MIAMI, August 19, 2020 – Miami Dade College (MDC) is once again named an Excellence in Assessment Designee by the National Institute for Learning Outcomes Assessment (NILOA) for its commitment to the comprehensive assessment of student learning outcomes as a means to drive internal improvement and advance student success at the institution-level.
The Excellence in Assessment (EIA) designation is the first national designation of its kind, spotlighting institutions that successfully integrate assessment practices across an institution, providing evidence of student learning, and using assessment results to guide institutional decision-making and improve student performance. Now in its fifth year, a total of 39 institutions have received the designation. MDC has been included in this prestigious list from the start.
Of the 12 colleges and universities selected this year, MDC is one of only three to receive the title of Sustained Excellence Designee, a distinction given to higher education institutions that have sustained their exemplary assessment efforts over a five-year period.
“We are very proud that Miami Dade College is once again recognized as an Excellence in Assessment Designee,” said MDC’s Executive Vice President and Provost, Dr. Lenore P. Rodicio. “Congratulations to all the MDC faculty and staff who continue to work on the completion of these important assessments to ensure student success.”
An institution’s ability to clearly and convincingly communicate the learning outcomes of its graduates, regardless of program of study, is paramount to the success of students, institutions, and larger national economic and competitive priorities. The EIA designees are successfully designing and implementing institution-wide assessment processes and practices that provide evidence of the learning of all students.
EIA designees reinforce that there is not one “right way” to undertake assessment of student learning. The EIA provides a nationally recognized and respected means to rebut the claims questioning the value and worth of higher education. While still respecting the diversity of what good assessment looks like in practice, the EIA designations provide a signal for external audiences to look to. As part of the application process, colleges and universities are asked not just to detail the specific assessment activities they have undertaken but also the reason why such efforts are a priority for them. Designees need to demonstrate how aligned processes, building from classroom-based assessment, foster a coherent, collaborative approach to assessing student learning.
The EIA Designations are directly linked to NILOA’s Transparency Framework. The application process for the designation includes a rigorous and systematic self-study. To learn more, visit https://www.learningoutcomesassessment.org/eia/.