Using Canvas Outcomes for Program Assessment

Owned by Franklin Clark (Unlicensed), created
Last updated: Aug 25, 2023

Summary

This article explains how to use the Canvas Outcomes feature to assess program learning outcomes (PLO). Note that PLOs must first be added at the account level. To add PLOs to Canvas, submit a help desk ticket; include outcomes along with department and program names.

Instructions

Step 1: Enable the Learning Mastery Gradebook

The Learning Mastery Gradebook is an optional feature that allows instructors and administrator to see whether students have mastered learning outcomes. The default teacher view gives color-coded mastery scores for each student and summary statistics (average, median, mode) for the entire class. Results can be exported to a .csv file and filtered by mastery level.

  1. Navigate to the course for which you want to enable the Learning Mastery Gradebook.

  2. Click on Settings in the course navigation on the left.

  3. Click the Feature Options tab near the top of the page.

  4. Click Learning Mastery Gradebook, then click the red circle with an X inside, and finally click Enabled. A white checkmark in a green circle will appear to indicate the feature is now enabled.

Step 2: Import Existing PLOs to Course

  1. Navigate to the course to which you want to import program learning outcomes (PLO).

  2. Click Outcomes in the course navigation on the left.

  3. At the top right of the page, click Find next to the magnifying glass icon.

  4. Under Outcome Groups at the left of the page, click Account Standards to expand the menu.

  5. Click the outcomes group you wish to import; example: ECONOMICS-DEPT.

  6. On the right part of the screen, click Add next to the plus icon for each outcome you wish to import to the course.

  7. At the bottom right corner of the screen, click the blue Done button.

Optional Step 2b

Follow these directions from Canvas to make the Outcomes menu item visible to students.

Step 3: Align Outcomes to a Quiz or Rubric

  1. To create a rubric, follow these directions from Canvas.

  2. To align an outcome to a rubric, follow these directions from Canvas.

  3. To create a quiz, follow these directions from Boise State.

  4. To align an outcome to a quiz, follow these directions from Canvas.

Step 4: Use the Learning Mastery Gradebook to View Outcomes Results

  1. After you have assessed student assignments using an outcomes-aligned rubric or outcomes-aligned quiz, follow these directions from Canvas to view and export outcomes results.