Grant Summary
$150,000 over 18 months. With support from The Teagle Foundation, the Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) will provide a program of faculty development to consortia of colleges and universities working on assessment of liberal education outcomes. The self-identified consortial groups, invited to apply for funding from the Foundation, will be offered assistance with planning, implementation, and capacity building as they develop models of value-added and direct assessment of student learning. Included in the resources available will be access to assessment experts, individually tailored on-campus consultations, working meetings to introduce/review important concepts, materials (both printed and web-based), and opportunities for mutual exchange. Among the topics addressed will be the importance of clear learning outcomes as a basis for assessment; the potential of integrative capstone experiences to demonstrate and assess achievement; pathways of learning that include general education and the majors; curricular coherence; and research on how learning occurs and ways to enhance teaching effectiveness. The ultimate goal of AAC&U's facilitative work in this project is to foster faculty responsibility for the totality of undergraduate education and to do so in ways that allow for transparent assessment of important learning outcomes. A related goal is to provide national leadership for the liberal arts community on ways to assess student learning and achievement.