Transcript Budget Decisions in Times of Fiscal Constraint

From Here to Implementation:
Putting Your Assessment Plan to Work
Karen Paulson
Senior Associate
National Center for Higher Education Management Systems
3035 Center Green Drive, Suite 150
Boulder, Colorado 80301
Outline
• External Motivators
• Internal Motivators
• Assessment Across the Curriculum, Campuses,
Institutions
• Last Thoughts
“Federalization of Higher Education”?
• "Without a greater commitment to accountability and
transparency, 'federalization' of higher education and
accreditation is a real possibility.“
(Judith Eaton, CHEA President, SACS-COC meeting, San Antonio, TX, December 2008)
• "The likelihood of federalization of higher education and
accreditation depends, in large measure, on the extent
to which we are willing to assert our institutional
leadership role. Institutional leadership related to higher
education accreditation is counter to the existing trend
toward increasing government control; however, if we
don't make the case for institutional leadership, who
will?"
• “The emphasis by government on accountability in
higher education accreditation ‘means there is a need for
evidence of student achievement,’ Eaton said. "There
also is a demand for greater transparency in the
accreditation process and for more data collection in
service of accountability.’”
(CHEA News Release, http://www.chea.org/news/NR_2008.12.09.htm)
• Dr. Burnham described the Commission’s intention to
apply existing standards more carefully and consistently,
particularly emphasizing the need for institutions to
produce evidence of compliance rather than merely
plans for future compliance. He also discussed the
current regulatory environment and increased
expectations for both accreditors and institutions.
(Middle States Commission on Higher Education, Fall 2008 Newsletter)
• Student Achievement – Thanks to intervention by
Congress, supporting protests by the higher education
community, the Secretary of Education will not be able
to require accreditors to specify which standards
institutions must apply to evaluate student achievement.
Those decisions remain in the hands of member
institutions.
(Middle States Commission on Higher Education, Fall 2008 Newsletter)
What an accrediting commission should
reasonably expect of an institution:
1. Role of student learning in accreditation. Educational
quality is one of the core purposes of the institution, and
the institution defines quality by how well it fulfills its
declared learning mission.
2. Documentation of student learning. The institution
demonstrates that student learning is appropriate for the
certificate or degree awarded and is consistent with the
institution’s own standards of academic performance.
The institution accomplishes this by:
a. setting clear learning goals, which speak to both content and level of
attainment;
b. collecting evidence of goal attainment using appropriate assessment
tools;
c. applying collective judgment as to the meaning and utility of the
evidence; and
d. using this evidence to effect improvements in its programs.
3. Compilation of evidence. Evidence of student learning is
derived from multiple sources, such as courses,
curricula, and co-curricular programming, and includes
effects of both intentional and unintentional learning
experiences. Evidence collected from these sources is
complementary and portrays the impact on the student
of the institution as a whole.
4. Stakeholder involvement. The collection, interpretation,
and use of student learning evidence is a collective
endeavor, and is not viewed as the sole responsibility of
a single office or position. Those in the institution with a
stake in decisions of educational quality participate in
the process.
5. Capacity building. The institution uses broad
participation in reflecting about student learning
outcomes as a means of building a commitment to
educational improvement.
(“Regional Accreditation and Student Learning: Principles for Good Practices,” Adopted by the
Council of Regional Accrediting Commissions, May 2003.)
Internal Motivators
As a Faculty Member You Have
• Natural Curiosity
– Answer Questions You Are Interested In
• Commitment Learning
• Love of Your Subject Matter
Plan for Designing and Delivering Learning Outcomes
Design Backward
Intended Learning
Outcomes of the
Lesson
Intended
Learning
Outcomes of the
Unit
Intended
Learning
Outcomes of the
Course
Deliver Forward
Huba & Freed, 2000, p. 108
Intended
Learning
Outcomes of the
Academic
Program
Intended
Learning
Outcomes of the
Institution
Plan for Designing and Delivering Learning Outcomes
Design Backward
Intended Learning
Outcomes of the
Lesson
Intended
Learning
Outcomes of the
Unit
Intended
Learning
Outcomes of the
Course
Deliver Forward
Huba & Freed, 2000, p. 108
Intended
Learning
Outcomes of the
Academic
Program
Intended
Learning
Outcomes of the
Institution
Potential Linkages for Program Assessment
• Campuses General Education  UP General Education
• Campuses General Education  Campuses General
Education
• Campuses General Education  UP Majors
• Campus General Education  Campus Majors
• Campus Majors  Campus Majors
• Within Your Respective Campuses
Defining Academic Excellence
• Helps in Designing and Structuring Courses and
Curricula
• Reduces “Redundancy, Omission, and Irrelevancy”
(Geis, 1996)
• Facilitates Communication with Colleagues and
Students
– Sequencing and Prerequisites
– What’s Expected of Them
Leads To
• Opportunities for Collaboration
• Opportunities for Cooperation
• More Effective Use of Faculty Time and the
Grading Process
• Possible Capturing of Efficiencies (especially in
terms of student transfer)
Problem Identified
• Which Learning Outcome Should You Select?
• What Bothers You About What It Seems Students
– Learned (Or Not) In Your Course?
– Knew When They Entered Your Course?
– Remembered When They Left Your Course?
• Be Explicit.
Benefits of Assessment?
• The “So What?” Question
• How You Have Used Assessment Results
– To Change Your Courses and Classes
– To Adapt Assignments
– To Adapt Curricula
• Don’t Forget! Document These Findings For
Accreditation Purposes
What to do with Assessment
•
Use Results to Start Discussions, Not
“Give Answers”
– Forums for Collective Discussion
•
Emphasize Fixing Problems, not Creating “Winners
and Losers”
– Links to Resource Allocation
– The Need for Consistency
Often Encountered Problems With Assessment
•
Measuring Everything that Moves
– Need for Priorities (“What You Measure Is What You
Value”)
– “Evidence” not “Measurement”
•
The Perfect Data Fallacy
– Recognize That All Data Are “Bad”
– How Good Is Good Enough to Make a Decision?
Why It’s Good To Be At Penn State?
• Supportive and Informed Administration
• Resources and Opportunities Made Available
– Institutional
– Campus
– Work Together
• You’re Not Alone
• Discuss With a Broader Set of Peers
– Assessment Concepts
– Assessment Methods – What Works
– Curricular Benefits of Assessment
Thoughts
•
•
•
•
Don’t Be Overwhelmed
Just Start
Be Systematic
Continuous Not Episodic
Your Opportunity Today
• Learn From One Another
• Discuss With a Broader Set of Peers
– Assessment Concepts
– Assessment Methods – What Works
– Curricular Benefits of Assessment
Thank You!
• Questions or Comments? Please contact me at:
– Karen Paulson
– [email protected]
– 303.497.0354