MAP-Works: An Example of Best
Practices in Assessment
Sherry Woosley, Ph.D.
Associate Director of Institutional Effectiveness, Ball State University
Darlena Jones, Ph.D.
Director of Research and Development, Educational Benchmarking
Best Practices?
Best Practices in Assessment
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What are some Best Assessment Practices?
Our list
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Involves multiple constituencies
Asks important questions / Focuses attention on important issues
Solid methodology
Clear links to practice
User-friendly reporting
Leads to reflection and action by faculty/staff and students
MAP-Works
Overview
Who is Responsible?

Who is responsible for
student success on your
campus?
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Enrollment
Management
/ Retention
Provost / VP
Acad Affairs
VP Student
Affairs
Enrollment / Retention
Management?
Vice President of
Student Affairs
Provost / Vice President of
Academic Affairs?
What information do you
know about this first-year
student?
Do you
really
know
them?
Student ID: YD252952
HS GPA: 3.93
SAT Verbal: 29
Location: In state
Gender: Female
Race: African American
Age: 18
Major: Undecided
Paradigm Shift

What would happen if…
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ALL faculty/staff were
responsible for student
success?
You knew that student
was struggling
Could you do something
about it before it was too
late?
I’m really
homesick
I’m thinking
about
transferring
Enrollment
Management
/ Retention
Provost / VP
Acad Affairs
First-Year
Seminar
Instructor
Financial
Aid
Minority
I don’t think I can Student
Affairs
afford college
I’m struggling
in my math
class
VP Student
Affairs
Residence
Hall Staff
Academic
Advisor
Academic
Department
Heads
My roommate
and I argue all
the time
MAP-Works History

In 1988, Ball State had a number of concerns…
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Unrealistic expectation of first-year students (academics, grades,
housing, etc.)
Retention rates
Mid-term was too late
Need for better data about incoming students
Timeline:
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1988: Ball State developed the concept.
1989-2004: Ball State used MAP in-house.
2005: Ball State partnered with EBI to create MAP-Works.
Fall 2007: Huntington University was 1 of 10 institutions to pilot
MAP-Works.
Fall 2008: Huntington is one of 41+ institutions implementing
MAP-Works (version 4.0).
MAP-Works Focus

Retention
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Minimize percentage of capable students who drop out due
to issues that could have been addressed by self awareness
or timely intervention by professional staff.
Academic & Socio-Emotional Success
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Improve students' ability to succeed academically by
realigning behavior with grade expectations and focusing on
elements of academic success. Address socio-emotional
transition issues.
MAP-Works Process
• Expectations
• Behaviors
• Social Norming
• Expectations
• Campus
Resources
• Student Profile
• Institution Profile
• Campus Resources
• Student Summary
• Scan Students
Survey and Profile Items
Understanding the Student’s Experience
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Profile Information
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Student information like gender and
race/ethnicity
Entrance exam scores
# credit hours enrolled
Self-Assessment
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Communication Skills
Analytical Skills
Self-Discipline
Time Management
Health and Wellness
Issues (stress, financial, etc. )
Academic Integration
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Academic Self-Efficacy
Core Academic Behaviors
Advanced Academic Behaviors
Commitment to Higher Education
Social Integration
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Peer Connections
Living Environment (on/off campus)
Roommate Relationships (on/off
campus)
Homesickness
Best Practices in Assessment
Sharing Information with Faculty/Staff
Best Practices in Assessment
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Tips…
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Identify students who are…
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Non-Respondents
At-risk for retention or poor academic performance
Reporting interests in leadership opportunities or student activities
Make information valuable in student-to-staff meetings
Identify common issues among your students
Supporting work of faculty/staff
Tip 1: Identify Non-Respondents
Did You Know? For most
campuses, non-response is one
of the first signs of disconnect
Filter by
“Responded” or
“Not Responded”
Make locating non-respondents quick and easy!
Tip 2: Identify At-Risk Students
Did You Know? Some students
decide if they’re coming back in spring
term within a few days of beginning
their fall term
Students sorted
by warning
indicators
Make locating at-risk students easy to help faculty/staff
Tip 3: Identify Students with Interests
Did You Know? Some students are
eager to begin exploring leadership
opportunities immediately
Choose a survey
or profile question
Make locating students with special interests easy!
Tip 4: Information for Meetings
Students are more
likely to be truthful on
surveys than face-toface
Use only the most valuable information in an easy-to-read format
Tip 5: Identifying Common Issues
Being creative in programming may
help eliminate common issues
experienced by your students
Homesickness is
an issue for a lot
of students
Provide aggregate reporting for program improvement
Tip 5: Keep Records
Choose the type of
contact then leave a
short comment
regarding the contact
Providing your
faculty/staff ways
to keep notes on
their students will
improve their
efficiency
Provide an easy-to-use method to store notes
Tip 6: Organize Your Work with Students
Providing a way for faculty/staff to
group their students based on
common issues/interests makes
interventions easier to manage
Provide an easy way to manage students’ issues
Tip 7: Notifying Others of Issues
Notifying other
faculty/staff in better
positions to aid the
student will likely help
that student transition
Provide a method of communication across silos
Group Work
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Look at the student and discuss the following..
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What interventions would you propose?
What resources would you recommend?
Which of the organize, communicate, and coordinate tools
might be useful for working with this student?
What changes in the situation might warrant different tools?
Tools:
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Student Lists
Logging Contacts
Private Notes
Shared Notes
Yellow Alerts
Red Alerts
Best Assessment Practices:
Sharing Information with Students
Assessment and Students
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Good Assessment impacts students’ lives by
improving programs

Great Assessment provides valuable information
directly to students so that they can improve their
lives
Student Reporting
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What is it?
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Students receive their own individualized report
Why?
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To help students realign expectations of what it will take to
succeed in college
To allow them to see comparisons with their peers
To connect them with campus resources
Making the Point: Messages are
reinforced with student quotes and
summary conclusions.
Expectations: Helping
students establish more
realistic expectations
about what it takes to
successfully transition to
college.
Reality Check: Study
skills and study time not
likely to produce desired
grades.
Social Norming: Student self
evaluations are calibrated with their peers
to identify strengths and weaknesses.
Links to Campus Resources: Campus specific
resource links allow your students to reach in and exploit all
your campus has to offer.
Sophomore Transition Survey
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What is it?
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MAP-Works for sophomore students
Similar survey
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Additional questions about academic major, career plans, etc.
Same system and reporting
Concluding thoughts
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The focus is students – all students.
MAP-Works is a powerful tool that can be used to
support student success.
Faculty and staff are critical.
MAP-Works is evolving.
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Many of this year’s enhancements are a result of user
feedback.
You will have an opportunity to provide feedback for
improvements.
Q&A
Thank you.
Sherry Woosley, Ph.D.
Associate Director of Institutional Effectiveness &
Adjunct Professor of Sociology, Ball State University
Darlena Jones, Ph.D.
Director of Research and Development, Educational Benchmarking
www.webebi.com or www.MAP-Works.com