Scaffolds program-level Assurance-of-Learning (AoL) documentation for AACSB (2020 Standard 5) and ABET (Criterion 3 Student Outcomes, Criterion 4 Continuous Improvement) accreditation — program learning outcomes / competency goals, curriculum-to-outcome mapping matrices, direct- and indirect-assessment plans, rubric design, and closing-the-loop continuous-improvement narratives — and validates the structure of an outcome-mapping matrix with scripts/aol_matrix.py. Use when the user needs AACSB or ABET assurance-of-learning material, a program-learning-outcomes set, a curriculum/outcome map or coverage matrix, a direct/indirect assessment plan, a closing-the-loop report, or accreditation self-study text. For single-course design or course rubrics prefer alterlab-teaching-design; for post-award grant reports prefer alterlab-grant-reporting. Part of the AlterLab Academic Skills suite.
Scaffolds program-level Assurance-of-Learning (AoL) documentation for AACSB (2020 Standard 5) and ABET (Criterion 3 Student Outcomes, Criterion 4 Continuous Improvement) accreditation — program learning outcomes / competency goals, curriculum-to-outcome mapping matrices, direct- and indirect-assessment plans, rubric design, and closing-the-loop continuous-improvement narratives — and validates the structure of an outcome-mapping matrix with scripts/aol_matrix.py. Use when the user needs AACSB or ABET assurance-of-learning material, a program-learning-outcomes set, a curriculum/outcome map or coverage matrix, a direct/indirect assessment plan, a closing-the-loop report, or accreditation self-study text. For single-course design or course rubrics prefer alterlab-teaching-design; for post-award grant reports prefer alterlab-grant-reporting. Part of the AlterLab Academic Skills suite.
license
MIT
allowed-tools
Read Write Edit Bash(python:*) Bash
compatibility
No API key, account, or network required — accreditation-format guidance plus a stdlib-only outcome-mapping-matrix validator (scripts/aol_matrix.py). The school still submits its self-study through AACSB myAccreditation or the ABET portal; this skill drafts text and checks structure, it does not file or accredit.
metadata
{"skill-author":"AlterLab","version":"1.0.0"}
Accreditation Assurance-of-Learning — Program-Level AoL for AACSB & ABET
Assurance of Learning (AoL) is the part of accreditation that proves, with
evidence, that a program delivers the learning it promises. It is a distinct
workload from designing a single course: it operates at the degree-program
level, ties program learning outcomes (PLOs) to the curriculum through a
mapping matrix, gathers direct and indirect assessment evidence against
those outcomes, and writes the closing-the-loop narrative showing the program
changed something in response to the data.
This skill scaffolds that documentation for the two accreditors AlterLab
faculty most often face — AACSB (business) and ABET (engineering &
computing) — in each accreditor's own structure. It drafts text and checks the
shape of an outcome-mapping matrix; the school still files its self-study
through the accreditor's own portal.
When to Use This Skill
Use this skill when the user needs to:
Write or refine a set of program learning outcomes / competency goals for a
degree program (AACSB competencies, ABET student outcomes).
Build a curriculum-to-outcome mapping matrix (which courses Introduce /
Reinforce / Master each outcome) and check it for coverage gaps.
Design a direct + indirect assessment plan against the outcomes (which
measure, in which course, on what cycle).
Draft rubrics keyed to a program outcome for direct assessment of student
work (the assessment instrument, not a course grade).
Draft AACSB Standard 5 or ABET Criterion 3/4 self-study prose, or an
AoL section of a continuous-improvement report.
Does NOT Trigger — route these elsewhere
The request is really about…
Route to
Designing a single course — its schedule, activities, course-level rubric, learning objectives for one class
alterlab-teaching-design
Writing an AI-use / academic-integrity policy for a syllabus
alterlab-syllabus-ai-policy
Post-award grant progress/final reports, RPPR, periodic reports, budget variance
alterlab-grant-reporting
Designing a survey or questionnaire instrument as a research tool (validity, scales)
alterlab-survey-design
An individual's doçentlik promotion eligibility against ÜAK criteria
alterlab-docentlik-eligibility
YÖKATLAS program placement / quota / ranking data for a Turkish program
alterlab-yokatlas
Verifying the citations in a self-study actually exist
alterlab-citation-verifier
If the work is about one course rather than the whole program, stop and route to
alterlab-teaching-design. This skill is program-level only.
The two accreditors (verified)
Do not invent standard numbers, outcomes, or criterion text. The verbatim
outcome lists and the full per-standard breakdown live in
references/accreditor_standards.md. The
essentials:
AACSB — 2020 Business Accreditation Standards, Standard 5: Assurance of Learning
AoL sits in the curriculum cluster of the 2020 standards: Standard 4
Curriculum, Standard 5 Assurance of Learning, Standard 6 Learner
Progression, Standard 7 Teaching Effectiveness and Impact. Standard 5 has
four sub-standards:
§
Title
5.1
Assurance of Learning Processes (direct + indirect measures; results lead to curricular and process improvements)
5.2
Degree Equivalency (equivalent outcomes across location/modality)
5.3
Stackable Microlearning Credentials
5.4
Non-Degree Executive Education
Standard 5 is principles-based. AACSB's own position is that more
complexity, more competency goals, or assessing every competency every year does
not make an AoL process better — a systematic, mission-informed process that
produces meaningful improvement does. Key requirements (5.1): competencies are
identified per degree program, derive from the school's mission, are
reported at the degree level (not the major level), and AoL must employ
both direct and indirect measures across the assessment portfolio.
Direct measures — evidence from learner work based on direct observation of
performance: examinations, quizzes, assignments, internship/externship
feedback.
Indirect measures — third-party input not based on direct observation:
e.g. employer surveys, focus groups, interviews, external outcome measures.
AACSB AoL is concerned with broad, program-level competency goals for each
degree program, not detailed goals by course or topic — that course-level work
is alterlab-teaching-design's job.
ABET frames AoL across linked criteria: Criterion 2 Program Educational
Objectives (what graduates achieve a few years out), Criterion 3 Student
Outcomes (what students can do by graduation), Criterion 4 Continuous
Improvement (the assessment/evaluation loop that uses outcome data to improve
the program).
ABET's engineering criteria specify seven required student outcomes (1)–(7) —
problem-solving, engineering design, communication, ethical/professional
responsibility, teamwork, experimentation & data analysis, and acquiring/applying
new knowledge. The verbatim text of all seven is in the references file; quote
them exactly and never paraphrase a numbered outcome into the self-study.
Computing programs (CAC) and other commissions use a differently-worded outcome
set. This skill scaffolds the engineering (EAC) seven outcomes by default;
confirm the commission and pull that commission's exact outcome text before
drafting. If you cannot confirm the exact wording, say so rather than invent it.
How to build an AoL package
Establish scope first. Which accreditor (AACSB vs ABET), which commission,
and which degree program? AoL is per-program. If unstated, ask before
drafting — the structure differs by accreditor.
Fix the outcomes. For ABET, use that commission's exact published student
outcomes (engineering = the seven in the references file). For AACSB, define
program competency goals derived from the school's mission, stated at the
degree level. Each outcome must be observably assessable.
Map the curriculum to the outcomes. Build a matrix: rows = required
courses, columns = outcomes, cells = coverage level (commonly
Introduced / Reinforced / Mastered, or Assessed). Every
outcome needs at least one course where it is assessed; flag any outcome with
no assessment point. Validate the matrix structure with the script below.
Plan direct + indirect assessment. For each outcome pick at least one
direct measure (embedded exam question, rubric-scored assignment, project,
internship evaluation) and round out the portfolio with indirect measures
(employer/alumni survey, exit interview, focus group). Record measure,
course/point of collection, target/benchmark, and cycle. AACSB requires both
measure types across the portfolio; do not present indirect evidence alone for
the whole school.
Write rubrics keyed to outcomes (not to a course grade). Each row is a
trait tied to the outcome; levels describe observable performance. Templates:
references/aol_templates.md.
Close the loop. Report results against the target, interpret them,
state the action taken (curriculum/process change), and the re-assessment
point. A loop that reports data but changes nothing is not closed — both
accreditors look for the change. Detail and worked narrative:
references/closing_the_loop.md.
Flag, never fabricate. Assessment results, cohort sizes, target
percentages, course numbers, and dates come only from the user's materials.
Mark anything missing as [TODO: confirm]. Never invent an outcome score, a
standard number, or an outcome's wording. Hand any reference list to
alterlab-citation-verifier.
Validate the mapping matrix — don't eyeball it
A coverage gap (an outcome no course assesses) or a thin matrix (an outcome
touched only at "Introduced") is exactly what a peer-review team flags. Check the
matrix structurally instead of reading it by hand:
uv run python skills/faculty-life/alterlab-accreditation-aol/scripts/aol_matrix.py \
path/to/matrix.csv --assessed-levels M,A --json
The CSV has a course column and one column per outcome; cells hold coverage
codes (e.g. I, R, M, A, or blank). The script reports, per outcome:
whether it is covered at all, whether it has at least one assessment-level
cell (default M or A), and the count by level — then a program-level verdict
(OK / GAPS). It does no network I/O and uses only the Python standard
library. It checks structure and coverage, not whether the pedagogy is sound —
that judgment stays with the user and the faculty.
Program-level, not course-level. This skill never writes a course
schedule, course-grade rubric, or single-class objectives — that is
alterlab-teaching-design. It maps a program to its outcomes.
No invented standards or outcomes. Standard/criterion numbers and the exact
text of student outcomes come from the references file (verified against the
accreditors' published criteria). If the user's program uses a different
commission, get that commission's exact outcome text first; do not paraphrase.
No invented results. Scores, targets, cohort counts, course numbers, and
dates come from the user. Mark gaps [TODO: confirm].
The school submits, not the skill. This skill drafts text and checks matrix
structure; the school files its self-study through AACSB myAccreditation or the
ABET portal. The skill has no portal access and claims none.
Both measure types. Don't let an AACSB portfolio rest on indirect evidence
alone; pair direct and indirect measures across programs.
References
references/accreditor_standards.md —
AACSB 2020 Standard 5 (5.1–5.4) detail with direct/indirect definitions, and
the verbatim ABET Criterion 2/3/4 text including all seven engineering student
outcomes, each with its source.
references/aol_templates.md — PLO-writing
guidance, the curriculum-to-outcome mapping matrix CSV layout (I/R/M scheme),
a direct/indirect assessment-plan table, and an outcome-keyed rubric template.
references/closing_the_loop.md — the
results → interpretation → action → re-assessment structure with a worked
closing-the-loop narrative and the questions each accreditor asks.