高校基于学生学习成果的专业评估——以美国詹姆斯麦迪逊大学为例

Student Learning Outcomes Based Program Assessment in Higher Education:The Case Study of James Madison University of USA

实施既能回应问责又能促进发展的高等教育评估对全世界都是挑战,包括中国。美国詹姆斯麦迪逊大学在专业评估中使用元评估方法达成上述两个目的,本文解析了该项工作的组织和运行。元评估是詹姆斯麦迪逊大学各专业获得其评估质量反馈的内部过程。评估质量的考察涉及的要素有设定学生学习成果;进行目标导向的教育活动安排及测量方案设计;呈现、解释、分享评估结果;依据评估结果改进质量。各专业在元评估过程中得到足够的指导,同时各专业又有足够的灵活性。为了能将评估结果用于促进发展,詹姆斯麦迪逊大学整合了课程、教学、评估及评估的学术。

Conducting higher education assessment for accountability and self-improvement is a challenge across the world, including China. A model for conducting assessment for both purposes can be found at James Madison University （JMU） in the United States. This article explains how JMU is organized to support assessment. An important feature is meta-assessment： an internal process by which programs receive feedback on their assessment quality. Assessment quality consists of student-centered learning objectives, mapping of learning experiences to objectives, selecting systematic methods for evaluating progress on objectives, presenting and interpreting results, sharing results with faculty/stakeholders, and using results for improvement. An important aspect of this assessment design is to provide enough guidance to promote quality but enough flexibility to allow academic programs to have unique character. To achieve the last step of the assessment process - using result for improvement - JMU has coordinated curriculum, teaching, assessment, and scholarship of assessment. Implications for China are discussed.