STUDENT AFFAIRS RESEARCH AND ASSESSMENT
SARA Assessment Brown Bag Series Presents:
DEVELOPING AN
ASSESSMENT PLAN
Presented by: Betty J. Harper
November 17, 2011
Why Create an Assessment Plan?
y
You wouldn’t build a house without a
blueprint, would you?
STUDENT AFFAIRS RESEARCH AND ASSESSMENT
Start Small
y
Create a multi-year plan, but break it into
manageable parts
y
Choose one or two outcomes to focus
per year
y
on p
y
Measure these
y
Use the information to adjust your
process
y
Document and disseminate
STUDENT AFFAIRS RESEARCH AND ASSESSMENT
Core Components of an
Assessment Plan
y
Mission
y
Objectives
y
Outcomes
y
Evaluation methods
y
Implementation
◦ Who is responsible?
◦ Timeline
y
Results (when crafting your annual plan, briefly review
findings and impacts from your previous efforts)
y
Dissemination and action plan
STUDENT AFFAIRS RESEARCH AND ASSESSMENT
Measurement Methods
y
Direct methods require students to display
their knowledge and skills
y
Indirect methods ask students or someone else
to reflect on the student learning rather than to
demonstrate it
y
In Student Affairs we commonly use indirect
methods, but ideally we should strive for a mix
of direct and indirect
STUDENT AFFAIRS RESEARCH AND ASSESSMENT
Examples of Direct Evidence
y
Student work samples (a written speech, a
journal, an event)
y
Portfolios
y
Observations of student behavior (leadership
(leadership,
communication, etc.)
y
Internal juried review of student projects
y
Evaluations of performance
STUDENT AFFAIRS RESEARCH AND ASSESSMENT
Examples of Indirect Evidence
y
Student, alumni, and employer surveys
y
Focus groups
y
Exit interviews
y
Percentage of students who go on to graduate
school or job placement statistics
y
Percentage of students who participate
STUDENT AFFAIRS RESEARCH AND ASSESSMENT
Matrices Can Help You Lay Out a Plan
Fall 2011
Outcome 1
O t
Outcome
2
Spring 2012
Reflective writing
evaluation
Fall 2012
Spring 2013
One year followup interview
Survey
Outcome 3
Outcome 4
STUDENT AFFAIRS RESEARCH AND ASSESSMENT
Focus group
follow-ups to
survey
External review
of student
projects
Peer evaluations
Written
evaluation from
external
collaborators
Student
Satisfaction
(SP12)
Outcome 1
z
Outcome 2
z
Outcome 3
z
NSSE
(FA12)
Outcome 4
STUDENT AFFAIRS RESEARCH AND ASSESSMENT
Pulse
Survey
(SP13)
Student
interviews
(FA13)
z
z
z
Your Turn!
y
Use the handout to sketch out an
assessment matrix.
y
The columns can be semesters, years, or
specific assessment activities
y
The rows are learning outcomes
(see example outcomes: http://edge.psu.edu/SAOutcomes.shtml)
STUDENT AFFAIRS RESEARCH AND ASSESSMENT
Making Use of the Data
y
Collect data from multiple sources
y
Collect actionable data
y
Report out! Findings should not be stored solely in your
brain or your file cabinet
y
Organize reports around issues, not just data
y
Interpret data so that it informs your programming,
budgeting, planning, decision-making, etc.
STUDENT AFFAIRS RESEARCH AND ASSESSMENT
Closing the Loop
y
Every assessment should have an accompanying
report
y
Briefly document the methodology
y
Document where students are meeting the
intended outcome and where they are not
y
Document decisions made as a result
y
Refine the assessment method and repeat the
process
STUDENT AFFAIRS RESEARCH AND ASSESSMENT
Resources
y
Much of the material in this presentation is
modified from Dr. Carrie L. Zelna’s, Basic
Assessment Plan Development at
http://www.ncsu.edu/assessment/old/presentatio
ns/assess process/basic plan devt pdf
ns/assess_process/basic_plan_devt.pdf.
y
SARA Assessment Plan Template
STUDENT AFFAIRS RESEARCH AND ASSESSMENT
Questions?
Betty J. Harper, Director
Student Affairs Research & Assessment
BHarper@psu edu
BHarper@psu.edu
(814) 863-1809
STUDENT AFFAIRS RESEARCH AND ASSESSMENT