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Student Learning Outcomes

The Mission of El Camino College (ECC) is to offer quality, comprehensive educational programs and services to ensure the educational success of students from our diverse community.  Central to this mission is student learning, which is not restricted to interactions between students and instructors in a classroom.  Instead, the entire campus works together to support student learning in all of our courses, programs, and services.

ECC strives to create a culture where outcomes assessment continually improves the quality of student learning and institutional effectiveness.  Members of each department and program engage each other in the development and assessment of outcomes.  Dialogue within and amongst departments and programs moves the college forward to meet the evolving needs of our students through instruction, curricula, programs, and services.

Learning Outcomes exist at multiple levels.

  • Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs) are learning outcomes that we expect students to achieve after they have completed a course.
  • Program Learning Outcomes (PLOs) are learning outcomes we expect students to achieve after completing a degree or path of study at ECC.
  • Institutional Learning Outcomes (ILOs) measure the overall success of ECC and addresses all areas that a student might engage with, including how we clarify an academic path for students, get them on that path, keep them on their academic path to completion, and ensure that learning has effectively taken place.
  • Service Area Outcomes (SAOs) are explicit statements describing knowledge, skills, abilities, and/or attitudes that a student will be able to demonstrate at the end (or as a result) of his or her engagement in a particular lesson, course, program, or collegiate experience.

Although the initial impetus for assessment began with course-based SLOs, all areas of the college have benefited from identifying desired student outcomes related to the service provided.  At ECC, the assessment of these learning outcomes includes the development of actionable plans designed to enhance student learning both inside and outside of the classroom.