ASSESSMENT SERVICES Shannon Rider EDAD 521 WHAT IS

ASSESSMENT SERVICES Shannon Rider EDAD 521

WHAT IS ASSESSMENT?

OVERVIEW • • • Description Purpose History Interview Process – Example Use of theory • • • Current Issues Obstacles Funding Sources Perceptions Further Information

DESCRIPTION/DEFINITION Assessment vs. Assessment Services PROCESS • Identify, Measure, Evaluate, Communicate students’ co-curricular learning outcomes. • Planning Tool & Improvement Tool • Purposeful & Systematic • Accountability and Continuous Improvement FUNCTIONAL AREA • Can be a single unit • Within Academic Affairs • Within Student Affairs • Collective, within department • Cross-divisional

MISSION AND PURPOSE • Improve program quality • Inform planning and decision-making • Evaluate programs and personnel • Provide justification for funding requests at local, state, regional and federal level • Meet accreditation requirements • Identify models of best practice • Create culture of continuous improvement

HISTORY UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO • 1889 • • President Rainey Harper called on colleges to adopt a program of research – the scientific study of the student experience STUDENT PERSONNEL POINT OF VIEW • 1937 & 1949 • • Challenged SA professionals to employ studies designed to improve their functions and services; stressed the importance of SA professionals being thoroughly trained in research methods THE STUDENT LEARNING IMPERATIVE • 1996 • • Charged SA staff to “participate in efforts to assess student learning and audit environments to reinforce those factors that enhance and eliminate those that inhibit” LEARNING RECONSIDERED • 2004 • • “Assessment should be a way of life – part of the institutional culture. ” Student affairs must lead efforts to assess overall student learning and to track, document, and evaluate the role of diverse learning experiences.

DR. KEVIN GRANT Director of Student Affairs Assessment and Research Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo • Began career as educational advisor • Director of the Learning Center • Assistant Dean of Student Development

ROLE AND ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE Ø Divisional Consultant within Student Affairs • develops learning outcomes, assessment strategy and instruments (surveys, focus group protocols, assessment technology), program review processes Ø Assessment Committee Ø Assessment Development Teams • Internal teams, each department within SA

GOALS AND OBJECTIVES Ø To increase the institution’s knowledge about students, the educational environment, and institutional effectiveness (CAS, 2011): • Are students learning the things that we claim to be teaching them? • Are the student’s dollars being wisely invested? • Are we offering the appropriate programs and services to meet student needs? Ø Elevating the voice of the student: • “All too often the students are forgotten in the assessment conversation; we think of them as products rather than partners in the educational process. My drive is bringing their voice into the conversation and turning the assessment, evaluation and research components of our work into educational opportunities for our students. “

GOALS AND OBJECTIVES Shift the institution’s mentality about strategic planning and assessment Strategic Planning Assessme nt Work with Students

USE OF THEORY Astin, A. W. (1991)

HOW DO WE ASSESS? Goals/Mission Use of Results Summary of Data Outcomes Measurement Nichols 5 Column Model

HOW DO WE MEASURE? DIRECT MEASURES (OBSERVABLE) • Require people to display their knowledge and skills INDIRECT MEASURES (PERCEPTIONS) • Require people to reflect on their own knowledge and skills • Pre-/Post-tests • Surveys • Portfolios, Projects, and Work Samples • Focus Groups • Activity logs/transaction volume • Quantitative data Palomba and Banta, 1999 • Interviews • Qualitative data

HOW DO WE ASSESS? Goals/Mission Use of Results Summary of Data Outcomes Measurement Nichols 5 Column Model

CURRENT ISSUES • Acting as a translator between academic and student affairs • Incentive funding for institutions • Data-informed decision making • Software and data storage

OBSTACLES • People can be apprehensive towards this work; can become defensive or fearful that assessment will shed bad light on their area or on them • Work can often be perceived as “extra” or “nonessential” • Collecting good data • Storing data safely and effectively • Analyzing data correctly and properly

FUNDING SOURCES Funding dependent on type of assessment or research project • Most assessment and program review activities funded by state/district • Additional activities often funded by grants and categorical programs

PERCEPTIONS • View assessment in a positive light = culture of continuous improvement • At Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, it is a collaborative effort • Faculty: Academic Success Committee • Students: The He{a}rd • Goal is to discover how students think and feel about various topics so that Cal Poly can make informed decisions that are influenced by students • Invite yourself to the table, prove yourself in that space

CONCLUSION Assessment Skills and Knowledge (ASK) Standards Booklet by ACPA (2011) Members download for free! Content areas : • Assessment Design • Program Review and Evaluation • Assessment Ethics • Effective Reporting and Use of Results • Politics of Assessment • Articulating Learning and Development Outcomes • Selection of Data Collection and Management Methods • Surveys Used for Assessment Purposes • Interviews and Focus Groups used for Assessment Purposes

THANK YOU GO AND VOTE TOMORROW!!! IT IS THE ULTIMATE DIRECT MEASURE OF YOUR POLITICAL VOICE