Transcript Student Life Assessment Strategic Initiatives

The Collaborative Assessment of
Learning Outcomes in Student Affairs
 Nathan Lindsay, Student Life Assessment
 Donna Chapa Crowe, Center for Leadership
Education & Service
Presentation Objectives
 Highlight a few keys for effective collaboration
in learning outcome assessment
 Provide an overview of learning outcomes at
the University of North Carolina Wilmington
(UNCW)
 Outline several methods to assess learning
outcomes
 Provide a forum for discussing others’ best
practices, including how others have
overcome challenges with assessment
Keys to Effective Collaboration
 4 Desirable Levels of Professional
Commitment to S.A. Assessment
A
supportive vice-president
A
director/coordinator of assessment
 An
assessment committee
 Knowledgable
unit-level staff
(Green, Jones, Aloi, 2008, “An Exploration of High-Quality Student
Affairs Learning Outcomes Assessment Practices,” NASPA
Journal, 45(1), 133-157).
In our S.A. Division, our Vice-President is
supportive of assessment.
43%
1. Strongly Agree
2. Agree
3. Neither Agree or
33%
Disagree
4. Disagree
5. Strongly Disagree
6. Unsure
10% 10%
5%
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In our S.A. Division, we have a full-time
assessment coordinator/director.
77%
1. Yes
2. No
3. Unsure
23%
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ns
N
Y
es
0%
In our S.A. Division, we have an
assessment committee.
1. Yes
2. No
3. Unsure
53%
48%
ur
e
o
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ns
N
Y
es
0%
In our S.A. Division, our unit level
directors take responsibility for assessment.
39%
1. Strongly Agree
2. Agree
3. Neither Agree or
20%
18%
Disagree
4. Disagree
5. Strongly Disagree
6. Unsure
18%
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2%
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Overview of UNCW
 Regional, comprehensive university
 2007-2008 Enrollment = 11,911
 Division of Student Affairs
 142
staff in 12 departments
 Most recent student affairs strategic
plan developed in 2004-2005, modeled
after the university plan
UNCW’s History of Assessment
 Assessment Committee formed in 2004-
2005.
 Learning Outcomes developed and aligned
with Division Strategic Plan.
 Wabash National Study of Liberal Arts
Education served as sample plan.
 Directors built Department Strategic Plans
based on Learning Outcomes.
Assessment Questions in Student Affairs
 Are students…



Participating?
Satisfied?
Learning?
 To answer this third question, UNCW developed
6 Learning Outcomes:

Informed Reasoning, Effective Communication,
Personal Responsibility, Pluralistic Maturity,
Well Being, and Civic and Community Engagement
UNCW’s Strategic Assessment of Goals,
Objectives, and Learning Outcomes
 Conducted in Summer 2007-Spring 2008
 An assessment of all 6 Learning Outcomes,
as outlined in the Sub-Outcomes
 Completed by all Student Affairs
Departments (see handout)
 Likert Scale self assessment
Likert Scale for Strategic Assessment
 1 = Outcome is non-applicable (i.e., N/A)
 2 = Outcome is applicable, but is not being
addressed (i.e, “missing”)
 3 = We hope/believe that the outcome is
being addressed (i.e., “hopeful”)
 4 = We have anecdotal evidence that the
outcome is being addressed (i.e., “probable”)
 5 = We have empirical evidence that the
outcome is being addressed (i.e.,
“demonstrated”)
Division of Student Affairs Strategic
Assessment regarding Pluralistic Maturity
 Student learning outcomes needing the most
attention
 To
understand that actions and values are
shaped by understandings and interpretations
of the past, of culture, and of one’s position in
society.
 To participate in opportunities to learn about
different cultures.
 To understand your personal responsibility
toward achieving a diverse society.
Learning Outcomes Survey:
Background Information
 Conducted in Spring 2007
 1,122 UNCW students participated
 Random sample stratified by class year, gender, and
race/ethnicity
 Administered online by StudentVoice
 Purpose of the survey:
 To assess how participation in student affairs programs
and events was related to students’ development of
personal responsibility.
Study Research Questions
1) How did the overall sample of UNCW
students score on the items measuring
personal responsibility?
2) How did participation in student affairs
activities predict students’ responses on
these items?
Learning Outcomes Results
 As a result of their experiences at UNCW,
 88.64% of students agreed that they
understood the power and privilege that comes
with being educated.

86.75% of students agreed that they have a
better understanding of their personal strengths
and weaknesses.

83.52% of students agreed that they are better
aware of how their current actions and
behaviors impact their future career
opportunities.
The Benefits of Involvement
Example #1: Housing & Residence Life
 “As a result of my experiences at UNCW, I better
understand the impact of my behavior on others.”
 In response to the above question, the percentages of
students who agreed were as follows:
100%
1
0.8
70%
98%
96%
89%
84%
0.6
0.4
0.2
0
Overall
RHA Member
Resident Asst
Area Chapter Board
RHA Board
Area Chapter Member
Example #1: Housing & Residence Life
 “As a result of my experiences at UNCW, I better
understand the impact of my behavior on others.”

In response to the above question, the percentages of
students who agreed were as follows:
91%
1
0.8
70%
100%
77%
83%
0.6
0.4
0.2
0
Overall
Office Assistant
Student Rep., HRL Committee
National Res. Hall Honorary Member
Desk Receptionist
Examples # 2, 3, and 4
 90% students who participated in CLES programs
agreed that their leadership skills had been developed
at UNCW, whereas only 78% agreed in the total
sample.
 84% of students who participated in CARE’s programs
and services agreed that they now were more likely to
take responsibility for their actions. In comparison, only
70% of the overall UNCW sample agreed with this
statement.
 80% of students who participated in various aspects of
Health Promotions agreed that they were more
knowledgeable about health and wellness issues,
compared to 62% of the overall UNCW sample who
agreed with this statement.
Working Toward Transparency
 Reports created on the Strategic Assessment of
Learning Outcomes, as well as the Personal
Responsibility Survey
 Findings discussed by the Assessment Committee
 Results shared with IR, and presented at the
Directors’ Meeting and at the Full-Division Meeting
 In individual meetings, staff are encouraged to
highlight these results in their annual reports
Benefits of Learning Outcomes
Assessment
 Provides opportunities to document the value
added by our programs
 Helps us question our assumptions
 Facilitates an evaluation of areas of strength and
weakness across the student affairs division
 Allows for dialogue about learning with academic
affairs
Future Outcomes Assessment at UNCW
 University-wide survey on Pluralistic Maturity


Fall 2008
Will be developed by the Division’s
Assessment Committee
 Additional learning outcomes assessments
within departments
 Slight revisions of the learning outcomes
based on feedback from the strategic
assessment
Sharing Best Practices…
 What are other ways/instruments by which
you have effectively assessed learning
outcomes?
 How have you been able to overcome
barriers to assessing learning outcomes?
 In what ways have you tied your learning
outcomes data to new or improved
programs/initiatives?