Post on 01-Apr-2015
Assessment > What it Means and Why it is Important
Developed and Presented by the Assessment Committee
Faculty Day, August 28, 2008
Saint Joseph’s College of Maine
Assessment > What it Means and Why it is Important
Assessment > We Aim to …
• Increase understanding of the College’s Assessment Initiative
• Create familiarity with our College’s Institutional Learning Assessment Plan
• Increase awareness of current and planned activities related to assessment
• Communicate methods to stay connected
Faculty Day, August 28, 2008 Developed by the SJCME Assessment Committee 2
Assessment > What it Means and Why it is Important
Institutional Assessment Committee
Assessment > How We Got Here
Faculty Day, August 28, 2008 Developed by the SJCME Assessment Committee 3
Guiding Principles
• Sr. Marilyn Sunderman• Kathleen Clements• June Marshall• Karen Lemke• Lisa Theriault
Learning Goals
• Margaret Hourigan• Greg Gull• Sr. Patricia Flynn • Scott Balcomb • Katrina Hoop • John Hufstader• Janet Douglas
RelationshipsBetween College
Plans• Mark Green• Joyce Coburn• Beth Auger• Jonathan Malmude• Bill Yates
Conceptual Relationships
• Sue Kelly • Dale Brooker• Nick Benfaremo• Gail Marchigiano • Bill Lemke • Nina Eduljee• Cynthia Mowles
VPAA Initiative
• Nina Eduljee • Greg Gull • Gail Marchigiano • Steven Bridge
Institutional Learning Assessment Plan
Assessment > What it Means and Why it is Important
Assessment > What is Your Initial Reaction?
Faculty Day, August 28, 2008 4Developed by the SJCME Assessment Committee
Happy Confused
UnhappyQuestioning
Avoiding
Contemplative
Knowledgeable
Red Faced
Assessment > What it Means and Why it is Important
Assessment > So What is it?
“An ongoing process aimed at understanding, documenting and improving student learning.”
— Stiehl, 2002
“The systematic gathering of information about student learning and the factors that affect learning, undertaken with the resources, time, and expertise available, for the purpose of improving learning.”
— Walvoord, 2004
“The systematic collection, review, and use of information about educational programs undertaken for the purpose of improving student learning and development.”
Palomba & Banta, 1999
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Assessment > What it Means and Why it is Important
What Does That Mean?
Without student assessment, it would be impossible to know if students are meeting the goals and expectations of
an institution, department, or class. An instructor who assumes that
students are learning just because they attend class may end up
being disappointed when it comes to exams or papers. There is often
a gap between what was taught by the teacher and what was
learned by the student.
Assessment provides the necessary information to identify and bridge this gap.
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Assessment > What it Means and Why it is Important
“Assessment does not need to be complicated …
and, rightly used it can be a powerful tool for improvement. Good
information in the right hands is potentially the best lever for change. If assessment is
done properly, it can provide a basis for wiser planning and budgeting, and change
in curriculum, pedagogy, staffing, programming, and student support, rather than wasting resources on the latest educational fad or vague notions about what might be effective…further, careful attention to students’ learning by departments and the institution
can help create a climate of caring and engagement that supports
students’ own commitment to their learning.”
— Walvoord, 2004
Clearly, no institution that claims to take seriously their dedication to student learning can do so without the aid of assessment.
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Assessment > What it Means and Why it is Important
We are Accountable …
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“Regional and professional accreditation agencies across the United States are explicitly requiring demonstrable evidence of planning processes that are systematic, and that are rooted in quantitative and qualitative measures”
— Middaugh & Seybert, 2006
A comprehensive assessment program that incorporates these measures is a principle means of satisfying accountability.
Rooted in and professing fidelity to the teachings of Jesus Christ and the doctrines and heritage of the Roman Catholic Church, Saint Joseph's College, sponsored by the Sisters of Mercy, is a liberal arts college that nurtures intellectual, spiritual and social growth in students of all ages and all faiths within a value-centered environment.
—SJCME Mission Statement
Assessment > What it Means and Why it is Important
Assessment > Goals
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SJCME Mission
Learning Goals Core Values
IntellectualSpiritualSocial
FaithExcellenceIntegrityCommunity
RespectCompassion
Justice
“What gets measured, gets attended to; What gets attended to, gets done”— Anonymous
Assessment > What it Means and Why it is Important
Assessment > Target Outcomes
Faculty Day, August 28, 2008 Developed by the SJCME Assessment Committee 10
Student Learning OutcomesIntellectual Spiritual› Passion for
Learning› Decision Making
Skills and Thinking Abilities
› Information and Technological Literacy
› Effective Communication
› Career Preparation
› Ethics and Integrity
› Faith and Spirituality
Social› Global Awareness
and Perspective› Social
Responsibility and Justice
› Environmental Responsibility
Institutional Level
Department Level
Course Level
Assessment > What it Means and Why it is Important
Assessment > Working Together
Institutional Level
Department Level
Course Level
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Assessment > What it Means and Why it is Important
Assessment > Plan Outline
• Institutional Learning Assessment Plan Components– Guiding Principles of Assessment– Mission Goals and Values of the College– Institutional Student Learning Outcomes– Areas and Levels of Mission Fulfillment
• Organizational Chart and Role of Vice Presidents
– Assessment Process• Assessment at the Course/Department Level• Assessment at the Institutional Level
– Conclusion
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Assessment > What it Means and Why it is Important
Assessment > What’s Next
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September 2008
› Read the Assessment Plan and provide feedback to Institutional Assessment Directors
› Develop comprehensive Assessment Communications Plan
All Faculty
VPAA and Institutional Assessment Directors
October 2008
› Meet with Department Chairs to discuss and finalize assessment methodology and metrics
› Workshops with all faculty members to discuss and finalize assessment methodology and metrics
› Communicate Assessment Plan to non-faculty stakeholders
Department Chairs and Institutional Assessment Directors
All Faculty and Institutional Assessment Directors
Students, Administration , etc. and Institutional Assessment Directors
November 2008
› Commence Program Reviews All Stakeholders
Assessment > What it Means and Why it is Important
Assessment > Stay Connected
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• Learning Assessment Link on mySJC page– http://sigma.sjcme.edu/mySJC/LearningAssessment.html
• Email LearningAssessment@sjcme.edu• Quarterly Newsletter starting January 2009