Faculty play a critical role in the assessment plan for the True Blue Core, although the primary responsibility for adminstering the assessment plan falls to the Center for the True Blue Core (CTBC). 

While a carefully thought out assessment plan and measuring continuous improvement is a requirement of MTSU's accrediting body, the Southern Association of the Colleges and Schools Commission (SACSCOC), the focus of the True Blue Core Assessment plan is reflective practice. Unlike some assessment plans that focus on compliance or evaluating faculty or student performance, the TBC assessment plan focuses on creating a culture of curiosity and reflection about improving student learning.

How Assessment Works

Each of the eight TBC outcomes is assessed on a three-year cycle and requires an assessment team and assessment fellows to be appointed annually. The CTBC collects anonymized student artifacts using a multistage cluster sampling method. As with students, faculty remain anonymous. The data collected is never used to evaluate faculty performance or individual student achievement. Instead, the data is used to assess student learning and identify strategies for improving student learning.

At the end of the academic year, the TBC  Assessment Team, following the guidance of the CTBC Assessment Coordinator and the CTBC fellows, evaluates the student artifacts using the rubrics. The CTBC Assessment Director collates that data and issues a report on each outcome followed by a debriefing retreat for each of the outcomes being assessed that year. Faculty who teach in the category associated with the outcome being assessed will be invited to participate in the debriefing retreat to identify strategies for improving learning.

Faculty Responsibilites

1. Develop assignments for your Core classes that can be assessed using the True Blue Core rubrics designed by MTSU faculty based on the AACU Value rubrics.

2. Submit anonymized student artifacts to D2L for assessment by the end of the semester if you have students included in the randomized sampling. (CTBC will notify you if any of your students are included.)

3. Participate in the debrief retreat for your outcome.

4. Consider becoming a Center for the True Blue Core fellow and serving as an outcome coodinator.

5. Consider applying for a microgrant to learn more about how to use assessment to improve student learning in your classroom.

6. Consider applying to serve on the TBC Assessment Team when the outcome you teach is being assessed.

The Rubrics

Every course in the True Blue Core must include an assignment that is assessable on the rubric for course's category. Click on the link to review the rubric.

Foundational Skills--Written Communication--Rubric

Foundational Skills--Information LIteracy--Rubric

Foundational Skills--Non-Written Communication--Rubric

Foundational Skills--Quantitative Literacy--Rubric

Knowledge Domains: Human Society and Social Relationships--Rubric

Knowledge Domains: Scientific Literacy--Rubric

Knowledge Domains: Creativity and Cultural Expression--Rubric

Knowledge Domains: History and Civic Learning--Rubric

Read the full plan here: True Blue Core Assessment Plan