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Central New Mexico Community College recently graduated from a four-year program aimed at improving teaching and student learning outcomes.

CNM, which boasts five campuses and four education centers, was one of 19 colleges, universities and community colleges to earn the distinction from the Higher Learning Commission鈥檚 Assessment Academy on Oct. 17, according to a news release from the Chicago-based accrediting agency.

鈥淐entral New Mexico鈥檚 participation in the academy really demonstrates their desire for continuous improvement to want to create a culture of student learning,鈥� Higher Learning Commission spokesperson Heather Berg said in an interview.

CNM receives accreditation from the HLC, which conducts comprehensive evaluations of the institution every 10 years. CNM鈥檚 accreditation was reaffirmed in February, according to Berg.

Unlike comprehensive evaluations, the Assessment Academy is voluntary. A news release said the academy consists of 鈥渋n-person events, on-campus activities, online project updates and virtual consultations.鈥�

鈥淎ccreditation is built on the idea of continuous improvement,鈥� Berg said. 鈥淵ou鈥檙e constantly trying to evaluate what you鈥檝e been doing and what kind of improvements you can make 鈥� and that鈥檚 really important if you think about higher education and how ... it鈥檚 a changing environment.鈥�

Kristen Ferris, CNM senior director of assessment, said her institution could have chosen to participate in HLC鈥檚 Student Success Academy, but it chose the Assessment Academy because it 鈥渁ligned nicely鈥� with recent reforms to general education core requirements in the state.

According to the New Mexico Higher Education Department, the state updated its general education model to focus on teaching essential skills to college students to pursue further degrees or a career. The change in models applies to bachelor鈥檚 degrees and associate鈥檚 degrees.

鈥淲e were able to go in and make sure we were designing our assessment processes to meet (the state鈥檚) needs as well as the needs of the college,鈥� Ferris said.

The term 鈥渁ssessment鈥� in the context of students refers to gauging how effective certain teaching methods are for students.

鈥淗ow do we know they鈥檙e learning the skills that we think they鈥檙e learning when we give them a degree?鈥� Ferris said.

CNM officials participated in the academy, she said, not only to ensure their assessment practices aligned with recent reforms but to leverage CNM鈥檚 learning management system. Implemented a few years ago, the system is used by both students and faculty. Students use the system to submit assignments and tests, which the faculty then use not only for grading but data and analysis.

Carly Preston, CNM鈥檚 fine arts program chair who graduated from the academy, has spent time collecting and analyzing data on her own students鈥� learning outcomes.

鈥淲elding isn鈥檛 going to be the same as my program, theater and dance, obviously, but each program looks at their data individually,鈥� she said. 鈥淟ooking at those student outcomes ... to see, 鈥楧id they meet a benchmark?鈥� or 鈥楥an we see where they鈥檙e struggling?鈥� Once we figure that out, we can improve how we are teaching in the classroom.鈥�

Through taking academy courses, Preston learned about her band and theater students鈥� ability to learn 鈥� and it led her to make changes to the curriculum.

One of Preston鈥檚 assignments involved students writing a review of a free on-campus theater performance. Once she learned some students faced 鈥渋mpediments鈥� to attending, she changed the grading rubric and the assignment, 鈥渟o it wasn鈥檛 dependent on them attending an event that was outside the classroom.鈥�

Preston said she is glad she attended the Assessment Academy.

鈥淭he academy itself was a learning experience. It really kind of opened my eyes to the broad spectrum of different types of students we have here at CNM and how there鈥檚 a wide range of needs that need to be met,鈥� Preston said. 鈥淲e really have to meet them where they鈥檙e at instead of expecting them to raise themselves to our expectations.鈥�

Continuing to 鈥渕eet students where they鈥檙e at鈥� will be a continuous process, Preston said.