Program Learning Outcomes

Program Learning Outcomes Assessment

All programs have identified learning outcomes that describe the knowledge, skills, and attitudes that students develop through successful completion of the program. Program Outcomes are listed on the college website.

Assessment at ICC is based on the following principles:

Assessment is an ongoing process that leads to change and improvement.
Assessment is not a task solely performed as a requirement of accrediting agencies - the reason for assessment is improvement.
The use of data to support change leads to the most meaningful improvements.
Assessment raises as many questions as it answers.
Assessment focuses the attention of the College on continuous quality improvement.

Purpose Statement

These guidelines will be utilized for development and assessment of Program Learning Outcomes at Independence Community College (ICC). The Program Learning Outcomes are to be connected directly with the Institutional Learning Outcomes already in place at ICC. The information gathered is used to make data driven decisions that promote continuous improvement and student success.

Program Learning Outcomes (PLOs) will be developed for every program that the administration and faculty, through Academic Council, designate as a reportable program. Every reportable program is required to have two to five PLOs. The proper division will designate program representatives to track and measure the reportable program’s PLOs. Ideally these representatives should be directly involved in the program area on which they are reporting.
It will be the responsibility of the program representatives to develop two to five PLOs for their program.
The PLOs will be tracked on a three-year rotation meaning that every PLO in a program should be measured during each three-year time period and be prepared for a full program review. This schedule will coincide with ICC’s three-year program review cycle.
Each program representative will develop PLOs that meet the following criteria:
1. PLOs need to be measurable
2. PLOs need to support at least one of the college’s Institutional Learning Outcomes (ILO).
3. PLOs should be designed for a student to meet or exceed industry standards in the given program if applicable.
By October 1st of every academic year the program representatives shall submit a brief statement to the Assessment Committee stating what PLO(s) will be measured and if those PLO(s) need to be measured for one or more semesters.
The results will be submitted by the program representatives to the proper reporting software. The data collected will be analyzed for strengths and opportunities based on whether the specific outcome was met or failed to meet expectations. If the PLO(s) do not provide meaningful information, faculty can propose modifications to the PLO(s) following the reporting cycle.