Community Colleges and Learning Outcomes

A new paper from the National Institute for Learning Outcomes Assessment examines the role of measuring student learning outcomes at community colleges. Findings from surveys of community colleges show that they make extensive use of measures of student learning, but tend to do so at the program level rather than the institutional level (a finding that is probably not surprising, given the range of programs offered). For instance, 80 percent of community colleges reported using performance assessments other than grades (simulations, portfolios, capstone projects, etc.) to evaluate learning in individual units, but only 19 percent used those approaches across their institutions. And 83 percent reported using specialized tests (such as licensure exams and other standardized tests) for programs, but only 8 percent reported their use across institutions.