Learning outcomes describe the abilities, skills, and knowledge that a student will acquire through courses, a degree or certificate program, and throughout their college experience. Outcomes inform how the college structures its programs and services in order to provide a rich and inclusive environment that supports students in achieving these outcomes. The college assesses its outcomes to ensure that students are acquiring the intended skills and knowledge and uses the results of assessment to improve programs and services.
Institutional Learning Outcomes
Institutional Learning Outcomes (ILOs) are statements of the general knowledge and skills that all graduates who complete an associate degree or transfer program at Cosumnes River College should be able to demonstrate at the time of graduation, regardless of academic program of study. Students completing a certificate or other educational goal will complete an applicable set of these Institutional Student Learning Outcomes.
Our current ILOs were approved by the Academic Senate and Participatory Governance Council in spring 2019.
General Education Student Learning Outcomes
General Education Student Learning Outcomes (GESLOs) enumerate the skills and abilities that students will acquire upon completion of the general education curriculum at Cosumnes River College.
Our current GESLOs were approved by the Academic Senate and presented to Participatory Governance as informational in spring 2021.
Program Student Learning Outcomes
Program Student Learning Outcomes (PSLOs) are broad statements of the most important skills and abilities that students obtain when completing a degree or certificate program. PSLOs are listed for each degree or certificate in the college catalog. PSLOs are established during the development or revision of the program through the curriculum process.
Course Student Learning Outcomes
Course Student Learning Outcomes (CSLOs) describe the skills and knowledge that students obtain when completing a course. CSLOs are listed in the course outline in Socrates and must be listed on the course syllabus. CSLOs are established during the development or revision of the course through the curriculum process.
Service Area Outcomes
Service Area Outcomes (SAOs) describe the objectives of the service area in support of student achievement and accomplishment of student goals. Service Area Outcomes articulate the ways in which the unit supports the college’s mission, vision, and values. SAOs are established by Student Services and Administrative Units in the College Integrated Planning Systems (CIPS).
Relationship Among Outcomes
Throughout their educational experience students acquire relevant outcomes from courses, programs, extracurrricular and co-curricular activities and interaction with student services. Course learning outcomes are mapped to relevant degrees or certificates, which require the course. Program outcomes reflect the cumulative accomplishment of learning achieved through relevant coursework. General education student learning outcomes reflect the cumulative knowledge and skills acquired through completion of GE coursework. Institutional learning outcomes reflect the cumulative skills, abilities, and habits of mind acquired through their educational experience at CRC.
Outcomes Assessment is the process by which CRC gathers information about students’ learning and utilizes that information to improve teaching, learning, and service delivery at the college. Outcomes Assessment determines the extent to which the outcomes for a course, program, and General Education (GE) area and/or the college are being met, and helps inform long-term planning for how CRC can better support students in meeting these outcomes. (Modified from NILOA Assessment Glossary.)
ILOs are assessed annually using the Graduate Exit Survey. ILO Assessments inform ongoing improvements to, all organizational units, their responsibilities, and their functions.
- Spring 2014 GE Discipline Specific Skills SLO Assessment
- Spring 2013 College-wide/GE Assessments- Self-reliant learning; ethics and pluralism; information acquisition and analysis; select discipline-specific skills
- Spring 2012 GE Assessment - Ethnic/Multicultural Outcome
- Summary of Follow-up Studies (Participation and Cultural Competence)
- Data from Cultural Competence Follow-up Study (Fall 2011)
- Student Participation Follow-up Report (Fall 2010)
GELOs are assessed through the courses approved through the particular GE area. GELO assessment informs revisions to improve educational opportunities in order to afford students a learning experience with goals and rigor parallel to those provided by any state college or university.
Course and Program SLOs are assessed within a six-year cycle in our College Integrated Planning System (CIPS). Regular assessment of course SLO attainment guides decisions about how the course is taught, and allows immediate intervention when students fall behind. On-going program SLO assessment informs revisions to improve programmatic efficacy.