 Collegiate
Learning Assessment (CLA) Consortium
In cooperation with the Council
for Aid to Education (CAE), CIC continues to work with a consortium
of institutions that have decided to use the Collegiate
Learning Assessment instrument, an evaluation tool for learning more
about the cognitive growth of students. The goal of the CLA project is
not to measure changes in individual students, but rather to learn more
about programmatic features that correlate with "institutional effects"
associated with larger than expected gains in students' analytical reasoning,
critical thinking, and writing skills. The CLA provides one of the first
"value added" measures that can reliably compare institutional
contributions to student learning. CIC has organized annual meetings with
Consortium members each summer since 2005 in Washington, DC to evaluate
and discuss key issues of the project.
Funder: The Teagle Foundation and the Carnegie Corporation
of New York
Program Status: The third phase of the CLA Consortium is under
way. Thirty-five CIC member colleges and universities will work collaboratively
from fall 2008 through spring 2011 to develop more comprehensive assessment
strategies using the CLA. Consortium members will participate in an annual
summer meeting to be held August 3-5, 2008 in Washington, DC.
 EVIDENCE
OF LEARNING:
Applying the Collegiate Learning Assessment to Improve Teaching and Learning
in the Liberal Arts College Experience
CIC published a report highlighting the experiences of the 33 members
of CIC's Collegiate Learning Assessment (CLA) Consortium over the past
three years as they used the CLA to measure student learning outcomes.
The CLA instrument assesses how the college experience helps students
develop such “higher order” cognitive skills as critical thinking,
analytic reasoning, problem-solving, and effective writing. Print copies
are available for
order through the CIC website. A PDF copy is also available
here.
Current members of the CIC/CLA Consortium include:
Alaska Pacific University
Allegheny College (PA)
Aurora University (IL)
Averett University (VA)
Barton College (NC)
Bethel University (MN)
Cabrini College (PA)
Carlow University (PA)
Charleston Southern University (SC)
College of Notre Dame of Maryland
College of Saint Benedict/Saint John's University (MN)
Dominican University (IL)
Drake University (IA)
Franklin Pierce University (NH)
Hilbert College (NY)
Illinois College
Indiana Wesleyan University
Jamestown College (ND)
John Carroll University (OH)
Juniata College (PA)
LaGrange College (GA)
Loyola University New Orleans (LA)
Lynchburg College (VA)
Marian College (WI)
Morningside College (IA)
Nebraska Wesleyan University
Pace University (NY)
Seton Hill University (PA)
Southwestern University (TX)
Springfield College (MA)
Stephens College (MO)
Stonehill College (MA)
Texas Lutheran University
The College of St. Scholastica (MN)
The University of Findlay (OH)
Trinity Christian College (IL)
University of Charleston (WV)
University of Evansville (IN)
University of Great Falls (MT)
Upper Iowa University
Ursinus College (PA)
Ursuline College (OH)
Wagner College (NY)
Westminster College ( MO)
Westminster College (UT)
Willamette University (OR)
William Woods University (MO)
Independent Newsletter Articles
Winter/Spring 2008: CIC/CLA
Consortium Heads into Third Phase
Summer 2007: New
Opportunity to Assess Student Learning
Fall 2006: CIC/CLA
Consortium Participants Compare Assessment Results
Summer 2005: CIC/CLA
Consortium Participants Discuss Campus Goals..
Spring 2005: Carnegie
and Teagle Grants Support CLA Consortium
For questions about the CLA Consortium, visit CAE's
website or contact CIC Senior Vice President Hal
Hartley, at (202) 466-7230.
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Collegiate
Learning Assessment (CLA) Consortium
