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Assessment in Student Affairs at
The University of MemphisActive learning: Comment at Twitter #umassess
Polleverywhere = pollev.com; text from phoneTake notes
Three volunteers
Objectives
Identify aspects of “doing assessment”
Explain why assessment is important to Student Affairs at The University of Memphis
Recognize types of assessment
Develop a self-perception of your individual competence for assessment
Identify ways you might improve your individual assessment competence
Recognize the extent to which your department supports assessment
Identify one action you might do in order to support divisional assessment priorities
“Assessment builds a bridge between learners and educators so that each understands self and one another in a more authentic way”
◦ Keeling et al. (2009), Assessment Reconsidered
Assessment
Upcraft (2003) defines assessment as “any (intentional, meaningful, coordinated) effort to gather, analyze, and interpret evidence, which describes institutional, divisional, or agency effectiveness” (p. 556).
Student affairs assessment is the formal and informal collection and review of data pertinent to student affairs functions.
What assessment is NOT
It is NOT research. ◦Research aims to prove/explain often across
contexts; Assessment used for ongoing improvement in some singular context
◦While assessment must have a determined methodology, the expectations for assessment are not the same as with research
◦Research requires IRB approval; assessment typically does not
How will we know?
Quantitative◦Surveys
National admin (e.g. NSSE) Locally developed; post and pre
◦Evaluations◦Tests; Exams; Direct measures
Qualitative◦Focus groups◦Interviews◦Student one-on-one interaction; document; analyze themes
Types of Assessment
Learning/Retention – what do students/stakeholders learn? How does our
program support keeping them in school and persisting to graduation?
Program Effectiveness – what do we do well/not so well?
Student Experiences– what are they?
Student Perceptions (aka satisfaction)- what do they think of their experiences?
Head counts– how many use our services/visit offices/? What kinds of
contacts are we having?
Why is assessment important?
Externally demanded, inspired by a weakening of the implied social contract regarding higher education
Institutional demands – provide evidence of contributions
For Student Affairs, it positions us stronger with the academic mission of the institution; strengthens idea that we educate
Explains what we do, what we accomplished and what difference that makes in ways that other people who are not us can understand and remember
You doing assessment means you are:◦Asking appropriate questions (intentionality)◦Reflecting on answers across “cases” (reflection)◦Explaining common responses (identifying
themes)◦Documenting these themes (record-keeping for
dissemination/personal revisiting)◦Using the themes to inform approaches
(Acting/improving practice)Assessment ultimately is
◦Intentional, Reflective, Active, Developmental
Individuals
What do I know to do well?What kind of assessment do I already do? What do I need to know more about?What are the best ways to teach me?How do I make the time to do
assessment?
Handout, notes, discuss and/or personal reflection
Offer thoughts on #umassess and polleverything
Individual Debrief
What do YOU need from me?◦#umassess
Diverse skills/perceptions of competenceVaried commitment to increased
competenceUnsure of how to infuse into work
Making it a part of our work
Contribute through administering a quantitative approach◦Dan can help
Contribute through some qualitative approach◦Dan can help
Contribute through thoughtful, intentional approach with students, asking the right questions, documenting responses, reflecting on themes, reporting, using for future practice◦You have to do this but it has the most payoff for
practice◦Can be collaborative and developmental
Assessment must be a priority
What MUST stay and what CAN go in order to infuse this more into your work?
What must a work week look like if we better infuse assessment?
Departmental
Rate your department:5 – part of culture; consistent purposeful attention to
assessment; attentive to institutional, divisional, and distinct departmental demands/needs; “We have an assessment agenda”
4 – part of culture; ebbs and flows as a priority; attentive to divisional demands and distinct departmental needs “We have an assessment plan”
3 – part of culture during key reporting times; some ongoing assessment exists; attentive to divisional demands; “We attend to assessment tasks”
2 – not a part of the culture; attentive to divisional demands during report times; assessment is something we hurry up and do when we’re tasked to do so “We respond to assessment demands”
1- If wouldn’t get in trouble for not doing assessment, then wouldn’t. “Assessment? UGH!”
Departmental
What messages do I get from departmental leadership about the importance/value of assessment?
Have clear expectations been set for all in the department to participate in assessment?
What have we been doing? How effective has it been?
What times during the year do I see assessment become a bigger part of my job? Are there (extended periods of time) during which I can just forget about assessment?
Departmental
Rate your department:5 – part of culture; consistent purposeful attention to
assessment; attentive to institutional, divisional, and distinct departmental demands/needs; “We have an assessment agenda”
4 – part of culture; ebbs and flows as a priority; attentive to divisional demands and distinct departmental needs “We have an assessment plan”
3 – part of culture during key reporting times; some ongoing assessment exists; attentive to divisional demands; “We attend to assessment tasks”
2 – not a part of the culture; attentive to divisional demands during report times; assessment is something we hurry up and do when we’re tasked to do so “We respond to assessment demands”
1- If wouldn’t get in trouble for not doing assessment, then wouldn’t. “Assessment? UGH!”
Divisional Discussion
What’s working? What needs to improve?
What do I need to do to support collective efforts?
What roles could each of us play?
What we all need to do
Acknowledge the external/internal demand will not go away
Become educated/educate (TAG)Advocate for the value of assessmentDetermine assessment priorities
◦Driven by Federal and State priorities, Dr. Raines, Dr. Bingham, AVPs, departmental needs/functions
Create a plan to best collect evidenceInfuse assessment into our work; philosophy!Dedicate time to some level of assessmentDiscussion with supervisors:
◦ If doing assessment is too demanding, but there is a need for assessment, what needs to give?
◦ If not you, then who?