A Framework for Assessing General Education Outcomes Within the Majors

Abstract

The National Center for Postsecondary Improvement (NCPI) surveyed chief academic officers at approximately 1,400 institutions of higher education. The results revealed that an overwhelming majority of schools reported collecting student assessment data such as basic skills, progress to degree, and aca demic intentions. However, only about a third of the institutions assessed students' higher-order learning skills, affective development, or professional skills (Lazerson, Wagener, & Shumanis, 2000). In this era of global competitiveness, it is not sufficient for colleges and universities to train students for mere technical competence. What is required for graduates' professional and personal success is additional attention to the development of knowledge, skills, and attitudes that will support them throughout their lives. General education outcomes, as well as technical skills and knowledge developed through concentrated study in a major discipline, must be developed in every college or university graduate. To better serve students and to address the heightened call for accountability in higher education, institutions must engage in a comprehensive campus-wide discussion on the specific components of critical thinking, problem solving, writing, and the methods to assess these skills (Maki, 2001). This opening article provides a framework for assessing these types of general education outcomes within the major fields of study.