 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.
New Opportunity: See below under "Opportunity to Join New CLA Consortium Project"
Funder: The Teagle Foundation and the Carnegie Corporation
of New York
Program Status: The third phase of the CLA Consortium is under
way. Forty-seven 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 the next annual
summer meeting on August 2-4, 2009 at the Hyatt Regency Jersey City on the Hudson in Jersey City, New Jersey.
The meeting will be an opportunity to recognize the accomplishments of the 47 Consortium institutions, share improvements and new developments with CLA related projects, and network with other campus representatives. The agenda will focus on using the CLA to improve teaching and learning, comparing CLA data with other assessment sources, and gaining more experience with the CLA in the Classroom initiative. More information about the meeting and the hotel can be found here:
Opportunity to Join New CLA Consortium Project—Deadline is October 23, 2009: This multi-year project will support a select group of independent colleges and universities that are located in urban settings with the goal of improving learning of “at-risk” students, such as first-generation college goers and those from low-income backgrounds. Ten CIC institutions in urban settings—situated in cities or urban areas with populations over 100,000—will be selected to join the current CIC/CLA Consortium of 47 institutions. Detailed information, including the specific expectations of participating institutions, benefits of participation, and application procedures are available here. The invitation letter from CIC President Richard Ekman is available here. Should you have questions about this project or the application process, please contact Esther Hong, CIC senior advisor, at ehong@cic.nche.edu or (917) 716-7058.
 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)
Hastings College (NE)
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
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)
Articles about the CIC/CLA Consortium
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 Manager of Research Projects, Eric Godin, at (202) 466-7230.
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Collegiate
Learning Assessment (CLA) Consortium
