Meet the Dean | College Publilcations | College Reports
Dean's Presentations | Organizational Chart | Dean's Vitae

Policy Manual

SECTION VII: Assessment & Accountability

VII.1   Comprehensive Assessment System

“LSU is committed to achieving the highest standards in teaching, research, and service by continuously improving its programs. At the heart of this commitment is the systematic assessment of student needs and student learning outcomes. Through assessment the University analyzes its effectiveness in meeting stated purposes.” (LSU Planning & Assessment)
Assessment System for Programs Preparing P-12 Educational Professionals

The assessment system for programs preparing P-12 educational professionals is dynamic and evolving. A comprehensive and integrated set of evaluation measures, the system has as its purpose the collection and analysis of data on applicant qualifications, candidate and graduate performance, and unit operations for unit and program evaluation and improvement.

 Underlying and influencing unit and candidate performance assessment is the unit’s conceptual framework [http://calvin.ednet.lsu.edu/~ntlab/ncate/System1.html] with its focus on preparing P-12 educators who are reflective practitioners engaged in inquiring pedagogy and effective professional behavior and who demonstrate competence in the skills of collaboration and the effective use of technology. The assessment system incorporates candidate proficiencies, uses multiple assessments from program entry through graduate follow-up, and demonstrates the positive relationship between candidate assessments and candidate success in the field.
[See Unit Assessment]

VII.2   Programmatic Coherence  

Courses required in specified curricula or certification programs should reflect overall coherence among curriculum, instruction, field experiences, clinical practice, and assessment.
           
VII.3   Syllabi  

As described in Section III.2.16, faculty should develop and maintain a social contract of course expectations and communicate expectations and grading policies through distributing and negotiating, as appropriate, a course syllabus for all courses.  At the beginning of every semester, updated copies of course syllabi must be electronically submitted to the departmental office. It is also recommended that course syllabi be placed on the University’s course management system (e.g., Moodle) in the event of a long-term campus closure.

Suggestions for contents of course syllabi and/or negotiated syllabi content:

• Course Title, Instructor(s), and contact information and policies
• Course description
• Course goals and/or requirements
• Relationship to program goals, where appropriate (e.g. conceptual framework, professional standards)
• Articulation of relationship between course assignments and core program and/or unit assessments
• Class policies (attendance, late assignments, test/assignment make-ups, extra-credit, etc.)
• Required texts/lab manuals/readings
• Tentative semester schedule showing outline of subject matter
• Overview of primary assignments and grading scale/policy
• Supplemental or recommended readings
• Reminders of University academic dishonesty, attendance, disability, and materials distribution policies

Other considerations for course content and assessments should include the following.

• For 4000-level courses, faculty should confirm in advance with Department Chair whether graduate credit can be permitted and, if so, should differentiate between grading criteria for undergraduate and graduate credit.
• Faculty who teach courses that are required for certain curricula or certification tracks should address related expectations and content requirements for the course.
• Faculty who teach multiple sections of courses should ensure consistency of assessments and grading practices.
• Uniform course syllabi for such courses—specific curricula, certification tracks, multiple sections—should be maintained in the departmental office. 

VII.4   Course Evaluations

Students in regularly scheduled classes evaluate faculty teaching performance each semester, using University teaching evaluation forms.  The University processes these evaluations and provides summary data through department chairs to individual faculty. 

VII.5   Departmental Assessment Coordinators

Each department should identify a single departmental assessment coordinator who has responsibility for ensuring that department assessment matrices and biennial reports for all degree programs are complete, updated, and accurate.