News Releases
Capella University dean and faculty chair to present on learning outcomes at AUPHA Leadership Conference
Chris Cassirer and Suzanne Holmes to present on assessing educational competency, accountability and value on March 11 in Chicago
MINNEAPOLIS, March 4, 2008 - Chris Cassirer, dean of Capella University’s School of Human Services, and Suzanne Holmes, faculty chair for Capella’s public health program, will present on the need for educational accountability and learning outcomes transparency at the Association of University Programs in Health Administration (AUPHA) Leadership Conference in Chicago on March 11. Capella University (www.capella.edu) is an accredited* online university with more than 22,000 students, approximately 84 percent of whom are pursuing master's or PhD degrees.
The presentation, titled Learning Outcomes Transparency: Assessing Educational Competency, Accountability, Value will review the development of Capella University's Learning Outcomes Transparency (LOT) program, the role of faculty in its development and implementation, and the outcomes reporting mechanisms that will be part of the Transparency by Design initiative. Transparency by Design is an innovative effort by Capella University and 11 other colleges and universities that serve adults at a distance, such as through online degree programs, to be more transparent about what prospective adult students can expect to learn related to their professions.
“The health care industry depends on quality higher education to keep pace with developments in the field; and individuals, organizations and families need trustworthy and transparent ways to select educational programs that will enhance their careers and fulfill their dreams,” Holmes said.
This need for greater higher education accountability was formally recognized in 2006, when the Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings issued the recommendations of the Commission on the Future of Higher Education.
According to Holmes, colleges and universities that train health care professionals can achieve greater accountability by demonstrating that desired and promised learning is occurring — and just as importantly is documented — for both students and employers. She said that can be done through the integration of rubrics within course curriculum, and the development of reports that highlight student achievement of objective measures of health care managerial and leadership competencies.
About Capella University
Founded in 1993, Capella University is an accredited* online university that offers graduate degree programs in business, information technology, education, human services, psychology, public health, and public safety, and bachelor's degree programs in business, information technology, and public safety. Within those areas, Capella currently offers 104 graduate and undergraduate specializations and 15 certificate program. The online university currently serves more than 22,000 students from all 50 states and 45 countries. It is committed to providing high-caliber academic excellence and pursuing balanced business growth. Capella University is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Capella Education Company, headquartered in Minneapolis. For more information, please visit http://www.capella.edu or call 1.888.CAPELLA (227.3552).
*Capella University is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission and is a member of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA), http://www.ncahlc.org.
Capella University, 225 South Sixth Street, Ninth Floor, Minneapolis, MN 55402, 1.888.CAPELLA (227.3552), www.capella.edu.
Learn more about earning an online degree at Capella University:
online education (http://www.capella.edu/online_education.aspx),
online college (http://www.capella.edu/online_college_degree_programs.aspx),
distance learning (http://www.capella.edu/distance_learning.aspx),
online university (http://www.capella.edu/online_university.aspx),
online learning (http://www.capella.edu/online-learning-degree-programs.aspx).
