Guiding Principles for Developing and Implementing
Student Learning Outcomes and Assessment
at Rio Hondo College

1. Primacy of Complex, Multidimensional and Lifelong Learning Goals. The process of defining outcomes and performing assessments must reflect the complexity of the learning process. Education relies on growing awareness, self-reflection, challenges and a variety of experiences over time. It requires the development of numerous complementary skills and the application of the skills in different situations. The highest quality education sets into motion a continuing process of personal and professional growth. Therefore, the assessment process should recognize and strive to promote learning that is multidimensional and lifelong learning.

2. Core role of Faculty. Instructors have the most direct and ongoing knowledge of and experience of learning process concerning both their subject matter and the students they serve. The Academic Senate will have the responsibility to establish procedures and monitor progress. The faculty will take responsibility and control of determining learning outcomes at the course and program level; and in creating, reviewing and utilizing assessments. The Senate will adopt standards for institution-wide academic competencies; and will work with the administration, students and other constituencies to develop other learning outcomes

3. Collaborative Process. Collaboration is invaluable in all dimensions of the learning process and it is a key value at Rio Hondo College. It promotes the exchange of ideas, experiences and information, and encourages participation and the dynamic nature of the community.

4. Ongoing process. The development of student learning outcomes and assessment must be an ongoing process. Assessment is not an end in itself, but should inform the learning process and lead to continual improvement of the activities institutional. It should remain flexible in order to address the changing needs of the community.

5. Goals and processes should be explicit. One of the primary motivations for developing student learning outcomes and performing assessment is to make clear the educational goals and standards, and the progress toward these goals, to all constituencies, including faculty, students, administration, student service providers and the community.

6. Goals and assessments should be valid. Student learning outcomes should be developed to meet the real needs of the students and the community we serve. Assessments should be designed to answer real questions of interest to the participants and address real choices to be made.
7. Maintenance of academic freedom and promotion of creativity and diversity. Diverse views, experiences and approaches as well as the freedom to experiment are a significant contribution to any educational process. Assessment should therefore embrace the diversity of both students and staff and encourage creativity and innovation in instruction, learning and performance. Assessment should not be used to restrict teaching methodologies, impose grading requirements or to evaluate individual instructors.

8. Effective Use of Resources. The procedures required should be tailored to determine and assess student learning, implement change and report progress without creating an undue burden on faculty or others in the college community. Since the process is ongoing and incremental, it is neither necessary nor desirable to attempt sweeping programmatic changes or to require extensive training in new methodologies of teaching or assessment in a short period of time. At the same time, sufficient resources should be allocated for coordination, training and support for faculty and staff to enable them to effectively develop robust student learning outcomes, and to plan, conduct, review and implement assessments.