2013/14 WASC Assessment Leadership Academy (ALA) Syllabus
Amy Driscoll and Mary Allen
Contents
2013/14 WASC Assessment Leadership Academy (ALA) Syllabus ..................................................................... 1
ALA Schedule ..................................................................................................................................................... 2
Face-To-Face Meetings ...................................................................................................................................... 2
ALA Learning Goals and Outcomes................................................................................................................... 2
Blackboard .......................................................................................................................................................... 3
Contacting Us...................................................................................................................................................... 3
ALA Evaluation Surveys .................................................................................................................................... 3
Certificate of Completion ................................................................................................................................... 3
Required Books ................................................................................................................................................... 3
Segment One (March 12-June7) ......................................................................................................................... 5
Segment One Homework ................................................................................................................................ 5
Additional Resources You Might Like to Explore ......................................................................................... 8
First Meeting (June 3-7, 2013)...................................................................................................................... 10
Segment Two (June 8 to August 9)................................................................................................................... 10
Segment Two Homework ............................................................................................................................. 11
Additional Resources You Might Like to Explore ....................................................................................... 15
Second Meeting (August 5-9, 2013) ............................................................................................................. 16
Segment Three (August 10-January 24) ........................................................................................................... 19
Homework and Activities ............................................................................................................................. 19
Third Meeting (January 23-24, 2014) ........................................................................................................... 21
Deadlines: Mark These on Your Calendar! ...................................................................................................... 21
Appendix A. ...................................................................................................................................................... 23
Appendix B. ...................................................................................................................................................... 24
1
ALA Schedule
The ALA is divided into three segments:
Segment One March 12-June 7, 2013
Segment Two June 8-August 9, 2013
Segment Three August 10, 2013-January 24, 2014
Each segment has a set of assigned readings and homework assignments, and each ends with a face-to-face
meeting.
Face-To-Face Meetings
Be sure to structure these into your calendar!
June 3-7, 2013 Segment One Meeting in Oakland, CA
August 5-9, 2013 Segment Two Meeting in Oakland, CA
January 23-24, 2014 Segment Three Meeting in Pomona, CA
ALA Learning Goals and Outcomes
Professionals who complete the ALA will have expertise and leadership abilities in:
Goal 1. Assessment Foundations. They will be able to:
1.1 Use basic concepts and vocabulary (e.g., close the loop, triangulation) to plan, discuss, and analyze
assessments of academic affairs and student affairs programs
1.2 Describe common approaches to assessment (e.g., rubrics, program review), their advantages,
disadvantages, and appropriateness for specific purposes
1.3 Analyze, interpret, and communicate assessment data
1.4 Link assessment results to action plans to close the loop
1.5 Define and apply measurement principles (e.g., reliability, validity) to assessment
1.6 Connect assessment practices with learning theory and pedagogical approaches in a learning-centered
environment
1.7 Describe conditions and strategies for institutional change related to assessment
1.8 Describe philosophical assumptions and the history of assessment in American higher education
1.9 Discuss federal, regional, and accreditation policies relevant to assessment and accountability
1.10 Discuss national developments in assessment
Goal 2. Assessment Training and Consultation. They will be able to:
2.1 Evaluate and provide constructive feedback and support for campus assessment efforts
2.2 Guide campus professionals to align pedagogy and curricula with relevant learning outcomes at the
course, program, and institutional level
2.3 Collaborate with campus professionals to use assessment to improve student learning
2.4 Analyze campus culture and provide leadership to better integrate assessment into campus functioning
(e.g., data utilization, program review, budgeting, academic and strategic planning)
2.5 Promote the engagement of campus professionals in a culture of assessment
Goal 3. Campus Leadership in Assessment. They will be able to:
3.1 Describe, select, and use appropriate leadership models and practices
3.2 Inform, advise, and engage campus administrators (e.g., presidents, trustees) in the support of
assessment
3.3 Provide leadership to develop and implement institution-wide assessment tools and systems
3.4 Advocate for assessment to improve student learning
Goal 4. Scholarship of Assessment. They will be able to:
4.1 Conduct scholarship of assessment and engage/mentor others in similar pursuits
4.2 Contribute to regional discussions of assessment, accountability, and educational effectiveness
4.3 Situate assessment in the context of national issues, concerns, and priorities
2
Blackboard
You will submit homework assignments, receive updates and announcements, and respond to our evaluation
surveys on Blackboard. Our Blackboard site includes a Meeting Logistics folder with current information and
details for our face-to-face meetings and an ALA Share folder in which you can share documents with the
group. (Send documents to Amy as email attachments, and she'll post them on Blackboard.) We will send you a
Username and Password with log-in information. Our Blackboard is hosted at CSU Fresno. If you experience
problems with it, contact Amy Driscoll or the Blackboard help line at CSU Fresno (see below). Please submit
your homework as a Microsoft Office product (e.g., Word, Excel) or as a PDF. Each document must have a
unique name. Blackboard requires that names include only letters, numbers, hyphens, and underscores (no
spaces or other characters), and they must end with the appropriate extension, such as ".doc" for Word
documents. For example sue_smith_hw1.doc would be a legal name, but the name sue smith,%& would not
work because it contains a blank, uses illegal characters, and lacks the extension. Be sure that your name is in
the title of your file and on the first page of each document you submit.
Contacting Us
Amy Driscoll
amym.driscoll@comcast.net
Mary Allen
mallen@csub.edu
Barbara Wright bwright@wascsenior.org (for questions about WASC Senior educational programming)
Barbara Beno
bbeno@accjc.org (for questions about ACCJC educational programming)
Julie Kotovsky jkotovsky@wascsenior.org (for questions about meeting logistics)
Blackboard Assistance from CSU Fresno
559-278-7373 during normal working hours
ALA Evaluation Surveys
You will respond to a series of evaluation surveys as you progress through the ALA. All these surveys will be
administered in Blackboard, and Blackboard protects your anonymity. No one will be able to associate your
responses with your name. Aggregated survey data will be used to assess the impact of the ALA and to revise
future ALAs. Your honest feedback will be much appreciated! Be sure to hit SAVE AND SUBMIT when you
have completed each survey.
Certificate of Completion
A Certificate of Completion will be awarded to each ALA participant who completes all assignments and
evaluations by the stated deadlines and participates in all face-to-face meetings.
Required Books
Order these right away, if you don't already have them, so you can begin your reading assignments. All can be
purchased from Amazon.com, except for Peter Ewell's monograph, which should be ordered directly from
CHEA, Keeling’s book from NASPA, George Kuh's publication from the AAC&U, and the Nichols & Nichols
book from Agathon Press (see URL on page 4).
1. Allen, M. J. (2004). Assessing academic programs in higher education. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
2. Allen, M. J. (2006). Assessing general education programs. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
3. Banta, T. W., & Associates. (2002). Building a scholarship of assessment. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
4. Bresciani, M. J. (2006). Outcomes-based academic and co-curricular program review. Sterling, VA: Stylus.
5. Diamond, R. M. (Ed.) (2002). Field guide to academic leadership. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
6. Driscoll, A., & Wood, S. (2007). Outcomes-based assessment for learner-centered education. Sterling, VA:
Stylus.
7. Ewell, P. (2008 ). U. S. Accreditation and the future of quality assurance: A tenth anniversary report from
the Council of Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). Washington DC: CHEA. [order directly from
CHEA at chea.org]
8. Keeling, R. P. (Ed.) (2006). Learning reconsidered 2: Implementing a campus-wide focus on the student
experience. ACPA, ACUHO-I, ACUI, NACA, NACADA, NASPA, and NIRSA. (order from NASPA;
3
http://bookstore.naspa.org/books.aspx) or download a free PDF version at
http://www.myacpa.org/pub/documents/LearningReconsidered2.pdf
9. Kuh, G. D. (2008). High-impact educational practices. Washington, DC: AAC&U. [purchase from the
AAC&U at aacu.org]
10. Light, T. P., Chen, H., & Ittleson, J. (2012). Documenting learning in Eportfolios: A guide for college
instructors. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
11. Nichols, J. O. & Nichols, K. (2005) The Department’s Guide to Assessment Implementation in
Administrative and Educational Support Units (available for $14 at
http://www.agathonpress.com/nichols.html)
12. Suskie, Assessing Student Learning: A Common Sense Guide (2nd edition; 2009). San Francisco: JosseyBass.
13.Tagg, J. (2003). The learning paradigm college. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Reading assignments in the above books are spread across the ALA, as shown below:
Book
Segment One
1. Allen, Assessing Academic Programs in Higher
Education
2. Allen, Assessing General Education Programs
3. Banta & Associates, Building A Scholarship of
Assessment
4. Bresciani, Outcomes-Based Academic and CoCurricular Program Review
5. Diamond, Field Guide to Academic Leadership
Ch. 1-7
6. Driscoll & Wood, Outcomes-Based Assessment
for Learner-Centered Education
7. Ewell CHEA monograph
8. Keeling, Learning Considered 2: Implementing a
campus-wide focus on the student experience
9. Kuh, High-Impact Educational Practice
(AAC&U)
10. Light, Chen, & Ittleson, Documenting learning
with Eportfolios: A guide for college instructors
11. Nichols & Nichols, The Department Head’s
Guide to Assessment Implementation in
Administrative and Educational Support Units
12. Suskie, Assessing Student Learning: A Common
Sense Guide
13. Tagg, The Learning Paradigm College
Ch. 1, 3-5,
9
Ch. 1, 6
Segment Two Segment Three
Ch. 1-4
Ch. 10, 14
Ch. 5-6
Ch. 1-4
7, 8
Ch. 1-3, 5,
14, 15, 19
Ch. 2
Ch. 11
Ch. 1-5, 9
Entire
report
Ch. 1-9
Ch. 1-5
Ch. 1-4, 813, 15-17
Ch. 1-7, 1113
Ch. 5-7
Ch. 18
In addition, you will be reading a set of articles and reviewing some websites during each ALA segment.
Details are provided below.
4
IMPORTANT ADVICE: You will probably spend intense time studying some of the materials and less
time, perhaps skimming, other materials. Be comfortable with both levels, perhaps marking your
readings for future use and highlighting segments for raising questions. This variation will allow you to
become familiar with all of the readings, preparing you for interactions with our guest faculty and
participation in ALA activities and informing your practice as an assessment leader.
NOTE: Segment Two is approximately eight weeks long, and it has many readings. Please consider
reading ahead during Segment One so you will have enough time in Segment Two to complete the
readings and other assignments in Segment Two.
Segment One (March 12 -June 7)
This first segment focuses on the basics of assessment, the historical and philosophical foundations of
assessment, and the national picture of assessment and accreditation.
Segment One Homework
1. Begin by completing the Course Orientation on Blackboard, including submitting a short biography and
completing the Pre-ALA Survey that is in the Course Orientation folder—as soon as possible. After
downloading the ALA Syllabus, please enter all deadlines and meeting dates in your calendar.
2. Develop a campus profile related to assessment for your campus and submit it via Blackboard by May 20th,
2013. Be sure to include your name in the file title. Organize your review into eight labeled sections:
 Current infrastructure to support assessment (e.g., personnel, assessment centers, budget, resources,
assessment-related grants, local expertise, administrative support)
 Challenges and obstacles that prevent the institutionalization of assessment (e.g., obstacles to faculty and
staff engagement) as well as motivations and supports that promote the institutionalization of assessment
 Needs and issues that should be addressed to advance assessment efforts (e.g., budgeting, philosophical
issues, workload issues)
 Status of assessment in academic programs (classroom assessment, course assessment, program
assessment; how programs have completed assessments, including closing the loop)
 Status of assessment in student affairs and administrative units, such as Counseling Centers and
Financial Aids Offices (how they have completed assessments, including closing the loop)
 Institution-wide surveys that are routinely administered, such as CCSSE, NSSE, or CIRP, and how each
is used to support campus decision-making
 Campus climate related to assessment (student, faculty, staff, administrator’s perspectives on
assessment)
 An analysis of your institution’s assessment efforts using the AAHE Assessment Principles
(http://ultibase.rmit.edu.au/Articles/june97/ameri1.htm)
Each section is likely to be a paragraph or two; and you're welcome to use bulleted, annotated lists for some
sections, if that works better for you. Only Mary Allen and Amy Driscoll will read these papers, and they
will respect your confidentiality. The main purpose of this assignment is to help you clarify the state of
assessment on your campus, and what you learn might influence the development of your ALA project.
3. Develop an idea or two for your project by considering what you learned from your Campus Profile
assignment (above) and by discussing possible projects with relevant campus stakeholders, such as your
supervisor, advisory committee, relevant administrators, Academic Senate leadership, etc. For each idea you
are considering, briefly (approx. one page) specify the following:
a. major purpose of the project (what would you want to accomplish?),
5
b. questions to be answered,
c. the deliverable(s) (e.g., a GE assessment plan, a new assessment website, revised program review
guidelines), and
d. basic timeline.
Projects should serve campus needs and should be conducted in a scholarly way so there is potential for
sharing what you’ve learned with a broader audience. Submit this assignment on Blackboard by May 24th.
Again include your name in the file title. During Segment Two you will finalize your project and conduct
the literature review to support its development, and your final project report will be due in Segment Three.
Here are examples of projects from previous ALA participants:
 Develop pilot capstone assessment courses at a community college
 Develop a course-embedded assessment system at two institutions (collaborative project involving two
ALA participants)
 Develop and pilot test a system for disseminating and using GE assessment results more effectively to
close the loop
 Conduct an assessment of the quality and impact of program review and revise the process based on
findings
 Develop a system to systematically teach assessment to doctoral students to prepare future faculty
 Design a web-based alignment grid for all programs at an institution.
 Develop an assessment guide for faculty, student affairs, or specific disciplines (the arts, architecture,
nursing, etc.)
4. Complete readings. As you complete the readings, think about how you could integrate them into your work
and which you might share with faculty, staff, or administrators at your institution. Complete the reading
evaluation survey by June 3rd. The survey is in the Segment One Evaluation folder.
4. a. Assessment Basics. Read the following to develop an understanding and appropriate use of assessment
terminology, concepts, and approaches. Keep a record of any topics that need clarification or additional
elaboration and raise questions about them when we meet in June.
 AAHE Assessment Principles (Available for download on Blackboard)
 Allen, Assessing Academic Programs in Higher Education, Chapters 1-6
 Allen, Assessing General Education Programs, Chapters 1-4
 Driscoll & Wood, Developing Outcomes-Based Assessment for Learner-Centered Education,
Chapters 1 and 3
 Suskie, Assessing Student Learning: A Common Sense Guide (2nd edition), Chapters 1-4, 8, 10-13
4.b. Learning, Pedagogy, and Assessment. Read the following to develop a background in learning-centered
pedagogy and curriculum to promote student success and to develop connections among assessment
practices, learning theory, and pedagogy for a learner-centered environment. Consider implications for
your campus and, as much as possible, relate these ideas to your project planning.
 Barr, R. B. & Tagg, J. (1995, November/December). From teaching to learning--a new paradigm for
undergraduate education. Change, 27(6): 12-25. Available at http://ilte.ius.edu/pdf/barrtagg.pdf
 Driscoll & Wood, Developing Outcomes-Based Assessment for Learner-Centered Education,
Chapter 4
 Halpern, D. F., & Hakel, M. D. (2003). Applying the science of learning to the university and
beyond: Teaching for long-term retention and transfer. Change, July/August, 2-13. Available at
http://psyc.memphis.edu/learning/applyingthesciencechange.pdf
 Kuh, High-Impact Educational Practice, entire report (purchase from the AAC&U)
 Tagg, The Learning Paradigm College, Chapters 1-7, 11, 12, and 13
6
4. c. Rubrics. Read the following to develop a foundation of understanding about rubrics in preparation for
our session on rubrics:
 AAC&U Rubric Collection at
http://openedpractices.org/resources?op0=OR&filter0%5B%5D=rubric&op1=OR&op2=OR; scan
for rubrics that might be useful to you
 AAC&U VALUE Rubrics at http://www.aacu.org/value/rubrics/index.cfm; scan for rubrics that
might be useful to you
 Allen, Assessing Academic Programs in Higher Education, Chapter 7
 Driscoll & Wood, Developing Outcomes-Based Assessment for Learner-Centered Education,
Chapter 5
 Suskie, Assessing Student Learning: A Common Sense Guide (2nd edition), Chapter 9
4. d. Closing the Loop. Read the following in preparation for our June 7th session on “closing the loop” and
consider data available at your institution that could be used for decision-making:
 Baker, G., Jankowski, N., Provezis, S., & Kinzie, J. (2012). Using Assessment Results: Promising
Practices of Institutions that Do It Well. Available at
http://learningoutcomesassessment.org/UsingAssessmentResults.htm
 Banta, T. W., & Blaich, C. (2011). Closing the assessment loop. Change, 43 (1), 22-27 (available
for download on Blackboard)
 Driscoll & Wood, Developing Outcomes-Based Assessment for Learner-Centered Education,
Chapter 9
 Finley, A. (2011). Assessment of high-impact practices: Using findings to drive change in the
Compass Project. Peer Review, 13 (2). 29-33. Available at http://www.aacu.org/peerreview/prsp11/finley.cfm
 Funk, K., & Klomparens, K. L. (2006). Using the assessment process to improve doctoral programs.
Chapter 5 in Maki & Borkowski, The Assessment of Doctoral Education. [available for download on
Blackboard]
 Suskie, Assessing Student Learning: A Common Sense Guide (2nd edition), Chapters 15-17
4. e. Assessment and Accreditation. Read the following for background on accreditation and the national
picture and to consider the recent history, philosophical assumptions, and shifts in assessment practices
and philosophy. Consider the arguments for and against accreditation for accountability in higher
education. Keep track of questions raised by the readings and pose them when we meet with Peter
Ewell.
 ACE National Task Force for Institutional Accreditation. (2013 ) Assuring academic quality in the
21st century: Self-regulation in a new era. Available at http://www.acenet.edu/newsroom/Documents/Accreditation-TaskForce-revised-070512.pdf
 Cook, B., & Hartle, T. (2011). Why graduation rates matter—and why they don’t. Available at
http://www.acenet.edu/the-presidency/columns-and-features/Pages/Why-Graduation-RatesMatter%E2%80%94%and-Why-They-Don%E2%80%99t.aspx
 Ewell, P. (2008 ). U. S. Accreditation and the future of quality assurance: A tenth anniversary report
from the Council of Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). Washington DC: CHEA, Chapters 1
and 6.
 Ewell, P. (2009). Assessment, accountability, and improvement: Revisiting the tension. NILOA
Occasional Paper 1 http://www.learningoutcomesassessment.org/documents/Ewell.pdf
 Ewell, P. (2012) The Lumina Degree Qualifications Profile (DQP): Implication for Assessment.
Occasional Paper #16. Available at
http://learningoutcomesassessment.org/occasionalpapersixteen.htm
 Lumina Foundation. (January 2011), The Degree Qualifications Profile. Available at
http://www.luminafoundation.org/publications/The_Degree_Qualifications_Profile.pdf?
7


New Leadership Alliance. (2012). Committing to quality: Guidelines to assessment and
accountability in higher education. Washington, DC: New Leadership Alliance. Available at
http://www.newleadershipalliance.org/images/uploads/commiting%20%20quality.pdf
Provezis, S. (2010). Regional accreditation and student learning outcomes: Mapping the territory.
NILOA Occasional Paper 6 <http://www.learningoutcomesassessment.org/documents/Provezis.pdf>
Additional Resources You Might Like to Explore
Got questions about assessment?
 North Carolina’s assessment site is outstanding: http://www2.acs.ncsu.edu/UPA/assmt/resource.htm
 Insider Higher Education articles on assessment and accountability are archived at
http://www.insidehighered.com/news/focus/assessment_and_accountability
 NILOA resources, http://www.learningoutcomeassessment.org/Resources.htm. You can get free email
updates from them by going to http://www.learningoutcomesassessment.org/. Look for "Join Our Email
List" on the right side of the screen.
Interested in post-baccalaureate learning outcomes?
 See Plan Your Work and Work Your Plan: Essential Career Competencies for PhDs,
Michigan State University (2010) <http://grad.msu.edu/prep/docs/planyourwork.pdf>
Interested in more about assessment in community colleges?
 NILOA Occasional Paper: Learning outcomes Assessment in community colleges.
<http://www.learningoutcomeassessment.org/OccasionalPapers.htm>
Additional Rubric Links
 RubriStar has links to rubrics and a rubrics generator tool <http://rubistar.4teachers.org/>
 opened practices has many rubrics <http://openedpractices.org/resources>
Although primarily aimed at K-12 education, you or your colleagues may find these useful for identifying
rubrics that could be adapted and for generating rubrics with pre-set templates.
 Rubrician has links to rubrics <http://rubrician.com/>
 The Online Teacher Resource has rubrics and a rubric generator
<http://www.teachnology.com/web_tools/rubrics/>
 Shambles has links to rubrics <http://www.shambles.net/pages/staff/rubrics/>
Curious about the other regional accreditors and the national scene?
 Middle States Association [www.msache.org]
 New England Association [www.neasc.org]
 North Central Association [www.ncahcl.org]
 Northeastern Association [www.nwccu.org]
 Southern Association [www.sacs.org]
 Brittingham, B. (2008). An uneasy partnership: Accreditation and the federal government. Change, 40 (5),
32-39. [available for download on Blackboard]
 Neal, A. (2008). Seeking higher education accountability: Ending federal accreditation. Change, 40 (5), 2431. <http://www.changemag.org/Archives/Back%20Issues/September-October%202008/full-seekinghigher-ed.html>
Want to learn more about the essential learning outcomes?
 AAC&U, Greater Expectations, 2002, Chapters 1-3 (available online at greaterexpectations.org)
8
Want to learn more about teaching and learning?
 Gardiner, Research on learning and student development. In Diamond, Field Guide to Academic
Leadership, Chapter 7
 Gardiner, Student development: Monitoring the quality of learning and development. In Diamond, Field
Guide to Academic Leadership, Chapter 8
Want to read more about direct assessment?
 Chun, M. (2010). Taking teaching to (Performance) Task: Linking Pedagogy and Assessment
Practices. Change, 42 (2), 22-29. Available at
http://www.collegiatelearningassessment.org/files/TakingTeachingToTask2.pdf
Resources about signature assignments
 http://www.aacu.org/aacu_news/aacunews11/april11/feature.cfm

http://www.callutheran.edu/assessment/student_learning_outcomes/SignatureAssignments.php

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CDIQFjAA&url=http
%3A%2F%2Fwww.sandiego.edu%2Fsoles%2Fdocuments%2FSyllabusESA.doc&ei=02E2UaPKO6jxy
AGGqoFw&usg=AFQjCNFrozv2lhp957-V_BhL0PUysLAQOw&bvm=bv.43148975,d.aWc
Want to learn about classic classroom assessment?
 Angelo & Cross. (1993). Classroom assessment techniques: A Handbook for college teachers (2nd ed.). San
Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Want to learn more about assessment in American higher education?
 Adelman, C. (2009). The Bologna Process for U.S. Eyes: Re-Learning Higher Education in the Age of
Convergence. <http://www.ihep.org/assets/files/EYESFINAL.pdf>
 New Leadership Alliance <http://www.newleadershipalliance.org/>. The site has links to publications,
including Committing to Quality: Guidelines for Assessment and Accountability in Higher Education and
New Leadership for Student Learning and Accountability: A Statement of Principles, Commitments to
Action, and it describes the organization's initiatives, including the Excellent Practice in Student Learning
Assessment (EPSLA) institutional certification program.
 NILOA 2009 Survey Report, More Than You Think, Less Than We Need: Learning Outcomes Assessment in
American Higher Education
http://www.learningoutcomeassessment.org/documents/niloafullreportfinal2.pdf
Want to learn more about focus groups?
 Krueger & Casey (2000). Focus groups (3rd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
9
First Meeting (June 3-7, 2013)
Day
Morning
June
3
June
4





Afternoon
WASC Welcome (Richard Winn)
Introductions (Mary & Amy)
ALA Conceptual Framework (Mary & Amy)
Review of Terminology and Concepts (Mary)
Leadership Practice (Amy)



SLOS: 1.1, 1.2
SLOs: 1.1, 2.1




Rubrics (Mary)
Practice Consulting on Rubrics (Mary)

June
5
AAHE Assessment Principles (Amy)
Practice Providing Feedback on Learning
Outcomes (Mary)
Evaluate Sample Assessment Plan (Mary)
SLOs: 1.2, 2.1
A Day with Peter Ewell




Rubric Development (Amy)
Using a Rubric to Analyze Student Work
(Amy)
Aligning Student Evidence with Learning
Outcomes (Amy)
SLOs: 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 2.2

History, Theory, Philosophical Assumptions
Policy Evolution of Assessment in the U.S.
Current Regional and National Issues
Research in American Accreditation and
Assessment


Examination of American
Accreditation Expectations for
Assessment
International Issues and Developments
in Assessment and Accreditation
Office Hour with Peter Ewell
SLO’s 1.4, 1.7, 1.8, 1.9, 1.10, 4.2, 4.3
June
6
June
7



Measurement Principles (Mary)
Data Analysis, Display, and Reporting (Mary)
Focus groups/Qualitative Assessment (Mary)

Processing the Learning Paradigm (Amy)
 Institutional Considerations
 Connecting Assessment to Pedagogy
 Engagement of Campus Professionals
 Curriculum Alignment
 Direct Assessment (Capstones, Signature
Assignments, Reflections, Cases) (Amy)
SLOs: 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5
SLOs: 1.6, 1.7, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.5



Assessment of General Education (Mary and
Amy)
SLO’s 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 2.2, 2.3
Closing the Loop (Amy)
Projects (ideas, logistics, scholarship)
(Mary & Amy)
SLOs: 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.7, 2.3
Complete the evaluation of Segment One by June 11th. The evaluation survey is in Blackboard in the
Segment One Evaluation folder.
10
Segment Two (June 8 to August 9)
This segment focuses on advanced assessment processes, including program review and the use of portfolios. It
extends to Student Affairs, engaging the institution, and the leadership role. Attention to the theme of
scholarship of assessment continues in this segment.
Segment Two Homework
1. Develop the introduction to your Project Plan and submit it via Blackboard by July 15th. Organize the
introduction into labeled sections that address each of the following and provide enough detail that we can
provide you useful feedback:
a. Identify the purpose of your project.
b. Develop an inquiry process: what questions do you want to answer with your project?
c. Develop a list of literature references related to your proposed project – they do not have to be read or
reviewed for this deadline but they should be directly connected to your project focus and have potential
to guide your project. Your search will influence your planning from this point on.
2. Complete the following readings: As you complete the readings, think about how you could integrate them
into your work and which you might share with faculty, staff, or administrators at your institution. Complete
the reading evaluation survey by August 5. The survey is in the Segment Two Evaluation folder.
2. a. Program Review. Read the following to develop a working knowledge of the thinking and practice of
program review and the integral role of assessment. Develop a list of questions you’d like to ask Marilee
Bresciani.
 Bresciani, Outcomes-Based Academic and Co-Curricular Program Review, Chapters 1-4
 Bresciani, M. (2012). Questions to consider when establishing criteria for prioritizing resources.
WASC Program Review Seminar, Honolulu. (available for download from Blackboard)
 WASC Resource Guide for ‘Good Practices’ in Academic Program Review
[http://www.wascsenior.org/findit/files/forms/WASC_Program_Review_Resource_Guide_Sept_200
9.pdf]
 WASC ACCJC, Rubrics for Institutional Effectiveness—Part I: Program Review. Available at
http://www.accjc.org/pdf/Rubric%20for%20Evaluating%20Institutional%20Effectiveness.pdf
 WASC (2009). Suggested Approaches for Evaluating Program Review on Educational Effectiveness
Review Visits. Available at
http://www.wascsenior.org/findit/files/forms/Suggested_Approaches_to_EE_Program_Review___P
ACKET.pdf (concentrate on the segments related to program review)
 Wergin. Academic program review. In Diamond, Field Guide to Academic Leadership, Chapter 15
 Campus Example of Academic Program Review Guidelines: California State University Fresno
Academic Program Review
<http://www.csufresno.edu/academics/documents/program_review/Program.Review.Policy.Procedu
res.Guidelines.101606.pdf>
 Second Example of Academic Program Review Guidelines: JFK University [available for download
on Blackboard. Contact Cyd Jenefsky, Associate VP for Academic Affairs at JFK, if you have
questions or would like a Word version of this or the next document. You are welcome to use these
two documents as you wish, as long as they are properly cited.]
 JFK University Annual Learning Results Template. These annual reports are used in the first section
of the program reviews. [available for download on Blackboard]
2. b. Portfolios. Read the following to develop a background in the use of ePortfolios. Develop a list of
questions you’d like to ask Kathleen Yancey.
11








Light, T. P., Chen, H. L., & Ittelson, J. C. , Documenting learning with Eportfolios, Chapters 1–9.
Hutchings, P. (June, 2009). The new guys in assessment town. Change. Available at
http://www.changemag.org/May-June%202009/full-assessment-town.html
Inter/National Coalition For Electronic Portfolio Research Cohort V Reports. Please skim the reports
from the University of Cincinnati and the University of Denver. Available at
http://ncepr.org/cohort5.html
Joint Information Systems Committee. (2009). E-portfolios infoKit. Bolton, UK: JISC.
http://www.jiscinfonet.ac.uk/infokits/e-portfolios/ [As you review the JISC InfoKit, pay particular
attention to the Misconceptions, Emerging Lessons, and Preparing for Success sections and think
about how you might apply the “threshold concepts” outlined in the last of these sections to assess
the readiness of your campus or programs for using eportfolios (or other authentic assessment
approaches) and for planning implementation.]
Shada, A., Kelly, K., & Cox, R. (2011). Growing a new culture of assessment: Planting ePortfolios
in the metro academies program. International Journal of ePortfolio, l1.1. [Available at
http://www.theijep.com/pdf/IJEP35.pdf]
Shavelson, R. J., Klein, S., & Benjamin, R. (2009). The limitations of portfolios. Available at
http://www.insidehighered.com/views/2009/10/16/shavelson [Be sure to read the comments that
follow the article.]
Rhodes, T. (2011) Making learning visible and meaningful through electronic portfolios, Change,
Jan./Feb. 2011 [available at http://www.changemag.org/Archives/Back%20Issues/2011/JanuaryFebruary%202011/making-learning-visible-full.html
Connect to Learning (C2L) at https://c21.digication.com/portfolio/directory.digi for examples
2. c. Campus Engagement. Read the following and consider the challenges of engaging faculty and staff in
assessment and successful strategies/approaches for developing an institutional culture that supports
engagement in assessment. Each of these readings describes structures, strategies, and approaches to
promote change or to create a culture at the institutional level. Consider their fit with your campus for
your future use of these approaches. Connect these ideas to your campus profile assignment and initial
planning of your project. Develop a list of questions for our meeting with Adrianna Kezar.
 Banta & Associates, Building a Scholarship of Assessment, Chapter 10, 14
 Driscoll & Wood, Developing Outcomes-Based Assessment for Learner-Centered Education,
Chapter 2
 Eckel, P. & Kezar, A. (2003). Key strategies for making new institutional sense. Higher Education
Policy, 16(1), 39-53. [available for download on Blackboard]
 Huba, M., Schuh, J., & Shelley, M. (2006) Recasting doctoral education in an outcomes-based
framework. Chapter 9 in Maki & Borkowski, The Assessment of Doctoral Education. [available for
download on Blackboard]
 Jones, N. (2011) LEAPing in Utah: Lessons along the way. Peer Review, 13 (2).
http://www.aacu.org/peerreview/pr-sp11/jones.cfm
 Kezar, A., & Eckel, P. (2002). The effect of institutional culture on change strategies in higher
education: Universal principles or culturally responsive concepts? The Journal of Higher Education,
73(4), 435-460. [available for download on Blackboard]
 McConnell, K., Van Dyke, R., & Culver, S. (2011). Assessment as a driver of collegiality and
cooperation in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Peer Review, 13 (2).
http://www.aacu.org/peerreview/pr-sp11/mcconnell.cfm
 Mellow, G., & Tallmadge, R. (2005). Creating the resilient community college. Change, 37 (3), 5866. [available for download on Blackboard]
 Suskie, Assessing Student Learning: A Common Sense Guide (2nd edition), Chapters 5-7
12

Case Study. Be sure to read this before our meeting with Adrianna Kezar on August 6th
because we will discuss it when we meet. Print a copy and bring it with you to the meeting.
[available for download on Blackboard]
2. d. Engaging Faculty in Assessment
 Hutchings, P. (2010, April). Opening doors to faculty involvement in assessment, NILOA
Occasional Paper #4. Urbana, IL: National Institute for Learning Outcomes Assessment.
Available at http://ww.learningoutcomeassessment.org/occasionalpaperfour.htm
 Hutchings, P. (2010). What WASC can do to increase faculty engagement. Available at
http://wascsenior.org/redesign/concept/facultyengagement
 Kezar, A., & Lester, J. (2009). Promoting grassroots change in higher education: The promise of
virtual networks. Change, 41 (2), 45-51. [available for download on Blackboard]
 Ledeman, D. (December 4, 2008). ‘You Can’t Measure What We Teach.’ Inside Higher
Education. Available at http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2008/12/04/humanities
2. e. Student Affairs. Read the following and consider possible approaches/strategies for assessing programs
and activities in Student Affairs at your campus, as well as possibilities for collaboration between
Student Affairs and Academic Affairs professionals. Develop a list of questions for your session with
Mary.
 ACPA & NASPA, Professional Competency Areas for Student Affairs Practitioners
<http://www.naspa.org/programs/prodev/Professional_Competencies.pdf>
 The Council for the Advancement of Standards (CAS) Learning and Developmental Outcomes
<http://www.cas.edu/outcomes%20chart_final09.pdf>
 Keeling, R. P. (Ed.) (2006). Learning reconsidered 2: Implementing a campus-wide focus on the
student experience, Chapters 1-5 and 9.
 Kuh & Hinkle. Enhancing Student Learning Through Collaboration Between Academic Affairs and
Student Affairs. In Diamond, Field Guide to Academic Leadership, Chapter 19
 Nichols, K. N. & Nichols, J. O. (2000). The Department Head’s Guide to Assessment
Implementation in Administrative and Educational Support Units, Chapters 1 – 5
 Schuh & Gansemer-Topf, The Role of Student Affairs in Student Learning Assessment, NILOA
Occasional Paper #7
<http://www.learningoutcomeassessment.org/documents/StudentAffairsRole.pdf>
 Upcraft & Schuh, Assessment vs. research: Why we should care about the difference. About
Campus, March-April 2002. [available for download on Blackboard]
 Varlotta, L. E. Sacramento State University, 2010 Assessment Plan for Student Affairs (scan for
details – not necessary to read the entire document)
<http://saweb.csus.edu/students/assessment/assessment_2010_11/pageflip.html>
 Zelna, C. L. (2009). North Carolina State University. New Directions for Student Services, 127, 5359. [available for download on Blackboard]
2. f. Using National Data. Read the following and consider how to integrate the ideas into your work and
how you might share the information with peers and/or administrators at your institution.
 Kinzie, J., & Pennipede, B. S. (2009). Converting engagement results into action. In G. M. Goneya
& G. D. Kuh (Eds.), Using NSSE in Institutional Research. San Francisco, CA: Jossey Bass.
(available for download on Blackboard)
 Kuh, G. (2009). The National Survey of Student Engagement: Conceptual and empirical
foundations. In G. M. Gonyea & G. D. Kuh (Eds.), Using NSSE in Institutional Research. San
Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. (available for download on Blackboard)
13

Banta, T., Pike, G. R., & Hansen, M. J. (2009). The use of engagement data in
accreditation/planning & assessment. In G. M. Gonyea & G. D. Kuh (Eds.), Using NSSE in
Institutional Research. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. (available for download on Blackboard)
Use pp. 21-34.
 Kinzie, J., & Kuh, G. D. (2004). Going deep: Learning from campuses that share responsibility for
student success. About Campus, 9 (5), 2-8. Available at
http://cpr.iub.edu/uploads/Kinzie,%20J.%20and%20Kuh,%20G.D.%20(2004)%20Going%20Deep.p
df
2. g. Standardized Tools. Review the following to learn about standardized instruments currently used in
higher education:
 Banta, T. W., Griffin, M., Flateby, T. L., Kahn, S. (2009). Three promising practices for assessing
college students’ knowledge and skills, NILOA occasional Paper #2. Urbana, IL: University of
Illinois and Indiana University, NILOA. Available at
http://www.learningoutcomeassessment.org/occasionalpapertwo.htm
 Benjamin, R., Chun, M., & Jackson, C. (January 5, 2009). The Collegiate Learning Assessment’s
Place in the New Assessment and Accountability Space. Available at
http://www.cae.org/content/pdf/CLAPlaceinAASpace.pdf
 Benjamin, R. (2012). The Seven Red Herrings About Standardized Assessment in Higher Education.
Available at http://learningoutcomesassessment.org/documents/HerringPaperFINAL.pdf
 Community College Survey of Student Engagement (CCSSE). See the latest annual report
at http://www.ccsse.org/
 National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE). See the latest annual report at
http://nsse.iub.edu/html/annual_results.cfm
 NSSE Accreditation Toolkit for WASC SR Available at
http://nsse.iub.edu/institute/documents/accred/2009/NSSE_Toolkit_WASC.pdf
 VSA website: http://www.voluntarysystem.org/index.cfm
 Jankowski, N., Ikenberry, S., Kinzie, J., Kuh, G., Shenoy, G., & Baker, G. (2012). Transparency and
Accountability: An Evaluation of the VSA College Portrait Pilot. Available at
http://learningoutcomesassessment.org/documents/VSA_000.pdf
 CIRP website: http://www.heri.ucla.edu/cirpoverview.php
 NILOA Transparency Framework:
http://www.learningoutcomeassessment.org/TransparencyFramework.htm
 Adult Student Priorities Survey from Noel Levitz: https://noellevitz.com/upload/student-retentionsolutions/satisfaction-priorities-assessments/adult-student-priorities-survey
 Adult Learner Inventory from Noel Levitz: https://noellevitz.com/student-retentionsolutions/satisfaction-priorities-assessments/adult-learner-inventory
2.h. Assessment Management Systems
 Hutchings article on the topic of faculty engagement. Available at http://www.changemag.org/MayJune%202009/full-assessment-town.html
 Steve RiCharde's article on choosing assessment management systems. Available at
www.learningoutcomesassessment.org/NILOApieces.html
 Maki, P. L. (2010). Assessing for Learning: Building a Sustainable Commitment Across the
Institution. 2nd Ed. Sterling, VA: Stylus, p. 293-295 & Appendix 8.1 pp. 304-314 [Available for
download on Blackboard]
2. i. Leadership. Read the following and consider aspects of leadership for creating institutional change and
to develop your repertoire of leadership strategies for the institutionalization of assessment:
14







Guskin & Marcy, Pressures for Fundamental Reform: Creating a Viable Academic Future. In
Diamond, Field Guide to Academic Leadership, Chapter 1.
Diamond, Gardiner, & Wheeler. Requisites for Sustainable Institutional Change. In Diamond, Field
Guide to Academic Leadership, Chapter 2.
Lick. Leadership and Change. In Diamond, Field Guide to Academic Leadership, Chapter 3.
Ramaley. Moving Mountains: Institutional Culture and Transformational Change. In Diamond, Field
Guide to Academic Leadership, Chapter 5.
Theall, Evaluation and Assessment: An Institutional Context. In Diamond, Field Guide to Academic
Leadership, Chapter 14.
Cooperrider, D. (2012). Three circles of the strengths revolution. Leadership Excellence, 29 (3), pp.
3-4. Available at http://files.www.everidian.com/education/recent-articles/LeadershipExcellence_2012.pdf
Smith, M., & Bilimoria, D. (2012). Heart of Leadership: Engaging with Emotional Intelligence.
Leadership Excellence, 29 (3), p. 5. Available at the same URL as the Cooperrider article above.
Additional Resources You Might Like to Explore
Where can we publish assessment research? Here are some sources that might be useful to you:
 Assessment Update < http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1002/%28ISSN%291536-0725>
 International Journal of ePortfolio <http://theijep.com/>
 Research and Practice in Assessment. Guidelines for submitting articles are at
http://www.virginiaassessment.org/documents/rpasubmissionguidelines.pdf
 The list of SOTL journals at http://www.libraries.iub.edu/index.php?pageId=1002175 allows you to identify
journals that focus on teaching and learning in specific disciplines. For example, it lists three Nursing
education journals.
 Kansas State University has a listing of assessment and higher ed journals at http://www.kstate.edu/assessment/resources/weborgconf/journal.htm that identifies about 20 journals that are potential
targets for publishing assessment research.
How can we engage faculty in learning communities?
 Cox & Richlin (2004). Building Faculty Learning Communities. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Want to learn more about faculty development?
 Gillespie, Robertson, and Associates. (2010). A Guide to Faculty Development (2nd ed.). San Francisco:
Jossey-Bass.
Want to learn more about the transparency of assessment findings?
 Allen & Bresciani (2003). Public institutions, public challenges: On the transparency of assessment results.
Change (Jan./Feb., 2003). [available for download on Blackboard]
Want to learn more about program review?
 Banta & Associates, Building a Scholarship of Assessment, Chapter 12.
 Bresciani (2010). Data-Driven planning: Using assessment in strategic planning. In New Directions for
Student Services: Strategic Planning in Student Affairs (Winter 2010, #132). [available for download on
Blackboard]
 Pollack, S. (2006). Program review as a model of vision-based renewal. In A. Driscoll & D. Cordero de
Noriega (Eds.), Taking ownership of accreditation. Sterling, VA: Stylus. [available for download on
Blackboard]
15
Want to learn more about e-portfolios?
 Cambridge, D., Cambridge, B., & Yancey, K. (2009). Electronic portfolios 2.0. Sterling, VA: Stylus.
 Chen, H. L., Ittelson, J., Cambridge. D., & Cambridge, B. (ongoing website). EPAC Community of
Practice. Available at http://epac.pbworks.com/
 Clark, J. E., & Eynon, B. (2009). Eportfolios at 2.0—Surveying the field, Peer Review, 11(1). Available at
http://www.aacu.org/peerreview/pr-wi09/pr-wi09_eportfolios.cfm
 Easterling, J. (2009). A review of freshmen electronic portfolios for prediction of student success and
persistence. Washington, DC: Inter/National Coalition for Electronic Portfolio Research.
http://ncepr.org/finalreports/cohort3/Seton%20Hall%20Final%20Report%20Handout.pdf
 NCEPR. The site has much information and is updated regularly, http://ncepr.org/index.html
Want to learn more about using national data?
 McCormick, A. C., & McClenney, K. (2012). Will these trees ever bear fruit? A response to the special
issue on student engagement. The Review of Higher Education, 35 (2), 307-333. Available at
http://www.ccsse.org/center/resources/docs/research/The_Review_of_Higher_Education_Winter_2012.
pdf
 Hardison, C. M., & Vilamovska, A. (2009). The Collegiate Learning Assessment: Setting standards for
performance at a college or university. Santa Monica, CA: Rand.
http://www.rand.org/pubs/technical_reports/TR663/
 Hawthorne, J. (2008). Accountability & Comparability: What's Wrong with the VSA Approach? Liberal
Education, 94(2). Available at http://www.aacu.org/liberaleducation/le-sp08/lesp08_Hawthorne.cfm?utm_source=pubs&utm_medium=blast&utm_campaign=lesp08
 Steedle, Kugelmas, & Nemeth (2010). What Do They Measure: Comparing Three Learning Outcomes
Assessments. Change (July/August 2010). [available for download on Blackboard
 Using NSSE to assess and improve undergraduate education: Lessons from the field 2009, available at
http://nsse.iub.edu/pdf/Lessons_from_the_Field_2009.pdf
Want some resources for core competencies?
 The Council of Writing Program Administrators site on assessing writing has great examples provided
by a variety of institutions: http://wpacouncil.org/assessment-gallery
Second Meeting (August 5-9)
Day
Morning
Aug 5
 Analysis of Campus Culture (Amy)
 Leadership Models and Practices
(Amy)
 Self-Assessment for Leadership (Amy)
SLOs: 2.3, 2.4, 2.5, 3.1, 3.3, 3.4
Afternoon



Engaging Faculty in Assessment (Amy &
Mary)
Empowering Administrators to Support
Assessment (Amy)
Pedagogy for Faculty Development in
Assessment (Amy)
SLOs: 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 2.5, 3.3, 3.4, 4.1.
Aug 6
A Morning with Kathleen Yancey
 Best Practices in the Use of ePortfolios
 Review of ePortfolio Examples
 Criteria for Selecting ePortfolio
Software
16
An Afternoon with Adrianna Kezar
 Institutionalizing Assessment
 Contributions of the Institutional Culture
and Organizational Change Literature
 Exercise: Exploring Assessment
Day



Aug.7
Aug.8
Aug. 9
Morning
Current National Issues in ePortfolios,
including concerns about the use of
ePortfolios for improving learning and
for demonstrating institutional
accountability
Links between ePortfolios and the
Scholarship of Teaching and Learning
Office Hour with Kathleen Yancey

Afternoon
Leadership within an Organization
Office Hour with Adrianna Kezar
SLOs: 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.6, 1.10, 2.2, 2.3, 3.3
SLOs: 1.7, 2.3, 2.4, 2.5, 3.1, 3.2
A Morning with Jillian Kinzie
 Effective use of NSSE and CCSSE
 Closing the Loop Examples from
Campuses Using NSSE and CCSSE
Results
 Practice Closing the Loop: Reviewing
NSSE/CCSSE Data Examples
 Office Hour with Jillian Kinzie
An Afternoon with Marilee Bresciani
 Best Practices in Program Review
 Current Research Issues in Program Review
 Critique and Feedback on Program Review
Example(s)
 Office Hour with Marilee Bresciani
SLOs: 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 1.6, 1.7, 1.10,
2.2, 2.3, 2.5, 3.2, 3.4, 4.3
SLOs: 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.6, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4,
2.5, 3.3
Student Affairs Assessment (Mary)
 Outcomes for Student Affairs
Assessment
 Assessment Strategies
 Organizing Models
 Examples
 Exercise in Student Affairs Leadership
An Afternoon with Trudy Banta
 The Use of Standardized Tests for
Assessing Student Learning and Related
Concerns
 Building a Culture Based on Evidence
 Aligning Assessment and Budgeting
 Examples of Documented Positive Impact
of Assessment
 Publishing in Assessment Update
 Office Hour with Trudy Banta
SLOs: 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 1.10, 2.1, 2.3,
2.4, 2.5, 3.3, 4.2, 4.3
SLOs: 1.1, 1.2, 1.4, 1.5, 1.7, 1.10, 2.3, 2.4, 2.5,
4.1, 4.2, 4.3
A Morning with Laurie Dodge and
Laura Martin
 Assessment Management Systems
(AMS) – purpose(s) and
possibilities
 Alignment of institution’s
assessment culture and AMS
structure and functions
 Selecting and implementing an
AMS
17




Assessment in Academic Units (Amy)
Project Progress Reports (Amy)
Discussion of Campus Visits (Amy)
The Power of Literature Reviews in the
Scholarship of Assessment (Amy)
Day
Morning
SLOs: 1.2, 1.3, 2.4, 3.2, 3.3
Afternoon
SLOs: 3.4, 4.1, 4.2, 4.3
Complete the Segment Two evaluation survey by August 12th. The survey is in Blackboard in the
Segment Two Evaluation folder.
18
Segment Three (August 10-January 24)
This segment is intended to synthesize assessment understandings and skills and integrate the expertise with
leadership capacity to enable participants to guide, mentor, coach, and facilitate assessment efforts on their own
and other campuses.
Homework and Activities
1. Your Partial Project Report is due from September 15 – October 15, 2013. The month-long deadline is
intended to provide flexibility for varied schedules. There will be no review or feedback after October 15th,
2013. This Partial Project Report assignment builds on the introduction to your project that you submitted
for Segment Two (purpose, inquiry, and literature list).
Complete the literature review for your project. At this time you are expected to have reviewed your sources
and you should summarize them in relation to your project. A lit review is an analysis and summary of
what you found in the published literature (journals, books) and/or websites and/or through other means
(such as personal communication with an expert) relevant to your project. For example, you might cite
relevant websites, assigned ALA readings, an email conversation with Peter Ewell, and other materials
you've located. The lit review should be used to make a case for your project: situate your work within
best or promising practices, provide a scholarly basis for your methodology or approach, and affirm
the value or significance of what you plan. Your Bibliography should list your sources so others could
explore them. Cite sources in APA style or another style that you are comfortable with, but in a consistent
manner. Because we'd like you to develop your project as scholarship, your lit review should be used to help
you clarify and develop it and would be what you would cite if you were to publish or present your project.
In addition to completing your literature review, include the following in your Partial Project Report:
a. Your introduction,
b. Develop a timeline for your project, with deadlines for a sequence of tasks.
c. Identify and secure the resources needed to complete the project – describe the resources in the report.
d. Describe an assessment plan for your project. How will you know if your project is successful, i.e., if it
accomplished its purpose? What kind of evidence will you collect to assess the impact of your project?
How will the evidence be collected? What benchmarks or criteria will you apply?
e. Identify possible ways to disseminate your project’s results.
f. Identify how the project will demonstrate your achievement of the Assessment Leadership Academy
learning outcomes.
NOTE: Appendix A is the rubric we will apply to your final report. Consider it as you develop your
project plan.
2.
Visit another campus to analyze their assessment activities (maybe do a reciprocal visit with another
Academy participant). Submit a summary of your analysis to Blackboard, omitting campus identification,
by December 2nd. As you write up your visit summary, please attend to the framework in Appendix B.
We will apply this framework as we review your report and provide feedback.
Your report should consider the inquiry foci below and summarize:
 the ethical issues you encountered and how you addressed them
 how you provided consultation as an assessment expert/consultant
 how and what you learned as an assessment learner/consultant
 what you learned as a reflective assessment professional
3. Write an essay in which you reflect on your learning in the ALA and how you have been able to adapt ALA
ideas to your current work. Organize your essay into the following labeled sections:
19



Describe the implications of the ALA for your future leadership in assessment.
Identify major insights you’ve developed about assessment leadership and cite the relevant components
of the Academy that stimulated those insights.
Identify gaps in the ALA curriculum and their associated learning outcomes.
The essay can be a combination of narrative and bulleted lists or tables, and it should not exceed five pages.
Submit the essay via Blackboard by January 3, 2014. These essays serve two major purposes: (1) to
encourage you to reflect on and consolidate your learning and (2) to provide information for assessing the
impact of the ALA. We would appreciate your honest opinions, and these will be kept in strict confidence.
All assessment results will be presented in the aggregate for all participants, with no identification of any
individual’s responses.
4. Complete your project and post it to Blackboard by January 10, 2014. Include at the beginning of your
report a one-paragraph Abstract or Executive Summary that we will distribute to all ALA participants. If
you have appendices for your final report, please submit the entire report as one file with your name in the
title. Be sure to include all of the sections from your partial project report. We will be looking for all the
dimensions included in the feedback rubric (See Appendix A), so be sure to address each issue in your
written and oral report (see below).
Be prepared to present your project at our January meeting. We will form you into small groups to give
project presentations, doing our best to put everyone in a group in which you will discuss projects of high
mutual interest. Each presentation should be about 15-20 minutes, including time for Q&A. The groups will
not have data projectors, but they will be small enough that you can show things on your laptop screen, if
you like. Think about your project presentation as if it were a conference presentation, presented to a small
audience of peers who are completing the ALA. What would your peers like to learn about your project?
We won't form the groups until after we've seen the project reports, so we can't tell you in advance how
many or who will be in your group, but if you decide to share a short handout (not required), six copies
should be sufficient. If you have any other questions, please feel free to contact Amy.
5. Complete the readings below and the reading evaluation survey by January 23, 2014. The survey is in the
Segment Three Evaluation folder.
5.a. Scholarship of Assessment. Read the following chapters for ideas and approaches for promoting the
scholarship of assessment. Think about examples associated with your project and practices of
assessment. We will discuss the scholarship potential in our meeting.
 Banta & Associates, Building a Scholarship of Assessment, Chapters 5 and 6
 Driscoll & Wood, Developing Outcomes-Based Assessment for Learner-Centered Education,
Chapter 11
 Banta. T.W. (2009). New opportunities for pushing the wheel forward. Assessment Update, 21(4), 34, 16. [available for download on Blackboard]
 Suskie, Assessing Student Learning: A Common Sense Guide (2nd edition), Chapter 18.
5. b. WASC. Read the following to review WASC ACCJC expectations for educationally effective use of
assessment.
 WASC ACCJC. Accreditation Standards Annotated for Continuous Quality Improvement and SLOs
(Jan 2012), available at http://www.accjc.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Accreditation-StandardsAnnotated-for-CQI-and-SLOsEdited-Nov-2012.pdf
 WASC ACCJC (2011). Rubrics for Institutional Effectiveness. Available at
http://www.accjc.org/pdf/Rubric%20for%20Evaluating%20Institutional%20Effectiveness.pdf
20

Draft 2013 Handbook of Accreditation at http://wascsenior.org/content/draft-2013-handbookaccreditation
WASC ACSCU, Program Learning Outcomes Rubric, General Education Rubric, Portfolio Rubric,
Capstone Rubric, Program Review Rubric, Educational Effectiveness Framework. All are available
in the Document Library at http://www.wascsenior.org
Check the WASC Senior website for latest updates in accreditation at http://www.wascsenior.org


Third Meeting (January 23-24, 2014)
Day
Morning
Jan. 24
 Discussion of Campus Visits
(Amy)
 Assessment Leader Role Play
(Mary & Amy)
 Discussion of Scholarship
Potential for Projects and
Assessment (Amy)
Afternoon
An Afternoon with Richard Winn and Susan
Clifford
 Thoughts on the Future of Assessment
 Regional Accreditation and Assessment
Issues
 National Accreditation and Assessment
Issues
 Office Hours with Richard Winn and Susan
Clifford
SLO’s 1.9, 1.10, 4.2, 4.3
SLOs: 1.1., 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.7, 2.4, 3.1,
3.2, 3.4, 4.1, 4.3
Jan. 25


Summary of Reflective Essays
Project Reports (Amy)
SLO’s: 1.3, 3.1, 3.2




Discussion of On-Going Support Network
Loose Strings Discussion
Assessment of the Academy (Mary & Amy)
Closing Comments (Barbara Wright)
SLOs: 3.4, 4.1, 4.2
Complete the Segment Three evaluation survey, the overall ALA evaluation survey, and the post-ALA
self assessment survey by January 27, 2014. They are in Blackboard in the Segment Three Evaluation
folder.
21
Date
Immediately

May 20
May 24
June 3




June 3-7
June 11
July 15
July 26
August 5





August 5 - 9
August 12
Sept 15-Oct 15
December 2
January 3
January 10
January 23







January 23-24
January 27




Deadlines: Mark These on Your Calendar!
Requirement
Complete Blackboard Orientation, including downloading the syllabus, submitting a short
biography, and completing the Pre-ALA Self-Assessment Survey in Blackboard.
Order all required books that you don't already own.
Submit Campus Profile Assignment on Blackboard (Segment One, Homework 2)
Submit Project Idea Assignment on Blackboard (Segment One, Homework 3)
Complete Reading Evaluation Survey for Segment One on Blackboard (Segment One
folder)
Segment One Meeting in Oakland, CA
Complete Segment One Evaluation Survey on Blackboard (Segment One folder)
Submit Project Plan Introduction on Blackboard (Segment Two, Homework 2)
Complete preparatory assignment for the Assessment Management Systems session
Complete Reading Evaluation Survey for Segment Two on Blackboard (Segment Two
folder)
Segment Two Meeting in Oakland, CA
Complete Segment Two Evaluation Survey on Blackboard (Segment Two folder)
Submit Partial Project Report (Segment Three Homework 1)
Submit Campus Visit Report on Blackboard (Segment Three, Homework 2)
Submit Reflective Essay on Blackboard (Segment Three, Homework 3)
Submit Project Report on Blackboard (Segment Three, Homework 4)
Complete Segment Three Reading Evaluation Survey on Blackboard (Segment Three
folder)
Segment Three Meeting in Pomona, CA
Complete Segment Three Evaluation Survey on Blackboard (Segment Three folder)
Complete the Overall ALA Assessment Survey (Segment Three folder)
Complete Post-ALA Self-Assessment Survey on Blackboard (Segment Three folder)
22
Appendix A.
Project Feedback
Dimension
1
Potential for Improvement
2
Good work!
Project Organization and
Assessment
Project goals, implementation, and
indicators of success are not always
clear, and/or connections among them
are not fully developed.
Project has a purpose, implementation
was reasonable, and appropriate criteria
were used to determine success, but
connections among these components
may be loose.
Use of Assessment
Terminology
Inconsistent use of assessment
terminology with occasional
inaccuracy, incomplete understanding,
or inappropriate use within the context
of the project.
Little or inappropriate use of “best
practices” in assessment and/or
leadership. Description may be
missing or incomplete.
Frequent use of assessment terminology
with accurate meaning, basic
understanding, and reasonable use within
the context of the project.
Scholarly Base for Decisions
The literature is minimally referenced
and/or not directly connected to most
of the project.
The literature is mentioned with respect
to the process of designing or assessing
the project.
Significant Contributions
Develops no major insights that would
inform our practice or understanding
of assessment leadership.
Contributes some insights with the
potential to inform our practice or
understanding of assessment leadership.
Plan for Dissemination
Dissemination is unplanned, vaguely
described, or limited to informal
campus reporting.
Formal dissemination is planned for local
or regional audiences with specific
approaches (presentations, reports,
publications), specific targets (campus,
conference, etc.), and a match between
the project and the intended audience.
Description and Use of "Best
Practices" in Assessment and
Leadership
Some clear descriptions and appropriate
use of relevant “best practices” in
assessment and leadership.
23
3
Wow!
Project has a clear purpose, inquiry is
developed with questions aligned
with purpose and methods, and
assessment of impact is achieved
with the use of criteria for
determining success. All components
are thoughtfully integrated.
Consistent use of assessment
terminology with accurate meaning,
depth of understanding, and
sophisticated use appropriate to the
context of the project.
Consistent use of “best practices” in
assessment and leadership in ways
that demonstrate sophisticated
understanding, contextual
appropriateness and sensitivity, and
purposeful application to address
challenges or respond to inquiry.
The literature provides a compelling
foundation for inquiry, approaches/
methods, project assessment, and
conclusions.
Contributes unique or exemplary
insights with high potential to inform
our practice or understanding of
assessment leadership.
Formal dissemination is planned for
national/international audiences with
specific approaches (publications,
presentations, reports), specific
targets (journals, conferences, etc.),
and a match between the project and
the intended audience.
Appendix B.
Framework for Campus Visit Planning And Report
Visit another campus to analyze their assessment activities. You're welcome to do a reciprocal visit with another
ALA participant.
Please use this framework to guide your planning for the visit:
1. As an ethical professional
 Considers ethical aspects of arrangements for the visit
 Demonstrates sensitivity to the need for confidentiality
 Respects ownership of ideas, strategies, and plans
2. As an assessment expert/consultant
 Tailors visit to campus needs and culture
 Designs an inquiry process for the visit
 Responds to questions, concerns, requests for information
 Critiques campus practices and/or plans
 Affirms and supports assessment efforts
 Makes recommendations based on findings
3. As an assessment learner/peer
 Poses questions and/or probes for needed information
 Asks opinions of campus leaders, faculty, and staff
 Examines materials, observes processes
 Documents and analyzes assessment on the host campus
 Collaborates with campus personnel to develop recommendations
4. As a reflective assessment professional
 Summarizes and analyzes your role in the visit with input from institutional hosts
 Reflects on your professional role and interactions related to the visit
 Conducts private analysis of the visit for application at your own campus
 Conducts private analysis of the visit for personal leadership implications
24