What is Core Curriculum Assessment?
What is Core Curriculum Assessment?
The Texas Core Curriculum (general education program) ensures students will develop the essential knowledge and skills needed to be successful in college, a career, their communities, and life. Through the assessment of the Core Curriculum, Texas A&M University collects information about students’ abilities to demonstrate these knowledge and skills and use that information to continuously improve the Core Curriculum learning experience.
As a public institution of higher education, Texas A&M University’s Core Curriculum is required to meet specific standards laid out by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) and its regional accreditor, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). Regular assessment of the Core Curriculum is a requirement for both the THECB (see Texas Administrative Code §4.30) and SACSCOC (see standard 8.2.b.). The Office of Institutional Effectiveness & Evaluation (OIEE) facilitates assessment for all core courses offered at all Texas A&M University campuses (College Station, Galveston, and Qatar).
The purpose of Core Curriculum Assessment is to collect data on student learning in order to identify areas for improvement. Because the purpose of assessment is to improve student learning, courses that are due for core recertification are asked to reflect on their assessment results to identify areas where student learning could be improved. The process is not punitive; instructors, departments, colleges, FCAs, and campuses are not penalized based on assessment results. Assessment helps instructors, courses, departments, and FCAs create data-informed actions to improve student learning.
When a course is due for centralized assessment, all sections of the course taught during the long semesters (fall and spring) submit artifacts (student-produced work) aligned to the assigned core objective(s) to OIEE. After collecting artifacts, the scoring team, comprised of assessment staff members in OIEE, apply the rubrics to randomly sampled artifacts. After all artifacts are scored, OIEE reports findings to the Faculty Senate's Core Curriculum Council (CCC) and instructors.
When is my course due for assessment?
In Academic Year 2024-25, Cohort B courses are due for centralized assessment. Instructors of record for Core Curriculum courses due for centralized assessment are contacted via email by the Office of Institutional Effectiveness & Evaluation (assessment@tamu.edu).
- Written Communication will be assessed for all Cohort B courses.
- Empirical & Quantitative Skills (Analytical or Computational) will be assessed for Cohort B courses in the following FCAs: Life & Physical Sciences; Mathematics; and Social & Behavioral Sciences.
- Personal Responsibility will be assessed for Cohort B courses in the following FCAs: American History; Communication; Government/Political Science; and Language, Philosophy, & Culture.
The due date to submit artifacts for centralized assessment is:
Monday, December 16, 2024 for Fall 2024 courses
Monday, May 12, 2025 for Spring 2025 courses
All current THECB-certified Core Curriculum courses are recertified by the Texas A&M University Faculty Senate–Core Curriculum Council (CCC) through a two-part process. In Year 1, student-produced work is collected, scored, and reported by OIEE. In Year 2, faculty prepare and submit a description of practice as part of the recertification curricular review conducted by the CCC. Part of this process involves reflection on how assessment data from Year 1 has informed pedagogical practice at a course level. For details about Year 2 of the process, visit us.tamu.edu/core.
Core courses are assigned to one of four cohorts (A, B, C, & D) continuously rotating through recertification over a four year period. The student learning outcome data collected by OIEE for the centralized assessment of core objectives is based on a three-year scheduled assessment rotation. Rotation 1 includes Oral Communication, Visual Communication, and Teamwork. Rotation 2 includes Critical Thinking and Social Responsibility. Rotation 3 includes Empirical & Quantitative Skills, Personal Responsibility, and Written Communication.
These two rotating cycles (recertification and assessment rotation) occur concurrently to ensure each course in the Core Curriculum provides evidence of student learning of the core objectives at least four times across a 12-year period. The table below details the academic years, course lists, core objectives assessed, and assessment results.
| Academic Year | Course List* | Core Objectives Assessed | Assessment Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| AY19-20 | Cohort A | Visual Communication | -- |
| AY20-21 | Cohort B | Critical Thinking and Social Responsibility | AY20-21 Report |
| AY21-22 | Cohort C | Empirical & Quantitative Skills, Personal Responsibility, and Written Communication | AY21-22 Report |
| AY22-23 | Cohort D | Oral Communication, Visual Communication, and Teamwork | AY22-23 Report |
| AY23-24 | Cohort A | Critical Thinking and Social Responsibility | AY23-24 Report |
| AY24-25 | Cohort B | Empirical & Quantitative Skills, Personal Responsibility, and Written Communication | Available in FA25 |
| AY25-26 | Cohort C | Oral Communication, Visual Communication, and Teamwork | Available in FA26 |
| AY26-27 | Cohort D | Critical Thinking and Social Responsibility | Available in FA27 |
* Note on course lists: Core courses represented in each cohort list may differ from academic years to a variety of reasons including courses being added or subtracted from the Core Curriculum as well as course redesigns or name changes.
Where can I access assessment results?
After all artifacts are scored, OIEE presents findings to the CCC and publishes the reports online. Findings are aggregated by FCA and campus (College Station, Galveston, & Qatar). Course-level reports are often available on request by contacting OIEE (contingent on the requesting party, anonymity of individual instructors, and assessability of submitted artifacts). Reports are published per academic year and are available in the subsequent fall semester.
Core Curriculum Assessment Reports
AY20-21 Critical Thinking and Social Responsibility ReportAY21-22 Empirical & Quantitative Skills, Personal Responsibility, and Written Communication Report
AY22-23 Oral Communication, Visual Communication, and Teamwork Report
AY23-34 Critical Thinking and Social Responsibility Report
Questions about these reports can be directed to assessment@tamu.edu.
Where can I learn more about Core Curriculum?
If you have questions about Core Curriculum Assessment, contact OIEE at assessment@tamu.edu or (979)862-2918.