Outcomes allows you to conduct assessment down to the individual section level. Sections represent specific course offerings for a given term.
Sections are attached to a specific course and anchored to a specific academic term. You can have multiple sections in a term for each course and you can have offerings of the same course in different terms. Sections are specific to the term to which they are attached.
While not an organizational unit, sections are fully functional in Outcomes. Outcomes can be written and assessed at the section level. Users can make request for data to sections. You can view reports at the section level.
In the visual below, we can see that each course has specific offerings. Government 254 only has one offering but both Sociology 101 and Sociology 190 have two offerings each. The visual below would represent one academic term. If you wanted sections to appear in the next academic term, you would have to import new sections for that specific term.
Sections must be attached to a specific course and a specific term. Due to the hierarchical structure of Outcomes, each section can only be nested under one course.
This affects the reporting abilities of those sections. Requests for data, called Connections, are a top-down process. One organizational unit, course, or section can only create Connections to units, courses or sections nested below them in the organizational hierarchy.
In the example below, based on the structure, Sociology 101 Section 2 could contribute data to the course Sociology 101 but would not be able to contribute data to any learning outcomes hosted by the course Sociology 190.
Additional Optional Files
If you want to use the Enrollments File or the Instructors File, you will need the sections file.
Additional Campus Labs Platforms
If you are using, or will be using, the Campus Labs Course Evaluation product, please contact your Campus Labs Consultant to discuss your Sections file as your choices will affect both products.