1. Using CAS as a Framework to Assess Holistic Learning. Occasional Paper No. 43
- Author
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National Institute for Learning Outcomes Assessment, Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education (CAS), Henning, Gavin W., Robbins, Rich, and Andes, Stacy
- Abstract
Holistic student learning has been a hallmark of U.S. higher education since the early 20th Century when the American Council on Education (ACE) published the "Student Personnel Point of View" (SPPV) in 1937, reaffirming time and again that learning happens both inside and outside of the classroom. To consider students' holistic development, various scholars and organizations have developed learning taxonomies and learning outcome frameworks. The Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education (CAS) provides tools and resources to guide the development of holistic learning and development outcomes that employers and higher education professionals wish to see in college graduates. CAS consists of a consortium of experts from various areas of higher education engaged in developing standards for professional practice as well as resources for self-assessment for functional areas of student support in higher education. Based in holistic learning and incorporating 47 functional areas involved in student learning and development, the CAS Standards serve as a validated, reliable resource in this data-driven, accountability-focused higher education environment. CAS Standards align with multiple other learning frameworks, are endorsed by higher education organizations and associations, and have multiple uses in research, evaluation, and assessment of student engagement, learning, and development. This paper explores how the CAS learning domains and dimensions can be used to identify and achieve various division-level or functional unit goals, to advance self-assessment, and to inform institutional effectiveness.
- Published
- 2020