Cocurricular Assessment Processes and Support

WHAT IS COCURRICULAR?

Cocurricular activities are learning activities, programs, and experiences that reinforce the institution's mission and values and complement the formal curriculum.

Cocurricular activities serve two primary functions:  

  • TO INFORM:  Cocurricular activities that inform/introduce the supporting knowledge that students need in order to perform an outcome or competency.  
  • TO PRACTICE:  Cocurricular activities that support practice required of learners to interact with, process, or apply contact so that they store what they have learned in their academic courses in long-term memory.  
WHO MEASURES COCURRICULAR?
  • Academic Advising
  • Athletics
  • Career Counseling and Placement
  • Disability Resources
  • Early College
  • Learning Centers
  • Library Services
  • Lifelong Learning
  • Student Engagement and Leadership
  • Tutoring Services
  • Veteran Services

HOW IS COCURRICULAR MEASURED?

Using YC's cocurricular definition, areas, such as the YC Library and Student Affairs, will use the Cocurricular Assessment Activity Report to select one to three activities, programs, and experiences that strengthen students understanding of the College’s Institutional Learning Outcomes (ILOs) each year to evaluate how well students are using their learning outside of the classroom. 

Institutional Learning Outcomes

There are three Institutional Learning Outcomes:

  • COMMUNICATION is the ability to effectively develop, express, and support ideas in a variety of mediums.
  • CRITICAL THINKING includes both the skills and the habit of thinking in a clear, disciplined, open-minded way informed by evidence and observation.
  • SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY encompasses diversity awareness, civic and community engagement.

ILO Guidelines

DEADLINES FOR ASSESSMENT PROCESSES

All documents are assigned to one point person for each program.  The point person will be responsible for completing all of the Cocurricular Assessment Activity Reports by May of the corresponding academic year.  

Student learning outcomes data comes directly from student performance on assessments (surveys, short quizzes, open forums) tied to particular institutional learning outcome:  Communication, Critical Thinking, and Social Responsibility.  

The Cocurricular Assessment Activity Report should answer three questions:

  • Are students learning what matters most? 
  • How do you as academic support staff know?
  • What can be changed in the activity to enhance student performance and learning?

A Cocurricular Assessment Activity Report should be completed after a cocurricular activity has occured.  

Handbook and Forms

Cocurricular Handbook

Cocurricular Assessment Activity Report 

External Resources