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What is the CLA?
The Collegiate Learning Assessment (CLA) is a test that measures skills in critical thinking, analytical reasoning, problem solving, and written communication. Test questions are open-ended to elicit a robust and complete response from participants. Answers are evaluated by trained graders.
Freshmen and seniors participate in this assessment, and the difference between the scores of two groups represents the educational benefit or “value added” from the University.
Additionally, scores of Eastern students are compared to those of students at other universities to examine the differences between institutions. A total of 100 freshman and 100 seniors will take the test at Eastern. Through advanced sampling and statistical techniques, the CLA can identify differences in populations as small as one half of a standard deviation.
Why is the CLA important to you?
The purpose of a college education is not simply to develop specific knowledge in your major field of study. In fact, the abilities to think critically, reason analytically, solve problems, and write clearly are central to the general liberal arts courses you take at Eastern. These higher-order skills are the hallmarks of well-educated college graduates, and they are essential for success in your life and career following your educational experience at Eastern.
As a result of your college education, you should expect to improve and develop these essential skills. Your participation in the CLA will give you a sense of your own abilities as well as some idea of the types of problems your professors and employers expect you to solve.
Why is the CLA important to Eastern?
Student performance on the CLA is important to the University because it provides one indication of how well students are developing skills that faculty and employers think are essential for college graduates to possess.
Eastern examines the overall performance of students at the institution, but scores of individual students are not available to faculty members nor are considered part of a student’s academic record. For the CLA to provide valid results about student learning, however, it is important that participants put forth their best effort when taking the computerized CLA assessment. The University uses what is learned from the results to improve programs and services.
Contact Information: For questions about student assessment at Eastern please contact Dr. Brian Lashley, Interim Director of Planning and Institutional Research at (860) 465-4482, email: lashleyb@easternct.edu. For questions about the CLA instrument, assessment and other issues, please contact Dr. Darren Robert at (860) 465-5184, email: robertd@easternct.edu. This project is sponsored by Eastern’s Office of Academic Affairs. The CLA is conducted by the Council for Aid to Education. For more information, see their website at http://www.collegiatelearningassessment.org.
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