Assessment in Postsecondary Education

The systematic and ongoing process of gathering, analyzing, and using data for improvement purposes. Typically, constructs such as knowledge, skills, attitudes, and beliefs are examined in measureable terms based on explicit and clearly predefined outcomes. Once the collected data are analyzed, the results may be used to determine the extent of change, growth, impact, or effectiveness occurring within a particular sample, organization, or class. The assessment process culminates when assessment results are used for improvement purposes. An example might include determining whether one's educational interventions increased students' learning and/or performance. Areas in which obtained scores are unsatisfactory often require reassessment of intervention techniques and adoption of new (or different) strategies intended to improve learning.