Category One identifies the shared purpose of all higher education organizations and is accordingly the pivot of any institutional analysis. This Category focuses on the teaching–learning processes within a formal instructional context, yet also addresses how the entire organization contributes to student learning and overall student development. It examines processes and systems related to:

Learning objectives
Mission-driven student learning and development
Intellectual climate
Academic programs and courses'
Student preparation
Key issues such as technology and diversity
Program and course delivery
Faculty and staff roles
Teaching and learning effectiveness
Course sequencing and scheduling
Learning and cocurricular support
Student assessment
Measures
Analysis of results
Improvement efforts

Answer the following questions about Category One.

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Context for Analysis (C)

1C1
What common student learning objectives do you hold for all students (regardless of their status or program of study), and what pattern of knowledge and skills do you expect them to possess upon completion of their general and specialized studies?

As appropriate, address cocurricular objectives/goals. Category Six, Supporting Institutional Operations, asks how you determine, address, and improve your learning support systems to contribute to achieving student learning and development objectives.

1C2
By what means do you ensure that student learning expectations, practices, and development objectives align with your mission, vision, and philosophy?

1C3
What are your key instructional programs? What delivery methods are used within these key programs? To what degree is technology used within the formal instructional context?

1C4
What practices do you use to ensure that the design and delivery of student learning options prepare students to live in a diverse world and accommodate a variety of student learning styles?

1C5
By what means do you create and maintain a climate that celebrates intellectual freedom, inquiry, reflection, respect for intellectual property, and respect for differing and diverse opinions?

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Processes (P)

1P1
How do you determine your common student learning objectives as well as specific program learning objectives? Who is involved in setting these objectives?

1P2
How do you design new programs and courses to facilitate student learning? How do you balance educational market issues with student needs in designing responsive academic programming?

1P3
How do you determine the preparation required of students for the specific curricula, programs, courses, and learning they will pursue?

1P4
How do you communicate expectations regarding student preparation and student learning objectives (for programs, courses, and the awarding of specific degrees or credentials) to prospective and current students? How do admissions, student support, and registration services aid in this process?

1P5
How do you help students select programs of study that match their needs, interests, and abilities? In providing this help, how are discrepancies between the necessary and actual preparation of students and their learning styles detected and addressed?

1P6
How do you determine and document effective teaching and learning? How are these expectations communicated across the institution?

Category Four, Valuing People, examines how you ensure that hiring practices take into account the needs for appropriate faculty talents and credentials and how you ensure that reward and recognition systems are aligned with teaching and learning objectives.

1P7
How do you build an effective and efficient course delivery system? How do delivery decisions balance student and institutional needs?

1P8
How do you monitor the currency and effectiveness of your curriculum? What process is in place for changing or discontinuing programs and courses?

1P9
How do you determine student and faculty needs relative to learning support? How are learning support areas involved in the student learning and development process?

Learning support areas may include library, advising, and tutoring, as appropriate.

1P10
How are cocurricular development goals aligned with curricular learning objectives

From the point of view of the formal instructional process, Category Six, Supporting Institutional Operations, asks how support areas such as residence life, student activities, advising, and counseling address student development performance (learning, behaviors, values, activities, etc.) and determine processes and goals to aid in student development.

1P11
How do you determine the processes for student assessment?

1P12
How do you discover how well prepared the students who are completing programs, degrees, and certificates are for further education or employment?

1P13
What measures of student performance do you collect and analyze regularly?

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Results (R)

1R1
What are your results for common student learning objectives as well as specific program learning objectives?

1R2
What is your evidence that students have acquired the knowledge and skills base required by the institution and its stakeholders (that is, other educational institutions and employers) for the awarding of specific degrees or credentials?

Results might address perspectives of other higher education institutions, employers, and so on

1R3
What are your results for processes associated with helping students learn?

Results might include processes in designing and introducing new courses and programs, using technology and its impact, evidence of effective teaching, processes associated with scheduling, and so on.

1R4
Regarding 1R1 through 1R3, how do your results compare with the results of other higher education institutions and, if appropriate, organizations outside the education community?

For 1R1 through 1R4, address historical trends and patterns, as appropriate.

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Improvement (I)

1I1
How do you improve your current processes and systems for helping students learn and develop?

1I2
With regard to your current results for student learning and development, how do you set targets for improvement? What specific improvement priorities are you targeting, and how will they be addressed? How do you communicate your current results and improvement priorities to students, faculty, staff, administrators, and appropriate stakeholders?