Chapter 2: Building Your Assessment Plan
Prepare your Nuventive workspace for assessment reporting by entering program details, uploading documents, and defining measurable outcomes. This chapter guides you through mapping outcomes to institutional goals, creating and managing assessment methods, and documenting findings. These steps ensure your assessment process is well-organized, actionable, and aligned with university priorities.
- Program Information
- Documents
- Defining Program Outcomes
- Mapping Outcomes
- Creating and Managing Assessment Methods
- Documenting Findings
Program Information
The Program Information tab stores essential details about your program, including accreditation status, review dates, and program codes. This page explains how to access and update this information.
Video Tutorial
Watch: Program Information
This short video walks you through navigating to the Program Information tab and completing the required fields.
?
Steps to Access Program Information
Fields to Complete
- Specialized Accreditor
- Indicate whether your program has specialized accreditation or program review (you will have one or the other, not both).
- Accreditor Name
- Last Accreditation Date
- Next Anticipated Accreditation Visit Date
- Last Program Review (if applicable)
- Next Program Review (if applicable)
Program reviews apply to programs without specialized accreditation.
- Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) Code and Degree Code
- Use these Knowledge Base resources to find active codes:
- Notes (optional)
- Program Status
- Should be set to Active unless the program is in phase-out.
- Phase-Out Details (if applicable)
- Notice to Student Date
- Final Phase-Out Date
Need Help?
Contact the Office of Accreditation and Assessment:
Phone: (870) 972-2989
Location: Room 610, Dean B. Ellis Library
Email: klee@astate.edu
Documents
The Documents section in Nuventive is where you can upload and organize files related to assessment and accreditation. It also serves as the archive for historical Taskstream data. You can create your own folder structure, similar to how you organize files on your computer.
Video Tutorial
Watch: Documents
This short video walks you through navigating the Documents section and managing files.
Steps to Access and Manage Documents
Best Practices
- Use clear file names that indicate the content and date.
- Archive Taskstream data here if it’s not already present.
- Store supporting documentation for assessment or accreditation purposes.
- Upload final versions of reports and evidence to avoid confusion.
- Check file size and format requirements (e.g., PDF, Word, Excel).
- Link documents back to your workspace in Outcomes, Methods, and Findings when needed.
Need Help?
Contact the Office of Accreditation and Assessment:
Phone: (870) 972-2989
Location: Room 610, Dean B. Ellis Library
Email: klee@astate.edu
Defining Program Outcomes
Program outcomes describe what students should know, do, or value upon completing a program. In Nuventive, outcomes form the foundation of your assessment plan and must be created before you can add methods or findings.
You cannot add Methods or Findings until at least one Outcome has been created and saved.
Video Tutorial
Watch: Defining Program Outcomes
This short video explains how to create and manage program outcomes in Nuventive.
Key Features
Accessing Outcomes
Creating an Outcome
- If no outcomes exist, you’ll see blank fields for Outcome Short Name and Outcome Description.
- Click the green and white plus button to add a new outcome.
- Complete the following fields:
- Outcome Short Name: A brief label (e.g., Communication).
- Outcome Description: Full text of the outcome statement.
- Status: Defaults to Active unless archiving an old outcome.
- Assessment Schedule: Select the academic years for assessment.
Institutional requirement: All outcomes must be assessed within a four-year cycle. - Outcome Type: Typically Program-Level Outcome.
Saving and Managing Outcomes
- Click Save in the top-right corner to finalize your outcome.
- After saving:
- Reorder outcomes using the six-dot handle.
- Edit, copy, or delete outcomes using the vertical ellipses (⋮) menu.
Need Help?
Contact the Office of Accreditation and Assessment:
Phone: (870) 972-2989
Location: Room 610, Dean B. Ellis Library
Email:klee@astate.edu
Mapping Outcomes
The Mapping feature in Nuventive allows you to align program outcomes with university learning outcomes, curriculum courses, and (if applicable) specialized accreditors. You can complete mapping in two ways: through the Mapping menu or within Outcomes, Methods, and Findings.
Video Tutorial
Watch: Mapping
This short video walks you through both mapping options and how to align outcomes effectively.
Steps to Access Mapping
Alternative Mapping Access
University Learning Outcomes Mapping
- Align each program outcome to one or more university learning outcomes listed on the left.
- Use the Contributes option to indicate alignment.
- Click Save when finished.
Curriculum Mapping
- Ensure all program courses are listed on the left.
- If courses are missing or incorrect:
- Click the vertical ellipses → Assign Courses.
- Search and select courses from Banner.
- Click Save and Close.
- Return to the curriculum map and use the key at the top:
- I = Introduced
- R = Reinforced
- M = Mastered
- A = Assessed
- Apply the most accurate designation for each course-outcome combination.
Tip: Only A (Assessed) should appear more than once in a category.
Specialized Accreditor Mapping
- If your program has specialized accreditation, follow the same process as above for mapping outcomes to accreditor standards.
Note: Accurate mapping not only aligns your outcomes with institutional goals—it also powers dashboard visualizations and supports reporting tools in later stages of the assessment cycle.
Need Help?
Contact the Office of Accreditation and Assessment:
Phone: (870) 972-2989
Location: Room 610, Dean B. Ellis Library
Email: klee@astate.edu
Creating and Managing Assessment Methods
Assessment methods describe how you will measure each program outcome. In Nuventive, methods ensure that your outcomes are supported by clear, measurable strategies for collecting evidence of student learning.
- You cannot add Methods or Findings until at least one Outcome has been created and saved.
- You cannot add Findings until at least one Method has been created and saved for the Outcome.
Video Tutorial
Watch: Documenting Assessment Methods
This short video explains how to create and manage assessment methods in Nuventive.
Key Features
Accessing Methods
Creating a Method
- Open the outcome you want to assess by:
- Double-clicking the outcome name, or
- Using the vertical ellipses (⋮) menu on the right.
- Select the Methods tab.
- Click the green and white plus button to add a new method.
- Complete the following fields:
- Assessment Method Short Name: A brief label (e.g., Direct Measure).
- Assessment Method Description: Full explanation of the method, including measurable targets (e.g., 80% of students score 4 or higher on the presentation rubric).
- Status: Defaults to Active unless archiving an old method.
- Attach a Tool: Use the green and white plus button to upload supporting materials (e.g., assignment instructions, rubrics).
Saving and Managing Methods
- Click Save in the top-right corner to finalize your method.
- After saving:
- Review the breadcrumb trail at the top to confirm the method is linked to the correct outcome.
- Edit or delete methods using the vertical ellipses (⋮) menu.
Need Help?
Contact the Office of Accreditation and Assessment:
Phone: (870) 972-2989
Location: Room 610, Dean B. Ellis Library
Email:klee@astate.edu
Documenting Findings
Findings document the results of your assessment activities and indicate whether your program met its established targets. In Nuventive, findings also include analysis, reflection, and action planning for continuous improvement.
You cannot add Findings until at least one Method has been created and saved for the Outcome.
Video Tutorial
Watch: Recording Findings
This short video explains how to enter findings and interpret results in Nuventive.
Key Features
Accessing Findings
Creating a Finding
- Click the green and white plus button to add a new finding.
- Complete the following fields:
- Overview: Summarize the results of your assessment.
- Target Met?: Indicate whether the target was met, exceeded, or not met.
- Reporting Period: Select the academic year for which you are reporting.
- Multiple Modalities: Indicate whether results represent multiple program modalities (e.g., hybrid vs. fully online).
- Student Counts: Enter the number of students assessed and the number who met the target.
- Analysis and Reflection: Provide interpretation of results and implications for improvement.
- Action Plan: Outline steps for addressing findings.
- Evidence (Optional): Upload supporting documentation.
Saving and Managing Findings
- Click Save in the top-right corner to finalize your finding.
- After saving:
- Review the breadcrumb trail at the top to confirm the finding is linked to the correct outcome and method.
- Edit or delete findings using the vertical ellipses (⋮) menu.
Need Help?
Contact the Office of Accreditation and Assessment:
Phone: (870) 972-2989
Location: Room 610, Dean B. Ellis Library
Email:klee@astate.edu