaluation in Higher Education. New York: American Council on Education & Oryx Press
Banta, T. W.; J. P. Lund; K. E. Black; and F. W. Oblander (1996). Assessment in a Practice. SanFrancisco, CA: Jossey-Bass Publishers.
Banta, T. W. & Associates (1993). Making a Difference: Outcomes of a Decade of Assessment in Higher
Education. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass Publishers.
Brown, S., and A. Glasner (1999).Assessment Matters in Higher Education: Choosing and Using Diverse
Approaches. Philadelphia: The Society for Research into Higher Education & Open University
Press.
Ewell, P. T.; P. Hutchings; and T. Marchese (1991). Reprints of two papers on assessments history and
implementation. Washington, DC: American Association for Higher Education.
Ewell, P. T. (1983). Student-Outcomes Questionnaires: An Implementation Handbook. Colorado:
National Center for Higher Education Management Systems.
Halpern, D. F. (1987). Student Outcomes Assessment: What Institutions Stand to Gain. San Francisco,
CA: Jossey-Bass Publishers.
Heywood, J. (1977)Assessment in Higher Education. New York: John Wiley & Sons
Hutchings, P. (n.d.) Behind Outcomes: Contexts and Plan. Washington DC: American Association for
Higher Education.
Hutchings, P.; T. Marchese; and B. Wright (1991). Using Assessment to Strengthen General Education.
Washington, D.C.: American Association for Higher Education.
Joint Committee on Standards for Educational Evaluation (2003). The Student Evaluation Standards:
How to Improve Evaluations of Students. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
Maki, P. (January 15, 2002). Using Multiple Assessment Methods to Explore Student Learning and
Development Inside and Outside the Classroom Net Results April 25 2003
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Principles for learning assessment
American Association for Higher Education
Principles of good practice for assessing student learning
http://www.aahe.org/principl.htm
http://www.aahe.org/assessment/principl.htm
The National Center for Fair & Open TestingPrinciples and Indicators for Student Assessment Systems
http://www.fairtest.org/princind.htmPrinciples for Fair Student Assessment Practices for Education in Canada
http://www.2learn.ca/Projects/Together/fair.html
Resources for assessment techniques and instruments
University of Wisconsin at Madisonwww.wisc.edu/provost/assess/manual/manual2.html
Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville
www.siue.edu/~deder/assess
Web sites for universities in the United States containing examples of institutional or
learning assessment plans
Clemson Universityhttp://assessment.clemson.edu
Florida Atlantic Universityhttp://iea.fau.edu/asment/epic.htm
Ohio Universitywww.cats.ohiou.edu/instres/assessments/ncaplan.html
San Diego State Universityhttp://dus.sdsu.edu/assessment/
University of Massachusetts at Amherstwww.umass.edu/oapa
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University of Maryland at Baltimorehttp://www.umbc.edu/provost/Reports/MiddleStates/PRR-Final-5-22-01.pdf
South Dakota State Universityhttp://www3.sdstate.edu/Academics/AcademicAffairs/
Seton Hall Universityhttp://www.shu.edu/
Adelphi Universityhttp://administration.adelphi.edu/orap/
Portland State Universityhttp://www.cae.pdx.edu/assessment/0203AIplan.html
East Tennessee State Universityhttp://www.etsu.edu/iep/CAP/cap.htm
Miami University of Ohiohttp://www.units.muohio.edu/led/assessment/index.htm
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Appendix ACommittee, Plan for the Assessment of Student Learning
In May of 2003, Dr. Sonia Balet, Dean of Academic Affairs, appointed the following persons to
this committee; their first meeting was held on May 28, 2003. The committees principal responsibility
was to design and develop the plan for the assessment of student learning on the University of Puerto
Ricos Rio Piedras Campus. In addition, the committee was to play a central role in directing and
supporting efforts aimed at planning for the implementation of student-learning assessment on the
Campus. This committees ultimate goal is to ensure that the process of student-learning assessment is
useful for the institution and helps the colleges, departments, and academic programs to plan, improve,
review, revise, and evaluate the curriculum and the entire teaching-learning process.
Member name
E-mail address
7877640000,
extension:
Dr. Sonia Balet
(Dean of Academic Affairs)[email protected] 4915
Prof. Nadia Cordero
(Director, CAE)
[email protected], 2964
Dr. Nereida Delgado
(Faculty, College of Business Admin-
istration)
[email protected], 4047
Dr. Mara del C. Garca(Associate Director, CAE) [email protected] 2963, 2964
Dr. Consuelo Figueras
(Director, School of Information
Sciences and Technologies)
[email protected] 5028
Dr. Aurora Lauzardo
(Associate Dean, Academic Affairs,
Office of the Dean of Graduate
Studies and Research [DGSR])
[email protected] 2515
Prof. Mara Luisa Mattei(Coordinator, PASL Committee)
Dr. Mara del R. Medina(Faculty, College of Education,
Coordinator)
[email protected] 4457
Dr. Andrs Menndez
(F lt C ll f Ed ti )
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During the first semester of academic year 20032004, Dr. Ivonne Moreno (chair, Department of
Psychology), and Dr. Priscilla Negrn (researcher, OAP) were members of the committee. Prof.
Mara Luisa Mattei joined the committee in the second semester of that year. Graduate student
Jocelyn Velsquez was assigned to the committee as research assistant, and she took the minutes
and agreements in its meetings.
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Appendix B
Context
The statements of the mission and vision of the University of Puerto Ricos Ro Piedras
Campus are the point of departure for the institutions assessment plan. The Mission of the
Campus is:
1. To foster the integral education of its students through programs of study which promote
intellectual curiosity, the ability for critical thought, constant learning, effective
communication, an appreciation for and cultivation of ethical and aesthetic values,
participation in the workings of the Campus, and social awareness and a sense of social
responsibility.
2. To provide graduate education of the highest quality, whose key elements are research and
creative work, and which helps to strengthen undergraduate education. Furthermore, to provide
post-bachelors programs for the education and training of professionals of the highest caliber,
committed to the ideals and values of Puerto Rican society.
3. To provide an undergraduate education of excellence which offers students a unified vision of
knowledge, bringing general education and specialization into harmony, and fostering in
students the capacity for independent study and research.
4. To develop teaching, research, and service to and participation in the life of the community, with
respect for the historical and social conditions of Puerto Rico, in keeping with its Caribbean and
Latin American surroundings yet reaching out into the international community. To enrich and
strengthen the storehouse of knowledge pertinent to the consolidation of Puerto Rican
nationality, its history, language, and culture, while at the same time to foster the growth and
di i i f k l d i i l l l
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progress of Puerto Rican society, to the analysis of the Islands socioeconomic and political
problems, and to the formulation of solutions to those problems, and to the improvement of
quality of life.
Certification 64 (198990), issued by the Ro Piedras Campus Academic Senate, sets forth a Guide
for the Evaluation of Programs or Units that Submit Reports to the Academic Senate of the Ro
Piedras Campus. This certification is based on Academic Senate Certification 17 (197879) and
Council on Higher Education Certification 149 (198788). Certification 64 provides guidelines and
criteria to aid academic programs in carrying out self-studies and submitting their evaluation reports
to the Academic Senate. Among the recommendations included there is the following: Evaluate
student achievement in quantitative and qualitative terms and evaluate the means adopted by the
college for improving that performance. (p. 8)
Council on Higher Education Certification 93113 establishes the rules and procedures for
preparing, analyzing, and processing proposals for the creation and revision of academic programs.
Section XVI (Evaluation) requires a summative assessment plan that includes evaluation of (1) the
programs effectiveness in achieving its objectives, (2) student achievement, (3) the adequacy of the
faculty, (4) student and faculty opinion of the program, (5) the degree to which the program trains
students to exercise their functions in the workplace (for professional programs), (6) job-market
demand for graduates, and (7) the adequacy of physical and financial resources.
The UPR/RPs Strategic Action Plan (SAP), approved by the Academic Senate and the
Administrative Board in 1997, defines this institutions goals and priorities until 2006. One of the
strategic areas in this plan is Evaluation, which requires ongoing tracking of the plans
implementation The following objectives are to be achieved:
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Each program and administrative unit of the campus will design a five-year development plan
to address its particular needs within the framework of the Campuss general strategies for
action.
The campus will develop agile, flexible mechanisms for maintaining the formulation and
implementation of plans incorporating the outcomes of institutional and academic
assessments.
The campus will develop information systems that will allow outcomes assessment and
reformulation of strategic plans.
In the list of Strategies for Action, one of the objectives for the Key Area of Student Life is to evaluate
and constantly review the quality of academic and administrative services offered to students.
The 1995 and 2000 reports submitted to the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools
(MSA) reported that the Office of Academic Planning and the deans had prepared a proposal to translate
the campus mission into expected outcomes in the teaching process and had also set forth methods for
achieving those goals. The reports also noted that the academic programs were to be responsible for
outcomes assessment. The reports further stated that even though there was no plan for outcomes
assessment, some assessment activities had been carried out on the Campus, among which was the use of
certain tests and indicators (College Board scores, admissions indices, and interviews). In addition,
follow-up and retention studies had been done for active students. The student information system, they
reported, was in the process of development, and that system included data on students academic
progress and other relevant variables.
The programs and units have compiled information on their students in the areas of student
achievement and academic progress; retention; graduation rates; compliance with program requisites;
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level. The MSA recommended that efforts for outcomes assessment be strengthened and an informational
system adequate for supporting such actions be implemented.
The report of the evaluation team representing the Commission on Higher Education of the MSA
(February 26March 1, 1995) states the following:
When dealing with institutional planning (section XI), the Commission indicates that the
planning process should include among its most important purposes:
The establishment of infrastructure and mechanisms for evaluating and assessing
progress of the University.
Assignment to the office [of Academic Planning] the responsibility of assisting colleges
to assess student outcomes al all levels.
Allocation of funds for staff training on institutional research and assessment issues (such
as testing methodologies, statistical analysis, etc.)
In keeping with these priorities, we have identified nine learning domains (see Diagram 1) which are
expected of this Campuss students, regardless of college, academic program, or year of study. The
assumption is that these areas include the areas of knowledge, skills, and attitudes that are fostered and
developed through the educational experiences this Campus offers. These various types and aspects of
learning are reflected in the objectives and the assessment activities presented in this plan.
From among these domains, the academic programs or departments within the colleges are to
select those that can feasibly be assessed in the short and long term in accordance with the proposed plan.
Once the domains have been selected, the colleges, programs, or schools are to define them operationally
and formulate the corresponding goals and objectives. This is necessary in order to plan and develop the
techniques and instruments by which information will be gathered and to define the criteria for
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Plan for the Assessment of Student Learning, Ro Piedras Campus
Appendix CImplementation scheduleImplementation and evaluation of the PASL
The implementation and evaluation of the PASL will be carried out in five phases over a period
of five years, as noted below in Table 1.
Phases
1. Publication, review, revision, and approval of the Campus Plan for the Assessment of Student
Learning (PASL).
2. Development of assessment plans by the academic programs.
3. Implementation of the Campus PASL.
4. Formative evaluation of the implementation of the Campuss and some programs PASLs.
5. Summative evaluation of the Campuss PASL.
Table 1. Schedule for implementation and evaluation of the Plan for Assessment of Student Learn-ing (first five-year cycle)
Phase 1st sem.20042005
2nd sem.20042005
1st sem.20052006
2nd sem.20052006
1st sem.20062007
2nd sem20062007
1st sem.20072008
2nd sem.20072008
1st sem.20082009
2nd sem.2008-2009
1
23 Pilot
10programs
Pilot10
programs10
programs10
programs10
programs10
programs10
programs10
programs10
programs10
programs
4
5
Each semester of academic year 20042005, five academic programs will develop their individual PASLs
and implement them the next semester, as a pilot program. Thus, it is expected that by December of 2005
there will be at least 10 programs with plans implemented. Over a period of five years, it is expected that
at least 90 academic programs will have implemented their individual PASLs. The goal is that as a
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Plan for the Assessment of Student Learning, Ro Piedras Campus
Table 2. Timetable for Implementation and Evaluation of PASL
Phase Time Period Activities Unit responsible
1. Publication,
review, revision,
and approval of
the Campus Plan
for the Assessment
of StudentLearning
August 2004-
May 2006 1.1 Develop electronic site for the PASL DAA, CLAP
August 2004-
October 20041.2 Hold public hearing on the PASL
DAA, DGSR, and
CLAP
August 2004-
December 2004
1.3 Incorporate recommendations from theuniversity community into the PASL
CLAP
October-
December 2004
1.4 Approval of the PASL by the AcademicSenate
DAA, CLAP, and
Academic Senate
August 2004-
May 2005
1.5 Give orientations and workshops on theassessment of learning to administrative
staff, faculty, and students
DAA, CAE, and
OAAE
January 2005-
May 2006
1.6 Develop instrument for the assessment oflearning on the Campus
OAAE, OAP, and
consultants
2. Development of
assessment plans
by academic
programs
August 2004-
December 2006
2.1 Set priorities, strategies, and deadline forthe development of the programs PASLs
DAA and OAP
August 2004-
December 2004
2.2 Form committees in charge of learning-assessment in departments and programs
Deans and directors
of programs;
profesors; and Stu-
dent Council
August 2004-
May 2007
2.3 Provide orientation and technical advice todepartments and programs on development
of learning-assessment plan dovetailing into
Campus PASL.
OAAE, DAA, OAP,
DGSR and programs
committees
3. Implementationof the Campus
Plan for
Assessment of
Student Learning
August 2004
December 2004
3.1 Appoint a coordinator for Campus student-learning assessment
DAA and DGSR
January 2005-
December 20053.2 Implement pilot PASLs in 10 programs
Coordinator and
Program Committees
August 2005-
May 2009
3.3 Implement PASL in programs (min. 10 persemester)
Program committees,
DAA, and DGSR
May 20053.4 Begin pilot administering of data-gathering
instrumentsAssessment
coordinator
December 2005-
December 2006
3.5 Develop instruments to gather data onlearning in each academic program
Assessment
coordinator,
programs com
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Plan for the Assessment of Student Learning, Ro Piedras Campus
Table 2. Timetable for Implementation and Evaluation of PASL
Phase Time Period Activities Unit responsible
4. Formative eval-
uation of the
implementation of
the Campus and
some programs
PASLs
January 2005-
May 2007
4.1 Gather information on implementationprocess for overall Campus and within
programs
OAAE and external
evaluation
January 2005-
May 2007
4.2 Monitor the Campus and programsutilization of findings from the assessment
process
College deans, DAA,
OAAE
May 2005-
May 20094.3 Evaluate the findings
College deans and
OAAE
May 2005-
June 2007
4.4 Prepare annual reports on progress inimplementation of PASLs in programs
Program committeesand college deans
4.5 Request input from external evaluations onimplementation of PASLs
External evaluators,
DAA, DSGR, and
college deans
5. Summative
evaluation of the
Campus PASL
August 2008-
May 2009
Gather information on the process of
implementation of the PASL at Campus and
program level.
External evaluators
Prepare final report and give recommendations. External evaluators
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Plan for the Assessment of Student Learning, Ro Piedras Campus
September 2004 25
Diagram 1Structure of the Plan for the Assessment of Student Learning, Ro Piedras Campus
Domains1. Intellectual curiosity
2. Capacity for critical
thinking
3. Ongoing learning
4. Effective communication
5. Appreciation and cultiva-
tion of, and commitment to,
the values and ideals of
Puerto Rican society6. Social responsibility
7. Research and creative
endeavor
8. Capacity for independent
study
9. Unified and holistic view
of knowledge
Areas of knowledge, skills,and attitudes in majors,
specialties, and programs
Missionof the Ro Piedras Campus
of theUniversity of Puerto Rico
Program level
-- Committees in charge of PASLs
Institutional LevelOffice of the Dean of Academic
Affairs (DAA)
-- Office of Student-Learning
Assessment (OSLA)
Office of the Dean of Graduate
Studies and Research (DGSR)
- Institutional Assessment
Plan
- Plan for the Assess-
ment of Student Learn-
ing (PASL)
PASLs of the academic
programs