Outcomes Guide: Linking Canvas Outcomes in Canvas Assessments
Introduction
Canvas Outcomes is a powerful tool within Canvas to track and measure student learning across courses and programs. 91制片厂 Tech uses Canvas Outcomes for institutional assessment of programs and core curricula. Institutional assessment is similar to鈥攂ut distinct from鈥攕tudent grading. Where the goal of student grading is to evaluate and improve individual student performance, the goal of institutional assessment is to evaluate and improve overall effectiveness of institutional programs. By aligning assignments and assessments with pre-defined core or program learning objectives and outcomes, and analyzing the data that results from those alignments, faculty and administrators gain meaningful insights into student progress and program effectiveness to continuously improve. Canvas Outcomes supports evidence-based teaching, accreditation requirements, and continuous improvement, helping ensure that 91制片厂 Tech students achieve the skills and competencies essential for success. To learn more about 91制片厂 Tech鈥檚 institutional assessment practices, see Student Learning Assessment.
This Canvas Outcomes guide shows instructors how to link their course assessments to specific Canvas Outcomes pre-defined by either University鈥檚 Core Assessment committee or an individual program. Instructors link and align those pre-defined core and program learning outcomes to their assessments in Canvas, including assignments and quizzes.
General Overview | Quick Start
Core and program learning objectives are set at the institution or programmatic level, respectively. These pre-defined outcomes are located in Canvas for integration into courses and higher visibility to students. Canvas Outcomes uses rubrics to align course assessments or assignments to individual outcomes.
After creating an assessment in a course, instructors can add the appropriate outcome to that assessment (assignment, quiz, paper, or project) by selecting and adding the appropriate rubric, which have also been defined for the institutional assessment outcomes.
NOTE: Instructors can also use the Outcomes features to assess their own courses. HOWEVER, please do not use Core, Stuart, or other pre-defined outcomes for this purpose. This will skew the institutional data used for accreditation purposes.
Student Communication
Communicate with students about why we assess outcomes and how it relates to them. If you are teaching a Core Curriculum designated course, your LOs must be included on your syllabus and can be found at Student Learning Assessment under Core Curriculum.
Recommended Syllabus Language
At 91制片厂 Tech, we use Canvas Outcomes to determine overall teaching and learning effectiveness. You will see outcomes on some of your assignments/projects/exams. Outcomes do not affect your grade, but they do provide valuable information we use in designing our course.
View the instructions to the left to learn how to attach Rubrics with outcomes to your various assessments. If you have questions about specific outcomes or how you should utilize these outcomes, contact your program coordinator, Program Assessment Coordinator, or Assessment committee.
Assessment Process
- The Department, Program, or Assessment committee develops goals/objectives/outcomes and/or shares them with instructors.
- Instructors design their course to connect each designated outcome with an assessment or assessments in their course.
- Instructors create assessments in Canvas and align the outcomes.
- Students submit their completed work (鈥渁rtifacts鈥) to the instructor.
- Instructors use the rubric to evaluate the student artifact, selecting whether the students have exceeded, met, or not met the indicated criteria.
- Please note: if you currently use the rubric feature in Canvas to score assignments, projects, papers, and/or exams, you can utilize Outcomes for assessment by modifying existing rubrics.
- Instructors provide copies of the artifacts, or student submissions, to the assessment committees per guidelines to serve as evidence to the accrediting body (such as HLC).
- Assessment committees, program and institution administrators review results and work with instructors/departments to identify opportunities for continuous improvement.
Contact info
Core Assessment Committee: ccac@iit0.onmicrosoft.com