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Assessment

Our Philosophy

At Pikes Peak State College (PPSC), we want to be confident that when students leave the College, they will have the knowledge and skills necessary to succeed at another school or in the 21st-century workplace. To reach this goal, PPSC's academic departments continually assess what students know or are able to do upon completing specific courses and programs of study. Using a similar model, PPSC assesses what students learn from participating in co-curricular activities or utilizing specific services.



Person in classroom

Why Do We Assess Student Learning?

There are many reasons why faculty and staff at PPSC participate in the student learning outcomes assessment process. Through assessment we are better able to identify areas of excellence and areas in which improvement is warranted. The main reasons why we assess student learning are:

  1. To confirm or improve student learning and educational quality: Assessment results help answer the following questions “Are students learning what we want them to learn?" and “Is there a way we can promote better learning?"

  2. To meet the accreditation standards of the Higher Learning Commission (HLC): HLC requires that institutions demonstrate a commitment to educational achievement and improvement through ongoing assessment of student learning (Core Component 4B). Faculty are expected to participate substantially in the analysis of data and appropriate action on assessment of student learning and program completion (Assumed Practices B2C). 

  3. To meet the requirements of specialized accrediting agencies: Assessment results are used by accredited programs (e.g. Nursing, Dental Assisting) to demonstrate compliance with programmatic accreditation standards.

Model of Assessment: A Department-Centric Approach to Continuous Improvement

Recognizing the value of holistic student learning and development, PPSC has developed an outcomes-based assessment model where student learning is measured. The evidence of student learning we collect during our assessment processes is used to drive improvement and programmatic decisions.
Person studying in classroom

 

students working together at table

PPSC's General Education Outcomes

PPSC’s philosophy of general education aligns with the Colorado Community College System (CCCS) State Board Policy on General Education (SP 9-30a) which states: “General education is ‘general’ in several clearly identifiable ways: it is not directly related to a student’s formal technical, vocational or professional preparation; it is a part of every student’s course of study, regardless of his or her area of emphasis; and it is intended to impart common knowledge, intellectual concepts, and attitudes which every educated person should possess.” PPSC values the skills and competencies that its general education curriculum provides to students, preparing them for advanced education, employment, and participation in an increasingly diverse and global society.

In alignment with the State of Colorado gtPATHWAYS competencies, the PPSC general education outcomes include the following:
  • Civic Engagement
  • Creative Thinking
  • Critical Thinking
  • Diversity & Global Learning
  • Information Literacy
  • Inquiry & Analysis
  • Oral/Presentational Communication
  • Problem-Solving
  • Quantitative Literacy
  • Written Communication
Definitions of gtPathways competencies

 

Career and Technical Assessment

In all PPSC Career and Technical Education (CTE) departments, program-level outcomes have been developed based on industry standards or professional accreditation criteria. Each year, CTE departments collect evidence of student learning on multiple learning outcomes and use assessment results to drive programmatic improvements.
students working together