Cocurricular Assessment
Defining "Cocurricular" at ECC
ECC sponsors structured learning opportunities, for defined subsets of students, beyond the classroom, which complement the formal curriculum and support the institution’s mission. Cocurricular programs and their activities develop students’ skills across the General Education Learning Outcomes and enhance employability. Such offerings typically do not count for college credit or apply towards graduation.
The college is committed to measuring and strengthening student learning from these cross-campus experiences with the same attention, structure, support, and equity mindedness as course- and program-level assessment.
Criteria for Being Considering a Cocurricular Learning Program
Is a Structured learning opportunity beyond the classroom
Includes a defined subsets of students (students register for the program rather than a general attendee event)
Develops students’ skills across the General Education Learning Outcomes and enhances employability
Does not count for college credit or apply towards graduation.
Provides opportunities to measure student learning
Parallel to Cocurricular Learning Programs
Extra-curricular Events and Experiences: Extracurricular Events and Experiences may be defined as organized events designed to support student and community learning but that do not have a defined subset of participants; they are promoted and open for participants to attend. While these may be significant learning experiences, because of the undefined nature of participation, these events and experiences do not fall under the purview of cocurricular outcomes assessment via CETAL.
ECC offices of Student Services & Development: ECC offices of Student Services & Development participate in Program Review, and individual programs may be supported by CETAL with outcomes assessment, such as TRIUMPH. The offices, themselves, maintain their own measures of assessing impact rather than falling under outcomes assessment processes with CETAL.
Example Assessment Activities
Honors Program
1) What Outcome or Outcomes are Being Focused on?
Research, analyze, synthesize, and share findings from a broad range of material.
Participate in learning experiences beyond the classroom that develop leadership skills, demonstrate service to others, and encourage personal growth.
2) How Was Data Collected?
Students' capstone portfolio reflections, related to the two chosen outcomes, were reviewed for common themes across students.
3) What did the Department Determine As Benchmarks for Students Exceeding, Meeting, or Approaching Expectations?
Benchmarks of Exceeding, Meeting, or Approaching Expectations were determined to not be applicable to this assessment method of finding themes in students' self reflections.
4) What Were the Results?
In the outcome related to research (1), common themes from students were
they learned the need to scaffold and plan their research on major assignments; they could not complete the work in a single week. Students noted that it was challenging and new to have to structure their work process but emphasized that they plan to continue this approach in future classes.
Students also noted finding much more significance in their research when they had more choice in the topic and could relate topics to current and/or local events and contexts.
Regarding the outcome related to learning experiences outside of the classroom (5), students generally were less adept at providing reflection and leaned more on only summarizing their experiences. Those that did provide reflection emphasized appreciation for having leadership opportunities and learning the significance of supporting team members with mental and emotional support as crucial to their role.
5) What is the Honors Committee's Response to the Data?
Committee members were pleased with the ways that students emphasized research as a process and especially pleased with how students expressed that they will continue applying those research skills to future courses.