Indirect Measures of Learning

As part of a comprehensive learning assessment program, schools may supplement direct measures of achievement with indirect measures.  Such techniques as surveying alumni about their preparedness to enter the job market or surveying employers about the strengths and weaknesses of graduates can provide some information about perceptions of student achievement.  Such indirect measures, however, cannot replace direct assessment of student performance. Often, schools find that alumni and employer surveys serve better as tools to gather knowledge about what is needed in the current workplace than as measures of student achievement.  Such surveys can alert the school to trends, validate other sources of curriculum guidance, and maintain external relationships.  By themselves, surveys are weak evidence for learning.