Using Assessment Results for Program Promotion

1. Using Assessment Results for Program Promotion

2. Who Are We? • Name • Department or Program • Is your area doing this now? • We are…

3. Objectives for Today’s Session: • To help attendees better understand: • Why they would want to use assessment results for program promotion • What results are we talking about • How to share results with “laypeople” • How to use results in your promotion strategy and some ways CSN is doing this • How to get started or enhance their use of data for promotion

4. Why Use Assessment Results for Program Promotion? • Increases awareness of program for various stakeholder groups • Can help recruit students, staff, faculty • Can assist in pursuit of funding (e.g. grants, restricted or unrestricted funds) • Helps develop program prestige • Helps develop staff and faculty prestige

5. Use of Data… • Should be “living” • Update the data and use of it regularly as appropriate • Think of creative ways to use it all the time (e.g. a running “tickertape” of new program data or even “new to the audience” • Can function actively or passively • Active: Programs use the data with a specific intent for a specific target audience on a pamplet, website, etc. • Passive: Programs publicize information and individuals “happen into” the data in a variety of places, including word of mouth

6. What Results are We Talking About? • Results from Direct Methods • Quantitative data from participant exams including licensure or certification • Quantitative or qualitative data from the use of rubrics and juries in the evaluation of student work • Quantitative or qualitative data from the use of rubrics in supervised work such as in labs or internships • Actual examples of work completed for a class or other experience (e.g. photos or video, etc.)

7. What Results are We Talking About? • Results from Indirect Methods • Self report data (quantitative or qualitative) as captured by surveys with students, employers, etc. • Tracking data (typically obtained from Institutional Research, e.g. enrollment, graduation, grade point averages, as well as participant numbers and other trend data such as completer employment information a department self-tracks)

8. Other Data to Consider • Results from Benchmark Surveys (e.g. field tests, institutional surveys such as Noel Levitz or CCSSE) • Anecdotal information obtained through means other than surveys (e.g. employer or community representative interviews) • Data available about your industry, particularly your industry in Nevada (as opposed to nationally)

9. Talking about Data With Laypeople • Ensure careful translation (work with institutional research or the Office of Assessment to ensure that results are not accidentally misrepresented) • Present data that is meaningful to your audience (think about your stakeholders as well as potential passive audiences) • Must have an eye for ethical use (fair and accurate representation of results, avoid manipulation to make the results “look better”—less than perfect results with an action plan is good too) • Keep it simple and straightforward without the need for excessive contextualizing • Keep it current

10. Ideas for Turning Results Into a Promotion Strategy • Consider target audience and stakeholders • Take advantage of available avenues at CSN • Program Website and Brochures, other promotional materials • Prepare and disseminate press releases • Use NewsWeb, Collegiate Review, CSN’s “Ideas in the Air” show on KNPR radio • Participate in Career Fairs, School District events • Partner with School District faculty, counselors, Industry contacts • Innovate! • Start a department newsletter to share information regularly • Use conference presentations and publications to disseminate this information, promote program and CSN

11. How is CSN Currently Doing This? • Career and Technical Education Programs have pamphlets that use results to help demonstrate occupational trends • The Culinary Program website presents a table showing student successes in culinary competitions • Office of Institutional Research produced the “Facts In Brief” document to increase awareness of CSN • The CSN Viewbook incorporates updated information about program successes

12. What examples or ideas do you have for program promotion?

13. Thank you for coming!