Taking Stock of Initiatives to Improve Learning Quality in American Higher Education Through Assessment

Learning outcomes assessment is a consequential issue in U.S. higher education. Driven by calls for accountability from accreditation agencies, federal and state actors, and other stakeholders, and criticism about the value of higher education, there is currently heightened interest in the attainment of learning outcomes along with the use of this evidence by colleges and universities to improve student learning. This chapter traces the establishment of learning outcomes assessment in U.S. higher education, describes the more influential and enduring initiatives, elaborates their role and impact on learning outcomes assessment, and then discusses six issues that represent the unfinished agenda of student learning outcomes assessment. Although significant progress has been made over the last 3 decades to develop research-based and actionable approaches to learning outcomes assessment, and by all accounts, more assessment activity is occurring, challenges remain. Current approaches have yet to fully realize an integrated, systemic process for learning outcome assessment that engages educators in periodic, purposeful evaluation of student learning that can be used to demonstrate both what students know and can do and expose shortcomings in the learning experience that deserve to be addressed.