Imperial Valley College Adopts New Outcomes Assessment Platform

  • By Dian Schaffhauser
  • 11/15/21

A Southern California community college has adopted new software, to improve the processes of assessing student learning outcomes. Imperial Valley College (IVC) selected Nuventive, a cloud-based improvement platform, to modernize its institutional planning and outcomes assessment work.

Previously, the school used a shell in learning management system Canvas and spreadsheets to collect and analyze data on learning outcomes. An external team found, however, that the process "resulted in little connection between the collection of assessment data and program review" and "that learning outcomes were being under-utilized in institutional processes," according to a president's message.

The college agreed on two main recommendations, which were demonstrated to campus stakeholders; the majority chose Nuventive. The eventual deployment, which began in July 2021, in time for use in the 2021-2022 academic year, occurred at the same time as a new Tableau business intelligence system adoption.

Nuventive is designed to help people view the higher-level institutional objectives and drill down to review the details of various scenarios and to monitor progress, with data fed from business intelligence tools and other sources.

"We were looking for a solution that would facilitate the program review narrative without going to multiple screens," said Yolanda Cataño, Imperial's interim associate dean of Institutional Effectiveness, Equity and Student Success, in a press release. "With Nuventive, we can now see the narrative next to the information sources in a single screen."

Now, the college uses mapping between Nuventive and Canvas, to align tasks and link learning outcomes assessments data to the program review and planning process.

"This lets us see the bigger picture, so we can highlight successes, needs, challenges and barriers," noted Cataño. "By giving faculty and staff a voice, it helps them highlight ongoing efforts, versus feeling threatened by data."

About the Author

Dian Schaffhauser is a former senior contributing editor for 1105 Media's education publications THE Journal, Campus Technology and Spaces4Learning.

Featured

  • abstract interconnected AI neural networks merging into a single central hub

    OpenAI to Unify AI Models with GPT-5 Launch

    OpenAI has scrapped plans to release its o3 model, opting instead for a "simplified" product lineup centered on its upcoming GPT-5 product.

  • robot typing on a computer

    Microsoft Announces 'Computer Use' Automation in Copilot Studio

    Microsoft has introduced a new AI-powered feature called "computer use" for its Copilot Studio platform that allows agents to directly interact with Web sites and desktop applications using simulated mouse clicks, menu selections and text inputs.

  • college building with a central domed rotunda, arched windows, and columns, overlaid with glowing blue circuit patterns

    Kishwaukee College Moves to Ellucian Colleague SaaS

    Illinois's Kishwaukee College is modernizing its administrative systems with an Ellucian Colleague SaaS rollout that will bring AI-powered tools to human resources, finance, and student management.

  • From Fire TV to Signage Stick: University of Utah's Digital Signage Evolution

    Jake Sorensen, who oversees sponsorship and advertising and Student Media in Auxiliary Business Development at the University of Utah, has navigated the digital signage landscape for nearly 15 years. He was managing hundreds of devices on campus that were incompatible with digital signage requirements and needed a solution that was reliable and lowered labor costs. The Amazon Signage Stick, specifically engineered for digital signage applications, gave him the stability and design functionality the University of Utah needed, along with the assurance of long-term support.