Signature Assignments

CLU faculty are collecting program data from student assignments that will provide Direct Evidence of achieving SLOs.  Identification of one assignment in each course, known as a “signature assignment”, is commonly used to determine the achievement of identified learning outcomes.

A ‘signature assignment’ is that assignment or exam that best displays the knowledge or skills essential to the objectives of a course. Other coursework should build toward the completion of the course ‘signature’ assignment. Think of a signature assignment as a milestone in the student’s progress toward fulfilling the program objectives. Ideally, signature assignments are the types of works that students and professors would most like to present to others as evidence of accomplishment (i.e., work they would like to sign and have signed).

School of Education faculty collected three years of evidence of assessments linked to outcomes.  Direct assessment data was shared, analyzed, and used to inform changes in curriculum.  An illustration can be found in the Ed.D. Signature Assignments Assessment Data chart.