At the University of Connecticut, we share a commitment to the intellectual growth of each student and their development as contributing members of our state, national, and world communities. Each program at the University addresses these goals in ways that are specific to the learning outcomes appropriate for that field. As we enhance the culture of assessment at UConn, each program engages in a process of reflecting on the assessment of learning outcomes for the purpose of continuous quality improvement to best serve our students. To assess student learning, programs identify meaningful and measurable student learning objectives which are measured through direct and indirect assessment methods. Academic programs reflect on gathered information to determine strengths and opportunities.  

 The assessment of student learning and outcomes benefits everyone in the university. There are evidence-based reasons that developing program-level learning objectives and an associated cycle of assessment supports effective teaching and learning. Programs participating in the assessment cycle evaluate teaching and learning on an ongoing basis.                               While recognizing the benefits of assessment of student success, the assessment initiative also recognizes the significant work necessary to accomplish these activities. In Spring 2021, an assessment task force was formed to develop a meaningful, feasible, and sustainable process. Among the essential aspects for advancing a culture of assessment identified by the task force was a support structure to facilitate assessment activities. To this end, the university established the Office of Academic Program Assessment (OAPA) and the University Student Learning Assessment Committee (USLAC).  

 

 Office of Academic Program Assessment  

Our mission  

The Office of Academic Program Assessment (OAPA) exists to support UConn academic programs and faculty in assessment activities for student success, to advance UConn’s culture of assessment, and to promote equitable student outcomes. OAPA’s goal is to create a feasible and sustainable assessment process that recognizes the uniqueness of each academic program.  

Core Values  

• Advancing student success  

• Fostering excellence in teaching and learning  

• Serving the assessment needs of a diverse university  

• Promoting equitable student outcomes  

What we do 

 OAPA assists departments, academic programs, and individual faculty with: 

• Learning objective creation and editing 

• Curricular map and assessment plan development and continuous revision 

• Alignment of methods of measuring student learning with program, course, or Common Curriculum learning objectives  

• Curriculum redesign 

• Facilitation of curriculum discussions within an academic program 

• New academic program development 

• Accreditation support 

• Use of Blackboard EAC for assessment data collection 

• Assessment-related programming and workshops, including department-specific workshops, broader university offerings, and the Assessment Institute 

• UASCEND - Professional Development Curriculum on Assessment