A 

14-Day Count

A census day determine by the Board of Regents (BOR) to tally official enrollment.

 Abilities

Latent traits of performance on a test which are not directly measureable; also used in context of knowledge, skills, and abilities where abilities are a complex set of skills. Hambleton, R.K., & Swaminathan, H. (1985).

Academic Year

Usually, consecutive Summer, Fall, Spring semesters.

Accreditation

Certification by an official review board that specific requirements have been met, such as institutional accreditation by Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and program accrediation agencies.

Active Learning

As the name suggests, active learning is a process whereby learners are actively engaged in the learning process, rather than "passively" absorbing lectures. Active learning involves reading, writing, discussion, and engagement in solving problems, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation. Active learning is also known as cooperative learning. Active methods require us to 'make our own meaning' , that is, develop our own conceptualisations of what we are learning. During this process we physically make neural connections in our brain, the process we call learning. Passive methods such as listening do not require us to make these neural connections or conceptualisations. Good students may create meaning from passive methods, but weak students do not. Both types of student improve their learning enormously when they are required to use active methods.

Analytical Skill

The ability to discover the underlying structure of an argument, a communication, a problem, or a solution.

Articulation Agreement

A document that outlines the curriculum agreed to by DCC and a four-year college or university to satisfy the degree requirements at DCC and at the receiving four-year institution.

Assessment

. . .faculty use assessment in the classroom to collect information (feedback), early and often, on how well their students are learning what they are being taught. The purpose of classroom assessment is to provide faculty and students with information and insights needed to improve teaching effectiveness and learning quality. College instructors use feedback gleaned through Classroom Assessment to inform adjustments in their teaching. Faculty also share feedback with students, using it to help students improve their learning strategies and study habits in order to become more independent, successful learners.... Classroom Assessment is one method of inquiry within the framework of Classroom Research, a broader approach to improving teaching and learning.

----Angelo, T.A., 1991. Ten easy pieces: Assessing higher learning in four dimensions. In Classroom research: Early lessons from success. New directions in teaching and learning (#46), Summer, 17-31.

Assessment is used for institutional purposes as well. To compare this classroom definition with that of DCC's Institutional Effectiveness, see http://faculty-web.dcc.edu/efland/ie_pages_06/Web%20Design%20for%20IE/planassess.htm

Assessment Cycle

TBD

Authentic Assessment

Assessment technique involving the gathering of data though systematic observation of a behavior or process and evaluating that data based on a clearly articulated set of performance criteria to serve as the basis for evaluative judgments. Berk, R.A. (1986).

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B

Baldridge Criteria (Performance Measures)

The Baldridge Criteria for Performance provide a valuable framework for performance excellence and can help institutions assess and measure performance on a wide range of key institutional performance indicators: student/stakeholder, educational service and outcomes, operational, and financial.

Benchmark

A criterion-referenced objective; Performance data that are used for comparative purposes.  A program can use its own data as a baseline benchmark against which to compare future performance.  It can also use data from another program as a benchmark.  In the latter case, the other program often is chosen because it is exemplary and its data are used as a target to strive for, rather than as a baseline. (p.xv) Hatry, H., van Houten, T., Plantz, M., & Greenway, M.T. (1996).

Bias

Systemic variance that skews the accurate reporting of data in favor of a particular group.

Bloom's Taxonomy

Six levels in which cognitively related objects can be categorized by levels of increasing complexity; the levels are knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation. Erwin, T.D. (1991).

BOR

Board of Regents - name of the official Louisiana coordinating board for Postsecondary Education.

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C

Calibration (Standardization)

A consistent set of procedures for designing, administering, and scoring a measure.  The purpose is to assure that all students are evaluated under the same conditions so that their scores/ratings have the same meaning and are not influenced by differing conditions.  These procedures are very important when scores/ratings will be used to compare individuals or groups.

Capstone

Capstone experiences for graduating seniors are designed to demonstrate comprehensive learning in the major through some type of product or experience.  In addition to emphasizing work related to the major, capstone experiences can require students to demonstrate how well that heave mastered important learning objectives from the institution's general studies program. Palomba, C.A., & Banta, T.W. (1999).

Certification

A document issued to a person completing a course of study not leading to a degree; verification that a level of achievement has met designated standards.

CIP Code

(Classification of Instruction Programs) - A National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) publication (CIP 2000) that provides a postsecondary instructional programs. (IPEDS)

Citizenry

Students' sense of how they are related to human society as a whole. Social awareness implies sensitivity to the welfare of other members of our society. Students might demonstrate social awareness by, for example, joining a group to clean up the environment. Astin, A. (1993).

Citizenship

Includes such outcomes as voting behavior, participation in community activities, and earning special awards for community service.  Astin, A. (1993).

Civic Development

Refers to the broad-based education of students to be effective citizens ina democratic society. Wellman, J. (1999).

Classroom Assessment Technique (CAT)

Informal measures of student learning obtained in a traditional classroom setting, such as Thomas Angelo's "One Minute Paper." Angelo, T.A, & Cross, P.A. (1993).

Classroom Research

A collaborative process for investigating teaching and learning issues. Cross, K. P., & Steadman, M.H. (1996).

Closing the Loop

Using assessment results for program change and improvement.

Cognitive Development

Development explained through sequential stages in which individuals encounter problems or ideas which cause cognitive conflicts that demand the individual to accommodate or change their way of thinking to become more complex.  Knefelkamp, L., Widick, C., & Parker, C.A. (1978).

Cohort

A group of study subjects based on predetermined criteria, who are followed over a period of time.  A specific group of individuals, usually students, who share a common event.  For example, students who enrolled in college for the first time in Fall 2009 would be a cohort.

Collaborative Learning

Learning that is influenced by and occurs because of the input of more than one individual and that could not have occurred the same with only one individual.

Community Involvement

Stages of social responsibility: 1) Explanation, 2) Realization of sense of obligation, 3) Actualization or sense of social justice. Delve, C.L., Mintz, S.D., & and Stewart, G.M (1990).

Comparative Data

Data from two or more similar groups which have been exposed to different conditions of the independent or intervetion variable.

Comparison Group

A group of subjects who are similar to the group being studied, with the exception of exposure to the independent variable.

Competence

A set of knowledge, skills, or abilities usually demonstrated on a measure. Linn, R.L., & Gronlund, N.E. (2000).

Competency

The demonstration of the ability to perform a specific task or achieve a specified criteria.

Competency Level

A level of knowledge, skill, or ability (usually demonstrated on a measure) that has been determined to be the minimum required for successful use of that knowledge, skill, ability, or personal trait. Linn, R.L., & Gronlund, N.E. (2000).

Computational Skills

The ability to identify problems in data, to reason numerically, and to apply and use data to solve problems. Lloyd, M. A., & Kennedy, J. H. (1997).

Conflict Resolution

Conflict is the interaction of interdependent people who perceive opposition of goals, aims and values, and who see the other party as potentially interfering with the realizations of these goals. Resolution styles include: 1) Competition - a win-lose strategy dealing with conflict from a dominance mind set; 2) Accommodation - a win-lose style approaching conflict management with a more yielding mindset; 3) Avoidance - involves not talking about the issue in question or avoiding the other party altogether; 4) Compromise - when both parties are willing to give and take in order to manage the conflict effectively; 5) Collaboration - a win-win conflict management style whereby both parties work toward understanding the position of the other, hence agreement. Putnam, L. L., & Poole, M. S. (1987). Gaut, D. R., & Perrigo, E. M. (1998).

Content Standard

Refers to a defined domain of educational objectives. National Educational Goals Report (1996).

Content Validity

A test has content validity if the item contents/stems are indicators of the attribute it is designed to measure. McDonald, R.P. (1999).

Continual Quality Improvement

Taken form the business world, CQI is a methodology intent on meeting or exceeding customer requirements by continuous improvement and innovation in products, processes, and services. Marchese (cited in Palomba & Banta, 1999) notes that the quality movement brings with it a sense of collective responsibility for learning, a habit of listening to the people we serve, a preference for data, an ethic of continuous improvement, a determination to develop fully the talent of every learner, and an acknowledgement that we are professionally accountable to one another and to those we serve for results. Palomba, C.A., & Banta, T.W. (1999).

Cooperative Learning

Cooperative learning is a successful teaching strategy in which small teams, each with students of different levels of ability, use a variety of learning activities to improve their understanding of a subject. Each member of a team is responsible not only for learning what is taught but also for helping teammates learn, thus creating an atmosphere of achievement. U.S. Department of Education Office of Educational Research and Improvement. (1992).

Core Values

Fundamental principles and beliefs that form the foundation of an organization and guide the organization's services, programs, and behaviors of the leaders and the staff.

Course Assessment

The systematic process of determining course objectives, gathering, using, and analyzing information about student learning outcomes to make decisions about course curriculum, individual student progress, or accountability.  Erwin, T.D. (1991).

Course Objective

What a student is able to do as a result of specific learning activities within a course.

Course Portfolio

Can be developed by students or faculty. Students create portfolios by gathering a body of evidence of their own learning and competences in a course. Is also used to help students become reflective thinkers. Faculty develop course portfolios to document their own leaning in a course and then share it with students. Course portfolios might coating information illustrating how the course fits within the institution or program, as well as evidence of student learning, the professors 9teachers) reflections and self-assessments, and perhaps the reactions of peers in the discipline. Palomba, C.A., & Banta, T.W. (1999). Huba, M.E., & Freed, J.A. (2000).

Creativity

In an educational setting, creativity pertains to the development of flexible thinking patterns. It entails aspects of problem solving and motivation to find solutions as well as the generation of multiple hypotheses.

Credit Hour

The number of hours of credit awarded.

Critical Thinking

The ability to integrate previous knowledge to identify and weight possible responses to a novel situation.

Cultural Awareness

An acceptance and appreciation for the customary beliefs, social forms, and material traits of different racial, religious, or social groups as well as of their own cultural group.  Astin, A. (1993).

Culture of Assessment

An acceptance and appreciation for the customary beliefs, social forms, and material traits of different racial, religious, or social groups as well as of their own cultural group.  Astin, A. (1993).

Culture of Evidence

An environment in which the use of research and/or assessment results to guide policy decisions is expected and valued. O'Banion, T. (2000)

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D

Dashboard

A visual tool used for monitoring key indicators of an organization's performance.

Degree-Seeking Student

A student enrolled in courses for credit who is recognized by the instituion as seeking a degree or other formal award.  At the undergraduate level, this is intended to include students enrolled in vocational or occupational programs. (IPEDS)

Demonstrated Competence

A student who has shown the ability to perform a specific task or skill at a specified level using some predetermined measure.

Depth of Knowledge

The extensiveness of knowledge and understanding within a certain area of content. Messick, S.J. (1999).

Development

The progression of an individual through various phases of life. Komives, S.R., & Woodard, D.B., Jr. (1996).

Developmental Studies

Developmental skills courses designed to improve students' basic skills in reading, writing, and mathematics.

Direct Measures

Direct measures of student leaning require student to display their knowledge and skills as they respond to the instrument itself. Objective tests, essays, presentations, and classroom assignments all meet this criterion. Palomba, C.A., & Banta, T.W. (1999).

Distance Learning

Education which occurs outside of the traditional classroom setting. Moore, M.G., & Kearsley, G. (1996).

Duplicated Headcount

The number of students enrolled in courses in a specified term (e.g. semester or academic year).  One student participating in two such courses at the institution (ex. Fall and Spring semesters) would count as two students ina duplicated headcount.

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E

Effectiveness

Extent to which planned activities are realized and planned results are achieved.

Efficiency

Relationship between the result achieved and the resources used.

Embedded Assessment

Including questions from assessment instruments or selecting questions from existing tests of existing courses; paucity of number of questions can effect reliability. Wilson, M., & Sloane, K. (2000).

Enrolled Student

 A student registered for classes in a particular term.

eportfolio

1) Is a way of tracking student work over time, in a single course, with students and faculty reflecting on it. An organized collection of completed work in an electronic medium, either on a CD, website, shared server, or online course. Benefit for faculty is to provide a tool to manage, review, reflect, and comment on student work. 2) Students also use for potential employers to see an online resume with examples of their actual work. Students use them to see where they are regarding requirements, to review work and comments on it for studying, to ease process of articulation with other colleges. 3) Aggregating many students' work in a particular course to see how the students as a whole are progressing toward learning goals. Assessing many courses in similar ways that are all part of one major and thus, by extension, assessing the entire program of study.all of these benefits provide administrators highly useful data for accreditation. Integrate courses with new methods, orienting syllabi and curricula around learning goals.

Evaluation

This term broadly covers all potential investigations, with formative or summative conclusions, about institutional functioning. It may include assessment of learning, but it might also include non-learning centered investigations (e.g., satisfaction with recreational facilities).

Evidence

Any factual information which bears on the determination reached in a study.

Evidence of Use of Results

TBD

Exit Surveys and Interviews

Information obtained from students on completion of their study. This includes information about student growth and change, satisfaction with academic programs, their experiences in their majors, and their immediate and future plans. Palomba, C.A., & Banta, T.W. (1999).

Expert

An individual who has demonstrated expert level performance on an assessment. This term can also be used to describe an individual with sufficient knowledge in an area to evaluate the content relevance and content representativeness of a measure and/or to help set standards in an area.

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F

Fairness (in testing)

This concept encompasses all testing design and practice, and points toward the necessity of ensuring that measures and consequences from measures are equitable across all subgroups of examinees. Camilli, G., & Shepard, L.A. (1994).

Feedback

Information that provides direct, stable insights into current performance, based on tangible differences between current performance and hoped-for performance. Wiggins, G.P. (1993).

FICE Code

The Federal Interagency Committee on Education (FICE) code number unique to each institution and used for statistical purposes for precise identification of institutions of higher education.  DCC's FICE Code is: 004626

First-Time Freshmen

Students who are enrolling in college for the first time.

Fiscal Year

For the state of Louisiana, it is a twelve-month period running from July 1st through the following June 30th.

Focus Group

Is a carefully planned discussion to obtain perceptions on a defined area of interest in a permissive, nonthreatening environment It is conducted with approximately 7 to 10 people by a skilled interviewer.  Krueger, R.A. (1994).

Forced Choice

In test construction, forced choice or multiple-choice items require an examinee to choose an answer from a small set of response options.  Bennett, R.E., & Ward, W.C. (1993).

Formative Assessment

An assessment which is used for improvement (individual or program level) rather than for making final decisions or for accountability. Worthen, B.R., Sanders, J.R., & Fitzpatrick, J.L. (1997).

Freshmen

A student who has earned fewer than 30 cumulative credit hours at any institution.

FTE

(Full-Time Equivalency) - Used to describe various cohorts of students of based upon the number of Student Credit Hours generated by those students.  1 FTE is equal to 15 Student Credit Hours.  Funding is based on FTE and not student headcounts.

Full-Time Student

A student enrolled in at least 12 credit hours in a semester.

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G

General Education

The common knowledge, skills, and developmental characteristics of the college educated person. Gaff, J. (1991).

General Education Core

The core of courses offered by the college from which the student selects to satisfy General Education requirements. They represent the broad body of knowledge the college believes is valuable for an educated individual in their specific program to posess in order to contribute to an educated workforce.

General Education Core Competency

The broad body of knowledge, skills, and attributes in an area of general education that has been defined as key for students to develop in order to be a valuable contributor to the workforce. They represent the qualities and characteristics of the college's core values and can be developed through successful achievement of student learning outcomes in General Education core courses.

Graduate

A student who has fulfilled all appropriate coursework in his/her major and has been awarded the appropriate degree.

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H

Headcount

A method of counting enrollment by tallying the physical number of students in a cohort.

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 I

Indicators (performance)

Measures for individuals or organizations that provide information about measurable traits, situations, knowledge, skills, performances, resources, inputs, outputs. Komives, S.R., & Woodard, D.B., Jr. (1996).

Indirect Measures

Indirect methods such as surveys and interviews ask students to reflect on their learning rather than to demonstrate it. Palomba, C.A., & Banta, T.W. (1999).

Innovation

Making meaningful change to improve products, services, programs, processes, or organizational effectiveness.

Institutional Effectiveness

Broadly refers to the extent to which an institution meets its unique mission. Typically includes functions associated with assessment and institutional research.  Komives, S.R., & Woodard, D.B., Jr. (1996).

Institutional Outcome

Benefits or changes in a population, organization, or community due to program activities; typically expressed in aggregate form. These benefits may include research, economic, civic, service, community, as well as student learning.

Interpersonal Communication

Interpersonal communication occurs when two people engage in voluntary, ongoing, interdependent interactions, which involve meaningful interpretation of their verbal and nonverbal behaviors. Galvin, K.M., & Wilkins, C. A. (2000).

Interpersonal Skills

The personal ability to create unique shared meaning with others. Griffin, E. (2000).

Involvement

Involvement may be defined as participating in or being engaged in an activity or relationship. In higher education, we might speak of student, faculty, administrator, alumni, or employer involvement in the teaching and learning enterprise.  Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, (1993).

IPEDS

Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System.  IPEDS has been established as the core Postsecondary data collection for the National Center of Education Statistics within the U.S. Department of Education.  The IPEDS system is build upon a series of interrelated surveys to collect data in such areas as enrollment, program completions, faculty and staff, and financing.

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 J

Journaling

As a way to assess student learning. Students record their new learning, questions to pursue, and observations about themselves as learners.

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 K

Knowledge

Cognitive objective that involves recalling or remembering information without necessarily understanding it and includes behaviors such as describing, listing, identifying, and labeling.  (Bloom, 1956)

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 L

LCTCS

Refers to the Louisiana Community and Technical College System.  The LCTCS is the governing/management Board for Baton Rouge Community Colleges, Bossier Community College, Delgado Community College, Louisiana Delta Community College, Elaine P. Nunez Community College, River Parishes Community College, South Louisiana Community Colleges, and the Louisiana Technical College.

Learning

The process by which a relatively lasting change in potential behavior occurs as a result of practice or experience. Stratton, P., & Hayes, N. (1993).

Learning-Centered

An atmosphere that facilitates the exploration of meaning, must provide for involvement, interaction, and socialization, along with a business-like approach to getting the job done. Learners given frequent opportunities to confront new information and experiences in the search for meaning that allow more than receiving information. Students must be allowed to confront new challenges using past experience without teacher giving all information. New meaning acquired through process of personal discovery with methods that are highly individualized and adapted to the learner's own style and pace for learning. Combs (1976)

Learning Communities

Concurrent student enrollment in two or more disciplines connected by a common theme; sometimes targeted to a particular student group such as entering freshmen.  Palomba, C.A., & Banta, T.W. (1999); MacGregor, J., Cooper, J.L., Smith, K.A., & Robinson, P. (2000).

 Learning Gain

A positive change in learning outcomes measured following instruction or educational experiences are often referred to as learning gains; difference between pretest and posttest; longitudinal change.  Astin, A. (1970).

 Learning Goals

General expectations for student intended outcomes. Trice. A.D. (2000).

 Learning Plan

A good learning plan is a well articulated document with the following components: Learning goals - with actions that help reach towards the goal. Actions should be actual behaviors.  Resources - anything used to realize the actions. One of the best resources is a mentor or coach, but there are many others, including books, courses, travel, the Internet and especially Wikipedia.  Evidence - demonstrate an action has been taken, progress  made, and goal achieved.

 Learning Style

Different ways that a person can learn. It's commonly believed that most people favor some particular method of interacting with, taking in, and processing stimuli or information. Four basic types of learning styles are: visual (learn by seeing)
verbal/auditory (learn by hearing)
reading/writing (learn by processing text) (This category is not always listed.)
kinesthetic or practical (learn by doing). Wikipedia

Lifelong Education

As a result of their college experience, students should have a commitment to lifelong learning. Students with this commitment will express an openness and desire for intellectual experiences, express confidence in their ability to independently acquire new knowledge, and project a life of learning activities. Intellectual curiosity or intrinsic motivation to learn. Maw, W.H., & Maw, E.W. (1961).

Lifelong Learning

The need for incumbent workers to continuously develop new technical skills and competencies as industry and technology changes and/or as workers change jobs. Case, T.L., Price, B.A., & Rogers, C.F. (1997).

Listening Skills

Listening involves attending to and interpreting verbal messages from other people.  Ruben, B.D., & Stewart, L.P. (1998).

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 M

Major

A student's field of study.

Measurement

A standard procedure for quantifying a sample of behavior from a larger domain; often used interchangeably with test and instrument.  Crocker, L.M., & Algina, J. (1986).

Mission

Measurable state that defines "who we serve", "what our purpose is," and "how we achieve that purpose" in broad terms that are understood by all who  must fulfill the mission.

Moral Development

The transformation that occurs in a person's form or structure of thought with regard to what is viewed as right or necessary. Evans, N.J., Forney, D. S., & Guido-DiBrito, F. (1998); Baxter Magolda, M.B. (1992); Kohlberg, L. (1981); Gilligan, C. (1982); Perry, W.G. (1970).

Motivation

The entire constellation of factors, both intrinsic and extrinsic, that causes a student to behave in a particular way at a particular time. With regard to student outcomes the focus is upon testing behaviors and the development of life-long learning.  Gray, P. (1991).

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 N

Non-Degree Seeking Student

Students enrolled in courses for credit who are not recognized by the institution as seeking a degree or other formal award.

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 O

Oral Communication Skills

Communication is the process of people sharing thoughts, ideas, and feelings with each other in commonly understandable ways. Hamilton, C., & Parker, C. (1996).

Organizational Development

Practice of increasing overall organization growth, effectiveness, and success through all/any channels of improvement.

Organizational Effectiveness

The degree to which an organization uses resources to achieve its purpose in a sustainable manner, with the assistance of long-term strategies that ensure continuity of the mission.

Organizational Structure

Framework of functions in which lines of authority, responsibility, and communication are arranged to fulfill the mission of the organization.

Output

Anything an institution or system produces. Direct products of a program's activities and usually are measured in terms of the volume of work accomplished, for example, the number of classes taught, counseling sessions conducted, educational materials distributed, and participants served. Outputs have little inherent value in themselves, but lead to outcomes or benefits (p. 1)" Hatry, H., van Houten, T., Plantz, M., & Greenway, M.T. (1996)

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 P

Part-Time Student

A student enrolled in less than 12 credit hours in a semester.

Peer Assessment

Assessment of learning by one's peers. Brew, A. (1999).

Peer Review

Assessment used as part of an assessment between peers in a classroom setting, accreditation process, part of an academic or student affairs program development, or for an internal review process. Upcraft, M.L., & Schuh, J.H. (1996).

Perception

Perception uses previous knowledge to gather and interpret the stimuli registered by the senses. It combines aspects of both the outside world (the visual stimuli) and one's inner world (previous knowledge). Matlin, M.W. (1998).

Performance Assessment

Assessment technique involving the gathering of data though systematic observation of a behavior or process and evaluating that data based on a clearly articulated set of performance criteria to serve as the basis for evaluative judgments. Berk, R.A. (1986); Wheeler, P., & Haertel, G.D. (1993); Wiggins, G.A. (1993).

Personal Growth

Aspects of students' relationship systems, self-systems, cultural, intellectual education, occupational, political, social, religious values and activities and gender role orientations that are influenced by college attendance and completion. Pascarella, E.T., & Terenzini, P.T. (1991).

Pilot

A pilot often refers to a small scaled down study designed to test the validity of measures and manipulations of a planned full-scale study. A pilot can also refer to the initial administration of new assessment items/procedures with the intent of evaluating and revising the items/procedures for future use. Bordens, K.S., & Abbott, B.B. (1997).

Placement Exam

Instrument to determine if students qualifications for entering a program or course are at an appropriate level to begin their studies. Palomba, C.A., & Banta, T.W. (1999).

Portfolio Assessment

A portfolio becomes a portfolio assessment when (1) the assessment purpose is defined; (2) criteria are made clear for determining what is contained in the portfolio, by whom, and when; and (3) criteria for assessing either the collection or individual pieces of work are identified and used to make judgments about performance. Portfolios can be designed to assess student progress, effort, and/or achievement, and encourage students to reflect on their learning.

Post-test

The measurement of a dependent variable, which occurs after an intervention, usually for the purpose of comparing to a pretest measure on the same dependent variable. Bordens, K.S., & Abbott, B.B. (1997).

Pre-test

The measurement of a dependent variable prior to an intervention, usually for the purpose of comparing to a posttest measurement of the same dependent variable. Bordens, K.S., & Abbott, B.B. (1997).

Primary Trait Analysis

To ensure the success of using the grading process for assessment, Primary Trait Analysis is used to help teachers develop their criteria for grading. The first step is to identify the factors or traits that will be considered in scoring an assignment. For each trait, a three-to five-point scoring scale is developed for use in scoring performances of students. An explicit statement that describes performance at that level accompanies each number. Walvoord & Anderson (as cited in Palomba & Banta, 1999).

Prior Learning Assessment

Techniques to assess student understanding and recall of material learned in previous, related courses, so that faculty can teach accordingly. Information helps faculty determine the most effective starting point for a given lesson and the most appropriate level at which to begin instruction. Angelo, T.A, & Cross, K.P. (1993).

Problem-based Learning

The uses of simulated anchors, scaffolding, and working on related projects along with opportunities to engage in tasks as a way to facilitate student learning. Vye, N.J., Schwartz, D.L., Bransford, J.D., Barron, B.J., & Zech, L. (1998).

Problem-Solving

Defining the problem, being able to obtain background knowledge, generating possible solutions, identifying and evaluating constraints, choosing a solution, functioning within a problem solving group, evaluating the process, and exhibiting problem solving dispositions. Jones, E. A., Dougherty, B. C., Fantaske, P., & Hoffman, S. (1997).

Proficiency

Performing in a given art, skill, or branch of learning with correctness and facility; achieving competency on predetermined standard.

Program Assessment

Many different perceptions and models exist of program assessment. In higher education, it could consist of anything from a judgment by experts of the value of curriculum based on observations to a comparison between student performance indicators and objectives and actual student performance on either standardized or evaluator-constructed measures. Worthen, B.R., Sanders, J.R., & Fitzpatrick, J.L. (1997).

Program Review

TBD

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 Q

Qualitative Data

Data in which the values of a variable differ in kind (quality) rather than in amount. Bordens, K.S., & Abbott, B.B. (1997).

Qualitative Study

An inquiry process of understanding a social or human problem, based on building a complex, holistic picture, formed with words, reporting detailed views of informants, and conducted in a natural setting. Creswell, J.W. (1998).

Qualitative Theory

A theory in which terms are expressed verbally rather than mathematically. Qualitative theory states that reality is viewed as subjective and multiple and the research is an inductive process with mutual simultaneous shaping of factors which are context-bound. Creswell, J.W. (1998).

Quantitative Data

Data in which the values of a variable differ in amount rather than in kind. Bordens, K.S., & Abbott, B.B. (1997).

Quantitative Skills

The ability to apply arithmetic operations, either alone or sequentially, using numbers embedded in printed materials to solve a problem.

Quantitative Study

An inquiry process of understanding a social or human problem, based on testing a theory composed of variables, measured with numbers, and analyzed with statistical procedures, in order to determine whither the predictive generalizations of the theory hold true.  Creswell, J.W. (1998).

Quantitative Theory

Theory in which terms are expressed numerically rather than verbally. Quantitative theory states that reality is objective, singular and apart from the observer and that research is a deductive process with context-free cause and effect relationships. Generalizations from these relationships lead to prediction, explanation, and understanding. Creswell, J.W. (1998).

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 R

Random Sample

A sample drawn from the population such that every member of the population has an equal opportunity to be included in the sample. Bordens, K.S., & Abbott, B.B. (1997).

Reading Skills

Reading involves locating, understanding, and interpreting written information in documents such as manuals, graphs, and schedules. Ruben, B. D., & Stewart, L. P. (1998).

Reasoning

The process by which one is motivated to and looks for evidence to support and refute a statement or proposition. Kelley, D. (1988).

Reflective Practice

Reflective practice is a mode that integrates or links thought and action with reflection. It involves thinking about and critically analyzing one's actions with the goal of improving one's professional practice. Engaging in reflective practice requires individuals to assume the perspective of an external observer in order to identify the assumptions and feelings underlying their practice and then to speculate about how these assumptions and feelings affect practice. Kottkamp, R. B. (1990); Osterman, K.F. (1990).

Research

The principle method for acquiring knowledge and uncovering the causes for behavior. Bordens, K.S., & Abbott, B.B. (1997)

Resource

In the most general sense, a resource is a source of supply or support. In a university setting, resources include personnel, raw materials and supplies, and the services of capital goods. Balderston, F.E. (1995); Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, (1993).

 Retention

The continuation of a student's involvement in an academic endeavor. Reference:  Thompson, A. (2001) Tinto, V. (1993); Bean, J.P. (1986).

 Rubric

A scoring tool that lists the criteria for a piece of work, or "what counts" (for example, purpose, organization, and mechanics are often what count in a piece of writing); it also articulates gradations of quality for each criterion, from excellent to poor. Andrade, H.A. (1997).

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 S

SACS

(Southern Association of Colleges and Schools) One of six regional accrediting organizations in the U.S. recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

SCANS Competencies

Five essential requirements for students going directly to work and those planning further education; includes resources, interpersonal, information, systems, technology. U. S. Department of Labor (2000).

Scans Skill

Department of Labor Commission taxonomy of skills and attributes needed for effective job performance today and a set of criteria by which to measure their acquisition; in addition to technical skills, includes five competencies (resources, interpersonal, information, systems, technology) and a three part foundation (basic skills, thinking skills, personal qualities.)U. S. Department of Labor (2000).

Scheduled Credit Hours

(SCH) The credit hour value of a course multiplied by the number of students registered for that course.  If 20 students register for a 3 credit hour course, that class will produce 60 (3 C.H. x 20 students) student credit hours (SCH's).

Self-assessment

The process of evaluating one's own learning. The process often includes the ability to judge one's own achievements and performances, understanding how the product or performance was achieved, understanding why one followed the process he or she did, and understanding what might be done to improve the process, product or performance. Brew, A. (1999); Brown, S.A., & Glasner, A. (1999).

Self-concept

A person's judgment of his or her competence or skills in comparison to those of others. Pascarella, E.T., & Terenzini, P.T. (1991).

Self-esteem

Overall assessment of personal adequacy or worth. Silverman, S.L., & Casazza, M.E. (2000).

Self-evaluation

Student evaluation of their own learning or abilities; halo error; Pike (1999) cautions as surrogate for direct measurement. Pike, G.R. (1999)

Service Learning

Typically student affairs program related to enhanced social responsibility through community based environments.

Skills

Are observable behaviors that demonstrate levels of competence (i.e., knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis synthesis, and evaluation.)  Bloom, B.S (1956).

Sophomore

A student who has earned 30 or more cumulative credit hours at any institution.

Stakeholder- both internal and  external

Stakeholders are those who have a stake in the program to be evaluated or in the evaluation's results. Stakeholders can be internal or external to a program. Both types of stakeholders need to be identified and considered when planning program evaluation, as each may have a different perspective of the program and different expectations of the program and the evaluation. Worthen, B.R., Sanders, J.R., & Fitzpatrick, J.L. (1997).

Standard

A pre-determined criterion or expectation of a level of student learning; a passing score. Erwin, T.D. (1991).

Standardization (Calibration)

A consistent set of procedures for designing, administering, and scoring a measure. The purpose of standardization is to assure that all students are evaluated under the same conditions so that their scores/ratings have the same meaning and are not influenced by differing conditions. Standardized procedures are very important when scores/ratings will be used to compare individuals or groups.

Strategic Planning

Process based on data-driven decisions in which goals are defined and prioritized, plans are made to achieve those goals and resources are defined and allocated to achieve them.

Student Learning Outcome

Actual results of what a student has accomplished; maybe academic and occupational, as well as the intellectual, personal, civic development, attitudes, values, and beliefs that students attain as a result of learning.

Student Learning Outcome (SLO)

. . . defines what a student will be able to do (out there in the world) as a result of learning in a course. It is a statement of accomplishment in learning, stated in such a way that it can be measured or assessed for quality. Refers to the specific knowledge or skills that students actually develop though their college experience.

Subjective Measures

Tests or measures that are scored or rated with some degree of subjective judgment (e.g., performance).

Summative Assessment

A sum total or final product measure of achievement at the end of an instructional unit or course of study.

Survey

Any measurement procedure that involve asking questions of respondents. A "survey" can be anything from a short questionnaire feedback form to an intensive one-on-one in-depth interview.

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 T

Teaching Portfolio

A record that documents your work as a teacher. Samaka (2005)

Team-Based Learning

Different from "groups", team based learning is an instructional strategy based on procedures for developing high performance learning teams that can dramatically enhance the quality of student learning by:

-Enhancing problem-solving skills

-Replacing or reducing lecture time

-Ensuring that students are prepared and on time to class

-Creating a remarkable amount of energy in the classroom

-Promoting team work

Test

Measurement instrument, procedure or device that requires scoreable responses from examinees; includes both selective and constructed response formats and is usually punative in nature.

 Transfer Student

Students with college credit earned elsewhere prior to enrolling as a new student in another college.

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 U

Undergraduate

Refers to the freshman through senior year courses in college.

Unduplicated Headcount

Unduplicated headcount figures are given for overall student characteristics.  This is a measure of the physical number of students who attend DCC.  Each student regardless of the number of hours they are enrolled in is assigned a headcount of one.

Use of Results

TBD

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 V

 Validity

The degree to which a test or other assessment measure measures what it is designed to measure.

Value-added

The effects educational providers have had on students during their programs of study. The impact of participating in higher education on student learning and development above that which would have occurred through natural maturation, usually measured as longitudinal change or difference between pretest and posttest; A comparison of the knowledge, skills, and developmental traits that students bring to the educational process with the knowledge, skills and developmental traits they demonstrate upon completion of the educational process.

Variable

Any quantity that can assume more than one state or numerical value.

Vision

Future-oriented statement that defines "who we are" and "what we believe is possible" in a way that guides decisions and behaviors of the leaders and staff.

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 W

 Webfolio

A term often used interchangably with "eportfolio" dynamic Web site that interfaces with a database of student work artifacts. Webfolios are static Web sites where functionality derives from HTML links. "eportfolio"  herefore now refers to database-driven, dynamic Web sites, not static, HTML-driven sites. (see definition for "eportfolio")

Work based Learning

Supervised student learning that takes place at a work site through unpaid or paid activities.

Work ethic

A set of personal attributes required for success at work, including the ability to identify established rules, regulations and policies; practice cost effectiveness and time management; assume responsibility for decisions and actions; display initiative and assertiveness; demonstrate willingness to learn. Broadbent, W.A. (1999).

Work-study

Supervised student learning that takes place at a work site through unpaid or paid activities.

Written Communication

Written communication involves communicating ideas and information through documents such as letters, manuals, reports, and graphs.

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