Frequently Asked Questions

Student FAQ

What are Essential Learning Outcomes?
Graduates of Cuyahoga Community College will be knowledgeable in the College's seven Essential Learning Outcomes (ELOs). Our ELOs were created in conjunction with Tri-C faculty and various other stakeholders at the College. The College utilizes student work (artifacts) such as essays, reports, and tests to make sure students are learning each ELO. 

What will happen to my work?
Results from all students (not you as an individual) are shared with faculty and staff to help us improve how we teach and support students. All the results are confidential, and since they are reviewed after the semester is complete, they cannot affect your grades. 

Will my assignment be published with my personal information?
Absolutely not. In fact, results from all students are combined.

Will this affect my grade?
No. This process is done after the semester ends. 

How do I know which courses contain ELOs?
You can view our ELOs list here or view ELOs for the courses you are currently in here.

Why is this process necessary? Didn’t I already get a grade in my course?
Assignments are used for two things:

1. Grading by your instructor, which counts toward your course grade
2. Assessment of learning, which does not affect your grade

When student work is assessed, it helps us know if the College is meeting the intended outcome for the course (i.e., if students have learned what we want them to learn). Some might assume that if a student passes a course or graduates with a degree, then learning has occurred. However, there are times when grading may not reflect learning, such as if points were deducted due to an assignment being turned in late.

Do other schools do this, too?
Yes. Assessment is driven not only by our College but also by external accreditors. All accredited schools must participate in outcomes assessment to meet the requirements of the accreditors. Tri-C’s accreditor, the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), mandates that Tri-C assess student learning outcomes. The Ohio Department of Higher Education (ODHE) also requires that institutions engage in learning outcomes assessment.

Faculty FAQ

Are there sample assignments for each ELO?
Yes. Visit our Assignment Library on the Research Guides section of the Library website.
Click on your chosen ELO and browse our library of assignments from a variety of disciplines.

Where can I find the Assessment Toolkit?
The Assessment Toolkit is available on KWeb. Here, you will find detailed instructions on how to submit ELO data, information about the assessment process and an ELO mapping guide, along with many other assessment-related topics. 

How do I know if my course applies to an ELO?
Check your official course outline or contact your on-campus CLOA member. 

Will outcomes assessment be used to evaluate faculty?
No. Outcomes assessment is part of the teaching and learning process and can be used by faculty members to “document, reflect upon and improve subsequent student learning experiences.” The process assesses the effectiveness of programs and courses in meeting outcomes and is not used to evaluate faculty members.

Is submitting ELO data a requirement?
Yes, it is a requirement. Outcomes assessment provides evidence not only for faculty members and programs but also the Higher Learning Commission, ODHE,  and other accrediting agencies as to how well our students are meeting our stated ELOs. 

What is an “application-level” assignment?
“Application” is one of six levels of cognitive skills according to Bloom’s Taxonomy, which ranges from less to more complex. At the application level, students are able to take new concepts and apply them. Other verbs related to application level are construct, demonstrate, discover, modify, operate, predict, prepare, produce, relate, show, solve and use. See this video for assignment assistance.  

Do I have to create a special assignment?
No, you do not have to create a new assignment that maps to the ELO. Any assignment the students produce to meet the course outcome should also meet the ELO by virtue of the outcomes mapping (i.e., course outcome to ELO) that faculty counterparts have agreed upon. See this video for assignment assistance.

What if I don’t have an assignment that maps to the ELO? 
Since your course is mapped to ELOs by your department, you should have an assignment that fits.  If not, you can check with your counterparts, contact any member of CLOA, or use our Assignment Library to see sample assignments or to get assistance editing a current assignment to fit. 

Counterpart chairs, counterparts, program managers and program faculty are responsible for mapping courses to Essential Learning Outcomes. If a course appears to be mistakenly mapped to a particular outcome, contact your counterpart chair or program manager to conduct a review. If needed, you would then edit your course in CIM to revise or remove the ELO from the course outline.

Do I submit data for all students in a course, or can it be a sample of students?
Essential Learning Outcomes data is submitted for all students in a course.

Why do we need ELOs?
Essential Learning Outcomes are part of our accreditation requirements with the Higher Learning Commission. They are also a requirement from the Ohio Department of Higher Education. Although course grades and ELOs both identify what our students have learned, the way we gather that knowledge, and what it tells us, differs. Below is a list to better highlight some core differences.