Presented by:
Mark Pousson, Fontbonne University
Dot Schmitt, St. John’s University
Heather Stout, Saint Louis University
Gavin 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 Steps
1. Describe the learning context
2. Identify stakeholders and their needs
3. Create the learning objectives
4. Determine how you will use the results
5. 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 Never
I 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 = 1
Understanding 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 CONCERNS
Pre/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, [email protected]
314-719-3627 (voice)
Dorothy Schmitt, [email protected]
718-990-6384 (voice)
Heather Stout, [email protected]
314-977-8885 (voice)
Gavin Steiger, [email protected]
281-283-2648 (voice)
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