Team Project: Assessment in a Hypothetical College

Linda Reisser

Portland Community College, Cascade Campus

Bruce Clemetsen

Linn-Benton Community College

Team Project

Today’s Student Services leaders need to be able to:not only . . .

understand today’s students and their development work as team members carry out program activities effectively apply theory, research findings, and principles of good practice

But also . . . Understand the importance of evaluating programs Ask critical questions Gather data on program effectiveness Identify outcomes Assess how well those outcomes are met Use findings to improve services

Team Project

Evaluate the effectiveness of a program

in a hypothetical community college.

Based on your findings, make recommendations to improve the program’s services and outcomes in the future.

Give a ten minute presentation about how you did this, and what you learned.

Context

What is assessment?

Why is assessment important?

A few important terms

and Examples

Team Project hand-outs

What is assessment?

What is assessment?

The systematic and ongoing practice of determining the impact of educational interventions and services for the purpose of:

1) improving program quality and 2) reporting on program outcomes

Assessment is any effort to gather, analyze, and interpret evidence which describes institutional, departmental, divisional, or agency effectiveness.

(Upcraft, M.L, & Schuh, J.H., 1996)

Why Is Assessment Important?

DRIVING FORCES

Professional

National

State

Institutional

The Student Learning Imperative: Implications for Student Affairs (published in 1994 by the American College Personnel Association)

#5. Student affairs policies and programs are based on promising practices from the research on student learning and institution-specific assessment data.

http://www.acpa.nche.edu/sli/sli.htm

Professional Values

Principles of Good Practice in Student Affairs (National ACPA/NASPA Study Group, 1997)

#4. Good practice in student affairs uses systematic inquiry to improve student and institutional performance.

"Good practice in student affairs occurs when student affairs educators ask, 'What are students learning from our programs and services, and how can their learning be enhanced?’”

Source: http://www.acpa.nche.edu/pgp/principle.htm

The Completion Agenda

U.S. Dept. of EducationA Call to Action on College Completion

U.S. Dept. of EducationA Call to Action on College Completion

“Today the Vice President challenged every Governor to host a state college completion summit, and promised that the Department of Education would help any state develop a plan to boost completion.

The Vice President also announced the release of a new “College Completion Tool Kit,” produced by the Department of Education.  The tool kit includes information on seven low-cost or no-cost strategies that states can use to boost completion.”

Posted on March 23, 2011

http://www.ed.gov/blog/2011/03/call_to_actio/

“The President has set a clear goal”

“By 2020, America will have the highest proportion of college graduates in the world.  Right now we are ninth.

70% of students go on to pursue some kind of postsecondary education after high school, but less than half actually get a degree or certificate within six years.” 

College Completion Tool Kit

Strategies for Governors to Consider

1. Set Goals; Develop an Action Plan

2. Embrace Performance-Based Funding

3. Align High School Standards with College Entrance

and Placement Standards

4. Make it Easier for Students to Transfer

5. Use Data to Drive Decision Making

6. Accelerate Learning and Reduce Costs

7. Target Adults, especially those with “Some College,

but No Degree”

Accreditation Standards Revised

Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU)

New emphasis on outcomes:

“meaningful, assessable, and verifiable

indicators of achievement”

http://www.nwccu.org/Standards%20and%20Policies/Standard%201/Standard%20One.htm

Oregon Initiatives

CCWD (Dept. of Community Colleges and Workforce Development)

“Measure What You Treasure” Report

Student Success Oversight Committee

• Milestones and Momentum Points—> Achievement Compacts

• CCSSE and SENSE

• 27 Best Practices

• Grant-funded initiatives

• Strategic Planning

Does your department or program. . .

- have a mission statement?

- have annual goals?

- collect data?

- have measurable outcomes?

- look at the data and reflect on what it means?

- use the findings to improve service?

- submit an annual report?

Assumptions

1. We assume that our programs and services have a significant impact on student success and development.

2. In order to improve, we need to be intentional about assessing the impact of what we do.

Assumptions

Assessments should be:

• based on meaningful indicators of achievement

• used for improvement by informing planning, decision making, and allocation of resources

• made available to appropriate audiences

Cycle of Assessment

A Few Important Terms

Mission

Goals

Learning Outcomes

Service Outcomes

A Few Important Terms

Mission - Why we exist. - describes the core purpose of the program.

Goals – What we hope to do, accomplish, or deliver- used for general planning- not intended to be directly measurable

Learning Outcomes – what students are able to know, do, or value as a result of the program.

Service Outcomes – intended results of services delivered.Such as:- numbers served, student satisfaction, demographics of students

served, services provided

- changes you want to see in programs and services.

Mission Statement - Example

Academic Advising

Academic advising is an essential service provided by professional advisors who support students’ intellectual growth, and empower them to clarify and attain their diverse academic, personal, and professional goals. In collaboration with students, faculty, staff, and external partners, the Academic Advising Program fosters student retention and success.

Zero in

Mission Statement - Example

Academic Advising

Academic advising is an essential service provided by professional advisors who support students’ intellectual growth, and empower them to clarify and attain their diverse academic, personal, and professional goals. In collaboration with students, faculty, staff, and external partners, the Academic Advising Program fosters student retention and success.

Mission Statements - Examples

Multicultural Center

Founded to address institutional racism and the unique needs of students of color, the Multicultural Center provides services and programs that support academic achievement, leadership development, and the retention of students of color.

Mission Statements - Examples

Multicultural Center

Founded to address institutional racism and the unique needs of students of color, the Multicultural Center provides services and programs that support academic achievement, leadership development, and the retention of students of color.

Mission Statements - Examples

Student Leadership Program

The Student Leadership Program complements the college’s academic programs and enhances the overall educational experiences of students by providing social, cultural, multicultural, intellectual, recreational, community service, and campus governance programs.

Mission Statements - Examples

Student Leadership Program

The Student Leadership Program complements the college’s academic programs and enhances the overall educational experiences of students by providing social, cultural, multicultural, intellectual, recreational, community service, and campus governance programs.

Mission Statements - Examples

Women’s Resource Center

provides a central location for services that support the academic achievement of women, while working to increase access to education for women, improve the retention of women students at the college, and encourage women’s leadership development.

Mission Statements - Examples

Women’s Resource Center

provides a central location for services that support the academic achievement of women, while working to increase access to education for women, improve the retention of women students at the college, and encourage women’s leadership development.

Alignment?

Is the mission statement aligned with the college’s mission?

Goals – PSU examples

• Examples of program goals:

• Increase volunteerism

• Increase diversity

• Increase accessibility of volunteer opportunities

• Increase awareness of disability resources services

Goals – PSU examples

• Examples of student learning goals:

• Engage students in learning

• Promote students’ academic success

• Foster students’ personal and intellectual growth

• Foster students’ leadership skills • Foster collaboration

Goals ExampleMulticultural Center

Provide access to higher education for students of color.

Encourage empowerment and self-esteem in students of color by teaching self-advocacy.

Enable students of color to make informed choices regarding academic, career, and personal issues by providing accurate information, support and education.

Develop students of color as leaders by supporting student- initiated programs and providing training in leadership skills.

Goals ExampleWomen’s Resource Center

Encourage empowerment and self-esteem in women.

Develop women’s leadership skills.

Encourage exploration of gender issues.

Enhance personal development of women and men by integrating theory and learning into their daily lives.

Provide a programmatic context for informed action and practical experience of issues critical to women and society.

Alignment?

Are goals aligned with mission? With College goals? With funding agent?

Outcomes vs. Goals

Outcomes are specific statements derived from goals in language that makes objectives measurable.

Outcomes are what we will assess.

Outcomes essentially take a goal and connect it to a place, time, group of participants, and a level for performance.

Outcomes are specifically about what you want the end result of your efforts to be, the changes you want to occur.

It is not what you are going to do to the student, but rather it describes what you want the student to do.

An outcome must be measurable, meaningful and manageable. It must specify a target audience. It must provide you with evidence you need.

Learning Outcomes – what students are able to know, do, or value as a result of the program.

Service Outcomes – intended results of services delivered.

Such as:- numbers served, student satisfaction,

demographics of students served, services provided

- changes you want to see in programs and services.

Learning Outcomes – Examples?

Learning Outcomes - Examples

• Students will be able to recall at least 5 of the 7 elements of the Social Change Model).

• Students will demonstrate increased leadership skills by successfully completing a leadership skills inventory, as indicated by a score of at least 80% correct.

Service Outcomes – Examples?

Service Outcomes - Examples

• The XXX program will increase awareness of its programs/services by 20%.

• The XXX program will increase the diversity of its volunteers to reflect the diversity of the PSU.

Service Outcomes (Student Leadership)

PCC/PCC Cascade

Goals

Program/Goal Learning Outcomes

Service Outcomes Assessment Strategy Comments

  

Diversity

Diversity Retention Club Coordinators  Goal: Provide Support for Diversity Clubs including: Black Student Union, Q Club, MEChA, United Tribes, International Students.

  6 event (series) per term for targeted groups

Student success benchmarks met

6 active diversity clubs

Student event coordinators will complete After Action forms to help evaluate the event with the leadership team

Event participants will be sent the “Post Cultural Event Survey” via Survey Monkey

Club Members will be sent the “Club Experience Survey” via Survey Monkey

The DRCs will collect information from students attending their meetings, events and activities with a sign in sheet. Using meeting sign in sheets, event sign in sheets and club rosters, students will be sorted into minimal, low, medium and high contact groups and then assessed to see if they are meeting benchmarks (TBD).

 

PCC Panther Path Student Leadership Learning Outcomes

Student Leadership Program Learning Outcomes

Improve Communication SkillsStudents will improve their interpersonal communication skills· By demonstrating a respect for other’s viewpoints· Understand how to de-escalate a confrontation through communication· Understand how the different communication styles interact with each other.

Effectively apply active listening skills.· Be able to succinctly summarize another’s point of view to verify understanding.· Develop the skills to perceive the listeners interpersonal needs.· Maintain proper eye contact while communicating interpersonally. Develop collaborative communication skills· Facilitate communication between other team members.· Give critical feedback effectively (non-threatening).· Receive, and reflect on, critical feedback from others.· Demonstrate acknowledgment and validation of the feelings, opinions, and contributions of others.

Improve Leadership Skills through Project Management Students will be able to pre-plan a project:· The ability to articulate the need for the event· Be able to clearly describe the goals of the project· Identify the population(s) who will benefit Students will understand how to successfully execute a project:· Students will be able to reverse plan an event identifying the necessary components of their project· Design a calendar with specific times and dates for various stages of the project· Manage other team members and assign tasks as needed Students will develop the ability to reflect on projects and make recommendations for the

future:· Develop the skills to objectively assess project performance· Constructively document “best practices” and capture the information for the future

 

First Steps

What questions do we have?

What assessment strategies can we try out this year?

What data do we already have?

How can we use data to improve student success?

Some types of assessment

Usage Numbers – students served, number of participants

Possible methods: existing data, tracking system, calendar system, KPI

Student Needs – general of specific populationsPossible methods: survey, focus group, visual methods

Program Effectiveness – level of satisfaction, involvement, effectiveness, helpfulness, etc. Possible methods: survey, focus group, observation

Cost Effectiveness – benefits compared with cost? Possible methods: existing data, comparative data, KPI

Some types of assessment

Campus Climate or Environment – assess the behaviors/attitudes on campus

Possible methods: focus groups, survey, existing data, case study, observation

Benchmarking – comparing a selected group with a comparison group Possible methods: survey, rubric, existing data, KPI

Using National Standards or Norms (i.e., CAS) or normative data (e.g. , test scores) Possible methods: survey, document analysis, existing data

Learning Outcomes – assess how a participant will think, feel, or act differently as a result of your program/course/service Possible methods: survey, rubric, existing data, KPI

Team Projects

Groups meet here and find locations

Kori Bieber – Rattlesnake Rock Community College

Bruce Clemetson – Great Blue Heron Community College

Jim Eustrom – Barnum and Bailey Community College

Alicia Moore – Cornbelt Community College

Linda Reisser – Gotham City Community College

Timeline

Tuesday

Team Projects – Part 2

11:00 – 12:00 and lunch with team

 

Team Projects – Part 3

5:00 – 5:30 pm – Reconvene in large group

Challenges

Resources

Wednesday

Team Projects – Part 4

11:30 – 1:30 – Meet with teams

 

 

Team Projects – Part 5

1:30 – 3:00 – Team presentations