Educational Effectiveness
What is Educational Effectiveness?
Educational effectiveness is the ongoing process of evaluating and improving student learning, program quality and overall program health. At JWU, educational effectiveness helps ensure academic programs remain responsive to student needs, workforce expectations and institutional goals.
Educational effectiveness is evaluated primarily at the program level through a combination of assessment, annual review and continuous improvement processes.
JWU’s Educational Effectiveness Processes
JWU uses several integrated processes to evaluate academic programs and support continuous improvement. Together, these processes help the university monitor student learning, program performance and long-term program vitality.
Academic Program Review (APR)
JWU’s Academic Program Review (APR) process supports continuous improvement, strategic planning and long-term program vitality. Rather than relying solely on periodic reviews, APR uses an ongoing, data-informed approach to help programs monitor performance, identify opportunities and respond to emerging challenges.
The APR process is organized into three interconnected phases:
- Annual Program Effectiveness Review (APER): All programs participate in an annual review during Fall Educational Effectiveness (EE) Days focused on student learning, program performance and key indicators such as retention, enrollment trends and external or policy-related risks.
- Targeted Program Effectiveness Review (TPER): Programs identified through APER findings may undergo a more focused review to explore specific challenges, risks or opportunities in greater depth.
- Comprehensive Program Review (CPR): Selected programs participate in a broader review process that incorporates faculty reflection, external evaluator feedback and institutional, market and labor data to support long-term planning and innovation.
Together, these phases help the university proactively evaluate program health, support evidence-informed decision-making and align academic offerings with student and workforce needs.
Outcomes Assessment (OA)
Outcomes Assessment (OA) is the process of evaluating and improving student learning to ensure graduates develop the knowledge, skills and behaviors expected within their academic program.
At JWU, each program establishes student learning outcomes (SLOs) that describe the core competencies students are expected to demonstrate by graduation. Faculty assess these outcomes through assignments and projects within required courses using common rubrics and assessment measures.
Assessment findings are used to develop Continuous Improvement Plans (CIPs), which are reviewed annually to support ongoing program enhancement.
All program-level student learning outcomes align with one or more of JWU’s University Essential Learning Outcomes:
Professional Competence
Graduates will demonstrate the knowledge and skills required to succeed in their chosen profession.
Foundation for Lifelong Learning
Graduates will demonstrate communication, critical thinking, quantitative reasoning and problem-solving skills necessary for lifelong learning.
Global and Community Citizenship
Graduates will demonstrate ethical responsibility, cultural awareness and the ability to work collaboratively within diverse communities.
Continuous Improvement
Each year, academic programs develop Continuous Improvement Plans (CIPs) for at least two student learning outcomes (SLOs) based on assessment findings and other program data. Additional improvement plans may also emerge through the Academic Program Review (APR) process.
During Educational Effectiveness (EE) Days each fall, faculty review assessment results, evaluate the impact of prior interventions, and update improvement plans in response to new findings and emerging program needs. This ongoing process helps ensure programs remain responsive, evidence-informed, and aligned with student, industry, and institutional goals.
University Educational Effectiveness Committee
The University Educational Effectiveness Committee oversees educational effectiveness efforts across the university. The committee includes faculty representatives from each college, along with administrators who collaborate on policies, processes and best practices related to student learning and program improvement.
Educational Effectiveness Day
Each fall semester, colleges participate in Educational Effectiveness Day, where faculty and academic leaders review assessment findings, discuss improvement plans and evaluate the impact of previous changes and interventions.
This annual event supports continuous improvement and alignment between curriculum, student needs and industry expectations.