Discussions & Seminars: Lessons from Alverno

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Lessons from Alverno:
Re-examining the Premise of Assessment

Tuesday, April 15, 2003

At the January 2002 Faculty Assembly Day, Stephen Sharkey from Alverno College came to Nazareth to discuss the role of assessment in student learning. Intrigued by what he had heard and to find out more about student assessment, Scott Campbell (Philosophy) subsequently traveled to Alverno to attend a weeklong conference entitled Connecting Student Learning Outcome to Teaching, Assessment, and Curriculum.

The event and experience provided Scott with considerable food for thought. As a way of broadening and sharing that experience, Scott opened this discussion by providing a description of the approach to Assessment used at Alverno, and reflected on some of the implications of such an approach. The discussion that ensued was rich and thoughtful; touching on an assortment of provocative questions about the role of disciplines in establishing an institutional approach to assessment and the unique role of liberal arts institutions can play.