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All Faculty Essentials: Assessment

A comprehensive Classroom Essentials Guide that provides a wealth of information for pedagogy, professional development, resources especially for adjuncts, and more.

Welcome to FCC Learning Outcomes Assessment

Learning Assessment:  To engage in an intentional process measuring student learning for data-informed betterment. -Joe Levy

The Frederick Community College mission focuses on teaching and learning.

The foundation of teaching and learning is student learning outcomes- what students will know, be able to do, and value at the end of their academic courses and programs. In order to better understand how well students are learning, the College designs processes to measure this more deeply than through course grading alone. The real value in assessment is continuous improvement and helping faculty and staff make evidence-based and meaningful enhancements to curriculum, academic processes, and/or instruction. This site provides resource and training materials to help faculty and staff facilitate the College assessment processes. 

Let's Celebrate Learning at FCC!

Celebrate This!

Since 2016, several significant improvements and successful changes stand out across multiple academic and service areas. Celebrating these achievements highlights the impactful ways in which feedback and dedicated effort can enhance educational and support programs. The following are just a handful of examples of the meaningful changes FCC programs have made based on data gleaned from the assessment process:  

Music Program's Increased Focus on Performance Skills: The Music Program's assessment led to a greater emphasis on both technical proficiency and musical expressiveness.  The success of these efforts are evidenced by excellent jury scores. 

  

Library's Effective Information Literacy Instruction: The Library's pre and post instruction surveys for ENGL 101 sessions demonstrated significant increases in students' understanding of academic research and library database use, emphasizing the value of librarian-led instruction. 

  

Medical Assisting Program's Curriculum Redesign: The Medical Assisting program's continuous curriculum evaluation and redesign to meet employer needs and advancing profession standards show a proactive approach to maintaining relevance and effectiveness. Curriculum revisions were made to help decrease coursework barriers and better meet the needs of its student population.  The new curriculum starts in Fall of 2024!

  

Culinary Arts & Supervision Program's Externship Success Rate: The HCTI program's benchmark achievement of 80% success in final capstone externship courses (except for a slight dip due to COVID-19) illustrates the program's commitment to practical, hands-on learning experiences. 

  

Health & Exercise Science Program's Personal Trainer Certification Success: The program's focus on preparing students for the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) certification, with an 86% success rate in related courses, showcases its alignment with industry standards. 

  

Film & Video Production Program's Employer Feedback and Curriculum Adjustment: Positive employer feedback and subsequent curriculum adjustments to enhance students' technical knowledge and familiarity with industry-standard software reflect a dynamic response to external input. 

  

General Studies Program's Meta-Majors and Advising Improvements: Initiatives to direct students more effectively within the General Studies program through meta-majors and enhanced advising practices demonstrate a strategic approach to student success and program clarity. 

  

Criminal Justice Program's Online Course Expansion: The Criminal Justice program's expansion of online courses (CJ 204, 214, 220) to attract a broader range of students and accommodate diverse needs is a notable adaptation to changing educational landscapes. 

 

Medical Assisting Externship Evaluation: In Fall 2023, 100% of the students completed the Externship Objectives evaluation form successfully, meeting all program learning outcomes, thus making them eligible to sit for national certification as a Medical Assistant.  The program surpassed its set benchmark of 75% success completion of the final capstone externship course, MEDA 204, which includes the Externship Evaluation.

 

General Education Program Assessment Shows Students to be Competent or Accomplished in All Categories: The most recent cycle of General Education assessment (2018 - 2023) was high rates of student completion of assessment assignments, and broad achievement of competency in general education outcomes, with the mean placing students between "competent" (level 3) and "accomplished" (level 4). 

Gen Ed Category
Year
Completion (%)
Mean across criteria
Critical Thinking
F18-Sp19
87.12%
3.21
Oral/Written Communication
F18-Sp19
87.44%
3.28
Wellness
F19-Sp20
 93.25%
 3.35
Quantitative Reasoning
F19-Sp20
 90.92%
 3.10
Scientific Reasoning
F20-Sp21
93.23%
3.27
Arts and Humanities
F21-Sp22
74.41%
3.29
Cultural Competence
F21-Sp22
 85.77%
3.30
Social Science/Ethics
F22-Sp23
 88.14%
 3.1
Technology
F22-Sp23
 93.6%
 3.57

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