title: The Collegiate Learning Assessment: facts and fantasies.
abstract: The Collegiate Learning Assessment (CLA) is a computer administered, open-ended (as opposed to multiple-choice) test of analytic reasoning, critical thinking, problem solving, and written communication skills. Because the CLA has been endorsed by several national higher education commissions, it has come under intense scrutiny by faculty members, college administrators, testing experts, legislators, and others. This article describes the CLA's measures and what they do and do not assess, how dependably they measure what they claim to measure, and how CLA scores differ from those on other direct and indirect measures of college student learning. For instance, analyses are conducted at the school rather than the student level and results are adjusted for input to assess whether the progress students are making at their school is better or worse than what would be expected given the progress of "similarly situated" students (in terms of incoming ability) at other colleges.
authors.affiliation: Council for Aid to Education, USA.
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Klein
authors.forename: Roger
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Benjamin
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Shavelson
authors.forename: Roger
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bolus
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003142:Communication; D004521:Educational Measurement / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D004522:Educational Status; D001330:Electronic Data Processing; D006801:Humans; D007858:Learning; D009716:Numerical Analysis, Computer-Assisted; D011340:Problem Solving; D015397:Program Evaluation / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology*; D013850:Thinking; D014481:United States; D014495:Universities / Q000592:standards*