Teams from 48 CIC institutions totaling 133 participants in the summer meeting of the CIC/Collegiate Learning Assessment (CLA) Consortium spent time reflecting on lessons learned over the last three years and looked ahead to challenges yet to be faced in their efforts to assess student learning. Representatives from the 33 CIC-member colleges and universities that participated in the Consortium from 2005 through 2008 were joined by participants from new Consortium-member institutions that will participate in the 2008 to 2011 phase of activity.

During the August 4–6 meeting in Washington, DC, Sara Martinez Tucker, Under Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education, discussed ways to increase governmental transparency regarding assessment and accountability as well as ways to publicize “the important work that CIC institutions are already doing. What can the Education Department do to get more people to have conversations like those you’re having here—and to take it to a wider audience? How can we support you?” Tucker asked. She noted that members of the CLA Consortium “are ahead of other institutions” and urged the Consortium to “go public with what you’ve learned.”

Participants were also inspired by Teagle Foundation President W. Robert Conner, who energetically praised their assessment endeavors and exhorted them to advance their work as “CLA combustion engineers,” a theme that continued throughout the conference.

In the opening address, Peter Ewell, vice president of the National Center for Higher Education Management Systems (NCHEMS), said the challenges facing higher education in the 21st century are coming from all levels of society. “Globalization has spurred the competitiveness of higher education and created new demands for higher level skills. Federal and state governments increasingly emphasize the need for accountability while at the same time decreasing institutional funding. The student population is more and more diverse, with rising numbers of underprepared students.” These challenges, said Ewell, necessitate a curriculum that fosters “deep learning” and a focus on assessment that “aligns key learning outcomes across topics, sequences, and courses.” He urged participants to “think concretely about how these challenges will affect your curriculum and assessment in the next decade.”

Alexander McCormick, director of the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE), discussed the complexities involved in analyzing student data and demonstrated that there frequently is more variability within institutions than between them. Challenging participants to look within their institutions for ways to improve student learning, he also emphasized the need to reevaluate the meaning of institutional quality.

Roger Benjamin, president of the Council for Aid to Education, closed the meeting by discussing the importance of the CLA in an age of assessment. Noting that common assessment measures are not sufficient, he stressed the need to move beyond passive multiple-choice tests to better measures of performance. He also acknowledged that faculty members must understand and buy into these new methods of testing if policy discussions about assessment and accountability are to continue and asserted that in today’s global and knowledge economy, the ability to accurately assess performance and higher order skills is essential.

Participants heard from staff and faculty members at institutions currently using the CLA about the challenges and successes they have experienced in administering the tool. Participants also had the opportunity to ask advice of CLA staff members Marc Chun, research scientist, Alex Nemeth, program manager, and Esther Hong, program manager. (See Inside Higher Ed story about the meeting, www.insidehighered.com/news/2008/08/04/CLA.)

Institutions represented at the summer meeting included: Alaska Pacific University, Allegheny College (PA), Aurora University (IL), Averett University (VA), Barton College (NC), Bethel University (MN), Cabrini College (PA), Carlow University (PA), Charleston Southern University (SC), College of Notre Dame of Maryland, College of Saint Benedict/Saint John’s University (MN), College of St. Scholastica (MN), Dominican University (IL), Drake University (IA), Franklin Pierce University (NH), Hilbert College (NY), Illinois College, Indiana Wesleyan University, Jamestown College (ND), John Carroll University (OH), Juniata College (PA), LaGrange College (GA), Loyola University New Orleans (LA), Lynchburg College (VA), Marian University of Fond du Lac (WI), Morningside College (IA), Nebraska Wesleyan University, Pacific University (OR), Seton Hill University (PA), Southwestern University (TX), Springfield College (MA), Stephens College (MO), Stonehill College (MA), Texas Lutheran University, Trinity Christian College (IL), University of Charleston (WV), University of Evansville (IN), University of Great Falls (MT), University of Findlay (OH), Upper Iowa University, Ursinus College (PA), Ursuline College (OH), Wagner College (NY), Wartburg College (IA), Westminster College (MO), Westminster College (UT), Willamette University (OR), and William Woods University (MO).