Two Principles of Effective Assessment David Bushman David Rehm Mount St. Mary’s University Emmitsburg, Maryland
Mar 27, 2015
Two Principles of Effective Assessment
David BushmanDavid Rehm
Mount St. Mary’s UniversityEmmitsburg, Maryland
Engage in a discussion with others about assessment
Be as interactive as possible We don’t want to present a “complete”
picture but instead wish to share our experiences
Aim of this Presentation
What has been the primary driver to get faculty on board with assessment?
How successful have you been? How much “top-down” energy has been
required? What kind of energy has been most useful? Describe the sustainability of your efforts.
Where are you with assessment?
Responses?
First assessment plan written in 2001 Approved by the faculty after lengthy deliberation Established an Assessment Committee Role: not police but support Reviews assessment activities of each department Engages in conversation with department chairs
and program heads
The Mount: Context (1)
Assessment Works at Various Levels: Core Programs Major Programs (including 5 year external
reviews) Overall Core Program (Utilized 1999-2004) Overall Undergraduate Program
The Mount: Context (2)
Within 5 years, almost all departments and programs were engaging in assessment of student learning – at the various levels referred to
Tended to use the same instrument a number of times
Less attention paid to developing a 5-year plan and mapping out how all the goals of the program would be met in that period
The Mount: Context (3)
Also were not as attentive as we could be to documenting sufficiently how improvements were made based on what was learned. (We identified results, ways to improve, and what we intended to do; not sufficient follow-up after that.)
The Mount: Context (4)
We believe we met with some success; it is based on 2
principles
Separate judgments about process from judgments about content
When this got started, deep concern that assessment would be used as a wedge or hammer to drive curricular changes
Have convinced folks that assessment is an opportunity to reflect on how to improve (without concern about elimination of programs)
Learned that a realization about a problem in a program does not lead to a conclusion about whether to run that program
Principle #1: Appropriate Boundaries
This requires Trust Appreciation for what assessment can and
cannot do (limits in precision) Appreciation for what assessment should
and should not do (kinds of judgments we make on the basis of what we learn – e.g., align goals and practice)
Principle #1: Appropriate Boundaries
In order to empower faculty (and administrative offices) to do this work:
Establish academic and administrative assessment committees
Focus on process: make sure that programs and offices complete the process
Provide support/aid to all interested parties Engage in extensive conversation to
facilitate understanding
Principle #2: Empowerment
This requires: A ton of patience and time Senior leadership buy-in Significant coordination
Principle #2: Empowerment
In what ways are these two principles in play on your campus? In what ways do these principles resonate with your experiences?
Don’t brow-beat the faculty. Instead, engage in discussions with all department chairs, program heads, and administrative heads.
Highlight the work of departments and programs that are doing a good job. Have them present to chairs and program heads at meetings and in other contexts.
Recommendations
Further Recommendations?