Outcome Assessment: Assessment And Evaluation

With the increasing number of service providers, there is a need for a clearer evidence that the resources they expend produce benefits for people. Consumers of services and people who provide service want to determine if the program to which they devote their time make a difference. Specifically, they want better accountability for the use of resources. Outcomes must be measured, to see if programs make a difference on the knowledge, skills and abilities (KSA) of the students. While improved accountability has been a major force behind outcome measurement, there is a more significant reason; that is to improve services.

Program outcome measurement is the systematic assessment of the process and/or outcomes of a program (Potter, 2006).

This means that learning outcomes are clear, learning experiences are designed to assist student achievement of those outcomes, and carefully designed assessment tasks allow students to demonstrate achievement of those outcomes. Assessment is a process that focuses on student learning, a process that involves reviewing and reflecting on practice as academics have always done, but in a more planned and careful way (Ewell, 2000). According to Cox and Godfrey (1997) the process of utilizing assessment and evaluation within the context of education relates to the principles of good teaching and classroom management. Assessment and evaluation are necessary aspects of the teaching process because educational objectives are often very broad in their scope and, as such, are often vague. The teacher must therefore interpret these broad objectives and establish specific and tangible

Hildebrand & LaHood (2002) noted that each college is responsible for overseeing the process through which the assessment of academic major programs takes place, following existing curriculum and governance procedures. Personal identification with the institution, belief that actions will effect improvement and an institutional climate that supports change will encourage participation in the process. Recognition of the need for external accountability combined with a sense of internal responsibility motivates faculty, students, and administrators to become involved). According to Cox and Godfrey (1997) the importance of measurement, assessment and evaluation techniques to the teaching process relates to the reason for the process of teaching itself. One assumes that students will be different after a unit of work has been taught. The question arises as to the degree of difference. Hence, measurement assessment, and evaluation are important to determine the degree of difference. Within this context, classroom instruction enables students to achieve intended learning outcomes. In so doing, the teacher becomes a predictor. The teacher utilizes a particular technique because the teacher expects that the chosen technique will be more effective in producing the desired