Learning Objectives
Equipping Students to Make an Eternal Impact in Life, Ministry, & Beyond
Grace Christian University follows a three-year cycle of assessment of four measurable Institutional Learning Objectives (ILO) and numerous Program Learning Objectives (PLO – currently identified in the catalog and elsewhere on the university website as “outcomes”). The results of this assessment are reported here as student outcomes. The outcomes reported below cover the academic semesters Fall 2022 through Spring 2023 organized by school. Outcomes that have been discontinued during the past three years are not included in the tables below.
Institutional Outcomes Assessment: Note that some assessments double as Institutional Outcomes Assessments and Program Learning Assessments.
Institutional Learning Objectives
Knowing
Graduates will integrate knowledge of God’s word and God’s general revelation in creation resulting in a broad understanding of human life.
Doing
Graduates will implement the skills needed for living and working in the world.
Being
Graduates will demonstrate character formed by the Bible and the Spirit of God.
Serving
Students will serve others in their churches, careers, and communities.
2023-24 Student Outcomes Assessment
| Program | PLO | ILO | Outcome Target | Outcome Results |
| AA General Studies | 1. Apply knowledge acquisition, communication, cultural intelligence, and critical thinking skills to expand self-efficacy and achieve college-level academic study | Knowing, Being | 75% of students will meet a satisfactory score | 94% of students met a satisfactory score |
| AA General Studies | 1. Apply knowledge acquisition, communication, cultural intelligence, and critical thinking skills to expand self-efficacy and achieve college-level academic study | Knowing, Being | 75% of students will meet a satisfactory score | 85% On Campus and 64% Online students met a satisfactory score |
| Arts and Science Core | 2. Self Understanding – the ability to effectively locate, critically analyze, and creatively apply knowledge and beliefs for personal and professional development. | Being, Knowing | 75% of students will meet a satisfactory score | 97.5% of students met a satisfactory score |
| Arts and Science Core | 2. Self Understanding – the ability to effectively locate, critically analyze, and creatively apply knowledge and beliefs for personal and professional development. | Being, Knowing | 75% of students will meet a satisfactory score | 55% of students met a satisfactory score |
| Arts and Science Core | 2. Self Understanding – the ability to effectively locate, critically analyze, and creatively apply knowledge and beliefs for personal and professional development. | Being, Knowing | 75% of students will meet a satisfactory score | 60% of students of students met a satisfactory score |
| Arts and Science Core | 2. Self Understanding – the ability to effectively locate, critically analyze, and creatively apply knowledge and beliefs for personal and professional development. | Being, Knowing | 75% of students will meet a satisfactory score | 100% of students met a satisfactory score |
| Arts and Science Core | 2. Self Understanding – the ability to effectively locate, critically analyze, and creatively apply knowledge and beliefs for personal and professional development. | Being, Knowing | 75% of students will meet a satisfactory score | 100% of students met a satisfactory score |
| Bible Theology Core | 2. Demonstrate spiritual growth and maturity through service and the practice of spiritual disciplines. | Serving, Doing | 75% of students met a satisfactory score (75%) | 75% of students satisfactorily completed their Christian ministry as part of their Bible and Theology Core. |
| Bible Theology Core | 1. Analyze biblical texts based on recognized principles of biblical interpretation, in order to handle the word of God accurately (2 Tim. 2:15). | Knowing | 75% of students will meet a satisfactory score | 100% of scores improved across all disaggregated categories including gender, program major, athletics, and ethnicity. |
| BS Business | 1. Business as Mission – Demonstrate a firm understanding of the Christian call to business as ministry-based on references to scripture. | Doing, Knowing | 75% of students will meet a satisfactory score | 75% of students met a satisfactory score |
| BS Criminal Justice | 1. Develop a deep understanding of ethical considerations, social and economic inequalities, cultural intelligence, and issues of diversity and human rights in relation to the criminal justice system. | Being, Serving | 75% of students will meet a satisfactory score | 78% of ALL students met a satisfactory score |
| BS Human Services | 2. Demonstrate effective interpersonal skills and the ability to navigate helping relationships in various settings to support growth and potential. | Serving, Being | 75% of students will meet a satisfactory score | 78% of ALL students met a satisfactory score |
| BS Human Services | 1. Develop a personal philosophy of human helping that emphasizes ethical decision-making, respect for diversity, cultural intelligence (CQ), and the recognition of social and psychological dimensions of human interactions. | Knowing, Doing | 90% of students will meet a satisfactory score | 100% of students students met a satisfactory score |
| BS Human Services | 2. Demonstrate effective interpersonal skills and the ability to navigate helping relationships in various settings to support growth and potential. | Serving, Being | 90% of students will meet a satisfactory score | 100% of students students met a satisfactory score |
| BS Leadership and Ministry | 2. Apply practical principles and strategies for effective ministry practice in a team environment. | Serving | 75% of students will meet a satisfactory score | 83% of students met a satisfactory score |
| BS Leadership and Ministry | 1. Construct a comprehensive personal philosophy for ministry that is consistent with Scripture and proven leadership principles. | Doing | 80% of students will meet a satisfactory score | 100% of all Leadership and Ministry majors in both classes met a satisfactory score |
| BS Leadership and Ministry | 2. Apply practical principles and strategies for effective ministry practice in a team environment. | Serving | 75% of students will meet a satisfactory score | 75% of students satisfactorily completed their Christian ministry as part of their Bible and Theology Core. |
| BS Psychology | 2. Develop effective communication skills, including culturally intelligent (CQ) and ethical behavior, to effectively convey ideas in writing and oral, and interpersonal interactions to promote human growth and development. | Doing, Serving | 75% of students will meet a satisfactory score | 78% of students met a satisfactory score |
| BS Psychology | 1. Apply psychological concepts, theories, and research to analyze and solve various behavior problems while demonstrating scientific inquiry and critical thinking skills. | Knowing, Being | 90% of students will meet a satisfactory score | 100% of students were marked “proficient” in each category by their peers. |
| BS Psychology | 2. Develop effective communication skills, including culturally intelligent (CQ) and ethical behavior, to effectively convey ideas in writing and oral, and interpersonal interactions to promote human growth and development. | Doing, Serving | 90% of students will meet a satisfactory score | 100% of students were marked “proficient” in each category by their peers. |
| Master of Business Administration | Create unique, culturally intelligent strategies to use business as a tool for sharing the gospel with stakeholders. | Knowing, Being, Doing, Serving | 75% of students will meet a satisfactory score | 100% of students received over 75%. |
| MA Organizational Leadership | Demonstrate theory-based Christian leadership practice characterized by building personal leadership competency and organizational capacity. | Being | 75% of students will meet a satisfactory score | 78.5% of the students met a satisfactory score |
| BS Interdisciplinary Studies | 3. Apply knowledge, skills, and ideas from areas of study to contemporary challenges. | 75% of students will meet a satisfactory score | 100% of students met a satisfactory score | |
| BS Communication | 2. Create messages appropriate to the audience, purpose, and context | 75% of students will meet a satisfactory score | 100% of students met a satisfactory score | |
| MA Ministry | Cultural Engagement – Students will be able to construct practical, biblically-based responses to contemporary trends in theology, church, and culture. | Knowing, Being | 75% of students will meet a satisfactory score | 76% of students met a satisfactory score |
Indirect Assessment
Spring 2019: Social Science and Human Services Focus Group
The overall theme was positive with students reporting the classes and preparation as significant, especially noting the internship where skills were applied in a real setting with clients.
Spring 2020: Social Science and Human Services Focus Group
Strengths: Coursework interesting, professors, guest speakers from the field, choices of assignments
Weaknesses: Better communication on internship planning
Action Points (Faculty):
- Transformational Relationships matter (i.e. Retention)
- Considering moving Research Stats to earlier in the curriculum d/t focus on APA style, peer-reviewed, academic research (i.e. ProQuest)
- Continue bringing in external speakers (i.e. HS professionals, Alumni) to expose students to various perspectives and opportunities.
2019-20 Student Affairs Assessment
| ILO | Student Pop. | Outcome Target | Outcome Results | Action Plan if Needed | Timing of Reassessment |
| Knowing | Students in Leadership Roles | Pre-test/post-test |
1. Students scored themselves lower pre-year and post-year on “Y3: When something seems like it might be difficult, I try it even though I might not succeed.” There is an opportunity to build opportunities for students to pursue meaningful challenges. 2. The questions on which the highest number of students experienced growth were “Who I am in public matches who I am in private” and “I am intentional about sharing my faith with others.” More students appear to be experiencing growth in these areas than any other. 3. The “O” scores (“Others are impacted”) showed the lowest growth, and one O question had the highest number of students who demonstrated a lower self-assessment: “I am able to speak the truth in love to others, even when it’s difficult.” |
Several things can be taken away from the data in this survey, but the three identified results can be used to shape teachings for 2020/2021: | The reassessment could not be carried out due to the COVID-19 pandemic. |
Spring 2021
The student affairs department seeks to create chapel programming with maximum student engagement and impact, and hopes to complete chapel programming for the 2021-2022 school year with minimal disruption from COVID-19 precautions. On May 18, 2021, the Student Affairs team completed an assessment with several students to gauge their satisfaction and consider adjustments to chapel programming to increase engagement in the coming year. The instrument used in this assessment is attached, as well as data from their responses. Eleven students participated in an in-person discussion after filling out a brief survey. They were asked to share two highlights of responses they felt most strongly about.
Themes and corresponding responses/actions:
- Students appear to widely agree that they want a reduced chapel attendance requirement.
- In response, student affairs will look for opportunities to give students more choice in their attendance to allow them to skip some daily chapels. The student affairs team will increase chapel attendance opportunities to include more lunchtime, afternoon, or evening chapel attendance opportunities. The student affairs team will ask student government and other student groups to meet a set quota each semester to increase these opportunities. The student affairs team is unlikely to significantly reduce the number of scans required for each student.
- Multiple students gave suggestions for improvements in chapel programming that could increase their engagement and interest. These included more engaging speakers who are less likely to lecture. The “lecture” approach to chapel teaching may not appeal to some students because many spend the morning sessions before and after chapel in class. Students also requested to hear more preaching and testimonies from peers, as well as more testimonies from staff.
- In response, student affairs will find increased opportunities for staff to share their testimonies. Additionally, communication with prospective speakers will be adjusted to discourage them from lecturing, but to seek ways to be more engaging. Additionally, Wednesday chapel formatting will be adjusted to emphasize student involvement through prayer, action, service, conversation, and others. Student affairs will continue to evaluate options for Wednesday chapel programming.
- Some students requested more involvement in the decision-making process for chapel.
- In response, student affairs will facilitate the creation of a student chapel team, empowering them to make decisions about formatting for Wednesday chapels and other chapel experiences.
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