Assessment Cycle

Assessment is most effective when it focuses on continuous improvement, rather than simply assuring quality. This ongoing cycle is critical for fostering a culture of assessment within an institution. By clearly defining learning outcomes, faculty can design meaningful assignments aligned with those outcomes. Direct measures, such as student artifacts, are then collected and analyzed. Based on the analysis, adjustments to the curriculum or teaching methods are made to improve student learning. This process of continuous feedback enhances both individual courses and the broader general education curriculum, ensuring that students receive a consistent, comprehensive, and rigorous undergraduate education.

The Mason Core assessment framework is guided by three essential questions. For each category, all questions are addressed to analyze student artifacts and develop findings and improvements.

- Are students demonstrating achievement of the defined learning outcomes?
- How has student learning changed since the previous assessment cycle?
- What changes do the findings suggest for continuous improvement?

Mason Core Data Collection Timeline

The timeline outlines the Mason Core assessment cycle, which provides an ongoing process for assessment and continuous improvement. During a category’s data collection period, all Mason Core instructors submit a syllabus, an assignment description, and three student artifacts from each course. This process ensures regular opportunities to review assessment results and implement improvements that support the ongoing enhancement of the Mason Core curriculum.

Category	Data Collection Year	Results Available
Quantitative Reasoning, Information Technology and Computing	Fall 2022-Spring 2024	Spring 2025
Arts, Literature, Social and Behavioral Sciences	Fall 2023-Spring 2025	Spring 2026
Global History, Writing Intensive, Natural Science	Fall 2025-Spring 2026	Spring 2027
Global Contexts	Fall 2026-Spring 2027	Spring 2028
No Data Collection Scheduled	Fall 2027-Spring 2028	N/A
Apex, Quantitative Reasoning, Information Technology and Computing	Fall 2028-Spring 2029	Spring 2030

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