Curricular Assurance of Learning

AoL assessment reviews take place to demonstrate that students achieve learning expectations in their academic programs of study. 

At Bentley, the undergraduate core curriculum, undergraduate majors, master’s programs, and PhD programs are required to document and state their learning goals and objectives. These are reviewed and revised regularly by our faculty to ensure that our programs of study are innovative and provide students with a strong foundation for life-long success. 

Once a program’s learning goals and objectives are defined, faculty will then ensure that those goals and objectives are coherently built into its curriculum. This is done by completing a curriculum map, which is a matrix that indicates which classes cover the stated learning goals and objective and demonstrates through assessments how students are progressing toward achieving those objectives.  

Once learning objectives and the curriculum map are confirmed, the broader department or course instructors address several key topics. They determine what knowledge is expected from measuring student learning objectives, the types of data to collect, and the assessment methods to use.  

This phase can take some time and require several discussions since aligning curriculum goals with outcomes is crucial for supporting student achievement. Thoughtful decisions are made when selecting how to assess students, using tools like exams, presentations, projects, case studies, logs, portfolios, and rubrics.

Now that learning objectives and assessments are identified, it’s time to gather data! This takes 1-2 semesters, which gives ample opportunity for each course to run at least once. After an instructor teaches a course that’s being assessed, they provide the students’ results for the assessment that you aligned with your objectives previously.

Please remember that AoL is not about faculty performance reviews or individual student evaluation. This is meant to be a holistic look at achievement toward our stated learning objectives with an eye toward continuous improvement.

Once all the data is collected, a Program Review Summary Report is completed by faculty. In this report, a program director or faculty coordinator evaluates how specific learning goals and objectives are met in a program. Plans for improvement are also noted. This report and its improvement plans are discussed with department chairs, associate deans, and the assurance of learning team at Bentley.

Identifying effective strategies for improvement is a critical component of Bentley University’s Assurance of Learning (AoL) process. Both NECHE and AACSB expect clear evidence that academic units use assessment results to improve student learning—not just to document objectives or refine assessment methods. 

When documenting strategies for improvement, please ensure they are: 

• Specific and actionable
• Directly connected to student learning objectives
• Grounded in assessment findings
• Appropriate to the course, program, or institutional level 

Below we provide examples both of strong strategies and others that need revision. If they need revision, possible solutions are mentioned.

These strategies are specific and relevant to student learning; this makes them better able to accomplish measurable and noticeable improvements. For each, the responsible party (e.g., course instructor, program coordinator, or assessment committee) and a recommended timeframe for implementation are noted: 

There are many common strategies that are used frequently. Some are great while others require revision. We've discussed some strong strategies so let's now look at less successful common strategies and examples of alternatives. These approaches lack specificity and do not clearly show how student learning will be enhanced. For each, consider adding concrete instructional actions, specific interventions, or measurable objectives. Then please revise strategies similar to the examples below.

The AoL process is nearly complete at this point!  

In the documentation submitted by the faculty coordinator or program director, specific plans for improvement are identified and approved by academic leadership. Departments will implement these over the course of the following academic year. When the assurance of learning data collection cycle resumes, one goal will be to assess how effective these new interventions have been to support student learning.

Below you will find the relevant forms and timeline dates for the Bentley AoL process. Select the tab that is most relevant to you. Since these are templates, the forms are read only. If you would like to complete one, please make your own copy and add your information to that new document. If you need any assistance, please contact Erin Kelley.