Hutchinson Community College is committed to the continuous improvement of student academic achievement. To ensure student learning is taking place, a wide range of assessment activities are used to assist the HutchCC community in making data-driven decisions on how to best build an environment where students can thrive. Utilizing the National Institute for Learning Outcomes Assessment Transparency Framework, this website provides an overview of HutchCC assessment activities and results.
Student Learning Outcomes
HutchCC Institution Wide Outcomes, Program Outcomes, and Course Outcomes.
Assessment Plans
HutchCC 's Methods and Vision for Assessment.
Assessment Resources
Helpful Information to Understand, Develop, Implement, Communicate, and Use Assessment Tools and Data.
Current Assessment Activities
An Overview of Assessment Practices Currently in Place at HutchCC.
Evidence of Student Learning
The Information Gained from HutchCC Assessment Activities.
Use of Evidence
Examples of How Assessment Data Has Helped Transform HutchCC.
JESS FORTNER
fortnerj@hutchcc.edu
620-665-3353
1-888-GO-HUTCH
HutchCC has developed and has in place student learning outcomes at the Institution, Program, and Course levels to provide clear objectives for the students and faculty.
Institution-Wide Outcomes
HutchCC has in place five outcomes that oversee not only the general education courses but also the entire curriculum. All HutchCC courses are connected to at least one institution-wide outcome. Rubrics were developed to assist with the consistency of measuring each of these outcomes.
The five HutchCC Institution Wide Outcomes are as follows:
Program Outcomes
Each academic program at Hutchinson Community College has Program Outcomes. These are based on the direction of the field, guidance from advisory boards, and research in order to provide a structure that best prepares students to succeed after graduation. The program outcomes appear on the syllabi for the discipline's courses, and each course has been mapped to the program outcomes to illustrate where the introduction, reinforcement, and mastery of the program outcomes occur. While they are assessed every academic year through the Program Outcomes Assessment Report, program outcomes are carefully evaluated during program reviews to make sure they are still applicable.
Course Outcomes
Credit courses at Hutchinson Community College have course outcomes and competencies. Similar to the program outcomes, these are based upon research, guidance from advisory boards, and direction of the field. For the academic transfer courses, the course outcomes and competencies are evaluated by transfer institutions to ensure they are equivalent to what is being taught there and they will be accepted when a student transfers to the institution.
Hutchinson Community College also participates in the Kansas Board of Regents' Course Transfer Initiative which guarantees the transfer of 100 courses among all Kansas public postsecondary institutions through the utilization of approved course outcomes.
Hutchinson Community College has in place both direct and indirect as well as internal and external assessment tools to measure student learning. The Assessment Subcommittee, Institutional Research, and President's Council review and assess these instruments in terms of effectiveness and meaningful data gained from them.
Course Assessment
Faculty report their course outcome assessment data each semester. They then use this data to improve the techniques to teach their course outcomes. This data is also utilized during Program Reviews.
Program Review
The schedule for HutchCC Program Reviews,
Institution-Wide Assessment
The schedule for assessment instruments used institution-wide.
Hutchinson Community College utilizes rubrics based upon the AAC&U's VALUE rubrics to assess our institution-wide outcomes:
1. Demonstrate the ability to think critically and make reasonable judgments by acquiring, analyzing, combining, and evaluating information.
Rubric (Piloted Fall 2016 and Finalized Spring 2017)
2. Demonstrate the skills necessary to access and manipulate information through various technological and traditional methods.
Rubric (Piloted Fall 2017 and Finalized Spring 2018)
3. Demonstrate effective communication through reading, writing, listening, and speaking.
Rubric (Piloted Spring 2019 and Finalized Fall 2020)
4. Demonstrate effective interpersonal and collaborative skills.
Rubric (Piloted Spring 2018 and Finalized Fall 2018)
5. Demonstrate effective quantitative reasoning and computational skills.
Rubric (Piloted Spring 2018 and Finalized Fall 2018)
Hutchinson Community College provides many assessment resources for its faculty and staff. The Teaching and Learning Resource Center in Lockman Hall 111 houses books on various assessment techniques available for HutchCC faculty to check out. Past issues of the Assessment Update and many articles on assessment are also available. Also, the Hutchinson Community College Assessment Handbook provides an overview of assessment at HutchCC, a glossary of common assessment terms, and a few helpful assessment ideas.
A few other recommended assessment resources include the following:
Bloom's Taxonomy Chart, is a classification of different words that help promote higher forms of thinking in learning and education.
National Institute for Learning Outcomes Assessment, an organization dedicated to making learning outcomes usable and transparent with also a great online resource library available on its site.
HutchCC utilizes both internal and external instruments to assess student learning at the course, program, and institution levels.
Course Assessment
Each course at HutchCC uses a master syllabus that was approved by the department, Curriculum Committee, Representative Assembly, and Board of Trustees. Each syllabus states the measurable course outcomes and competencies that must occur during the teaching of the class. In addition to this, the syllabus also states the common assessment instruments the instructor must use when teaching the course. The listed assessment instruments are the minimum amount that is required to be used. An instructor has the ability to use more instruments at his/her discretion. These master syllabi allow for consistency to take place across the institution regardless of the mode of delivery or the location.
Instructors utilize evaluation tools to lead to the assessment of student learning; however, it is important not to confuse evaluation with assessment. Assessment focuses on learning, teaching, and outcomes through its process-oriented approach while evaluation focuses on grades with its being product-oriented. To assist with creating course assessment and evaluation tools, an instructor should use Blooms’ Taxonomy, which can greatly assist in creating a range of learning measurements that progresses into higher learning. This way, the course outcomes, and competencies can be introduced, reinforced, and mastered. Furthermore, Classroom Assessment Techniques can provide quick and simple ways to assess the student learning taking place.
Upon completion of the assessment instrument used to assess the course outcome, HutchCC faculty report the number enrolled at the time the assessment instrument was given, the number of completers, the number of achievers, and any notes about the assessment instrument. “Completers” are defined as those who completed the assessment instrument, and “achievers” are defined as those who successfully completed the assessment instrument.
Program Review Assessment
Continuous assessment of programs assists in keeping the curriculum current and meaningful. HutchCC has in place a structured program review process following the HutchCC Program Review Guide which involves a cycle in which each program conducts a thorough data-driven assessment review and then provides annual updates about its ongoing work. Programs that have outside accreditation complete their required self-study and submit it along with annual updates in place of the HutchCC Program Review.
Institution-Wide Assessment
HutchCC utilizes a variety of assessment methods at the institutional level. These include the following:
Institution-Wide Outcome Cycle
Direct Assessment Instruments
Placement Assessments
Course Outcomes Mapped to Institution-Wide Outcomes
Institution-Wide Outcomes Rubrics
Indirect Assessment Instruments
HutchCC Academic Experience Student Surveys
HutchCC First Semester Experience Survey
HutchCC Graduate Questionnaire
HutchCC Graduate Follow-Up Survey
HutchCC Student Services Satisfaction Survey
Noel Levitz Student Satisfaction Inventory
Co-Curricular Assessment Instrument
Co-Curricular Experience Survey
Co-Curricular Action Plan
Annual Surveys/Projects/Reports Completed
HutchCC completes many surveys and reports using data about many different facets of the college. The following provides a list of many of the surveys, projects, and reports completed either annually or biannually. The information is then made available to be reviewed and analyzed both internally and externally.
ACT Institutional Data Questionnaire
College Board’s Annual Survey of College
Higher Learning Commission (HLC) Institutional Update
Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) Survey
Kansas Board of Regents Reports
National Community College Benchmark Project (NCCBP)
National Community College Cost and Productivity Project (NCCCPP)
Peterson’s Annual Survey of Undergraduate Institutions
Course Assessment
The assessment of course outcomes by looking at the number of students who completed and achieved each one leads to instructors modifying how they cover the outcomes in their courses. This has led to instructors using different teaching methods to modify how they teach the content, examining the wording of the tools they used to assess the outcomes, and incorporating more opportunities for feedback about the outcomes before they are assessed.
Program Review
The use of evidence gained through the review of a program has led to many changes being made to benefit student learning. A few examples follow:
Automation Engineer Technology Program Review - Through analyzing the curriculum, student achievement data, demand in the service area, and movement in the field at the national level, the Automation Engineer Technology program review led to the creation of new classes that will better prepare students to work in the field of automation, improved its lab setting to provide more hands-on learning experiences, and modified its program outcomes to align them to the service area needs.
Media Communication and Production Program Review - During their assessment of the program, they found enrollments being low, especially for the AAS degree; the facilities greatly neglected; a shift in focus for the program nationwide; the program outcomes needed improvement; and HutchCC overall being underserved by the program. The program review led to strengthening the program outcomes, updating the curriculum to meet current job demands; developing and implementing strategies to increase enrollments and exposure to the AAS; improving the facilities; inviting new members to the advisory board; creating a new certificate option; incorporating more experiential learning activities for the students through on-campus opportunities; and shifting the focus to Media Communication and Production, the program’s new name, to better align with other programs nationwide. The program reworked its curriculum based on data collected from nationwide research, program graduates, and information gained from employers in the field. Courses were renumbering, retiring, and created focused on preparing graduates to work in the field.
Institution-Wide Assessment
Evidence gained through the institution-wide assessment instruments has led to many changes to benefit student learning at HutchCC. A few examples include the following:
Parking - Data collected from the HutchCC Graduate Questionnaire and in Noel Levitz Student Satisfaction Inventory illustrated student dissatisfaction with the availability of parking. This led to additional available parking being placed in the Campus Master Plan. To help alleviate parking needs, HutchCC purchased land near the institution, demolished the standing structures, and expanded a parking lot. (
Dragon's Landing - Based upon student needs and data collected from the HutchCC Graduate Questionnaire led to the purchase of apartments to increase the availability of student housing and prevent the past practice of housing students at a local hotel.
HutchCC Committee Structure - Data collected from the Personal Assessment of the College Environment (PACE) Survey helped lead an effort to restructure components of the HutchCC Committee Structure to increase both communication and participation across the school on HutchCC initiatives.
Reinstatement Policy and Process - Data gained from student achievement information was utilized to restructure the Reinstatement Policy and Process to best prepare students for success after being reinstated while also utilizing HutchCC resources to the best of their abilities.