Presented by: Mark Pousson, Fontbonne University

Dot Schmitt, St. John’s UniversityHeather Stout, Saint Louis UniversityGavin Steiger, University of Houston-

Clear Lake

Strategic Planning for the Small DS Office

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Overview• Astin’s Theory of Involvement• Strategic Planning• CAS Standards• Writing Learning Outcomes• Assessment

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Discussion

1. What do you envision a strategic plan to look like?

2. Who has created a strategic plan and what was your experience like?

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Astin’s Theory of Involvement• A curriculum must elicit sufficient

student effort and investment of energy to bring about the desired learning and development.

• Students learn more when the learning environment is structured to encourage active student participation.

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Astin’s Theory and the DS• Student satisfaction and participation in

DS is likely to increase student involvement

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How Can the DS Strategic Plan Enhance Student Involvement?• Ensure compliance with ADA• Assist students with their development of

self-determination skills• Connect students with others and allies• Create a positive student experience with

DS

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Strategic Plan• Provides vision and direction• Ensures compliance with disability laws• Allows office to run efficiently• Checks whether staff are evolving• Determines the efficacy of day to day

efforts Source: Gaddy, S. (2014). Develop a strategic plan for your disability services unit. Disability Compliance for Higher Education, 19 (8) 6

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Writing A Strategic Plan• Start with the college/university’s master

strategic plan• Typical time frame: 3-5 years• Brainstorm and establish broad categories• Seek feedback from colleagues and staffSource: Gaddy, S. (2014). Develop a strategic plan for your disability services unit. Disability Compliance for Higher Education, 19 (8) 6

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Effective, Strategic DS Office Management

• Start at the top and bottom using the organization’s overarching mission and specific unit objectives

• Incorporate and assess learning outcomes• Don’t reinvent the wheel. Someone else

has probably already done that!• Get additional resources

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Council for the Advancement of Standards (CAS) Functional Area: Disability Resources

and Services

• Part 1. Mission Part 12. Technology• Part 2. Program Part 13. Facilities and Equipment• Part 3. Leadership Part 14. Assessment and • Part 4. Human Resources Evaluation• Park 5. Ethics• Part 6. Legal Responsibilities• Part 7. Equity and Access• Part 8. Diversity• Part 9. Organization and Management• Part 10. Campus and External Relations• Part 11. Financial Resources

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CAS Standards and Guidelines Leadership/Strategic Planning

• articulate a vision and mission that drive short- and long-term planning • set goals and objectives based on the needs of the population served and desired student

learning or development and program outcomes• facilitate continuous development, implementation, and assessment of goal attainment

congruent with institutional mission and strategic plans • promote environments that provide meaningful opportunities for student learning,

development, and engagement • develop and continuously improve DRS in response to the changing needs of students

served and evolving institutional priorities • intentionally include diverse perspectives to inform decision making • promote environments that provide meaningful opportunities for student learning,

development, and engagement • develop and continuously improve DRS in response to the changing needs of students

served and evolving institutional priorities • intentionally include diverse perspectives to inform decision making

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CAS Self-Assessment – the five steps

• Establish self-study process and review team• Understanding the CAS Standards and

Guidelines and the Self-Assessment Guide• Compiling and reviewing documentary evidence• Judging performance• Completing the assessment process

Using Bloom’s TaxonomyBloom et al (1956) categorized cognitive skills to develop learning objectives, goals, and outcomes to guide instruction and assessment. Revised in 2001 by Krathwohl and Anderson.

Anderson, L.W. & Krathwohl, D.R. (Eds.). (2001). A taxonomy for learning, teaching and assessing: A revision of Bloom's taxonomy of educational objectives. Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.

Defining Learning Outcomes

Learning outcomes or “learning objectives” are statements describing the changes in behavior or performance that are the desired outcome of the learning interaction between the students and the facilitator of the learning process.

Categorizing Outcomes Information: require learner to recall knowledge

Mental Skills: require learner to analyze, classify or solve problems that involve cognitive processes

Physical Skills: require learner to perform a physical or manipulative activity involving fine or gross motor skills

Attitudes: require learners to make choices reflecting beliefs such as ethical behavior

Constructing Learning Outcomes

• Audience – who are the learners?

• Behavior – what should they know, do, or believe?

• Condition – under what conditions should they perform?

• Degree – what standard is successful?

SMART Learning Outcomes

• Specific• Measurable• Aggressive but Attainable• Results-oriented • Time bound

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Verbs for each levelLevel Example verbs

Creating Assess, critique, evaluate, prioritize, verify

Evaluating Combine, construct, generate, prepare, synthesize

Analyzing Calculate, compare, differentiate, examine, solve

Applying Apply, develop, perform, produce, use

Understanding Compare, describe, explain, illustrate, summarize,

Remembering Choose, identify, match, name, repeat

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Outcome Examples Behavior: Learners will be able to…

Conditions: Given the tools, materials, environment….

Criterion: So that… (consistent with standards or measures)

Behavior: Participants will be able to write learning objectives

Conditions: After being given access to the appropriate subject matter expert(s), access to task analysis data, and criteria for success

Criterion: So that the objectives are specific, behaviorally- based and measurable.

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Program-related Outcomes• Students (A) who participate in the DS

New Student Orientation (C) will: – become interdependent and utilize campus

resources (B&D). [DO]– Identify (B) one (D) new method of advocating

for themselves. [KNOW]

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Service-related Outcome• Students (A) who have received texts in

alternative formats (C) will report they have gained knowledge of assistive technology (B&D) which they can utilize in the future.

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What learning outcomes would you create

for your program?

Assessing Outcomes• Student assessment

involves the evaluation of student learning through assignments, exams, and portfolios.

• Begin your assessment with careful planning, followed by gathering data and then reporting results.

Source: http://www.utexas.edu/academic/ctl/assessment/iar/students

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Assessments should relate to:• Program goals• Needs of specific student population

(readily usable)• Ethical guidelines, best practices, and

professional standards• Any related legal standards

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Planning Steps1. Describe the learning context2. Identify stakeholders and their needs3. Create the learning objectives4. Determine how you will use the results5. Create an assessment planSource: http://www.utexas.edu/academic/ctl/assessment/iar/students/plan/steps/?task=students

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Self-Report Methodsof Assessment

• Satisfaction and behavior surveys• Behavior checklists• Pre/post testing

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Sample Questions for Behavior Checklists

Strongly Agree

Agree Disagree Strongly Disagree

I understand my disability and how it affects me.I can clearly and effectively identify my disability-related needs.I can clearly and effectively communicate my disability-related needs to others.

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Sample Questions for Behavior Survey

How likely were you to meet with your professors and discuss your accommodation needs with them before attending this presentation?

Not Likely 1 2 3 4 5 Very Likely How likely are you to meet with your professors and discuss your accommodation needs

with them after attending this presentation?Not Likely 1 2 3 4 5 Very Likely

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Sample Questions for Behavior Survey

Always Sometimes Rarely NeverI approached my notetaker to get the notes.My notetaker approached me to give me the notes.My notetaker consistently provided the notes to me.

How frequently did the following happen?

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Subjective Methods of Assessment by Staff

Systematically

• Part of the intake or accommodation renewal process

• Built in through paperwork process, cues for DS coordinator

Anecdotally• DS staff member

observations• Discussion with student

about self-advocacy

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Sample Rubric for DS Staff Observations

Advanced = 3 Intermediate = 2 Beginner = 1Understanding of disability

Can easily and effectively explain the disability.

Has some difficulty explaining the disability.

Has significant difficulty explaining the disability.

Understanding of disability

Clearly recognizes appropriate accommodations

Has some difficulty recognizing appropriate accommodations.

Has significant difficulty recognizing appropriate accommodations.

Communication Skills

Can clearly and effectively explain disability-related needs

Has some difficulty explaining disability-related needs.

Has significant difficulty explaining disability-related needs.

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Considerations when Developing Questions

• Should have enough specificity• Should have “face validity”

– Statistical Validity and Reliability• Shouldn’t be too wordy or technical in jargon• Consider the audience of respondents (e.g.,

reading ability, disability types, online survey sites’ compatibility with AT, etc.)

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Assessment Method ConcernsMETHOD CONCERNSPre/Post w-w/o intervention Attrition, confounds, cooperation

Post-only No baseline

Case studies Too time intensive

Manualized intervention Training and enforcement

Group processes Attrition, confounds, group effects

Consider Multiple Minority Group Membership

• Athletes • LGBTQ • Race• Ethnicity• Religious beliefs• National origin• Socio-economic

status• Gender identity• Age• Veterans

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Discussion

What types of assessments do you perform?

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Contact information:Mark Pousson, Mpousson@Fontbonne.edu

314-719-3627 (voice)Dorothy Schmitt, schmittd@stjohns.edu

718-990-6384 (voice)Heather Stout, stoutha@slu.edu

314-977-8885 (voice)Gavin Steiger, steiger@uhcl.edu

281-283-2648 (voice)