“Developing
136
Assessments
Programs in One
Year: The Good,
The Bad and
The Ugly”
Grand Valley State
University, Michigan
International Assessment &
Retention Conference 2007
St. Louis, MO
Grand Valley State University
•
•
•
•
•
Public Institution
West Michigan
Carnegie classification, Masters 1
24,000 students
Enormous growth – doubled enrollment in 12
years
• Liberal Education Mission
CHALLENGES
•University climate
•Competing University initiatives
•Faculty buy-in
– Assessment doesn’t equal evaluation of
faculty teaching
– Managerial model
– Other faculty responsibilities
– Faculty learning curve
•Forging relationships with faculty
governance members
•Short timetable
ACTIONS
• Developed a collaborative model
• Provided internal and external assessment
workshop opportunities for faculty
• Created assessment websites
• Initiated meetings with unit heads to
discuss assessment
• Purchased an assessment data
management system
Assessment Cycle at GVSU
Data
Collection
(2)
Guides
(Continuous)
Analyzed in
Training on
Measures
(Rubrics, Surveys,
Exams, Other)
Strategic
Plan
Modifies
(1)
Assessment
Plan
GVSU
Program
Study
(3)
UAC
Assessment
Report
(4)
Modifies
•Assessment reports due to UAC every three years
•Assessment plan revisions due to UAC every three years included with assessment
report submitted to UAC
•GVSU program study due every six years (cycle incorporates 1, 2, & 3)
Incorporated in
Hypothetical Case - Classics – Student Learning Outcomes
Minimum of 2 Goals, 2 Objectives/Goal, 2 Measures/Objective
Student Learning
Goals
Objectives
What will the student
know or be able to do?
Classics:
1.To expose students to
the foundational
elements of the Ancient
Western cultures and
how they impact the
contemporary world.
1A. Students will read and
demonstrate comprehension
of Ancient Greek and/or
Roman literature, history,
art, or philosophy.
Assessment
Measures
How will you
measure each
of the
objectives?
Collection Cycle
1A1. Faculty
analysis of
student
portfolios in
Capstone
1A1. Capstone, Fall, 1
section
1A2. Oral exams
in CLA XXX
1A2. CLA XXX,
Winter, 1 section
1B1. Writing
assignments
CLA XXX
1B1.CLA XXX, Fall, 1
section
1B2. Faculty
analysis of
student
portfolios
Capstone
1B2. Capstone, Winter,
1 section
2. Goal TBA
CLAS Goal #1
To support high
quality, studentfocused, undergraduate
and graduate education
provided by a faculty
dedicated to excellent
teaching, scholarship
and professional
service
1B. Students will apply
knowledge of the ancient
world to analyze events in
the contemporary world.
Responsibility
for Collection
1A1, 1B2,
Dept. portfolio
committee
1A2, 1B1, F
Faculty teaching
CLA XXX
Hypothetical Case - Classics – Student Learning Goals
(outcome)
Minimum of 2 Goals, 2 Objectives/Goal, 2 Measures/Objective
Student
Learning Goals
CLAS
Goal(s)
GVSU
Goal(s)
NCA
Criteria
Objectives
What will the
student know
or be able to
do?
Classics:
1.To expose
students to the
foundational
elements of the
Ancient
Western
cultures and
how they
impact the
contemporary
world.
#1 To support
high quality,
studentfocused,
undergraduate
and graduate
education
provided by a
faculty
dedicated to
excellent
teaching,
scholarship and
professional
service.
#1 To support
high quality,
studentfocused,
undergraduate
and graduate
education
provided by a
faculty
dedicated to
excellent
teaching,
scholarship and
professional
service.
Criterion #3
The
organization
provides
evidence of
student
learning and
teaching
effectiveness
that
demonstrates it
is fulfilling its
educational
mission.
1A. Students
will read and
demonstrate
comprehension
of Ancient
Greek and/or
Roman
literature,
history, art, or
philosophy.
2. Goal TBA
Core
component 3a
The
organization’s
goals for
student
learning
outcomes are
clearly stated
1B. Students
will apply
knowledge of
the ancient
world to
analyze events
in the
contemporary
world.
Assessment
Measures
How will you
measure each of
the objectives?
1A1. Faculty
analysis of
student
portfolios in
Capstone
Collection
Cycle
1A1.
Capstone,
Fall, 1
section
1A2. Oral
exams in CLA
XXX
1A2. CLA
XXX,
Winter, 1
section
1B1. Writing
assignments
CLA XXX
1B1.CLA
XXX, Fall, 1
section
1B2. Faculty
analysis of
student
portfolios
Capstone
1B2.
Capstone,
Winter, 1
section
Responsibilit
y
for
Collection
1A1, 1B2,
Dept.
portfolio
committee
1A2, 1B1,
Faculty
teaching
CLA XXX
The GOOD
University-wide
• Collaboration
• Engaging with faculty governance
• Faculty created and owned
College level
• Initial large group meetings
• Small group meetings
• Curmudgeon effect
• Availability
• Patience
The GOOD
General Education
• Slow, sequential, small, and sustainable
• Using course-embedded measures
• Cheery and upbeat rather than the stick
• We lag behind the university by one year
The BAD (not as good)
University-Wide
• University Assessment Committee (UAC)
too isolated from faculty at large and
other faculty governance committees
• UAC members should have had more
training early on
• Wrong people on the bus
• Funding - not organized process
The BAD (not as good) cont.
College level
• Lack of sufficient training and responsible for many other
areas apart from assessment
• Large group meetings further in the process – expertise
too varied to be effective
• Underestimated faculty understanding in worrying about
backlash
• Too much information early on
• Information not organized sufficiently to stave off
confusion
• Minimal recognition or reward in departments for faculty
who work on assessment plans
The BAD (not as good) cont.
General Education
• New role for the GE faculty governance
committee – learning curve
• Process of assessment not distributed
early enough
• Lack of communication with department
chairs
The UGLY
• Competing University and College
initiatives
– Workload documents
– Benchmarking
– Strategic Planning
– Recent reorganization of University
• The Heavy Hammer of NCA
• Faculty skepticism
WHERE WE ARE TODAY IMPLEMENTATION
• FACULTY DEVELOPMENT
– Continue to help faculty
develop measures,
objectives, rubrics, surveys,
and course-embedded
measures
– How to use the assessment
database
– Continue to refine some
assessment plans
– Continue to develop a
climate of assessment – as
a meaningful, integral
activity
Assessment Cycle at GVSU
Data
Collection
(2)
Guides
(Continuous)
Analyzed in
Training on
Measures
(Rubrics, Surveys,
Exams, Other)
Strategic
Plan
Modifies
(1)
Assessment
Plan
GVSU
Program
Study
(3)
UAC
Assessment
Report
(4)
Modifies
•Assessment reports due to UAC every three years
•Assessment plan revisions due to UAC every three years included with assessment
report submitted to UAC
•GVSU program study due every six years (cycle incorporates 1, 2, & 3)
Incorporated in
WHERE WE ARE TODAY IMPLEMENTATION
• DATA COLLECTION
– All units collected
assessment data last
year
– General Education
starts this fall
Assessment Cycle at GVSU
Data
Collection
(2)
Guides
(Continuous)
Analyzed in
Training on
Measures
(Rubrics, Surveys,
Exams, Other)
Strategic
Plan
Modifies
(1)
Assessment
Plan
GVSU
Program
Study
(3)
UAC
Assessment
Report
(4)
Modifies
•Assessment reports due to UAC every three years
•Assessment plan revisions due to UAC every three years included with assessment
report submitted to UAC
•GVSU program study due every six years (cycle incorporates 1, 2, & 3)
Incorporated in
WHERE WE ARE TODAY IMPLEMENTATION
• ASSESSMENT
Assessment Cycle at GVSU
REPORTS
– 1/3 of the
departments will
prepare an assessment
report for Oct.
– 1/3 more in May.
Data
Collection
(2)
Guides
(Continuous)
Analyzed in
Training on
Measures
(Rubrics, Surveys,
Exams, Other)
Strategic
Plan
Modifies
(1)
Assessment
Plan
GVSU
Program
Study
(3)
UAC
Assessment
Report
(4)
Modifies
•Assessment reports due to UAC every three years
•Assessment plan revisions due to UAC every three years included with assessment
report submitted to UAC
•GVSU program study due every six years (cycle incorporates 1, 2, & 3)
Incorporated in
SUGGESTIONS
• Collaborate, collaborate, collaborate!!!
• Administrative planning is essential
• Small groups for training, answering questions, providing
•
•
•
•
•
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informational models
Construct groups thoughtfully according to need
Simplify
Be available all the time
Faculty owned
Goal is improving student learning
Meet with departments individually
Obtain funding early on and distribute through
transparent process
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
• Faculty governance committees – Univ.
Assessment Committee, General Education
Subcommittee
• Individual faculty
• Departments
CONTACTS
Maria Cimitile
cimitilm@gvsu.edu
www.gvsu.edu/clas
Julie Guevara
guevaraj@gvsu.edu
www.gvsu.edu/assessment
www.gvsu.edu/uac
www.gvsu.edu/ncaselfstudy
Carol Griffin
griffinc@gvsu.edu
www.gvsu.edu/gened