Assessment of Student Learning

Voluntary system of accountability

"The Voluntary System of Accountability (VSA) communicates information on the undergraduate student experience through a common web reporting template, the College Portrait.

The VSA is a voluntary initiative for 4-year public colleges and universities. Developed through a partnership between the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) and the Association of Public And Land-Grant Universities (A P L U), the VSA is designed to help institutions meet the following objectives:

  • Demonstrate accountability and stewardship to public
  • Measure educational outcomes to identify effective educational practices
  • Assemble information that is accessible, understandable, and comparable" (source: VSA website)

Office of Assessment Contributions to the K-State College Portrait

Future Plans of Bachelor's Degree Recipients

  • 71% Employment
  • 20% Graduate Study
  • 4% Other
  • 2% Military
  • 2% Volunteer Service
  • 1% Starting or Raising a Family
  • Refer to: the 2008 - 2009 K-State Senior Survey for full results

Student Experiences and Perceptions

  • K-State utilized the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) results for this section (results from Spring 2007 administrations)
    • Group Learning Experiences
    • Active Learning Experiences
    • Institutional Commitment to Student Success
    • Student Interaction with Faculty and Staff
    • Experiences with Diverse Groups/Ideas
    • Student Satisfaction
    • Refer to: Spring 2007 NSSE administration for full results

Assessment at Kansas State University

Core Learning Outcomes

  • K-State utilized the Collegiate Assessment of Academic Proficiency (CAAP) results for this section (results from 2008 - 2009 administration)
    • Critical Thinking
      • First-Year Score: 62.5
      • Senior Score: 64.6
      • National Score: 62.3
      • CAAP Score Range: 40 to 80
    • Writing Essay
      • First-Year Score: 3.2
      • Senior Score: 3.1
      • National Score: 3.2
      • CAAP Score Range: 1 to 6
  • K-State also administered the Reading module (optional)
    • Reading
      • First-Year Score: 61.2
      • Senior Score: 64.4
      • National Score: 62.5
      • CAAP Score Range 40 to 80

2008 - 2009 CAAP Administration

K-State administered the CAAP to first-year students enrolled in the pilot first-year seminars, Introduction to Honors, and the University Experience courses in early Fall 2008. CAAP was administered to seniors in senior level and/or capstone courses during late Spring 2009. A total of 758 first-year students and 791 seniors participated in CAAP testing for the 2008 - 2009 academic year. Please refer to "student characteristics" below for the demographic information of our students.

Student Characteristics

Comparison of all First-Year Students to First-Year Students Taking CAAP at K-State (Fall 2008)

  • Representation by:
    • Gender
    • Ethnicity
    • ACT Composite Score

Comparison of all Senior Students to Senior Students Taking CAAP at K-State (Spring 2009)

  • Representation by:
    • Gender
    • Ethnicity
    • ACT Composite Score