Clark State College to focus on staff’s growth

HLC’s Assessment Academy is a tool for colleges to bolster student learning. It “routinely identifies assessment as an area where colleges and universities seek improvement. The Academy provides the tools needed for better assessment, and we believe these institutions are on track as a result for improved student learning,” said HLC President Barbara Gellman-Danley.

According to HLC, it is “a private not-for-profit company that is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education to act on its behalf as an institutional accrediting agency.”

Those who attended the academy for Clark State were a mix of instructors and deans. It “provides a structured, mentor-facilitated program aimed at advancing and accelerating an institution’s efforts to assess student learning,” Sues said.

From June 2019 through June 2023, participants identified best practices for assessing student learning, engaged community members in the student learning assessment process, identified and trained leaders in assessment techniques and worked to build a culture and commitment to use assessment regularly as a means to improve student learning for the long term.

Year 1 focused on launching the assessment project and in Year 2 the team began piloting assessment strategies; In Year 3 it focused on refined and evaluating the progress and Year 4 was to expand and sustain, reflecting on outcomes and creating a sustainable plan.

“The experience will have a forever impact on our teaching and learning,” Sues said. “The Clark State team’s participation demonstrates our commitment to providing quality education to the community.”

Other institutions that participated were Ashland University in Ashland; Wilbur Wright College, which is part of the City Colleges of Chicago; Crowley’s Ridge College in Paragould, Ark.; Kansas City, Kan. Community College; Lorain County Community College in Elyria; Metropolitan Community College in Omaha, NE and Wheaton College in Wheaton, Ill.