Temple University College Portrait

All colleges and universities use multiple approaches to measure student learning. Many of these are specific to particular disciplines, many are coordinated with accrediting agencies, and many are based on outcomes after students have graduated.

Student learning is a fundamental component of the Temple University mission and the assessment of student learning is an essential element of the assessment of Temple’s overall institutional effectiveness. At Temple, approaches to assessment of student learning are as diverse as our array of academic offerings. At the University level, Temple has established eight competencies for its new program in general education and has developed various strategies for determining how our students are doing in meeting these learning outcomes. At the school, college, and department level programs are developing assessment plans and processes that identify program goals and objectives and instrumentation for measuring these goals; describe the data collected; as well as describe major findings and how they were used for student learning and program improvements. Others ways that Temple assesses student learning and program effectiveness include periodic program review, course and teaching evaluations, licensure and professional exam pass rates, graduation and retention rates, and professional and regional accreditation. Temple has invested in an outcomes management system to support faculty and administration in the implementation, reporting, and sharing of assessment activity. Temple University is committed to enhancing its culture of assessment.

Learning Assessment Examples

Colleges and universities participating in the College Portrait measure the typical improvement in students' abilities to think, reason, and write using one of three tests. This is part of a pilot project to better understand and compare what students learn between their freshman and senior years at different colleges and universities.

Temple implemented a new Program of General Education in 2008. Administration of a learning outcome measure is planned for 2011-12 when freshmen who entered under the new program of general education will be in their fourth year.