Assessment 101
November 27, 2001
An Introduction to Assessment in Student
Affairs
1
Overview
Topics Covered in Today’s Session
Definitions of Assessment and Related Terms
Key Stakeholders in Assessment
Benefits of Assessment in Student Affairs
Assessment Myths and Misconceptions
A Comprehensive Model of Assessment
Guidelines for Good Assessment Practice
Basic Steps in Implementing Assessment
Assessment Resources
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What is Assessment?
A Background Knowledge Probe
What does the term “assessment” mean to
you?
What synonyms come to mind when you hear the
term ‘assessment’?
What questions, concerns, or misgivings do
you have about assessment?
What benefits might there be as a result of
assessing your program and/or students?
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Definitions of Assessment
Schuh & Upcraft (2001)
Assessment is any effort to gather, analyze, and
interpret evidence which describes institutional,
divisional, (program,) or agency effectiveness
 It includes...
assessment of
assessment of
assessment of
assessment of
assessment of
student learning outcomes
cost effectiveness
“client” satisfaction
compliance with professional standards
comparisons to other institutions
 It is not restricted to assessment of students, but
includes assessment of faculty, staff, administrators,
parents, employers, graduates ….
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Definitions of Assessment
(AAHE, 1995)
Assessment is an ongoing process aimed at
understanding and improving student learning
It involves ...
making expectations RE learning explicit and public;
setting appropriate criteria and high standards for
learning quality;
systematically gathering, analyzing, and interpreting
evidence to determine how well performance matches
those expectations and standards; and
using the results to document, explain, and improve
learning and performance
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Definitions of Assessment
(the key underlying questions)
What do we expect our students to know, to
be able to do, and to value as a result of
completing our program?
Do our students know, do, and value these
things?
Are they learning what we want them to learn?
How do we know?
If they do NOT know, do, and value these
things, how could our program be changed to
improve their learning?
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Definitions of Assessment
A Glossary of Related Terms
Evaluation
any effort to use assessment evidence to improve
program, departmental, divisional, or institutional
effectiveness (Upcraft and Schuh, 1996)
Measurement
a reference to the particular methods involved in
gathering assessment evidence
including interviews, focus groups, surveys, portfolios, tests
sometimes divided into qualitative vs. qualitative, or indirect
vs. direct methods
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Assessment &Related Terms:
A Program Evaluation Model
Inputs
Activities
Resources
and
Constraints
What is done
with inputs
(ie, services)
 Resources
 Staff
 Funding
 Facilities
 Supplies
 Constraints
 Regulations
 Policies







Workshops
Immersions
Mock Interviews
Programs
Internships
Clinics
Etc
Outputs
Outcomes
Direct
Changes in or
products of
benefits to
the activities participants
 # of participants
 # of classes
taught
 # of brochures
distributed
 # of hours of
service provided
 # of counseling
sessions held






new knowledge
new skills
attitudes
values
awareness
modified
behavior
 altered status
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Why Assess?
Stakeholders in Assessment
 Accreditation commissions & state legislators…
 Administrators and Staff...
 Faculty members...
 Graduate training programs and employers...
 Parents…
 Students…
(prospective, current, exiting, alumni)
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Why Assessment in Student
Affairs?
“…without assessment,
student affairs is left
only to logic, intuition,
moral imperatives,
goodwill, or serendipity
in justifying its
existence…”
– Upcraft & Schuh,
1996
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Why Assessment in
Student Affairs?
Relationship to the Mission of the College
Does our program help to improve students’
intellectual, personal, and spiritual development?
Role in Strategic Planning, Budget and Policy
Development, Decision-Making
Survival
Quality
Affordability
Accreditation
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Why Assess Now?
Concerns about accountability
Perceptions about learning and higher
education
Tight budgets and markets
Savvy consumers
Contemporary business practices (TQM, etc)
Educational reform
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Assessment Myths and
Misconceptions
 It’s a Passing Fad
 It’s Not My Job or
Concern
 You Can’t Assess What
We Do
 I Don’t Have the Time to
Do Assessment
 I Don’t Have the
Expertise to Do
Assessment
 Assessment Might Reveal
“Bad” News
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A Comprehensive Model of
Assessment Includes...
Tracking Who Uses Services, Programs, Facilities
Assessing Student (Client) Needs
Assessing Satisfaction with Services, Programs, Etc
Assessing Campus Climate, Student Culture...
Assessing Program and Service Outcomes
Benchmarking: Comparisons w Other Institutions
Assessing Effectiveness Against Standards
Assessing Cost Effectiveness
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Guidelines for Good Practice:
What Accreditors Expect
Links to Mission, Goals, Objectives
Involvement of All Segments of Campus
Multiple Measures; Assessment of Cognitive,
Behavioral, Affective Domains of Learning
Evidence of Use in Improving Programs
Ongoing Assessment & Re-Evaluation of
Assessment Program
Linkages Between Assessment and
Planning/Budgeting Process
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Good Practice:
Begin with a Plan
Essential Components of Assessment
Plans
Goals, Objectives, Intended Outcomes
Methods,Techniques,Target Groups
Time Line
Provisions for Administration of Plan
Provisions for Use/Sharing of Findings
Evaluation of the Assessment Program
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Basic Steps in Assessment
(What to do and when to do it)
 Identify your program goals and objectives
 Define the problem; identify information necessary to help
solve it
 Determine where to get the necessary information
 Determine whom to study and when to study them
 Determine the best assessment methods, what instruments
will be used, how the data will be collected and who will
collect it
 Determine how the data will be coded and analyzed; analyze
the data
 Report the results effectively
 Revise assessment objectives, criteria, and methods, etc., as
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appropriate
Assessment in Student
Affairs
“…good practice in
student affairs occurs
when student affairs
personnel ask, ‘what are
students learning from
our programs and
services, and how can
their learning be
enhanced?’…”
ACPA and NASPA Principles
of Good Practice for Student
Affairs, 1997
Guidelines for Good Practice
Some Final Words of Wisdom
Tie assessment to a few key objectives
intended learning outcomes, key problems, OR
primary strengths
Choose assessment methods wisely
Pilot test if possible
Assess what you intend to use
Assess at key decision points
Make appropriate use of existing resources
Keep it simple
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More Final Words of Wisdom
“…assessment in
student affairs is no
longer a ‘luxury’ that
is done only after all
other priorities have
been taken care of.
Assessment is now a
necessity that
demands our highest
priority…”
Upcraft & Schuh, 1996
Assessment Resources
Books
• Schuh, J.H, & Upcraft, M.L. (2001). Assessment practice in
student affairs: An applications manual, San Francisco:
Jossey-Bass
• Palomba, C.A. & Banta, T.W. (1999). Assessment Essentials,
• Nichols, J. O. (1995). The departmental guide and record
book for student outcomes assessment and institutional
effectiveness. New York: Agathon Press.
Web Sites
http://www2.acs.ncsu.edu/UPA/survey/resource.htm
Local Resources
Office of Institutional Effectiveness; Assessment Committees
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Need Help?
On Which Topic(s)?: Check all that apply
Involving/Motivating Staff, Students in Assessment
Identifying or Developing Program Goals, Objectives,
and Intended Learning Outcomes
Methods of Assessment and Criteria for Success
General Guidelines For Selecting Measures
Strengths and Weaknesses of Various Methods
Choice & Implementation of a Specific Method
Analysis and Interpretation of Assessment Findings
Means of Reporting and Using Assessment Information
Other (Development of Timelines, Administrative
Provisions, including record keeping, etc.)
Optional (Name or Program:
)
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Concluding Questions:
A One-Minute paper
What is the most
important thing you
learned today about
assessment?
What remains most
unclear or confusing
to you about
assessment at this
point?
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