"Assessing student learning effectively has become a priority in higher education. Faculty and administrators must demonstrate to various constituencies and stakeholders that their programs are effective and that there is correlation between teaching and learning. This book uses selected performance criteria?benchmarks?to assist undergraduate programs to define their educational missions and goals as well as to document their effectiveness. It helps faculty and administrators use benchmarks not only to assess outcomes of student learning, but to program assessment, evaluate student learning, create meaningful faculty scholarship, ensure quality teaching, and forge connection to the community"-- Provided by publisher.

Includes bibliographical references (p. 334-355) and index.

The need for quality benchmarks in undergraduate programs -- pt. 1. Benchmarking for eight key program domains. The view from the top: checking the climate and the leadership of a program -- First things first: attending to assessment issues, accountability and accreditation / with George B. Ellenberg, Claudia J. Stanny, Eman El-Sheikh -- The new architecture of learning design: focusing on student learning outcomes -- Evaluation curricula -- Student development: solving the great puzzle -- Constructively evaluating faculty characteristics -- Back to basics: program resources -- The art, science, and craft of administrative support -- pt. 2. Benchmarking in practice. Benchmarking quality in challenging contexts: the arts, humanities, and interdisciplinary programs / Jane S. Halonen with Gregory W. Lanier -- Special issues in benchmarking in the natural sciences -- Conducting a self-study -- Serving our students and our institutions -- Appendices. A. Using benchmarking to serve as an external reviewer -- B. Sources of data -- C. Assessment materials for the arts -- D. Disciplinary acrediting organizations for bachelor's degree programs currently recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation.

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