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Assessment 101 November 27, 2001. An Introduction to Assessment in Student Affairs. Overview Topics Covered in Today’s Session. Definitions of Assessment and Related Terms Key Stakeholders in Assessment Benefits of Assessment in Student Affairs Assessment Myths and Misconceptions
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Assessment 101 November 27, 2001 An Introduction to Assessment in Student Affairs
Overview Topics Covered in Today’s Session • Definitions of Assessment and Related Terms • Key Stakeholders in Assessment • Benefits of Assessment in Student Affairs • Assessment Myths and Misconceptions • A Comprehensive Model of Assessment • Guidelines for Good Assessment Practice • Basic Steps in Implementing Assessment • Assessment Resources
What is Assessment?A Background Knowledge Probe • What does the term “assessment” mean to you? • What synonyms come to mind when you hear the term ‘assessment’? • What questions, concerns, or misgivings do you have about assessment? • What benefits might there be as a result of assessing your program and/or students?
Definitions of AssessmentSchuh & Upcraft (2001) • Assessment is any effort to gather, analyze, and interpret evidence which describes institutional, divisional, (program,) or agency effectiveness • It includes... • assessment of student learning outcomes • assessment of cost effectiveness • assessment of “client” satisfaction • assessment of compliance with professional standards • assessment of comparisons to other institutions • It is not restricted to assessment of students, but includes assessment of faculty, staff, administrators, parents, employers, graduates ….
Definitions of Assessment (AAHE, 1995) • Assessment is an ongoing process aimed at understanding and improving student learning • It involves ... • making expectations RE learning explicit and public; • setting appropriate criteria and high standards for learning quality; • systematically gathering, analyzing, and interpreting evidence to determine how well performance matches those expectations and standards; and • using the results to document, explain, and improve learning and performance
Definitions of Assessment(the key underlying questions) • What do we expect our students to know, to be able to do, and to value as a result of completing our program? • Do our students know, do, and value these things? • Are they learning what we want them to learn? • How do we know? • If they do NOT know, do, and value these things, how could our program be changed to improve their learning?
Definitions of AssessmentA Glossary of Related Terms • Evaluation • any effort to use assessment evidence to improve program, departmental, divisional, or institutional effectiveness (Upcraft and Schuh, 1996) • Measurement • a reference to the particular methods involved in gathering assessment evidence • including interviews, focus groups, surveys, portfolios, tests • sometimes divided into qualitative vs. qualitative, or indirect vs. direct methods
Why Assess?Stakeholders in Assessment • Accreditation commissions & state legislators… • Administrators and Staff... • Faculty members... • Graduate training programs and employers... • Parents… • Students… • (prospective, current, exiting, alumni)
Why Assessment in Student Affairs? • “…without assessment, student affairs is left only to logic, intuition, moral imperatives, goodwill, or serendipity in justifying its existence…” • Upcraft & Schuh, 1996
Why Assessment in Student Affairs? • Relationship to the Mission of the College • Does our program help to improve students’ intellectual, personal, and spiritual development? • Role in Strategic Planning, Budget and Policy Development, Decision-Making • Survival • Quality • Affordability • Accreditation
Why Assess Now? • Concerns about accountability • Perceptions about learning and higher education • Tight budgets and markets • Savvy consumers • Contemporary business practices (TQM, etc) • Educational reform
Assessment Myths and Misconceptions • It’s a Passing Fad • It’s Not My Job or Concern • You Can’t Assess What We Do • I Don’t Have the Time to Do Assessment • I Don’t Have the Expertise to Do Assessment • Assessment Might Reveal “Bad” News
A Comprehensive Model of Assessment Includes... • Tracking Who Uses Services, Programs, Facilities • Assessing Student (Client) Needs • Assessing Satisfaction with Services, Programs, Etc • Assessing Campus Climate, Student Culture... • Assessing Program and Service Outcomes • Benchmarking: Comparisons w Other Institutions • Assessing Effectiveness Against Standards • Assessing Cost Effectiveness
Guidelines for Good Practice:What Accreditors Expect • Links to Mission, Goals, Objectives • Involvement of All Segments of Campus • Multiple Measures; Assessment of Cognitive, Behavioral, Affective Domains of Learning • Evidence of Use in Improving Programs • Ongoing Assessment & Re-Evaluation of Assessment Program • Linkages Between Assessment and Planning/Budgeting Process
Good Practice: Begin with a Plan • Essential Components of Assessment Plans • Goals, Objectives, Intended Outcomes • Methods,Techniques,Target Groups • Time Line • Provisions for Administration of Plan • Provisions for Use/Sharing of Findings • Evaluation of the Assessment Program
Basic Steps in Assessment(What to do and when to do it) • Identify your program goals and objectives • Define the problem; identify information necessary to help solve it • Determine where to get the necessary information • Determine whom to study and when to study them • Determine the best assessment methods, what instruments will be used, how the data will be collected and who will collect it • Determine how the data will be coded and analyzed; analyze the data • Report the results effectively • Revise assessment objectives, criteria, and methods, etc., as appropriate
Assessment in Student Affairs • “…good practice in student affairs occurs when student affairs personnel ask, ‘what are students learning from our programs and services, and how can their learning be enhanced?’…” • ACPA and NASPA Principles of Good Practice for Student Affairs, 1997
Guidelines for Good PracticeSome Final Words of Wisdom • Tie assessment to a few key objectives • intended learning outcomes, key problems, OR primary strengths • Choose assessment methods wisely • Pilot test if possible • Assess what you intend to use • Assess at key decision points • Make appropriate use of existing resources • Keep it simple
More Final Words of Wisdom • “…assessment in student affairs is no longer a ‘luxury’ that is done only after all other priorities have been taken care of. Assessment is now a necessity that demands our highest priority…” • Upcraft & Schuh, 1996
Assessment Resources • Books • Schuh, J.H, & Upcraft, M.L. (2001). Assessment practice in student affairs: An applications manual, San Francisco: Jossey-Bass • Palomba, C.A. & Banta, T.W. (1999). Assessment Essentials, • Nichols, J. O. (1995). The departmental guide and record book for student outcomes assessment and institutional effectiveness. New York: Agathon Press. • Web Sites • http://www2.acs.ncsu.edu/UPA/survey/resource.htm • Local Resources • Office of Institutional Effectiveness; Assessment Committees
Need Help?On Which Topic(s)?: Check all that apply • Involving/Motivating Staff, Students in Assessment • Identifying or Developing Program Goals, Objectives, and Intended Learning Outcomes • Methods of Assessment and Criteria for Success • General Guidelines For Selecting Measures • Strengths and Weaknesses of Various Methods • Choice & Implementation of a Specific Method • Analysis and Interpretation of Assessment Findings • Means of Reporting and Using Assessment Information • Other (Development of Timelines, Administrative Provisions, including record keeping, etc.) • Optional (Name or Program: )
Concluding Questions:A One-Minute paper • What is the most important thing you learned today about assessment? • What remains most unclear or confusing to you about assessment at this point?