Assessment in student life

1. Assessment in student life Developing An Assessment Plan Dr. Barbara A. Copenhaver Bailey

2. Workshop outline • Part I – Assessment in Student Life • Part II - Developing Assessment Plans • Part III – Writing Outcomes Operational and Learning

3. Workshop objectives At the conclusion of the workshop, participants will: • Know the main reasons for utilizing assessment in Student Life • Be able to identify at least three tools for assessment • Have a better understanding of the difference between operational and learning outcomes • Have a better understanding about how to begin writing an assessment plan

4. ACTIVITY: Attitudes & perceptions about this workshop/ assessment • One question you have • One hope you have • One fear you have

5. Part I – Assessment in Student Life • Used in decision making • Adjustment in programming • Allocation of human and budgetary resources • Support institution’s accreditation process • Professional development

6. Difference between assessment and evaluation

7. The Cycle of assessment

8. Part II – Developing assessment plans Three Parts of Annual Assessment Plans - Planning - Implementing - Reporting

9. Part Ii – developing assessment plans • Best if planning is done before fall semester begins • Include both learning and operational outcomes • Outcomes must be tied to mission & goals of the division that should be tied to the mission & goals of the Institution • Follow some kind of template

10. COMPONENTS OF AN ASSESSMENT PLAN • Goals • Relationship to division/Institution goals • Outcome type • Outcome(s) • Method of assessment • Plan to implement – timeline, staff responsible • Plan to share results Assessment Plan Template - Example

11. Types of assessment Methods Case Studies Data Collection Focus Groups Interviews Observations Pre/Post Tests Research Survey

12. Somewhat subjective if based on observation Can be time consuming to create Can be time consuming to utilize BENEFITS OF RUBRICS CHALLENGES OF RUBRICS • Clarifies expectations • Provides consistency/fairness • Provides feedback • Creates opportunity for dialogue about performance

13. Examples of rubrics Holistic Analytic

14. Holistic rubric example

15. Analyticrubricexample

16. Activity: creating a rubric

17. Researcher has less control Need a skilled moderator Getting groups set up BENEFITS OF FOCUS GROUPS CHALLENGES OF FOCUS GROUPS • Format allows for additional clarification • Provides diverse opinions & ideas • Quick results • Can be low cost

18. PREPARING FOR FOCUS GROUP • Identify your purpose • IRB approval? • Develop questions – narrow to 5 or 6 • Identify participants – be careful to have a diverse group – level of education, socio-economic status, gender, ethnicity, authority, etc. • Plan session – keep under 1.5 hours, Location, materials • Identify moderator – good facilitator, flexible, sensitive, empathetic, maintain control

19. KEEP IN MIND WITH FOCUS GROUP • Know how you are going to analyze the results • Moderator should not be in the unit implementing the focus group • Should have a 2nd person to do the notetaking • Participant backgrounds must be varied • Participants must be comfortable and feel safe • Be aware of sensitive topics and be prepared

20. WHICH ASSESSMENT METHOD SHOULD YOU USE? • Be clear about what data you want • Survey fatigue is common • Make sure you are only asking questions you need the data for • Collaborate when possible • Don’t reinvent the wheel

21. Part iiI – writing outcomes 2 Types of Outcomes Operational – • deals with functions, procedures, demands, resources, and efficiencies • examples: retention & graduation rates, % grads continuing to grad school/ employment, satisfaction Learning - • deals with something new that has been acquired or achieved • examples: knowledge, skills, ability, attitudes, behaviors, values

23. Let’s get started writing outcomes • Identify type of outcome(s) – learning / operational • 4 parts of outcomes • Program/services/intervention that will be provided (program, event) • Audience of this goal? (students, parents, staff, etc) • Behavior that is expected to change - skill/ knowledge/ ability/ attitude/ belief is being measured (action verb) • What the skill/ knowledge/ ability/ attitude/ belief change is about (measurable outcome)

24. writing outcomes • As a result of participating in (program/event),(students/parents/etc)will be able to (action verb)(measurable outcome). • After attending (program/event),(students/parents/etc)will be able to (action verb)(measurable outcome).

25. ACTIVITY: writing outcomes • Get with a partner • Use the worksheet in your packet • Identify a program/event about which you would like to gather information • Write an outcome for the event

26. Student Life Assessment Web page http://studentlife.wvu.edu/student-life-resources/assesment/

27. resources • University of Colorado Denver http://www.ucdenver.edu/faculty_staff/faculty/center-for-faculty-development/Documents/Tutorials/Rubrics/index.htm • University of Minnesota http://carla.umn.edu/assessment/vac/improvement/p_5.html • TeacherVision https://www.teachervision.com/teaching-methods-and-management/rubrics/4523.html

28. Barbara A. Copenhaver Bailey, Ed. D. Director of Assessment and Research WVU Division of Student Life PO Box 6411 303 E Moore Hall 30o4-293-5811 bcbailey@mail.wvu.edu http://studentlife.wvu.edu/student-life-resources/assesment