There are two basic reasons why Towson University expects all programs to be assessed regarding how effectively they are achieving their goals for student learning.  The first is that we are required to do so in order to stay accred­ited.  The U.S. Department of Education, the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, and the Maryland Higher Education Commission all require that we engage in systematic, ongoing assessment.

The second—and more compelling—reason is Towson’s renewed commitment to helping its students achieve deep, lasting learning.  Assessment is predicated on the idea that, while Towson already provides outstanding educational opportunities, we can always find ways to enhance student learning.  We cannot give our students the best possible education without obtaining systematic feedback on how effective our teaching strategies are and how well our students have learned what we think is important.

Why aren’t grades sufficient assessment information?
Grades can be an important component of assessment.  The grades themselves are not evidence of student learning because they can be arbitrary (we all know faculty who are “tough” and “easy” graders and would give different grades for the same level of student performance).  Grades also don’t really tell us, by them­selves, exactly what students have learned.  But the process used to arrive at grades can provide a wealth of assessment information. 

Grades also only give us information on student performance in individual courses.  They don’t tell us whether students have achieved the major goals of an entire program.  They also don’t tell us what students have learned from ungraded co curricular and extracurricular activities and other out-of-class experiences.

Will assessment go away?  Is it a fad that we can ride out?
It’s not likely.  State and Federal regulations are not likely to go away and, since Towson’s fundamental mission is education, neither is its commitment to excellence in teaching.  Assessment is a critical tool to help us ensure that teaching and learning at Towson are the best that they can be.  

Additional Readings on Why We Should Assess Student Learning

Linda Suskie
February 2002

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