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Contact:
Tracy Spesia
Professorial Lecturer, SOE Faculty and Co-Chair, Senate Committee on Learning Assessment
Learning Outcomes and Assessment
,
United States
Mission
American University’s assessment of student learning is led by a faculty committee on student learning assessment. Currently, the Senate Committee on Learning Assessment (COLA) includes members from each school/college and a Core program representative. The mission of the committee is as follows:
- To focus on understanding and improving student learning. Assessment is the tool that can enable a department to determine whether it is meeting its goals in student learning, but it is not the 'end' - it is a means to an end.
- To support and facilitate assessment activities that can best improve student learning.
- To facilitate the development of learning objectives across campus and to facilitate knowledge about these objectives.
- To foster the collection and dissemination of assessment information.
- To support, foster and document the appropriate use of assessment information for program improvement and promotion.
About COLA
In AY2023-2024, COLA is chaired by Tracy Spesia (School of Education). Kimberly Cowell-Meyers (School of Public Affairs) serves as the vice-chair.
Each year, the committee members support academic programs to strengthen their assessment plans and submit annual assessment reports, based upon faculty determined Learning Outcomes. . Committee members also provide feedback on the annual assessment reports.
To learn more about the committee, please email AUlearning@american.edu.
Details can also be found on the Faculty Senate website.