Collegiate Learning Assessment (CLA+)

What is Collegiate Learning Assessment (CLA+)?

 CLA+ is a validated assessment tool developed by the Council for Aid to Education (CAE) taking a value-added approach to measure institutional and individual growth in analysis and problem solving, scientific and quantitative reasoning, critical reading and evaluation, and critiquing an argument, in addition to writing mechanics and effectiveness. It is a performance-based assessment that is delivered completely online.

• Performance-based assessments, such as CLA+, challenge students to demonstrate skills, rather than to simply recall information.
• CAE approaches performance-based learning by challenging students to address real-life issues presented in performance tasks.
• Students need to be able to analyze and evaluate information, solve problems, and communicate effectively. Beyond simply accumulating facts, they must be able to access, structure, and use information.
• With CLA+, faculty, administrators, and students receive more data on skills that matter. 

 

Assessment Design and Sample

The Collegiate Learning Assessment (CLA+) is a performance assessment that measures critical-thinking and written-communication skills by asking students to write a response to a CLA+ Performance Task and answer a set of Selected-Response Questions. 

 

CAE provide a total CLA+ score as well as a set of three subscores each for the Performance Task and the Selected-Response Questions section that measure specific skills.

 

• Performance Task
  • Analysis and Problem Solving
  • Writing Effectiveness
  • Writing Mechanics

   

• 25 Selected-Response Questions
  • 10 questions - Scientific and Quantitative Reasoning
  • 10 questions - Critical Reading and Evaluation
  • 5 questions - Critique an Argument

 

The Performance Task presents a real-world scenario that identifies an issue, problem, or conflict. Students are asked to assume a relevant role to address the issue, suggest a solution, or recommend a course of action based on the information provided in the Document Library. The Document Library contains six to eight reference sources, such as technical reports, data tables, newspaper articles, office memoranda, and/or emails. To complete a Performance Task, students are asked to:

• assert a logical decision or conclusion
• support the decision with appropriate information from the Document Library
• construct organized and logically cohesive arguments
• strengthen their position by elaborating on facts or ideas
• demonstrate facility with the conventions of standard written English

 

CAE trained scorers use a rubric to grade the assessment. The rubric shows in detail what skills are measured with CLA+. 

 

In the Selected-Response Questions section, students respond to 25 questions: 10 assess scientific and quantitative reasoning; 10 assess critical reading and evaluation; and five assess the ability to critique an argument. Students must complete this section within 30 minutes. Much like the Performance Task, each set of questions requires that students draw information from accompanying documents.

 

What will you get after completion of CLA+?

• Individual student report will be provided to you so that you will receive your CLA+ total scores, sub-scores and CLA+ Mastery Levels, as a reference to your future career.
• You will receive $100 gift vouchers as a token of appreciation subsequent to your completion of the test.

 

Your participation will be very important and valuable to our assessment of Institutional Learning Outcomes. Participation in this test is voluntary and a total of 150 students from different Faculties and Schools will be invited to join the test in semester 2.  Information collected will only be used for education and research purposes only. Completion of the test should take around 1 to 1.5 hour(s).

 

If you are interested in the test, please register via link : https://forms.office.com/r/QrUFqfXihS starting from 3 January 2022 (Monday).

 

Enrolment Procedures

1. Register by Online Form
2. Receive Confirmation Email
3. Complete the CLA+ in around 1 - 1.5 hour(s) and receive $100 gift vouchers immediately
4. Receive your individual report by email about 1 month after the test

 

More information

CLA+ Webpage: https://cae.org/solutions/

Online Registration Form: https://forms.office.com/r/QrUFqfXihS