General Education Assessment Strategy
Assessment Overview
The University of Idaho uses the Idaho State Board of Education’s General Education Matriculation (GEM) course competencies found in Policy III.N to assess UI General Education courses that fall into the following categories:
- Written Communication
- Oral Communicaiton
- Scientific Ways of Knowing
- Mathematical Ways of Knowing
- Humanistic and Artistic Ways of Knowing
- Social and Behavioral Ways of Knowing
They use learning outcomes created by the University Committee on General Education to assess UI General Education courses that fall into the following categories:
- American Diversity
- International
- Capstone Experience
Both the GEM course competencies and the UCGE created learning outcomes are mapped to University of Idaho learning outcomes.
General education assessment is aligned to Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities accreditation standards. The overall General Education Assessment Strategy includes the following:
General Education assessment will focus on assessing General Education Learning Outcomes derived from Idaho State Board of Education’s General Education Matriculation (GEM) course competencies found in Policy III.N and the University Committee for General Education. It entails evaluating specific course learning outcomes linked to signature assignments, specific to General Education curricular components or content.
All students engaged in General Education will be assessed, including University of Idaho students in the general education curriculum and those enrolled or completing their general education under the State Board of Education (SBOE) transfer student general education curriculum referred to as “State Board Core.”
- Assessment Artifacts, instructor selected (direct)
- Syllabi Review (indirect)
- Graduating Senior Survey (indirect)
- Graduating Seniors Focus Groups (indirect)
- Faculty Focus Groups (indirect)
- Alumni Survey (indirect)
- NSSE Data (indirect)
Statewide General Education courses and courses that fall within the state mandated GEM areas (Ways of Knowing) are evaluated using the Idaho State Board of Education Rubrics. Institutionally designated General Education course are evaluated using the Institutional Learning Outcomes (Learning Matters).
- Senior Experience evaluation is ongoing through the Course Learning Outcomes portion of the Annual Program Review process APR in Anthology.
- Assessment of all general education courses is ongoing through the Course Learning Outcomes portion of the Annual Program Review process APR in Anthology.
- Expanding assessment to other general education components, such as American Diversity and International courses is ongoing through the Course Learning Outcomes portion of the Annual Program Review process APR in Anthology.
- Sampling of all syllabi from specific general education categories on an annual rotating basis by the University Committee on General Education and as is outlined in the Assessment Plan 2020-2025. (e.g., American and International courses were reviewed during 2020-2021).
Assessment results are available through the office of the Director of General Education. Please contact Barb Kirchmeier, Director of General Education & Assessment at barbara@uidaho.edu.