UK Participating in Multi-State Collaborative on How to Best Assess Student Learning

LEXINGTON, Ky. (July 7, 2014) — The University of Kentucky is one of 68 institutions of higher learning in nine states to join the Multi-State Collaborative (MSC) to Advance Learning Outcomes Assessment, an initiative to develop and test a new system-level approach to assessing student learning. 

Northern Kentucky University and Hazard Community and Technical College also are participating in the project.  All three institutions will work collaboratively with the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education to meet the requirements of the MSC.

The schools will document how well students are achieving key learning outcomes, such asquantitative reasoning, written communication and critical thinking.

“The MSC is testing a different model for student learning outcomes assessment – a model that is very similar to what UK is already doing on campus,” said Tara Rose, director of university assessment.  “It’s critical that institutions actually look at what students can do with what they know by gathering actual student work.  Our assessment process within the UK Core curriculum is a premier example of advancing the assessment of student learning outcomes. I am passionate about assessment and thankful UK has the opportunity to be a part of this exciting project. It is reassuring to know that the assessment process we have been implementing here at UK for years is what the nation is moving toward.”

The Multi-State Collaborative is an initiative steered by the Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) and State Higher Education Executive Officers (SHEEO).  The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation funded the first phase of the project. Other states participating include Connecticut, Indiana, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, Oregon, Rhode Island and Utah.

The project will impact UK by affirming commitment to the improvement of student learning, providing faculty development opportunities in assessment, and measuring the growth in demonstration of learning by comparing results from learning assessment in the MSC to learning assessment in the UK Core general education program.