Assessment Presentation

Day For FacultyCindy J. Speaker,

Ph.D.Wells CollegeAugust 21, 2006

Assessment

• Background• Components• An analogy• Some things to remember

Background

• Why all the hubbub about assessment?– Push from accreditation organizations

– National climate and educational standards

– Changing conceptualizations in higher education

Components

• Wells College Mission Statement• Community Standards Statement• The 5 Institutional Goals of Wells College

• Academic Program Goals • Program Mission Statement• Program Goals• Measurable Outcomes• Means of assessment of outcomes• Criteria for success

Wells College Mission Statement

“The mission of Wells College is to educate students to think critically, reason wisely, and act humanely as they cultivate meaningful lives. Through Wells’ academic program, residential atmosphere, and community activities, students learn and practice the ideals of the liberal arts. The Wells experience prepares students to appreciate complexity and difference, to embrace new ways of knowing, to be creative, and to respond ethically to the interdependent worlds to which they belong. Committed to excellence in all areas of its reach, Wells College equips students for lifelong learning and for sharing of privileges of education with others.”

Community Standards Statement

“Wells College strives to become a diverse and inclusive community where individuals live, work, teach and learn with a goal of promoting and maintaining an atmosphere of respect. Membership is a privilege that requires all individuals to treat others humanely, and with mutual understanding and tolerance. Wells College fosters an environment in which free speech, openness, acceptance, and inclusion – even of those ideas or beliefs that may be controversial – are accepted and considered in their appropriate settings.”

The Five Institutional Goals

• “Provide an educational experience that supports students as unique individuals engaged in the study and practice of the liberal arts.”

• “Maintain an excellent faculty that is skilled in teaching, dedicated to rigorous intellectual development, and actively committed to pursuing new knowledge and learning strategies.”

• “Develop students’ intellectual curiosity, analytical and critical capabilities, and aesthetic awareness and creativity.”

The Five Institutional Goals (con’t)

• “Provide a rich community environment that fosters awareness and sensitivity to social diversity and encourages responsible action in an interdependent world.”

• “Develop self-confident individuals who exercise sound judgment and have the knowledge and skills for thoughtful decision-making.”

Academic Program Goals• “examine enduring and contemporary questions that shape human understanding”

• “use the scholarly and creative traditions of the liberal arts and contemporary technologies to locate and evaluate information”

• “communicate reasoned points of view to inform and persuade a variety of audiences”

• “incorporate an understanding of diversity in their academic work and as members of a learning community”

Academic Program Goals (con’t)

• “develop an appreciation of languages and cultures in a global context”

• “acquire knowledge based on scholarship and research about women”

• “engage in collaborative practices in the classroom, in campus life, and in the community at large”

• “develop thorough knowledge of basic principles, methods of inquiry, and current issues in an academic field of study”

Program Mission

• What is your program’s mission?

• How is it connected to the institution’s mission?

Program Goals

• What are the specific objectives that your program wants to accomplish?

• Focus on your top ones, the most important.

Measurable Outcomes

• Outcomes are what we examine to see if we’re meeting our objectives.

• So, outcomes are result oriented and measurable.

• What is it that you want your students to think, know, do, gain, value?

• Again, focus on the most important outcomes.

Means of Assessment of Outcomes

• Develop at least 2-3 measures for each of the outcomes you articulated.

• Never rely solely on one data point.• Some examples student work samples, portfolios, capstone projects, pre-tests/post-tests, standardized or licensure exams, surveys, rates, course-embedded measures.

• Include a timetable of when you’re collecting data.

Criteria for Success

• Establish benchmarks • Benchmarks should be realistic and can be informed by professional organizations.

An Analogy

Well Child Visits include:– Specific timeline– Specific questions asked

– Measurements of physical, behavioral, and emotional development (change)

– Results influence what you do

Some Things to Remember

• Assessment is a process, not a product.

• Assessment is an ongoing activity, not a one shot activity.

• Assessment is about improving student learning, not about evaluating program or faculty performance. (Assessment and program review are not synonymous.)

• Assessment uses multiple measures, not just one outcome measurement.

Some Things to Remember (con’t)

• There’s no one best approach to assessment. Good assessment depends on the mission of the institution and the mission of the particular program.

• But, all good assessment is intentional and reflective.