STRATEGIES FOR IMPLEMENTING A SYSTEMATIC INSTITUTIONAL ASSESSMENT PROCESS

Transcription

1 STRATEGIES FOR IMPLEMENTING A SYSTEMATIC INSTITUTIONAL ASSESSMENT PROCESS TAMU 2010 Katherine Perez and Jacqueline Peña Institutional Effectiveness Coordinators

2 Florida International University: Institutional Profile Large Urban Public 4-year Research University Enrollment 40,455 30,928 Undergraduate 7,299 Graduate 2,228 Non-Degrees Total Number of Degree Programs: 191 Primarily Commuter Students

3 Evolution of Assessment Key stakeholders Assessment requirements/needs Alliances Roles and responsibilities Streamline multiple assessment needs System of collecting data Timeline for assessment Documentation of procedures Disseminating information Support system for faculty and staff Checks and balances Sustainability plan

4 Identify Stakeholders Administrative Leadership Team Faculty Students Staff Members From Essential Areas

5 Identify Assessment Requirements Regional Accreditation Agencies Discipline Specific Accreditation Agencies State/Local Assessment Reporting Requirements Internal Assessment Needs Program review Annual reports Faculty driven assessment General education

6 Identify Alliances Assessment Experts Within Institution Institutional Research Central Research Office Units already engaged with extensive assessment efforts Faculty Conducting Research Other Institutions External Consultants Assessment Groups or Mailing Lists

7 Organize Roles and Responsibilities President Institutional Effectiveness Faculty Student Affairs Provost Institutional Research Department Chairs Administrative Offices Other Key Members Deans

8 Organize Multiple Assessment Needs

9 Integration of Collaboration: Assessment Review Process Academic Assessment Liaisons Administrative Staff IE Office Faculty Members Administrative Assessment Liaisons

10 Organize a System of Data Collection What will the assessment collection and review process be like? Centralized all assessment processes are initiated, managed, and reviewed through an institution-wide office Decentralized assessment processes are initiated, developed, and reviewed by individual units; institutionwide office serves as resource and reservoir

11 Organize a System of Data Collection What type of assessment documentation system will be used? Low tech Word or Excel documents High tech Commercial software system Open source software system Locally developed software system

12 Organize a System of Data Collection Word or Excel Templates Advantages Fast implementation Little to no technological training required Low costs Formatting easily modified Commercial Assessment Application Advantages Integrated features (e.g., attachments, rubrics, flagging) Tracking and reporting capabilities Facilitates collaboration and access to documentation Locally Developed or Open Source Application Advantages Highly customized to institution s assessment needs Ownership of data Flexible for future changes Disadvantages Time consuming to track versions Lack of automation Limited features: no reporting Formatting easily modified (by anyone) Disadvantages Cost Technological training requirements Control of data dependant on external agency Modifications costly or slow Disadvantages Requires IT team Software/Server maintenance Time and expertise requirements Cost dependant on existing resources

13 Assessment Management Software Commercial TrakDat TK20 WEAVEOnline Black Board TaskStream Compliance Assist LiveText Open Source PRISM (Program Improvement Research) OATS (Online Assessment Management System) OpenIGOR

14 Centralized/Decentralized Systems Decentralized Hybrid Centralized Decisions: Individual Departments Review Process: Faculty Within Academic Program Assessments: Program or Course Developed Measures Decisions: Representative Committee Review Process: Peer Review Across Academic Areas Assessments: Combination of Program/Course and Large Scale Measures Decisions: Centralized Assessment Office Review Process: Administrators or Consultants Assessments: Large Scale National Exams and Surveys; IR Data

15 Organize a System of Data Collection What kind of assessment data will be gathered? When and where will these measures be collected?

16 Sources of Assessment Data Course Level Essays Presentations Minute papers Embedded questions Pre-post tests Program Level Portfolios Exit exams Graduation surveys Discipline specific national exams Institution Level Factbook data National Surveys Voluntary national exams

17 Develop Timelines Long Term Deadlines Assessment cycles Review cycles Regional accreditation requirements Program review Institutional assessments (e.g. surveys) Short Term Deadlines Roll-out of assessment reporting Assessment training

18 Sample Timeline

19 Develop Documentation Assessment Report Templates Handbooks and Instruction Sheets Website Quick facts Deadlines Announcements Assessment Directories

20 Develop Documentation

21 Develop Documentation

22 Develop Documentation

23 Develop Methods of Disseminating Information Establish Contacts Assessment Liaisons University Mailing System Mailing Lists Types of Information Distributed Deadlines Workshops or Professional Development Events Accomplishments Letters of Appreciation Assessment Fast Facts Upcoming Changes

24 Implement Support System Resources Assessment support: visits, phone, Books and publications Department or program specific examples Internal Publications Newsletters Handbooks Workshops Rubric construction Student learning assessment Using assessment data Administrative assessment Curriculum maps

25 Implement System of Checks and Balances Review Process Intra-department Inter-department External reviewers Central assessment office University-wide committees Document Tracking Clear Guidelines for Assessment Submission Requirements

26 Implement Structure for Sustainability Assessment Research Partnerships Faculty assessment presentations Teaming IE staff with faculty for publication Assessment Committees Share Accomplishments and Future Goals Facilitate Assessment Work Manageable assessment requirements Learning groups Faculty and staff participation in decision-making Incentives Financial/course release Tenure and promotion Awards/acknowledgement

27 Academic Planning and Accountability Institutional Effectiveness Katherine Perez Jacqueline Peña