Define goals, objectives, and outcomes

Define goals, objectives, and outcomes

Select appropriate method and collect data

Review assessment

results

Use and share results

Create measurements/ assessment questions

Provide programs,

services, and activities to

achieve goals

The Assessment Cycle

1

5

6

4 3

2

Assessment 101Diane “DP” Porter-Roberts, PhD

Associate Director of Housing for Student Learning & EngagementDirector, Student Personnel in Higher Education Master’s Program

University of Florida

Why?

Assessment

Outcomes

What is an Outcome?InformationEventObjectState of being

PlanProcessAccidentEffortOther similar action

or occurrence

produced as a result or consequence of a

What is a Learning Outcome?Learning Outcomes are the knowledge,

skills, attitudes, and habits of mind that students take with them from a learning experience. (Suskie, 2009, p 117)

Make them part of the plan!

DP’s Outcomes for this session(If you engage with me) Within the next hour, you will be able to:Write an effective learning outcome

Identify at least one of your fears about assessment (if you have one) and a strategy to overcome that fear*

Discuss what DP thinks is the most important part of the assessment process

Why Learning Outcomes? *Outcomes define impact – how the student

has changed

Focusing on learning moves beyond “bodies in the door” and “smiles on the way out”

* Keeling & Associates, 2007

How Do Learning Outcomes Shift Our Focus? Process Outcome

Planning activities and things to “do”

How the student will change as a result of what we do

“What are we going to do?”

How will students be different; how will they learn, change, grow?

Counting and asking

Documenting change; showing results

* Keeling & Associates, 2007

Learning is something students do, NOT something done to students. -Alfie Kohn

Brainstorming Outcomes What should (intended learners) know, be able to do, be

able to demonstrate, value, or feel when they have completed (program / service)?

Or, stated another way…

What difference should (program / service) have made for (intended learners) who participate?

Gail S. Rooney & Julia Panke Makela, UIUC

Writing Outcomes Statements (Intended learners) who

(intervention) will be able to

(intended outcome).

Engage inParticipate inComplete

Identify SummarizeList DiscussDescribeExplainDemonstrate

{ }

{ }

Gail S. Rooney & Julia Panke Makela, UIUC

SMART Approach to Writing OutcomesS SpecificM MeasurableA AchievableR RelevantT Time-based

What should SFC students participating in Student Government know, be able to do, be able to demonstrate, value, or feel when they have completed one year with the organization?

Or, stated another way…

What difference should SFC Student Government have made for students leaders who participate?

Brainstorming Outcomes

SFC students who

Student Government will be able to

(intended outcome).

Engage inParticipate inComplete

Identify SummarizeList DiscussDescribe ExplainDemonstrate

{

{

}

}

Writing Outcomes Statements

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EBoLHqLM7S4

enjoy

appreciate

perceive

realize

be aware of

know

solve

construct

summarize

draw

produce

discuss

Students who attended Money Talks on Tuesday should be able to discuss a proactive approach they will take in regard to managing their own personal finances.

select

organize

plan

explain

“After completing suicide prevention training, resident assistants will be able to explain what the letters QPR represent.”

develop

"Sophomores participating in the Florida Opportunity Scholars program who complete the 'You on Paper' workshop will be able to develop a chronological resume."

list

"After attending the Volunteer Fair, students will be able to list 5 non-profit agencies throughout the community."

reflect

identify

Students who participate in the yoga club will be able to identify 3 activities to create “down time” in their daily lives.

describe

distinguish between

implement

create

Students who utilize GatorWell at the Springs and Jennings Hall will be able to: Identify at least 5 resources for personal health and

wellness.Name at least 2 services provided by GatorWell.Describe at least 1 health-related behavior they will

change as a result of attending a GatorWell program or service.

Students who participated in the student involvement fair yesterday should be able to:

What should SFC students participating in Student Government know, be able to do, be able to demonstrate, value, or feel when they have completed one year with the organization?

Or, stated another way…

What difference should SFC Student Government have made for students leaders who participate?

Brainstorming Outcomes

SFC students who

Student Government will be able to

(intended outcome).

Engage inParticipate inComplete

Identify SummarizeList DiscussDescribe ExplainDemonstrate

{

{

}

}

Writing Outcomes Statements

Now...how will you assess this? – Part 2

Learning Outcomes Assessment

Misconceptions, Overcoming the Anxiety,

and Advice

What is Assessment?“Any effort to gather, analyze, and interpret

evidence which describes institutional, divisional, or agency effectiveness.”

Upcraft & Schuh, 1996, p. 18

Types of AssessmentTracking

How many? Who are they?

Needs Assessment

Satisfaction Assessment

Student Cultures and Campus Environments Perceptions

Outcomes Assessment What effect is ____ having?

Comparable Institution Assessment Benchmarking

National Standards Assessment Accreditation

Cost Effectiveness Assessment Are the benefits worth the cost?

Assessment AnxietyFear of ResearchFear of the word “assessment”Fear of being overwhelmedFear of creating a surveyFear of statistics (or numbers in general)Fear of the time commitment Fear of bad (or ugly) dataFear of presenting or publishing dataFear of failure

Fear of ResearchAssessment ResearchGuides good practiceTypically has implications for a

single institution

Guides theory development and tests concepts

Typically has broader implications for student affairs and higher education

Fear of the word “assessment”Assessment is a fancy word for FEEDBACK!

Fear of being overwhelmedKarl Weick (1984), American Organizational Theorist

“small wins”

Fear of being overwhelmedPascarella & Terenzini (1991)

“…rather than seeking single large levers to pull in order to promote change on a large scale, it may well be more effective to pull more small levers more often” (p.655).

Fear of being overwhelmedRhatigan & Schuh (2003)

[Small wins] “fit perfectly into larger strategies because they are understandable, doable, and generally nonthreatening” (p.19)

Fear of creating a survey

Fear of statistics (or numbers in general)Averages (means), percentages,Do what you understand!“Most important lesson for me is to analyze the data

soon after the collection. I've been doing focus groups which have been quite eye-opening but if I let my notes and the note taker notes sit in a folder for awhile, my memory of the focus group becomes less and less fresh as time goes on.”

Fear of the time commitment “My one piece of advice…for a small office that does not

have a staff member to focus just on assessment I would suggest setting aside time weekly to devote to assessment. I set aside 2 hours a week where all I do is review our current data, brainstorm future needs, and work on current projects. This really helps me to take the time weekly to devote and keep track of the data we collect. After all if you take the time to collect the data you should take the time to understand it and use it to make changes.”

Fear of bad (or ugly) data

Fear of presenting or publishing data

Fear of presenting or publishing data• Executive Summary

• one to two page overview• purpose, description of methods, findings, and

recommendations• Intended to highlight important aspects while providing

necessary information to reader• May use bullets or other tools to draw attention to

important elements

Fear of presenting or publishing dataAcceptable types of reports include:

Posters, flyers, emails, web postings, other ways that you inform others of your assessment results

The ways that you can report your assessment results are only limited by the imagination.

Fear of failureBarriers to implementing assessment

Fear of failureMake sure that students know the program’s learning

outcomes. Research has shown that students who are aware of the direction of their education are much more likely to be engaged in the learning process.

AdviceTake some classes in assessment and research

methodologies. Read some assessment books.Conduct some “research” (gather information) to see

what other people have done in the area you want to assess.

Talk to experienced research and assessment professionals to get their advice and input.

Don’t be scared!Practice, Practice, and Practice!

NCSU University Planning & Analysishttp://www.2.acs.ncsu.edu/UPA/assmt/index.thm

National Institute for Learning Outcomes Assessmenthttp://www.learningoutcomeassessment.org/

ACPA Commission for Assessment & Evaluation http://www.myacpa.org/comm/assessment/#

Final Thoughts“Try to avoid random acts of assessment.”

Susan Hatfield, PhDProfessor, Communication StudiesWinona State University

Use your dataTo inform a processTo enact changeTo share informationTo presentTo publishTo hide in a drawer?

Final Thoughts“Assessment is a vehicle for improvement, not

an end in itself.” (Banta & Assoc, 2002 )