Leading the Charge to Develop an Assessment Plan for Academic Advising The Global Community for Academic Advising NACADA Executive Office Kansas State University 2323 Anderson Ave, Suite 225 Manhattan, KS  66502-2912 Phone: (785) 532-5717    Fax: (785) 532-7732 e-mail: nacada@ksu.edu © 2012 National Academic Advising Association The contents of all material in this presentation are copyrighted by the National Academic Advising Association, unless otherwise indicated. Copyright is not claimed as to any part of an original work prepared by a U.S. or state government officer or employee as part of that person's official duties. All rights are reserved by NACADA, and content may not be reproduced, downloaded, disseminated, published, or transferred in any form or by any means, except with the prior written permission of NACADA, or as indicated below. Members of NACADA may download pages or other content for their own use, consistent with the mission and purpose of NACADA. However, no part of such content may be otherwise or subsequently be reproduced, downloaded, disseminated, published, or transferred, in any form or by any means, except with the prior written permission of, and with express attribution to NACADA. Copyright infringement is a violation of federal law and is subject to criminal and civil penalties. NACADA and National Academic Advising Association are service marks of the National Academic Advising Association. Leading the Charge to Develop an Assessment Plan for Academic Advising Sallie Paschal, PhD NACADA Administrator Institute February, 2012

Assessment: The Basics The Global Community for Academic Advising Assessment: The Basics Understanding Assessment - Definitions of Assessment - Purposes for Doing Assessment - Evaluation versus Assessment - Some Key Terms Engaging in Assessment Use of outcome data Engaging your “learning team”

Assessment The Global Community for Academic Advising “Assessment is a process that focuses on student learning, a process that involves reviewing and reflecting on practice as academics have always done, but in a more planned and careful way.” (Ewell, 2000) 3

Assessment The Global Community for Academic Advising “Assessment is an on-going process of collecting information* that is aimed at understanding and improving student learning and personal development.” (Angelo, 1995) * What we like to call “evidence” 4

Assessment The Global Community for Academic Advising “Assessment is the systematic collection, review, and use of information about educational programs* undertaken for the purpose of improving student learning* and development.*” (Marchese, 1993) * Advising is part of the educational process, not simply a “service” 5

Assessment The Global Community for Academic Advising Assessment for Academic Advising… “Assessment is the process through which we gather evidence about the claims we are making with regard to student learning and the process/delivery of academic advising in order to inform and support improvement.” (Campbell, 2008) 6

What is assessment – the intentions? The Global Community for Academic Advising What is assessment – the intentions? Assessment is intended to be a positive process, yet its connotations are often negative. The focus has often been on activities that demonstrate accountability to the exclusion of those that are aimed at improvement. Our learning team can influence our perspective on and approach to assessment 7

Assessment has multiple purposes The Global Community for Academic Advising Assessment has multiple purposes Program effectiveness Program improvement Program accountability Activities aimed at both improvement and accountability are important Most compelling purpose is “institutional curiosity” (Maki, 2002, 2004) i.e. student learning and development 8

Assessment is - The Global Community for Academic Advising An on-going cycle of activity A gathering of a variety of information and data Using this feedback for improvement of individual or program performance A team effort with faculty, staff, and administrators actively engaged A complex practice A practice that is more effective if you fully engage your learning team (Decode and FIT) 9

Academic Advising: Assessment Goals The Global Community for Academic Advising Academic Advising: Assessment Goals Improving academic advising process delivery programs Enhancing student success persistence retention graduation 10

The Global Community for Academic Advising “…a lack of assessment data can sometimes lead to policies and practices based on intuition, prejudice, preconceived notions, or personal proclivities – none of them desirable bases for making decisions.” (Upcraft and Schuh, 2002) 11

Assessment or Evaluation? The Global Community for Academic Advising Assessment or Evaluation? Assessment should be continuous and imbedded in the culture while evaluation is episodic Assessment focuses on programmatic issues while evaluation focuses on individual performances of advisors 12

It’ s All About Learning and Leading! Peggy Maki Assessing For Learning 2004 Gather Evidence Identify Outcomes Implement Change Vision/Mission/Goals Programmatic Objectives Interpret Evidence

Identify Key Stakeholders and Involve Them in the Process The Global Community for Academic Advising Identify Key Stakeholders and Involve Them in the Process Benefits of collaboration: Building of a shared trust Building of a shared motivation Building of a shared language Building of support for academic advising across the institution Result is a shared ownership and belief in the process 14

Key terms: You know them! The Global Community for Academic Advising Key terms: You know them! Vision Mission Goals Outcomes Process: articulate the expectations for how advising is delivered and what information should be delivered through the experience Student Learning: what students know, do, and value as a result of the experience 15

Key terms: You know them! (almost) The Global Community for Academic Advising Key terms: You know them! (almost) Mapping: the process of determining when, where, and how the outcomes for advising will be accomplished over the students’ academic careers. 16

Mapping the Learning Experience The Global Community for Academic Advising Mapping the Learning Experience What should be learned: e.g. student will know the components of the institution’s General Education requirements Where it should be learned: e.g. orientation sessions, advising sessions, personal reading of catalog or curriculum guide When or By When it should be learned: e.g. prior to first year (orientation): by end of first year (via advising sessions): by end of first year (via reading) 17

…using multiple measure of varying types The Global Community for Academic Advising Once the desired process/delivery and student learning outcomes have been identified, as well as when and where the will occur, the next step is to determine who or what will be measured and how the data will be gathered… …using multiple measure of varying types 18

Examples of Existing Tools The Global Community for Academic Advising Examples of Existing Tools To be used as just one measure among multiple measures ACT Survey of Academic Advising Noel-Levitz Student Satisfaction Inventory (SSI) Winston and Sandor’s Academic Advising Inventory (AAI) CAS Standards for Advising www.nacada.ksu.edu/Clearinghouse/Research Related/CASStandardsForAdvising.pdf NACADA Assessment Commission www.nacada.ksu.edu/Commissions/C32/index.htm 19

Measures can (and should) include existing institutional data! The Global Community for Academic Advising Measures can (and should) include existing institutional data! Information from Institutional Research, Admissions, Registrar, etc. can provide tracking data, GPA’s, retention rates, and other information you can utilize as assessment data This data can be a source of the multiple measures utilized (in addition to formal instruments, satisfaction inventories, and others). 20

Dangers of Satisfaction Surveys The Global Community for Academic Advising Dangers of Satisfaction Surveys There is often a difference between an advisee receiving good, effective academic advising and being satisfied with the advising process: Negative information exchanged during the session Student “desires” for the advising session (informational, relational) 21

So I have data – now what!? The Global Community for Academic Advising Sharing and acting on the results - Interpret results regarding how they inform the advising process/delivery, student learning, and decision-making - Determine with whom and how the results are reported - Decide how you will implement changes based on the results - START AGAIN! 22

So I have data – now what!? The Global Community for Academic Advising Determine how and with whom the results will be shared Administration Faculty Students Budgeting entities Accreditors 23

So I have data – now what!? The Global Community for Academic Advising Interpret how results will inform decision making Revise pedagogy or curriculum Development of advisor training Design more effective programming Increase out of class learning opportunities Shape institutional decision making, planning, resource allocation 24

So I have data – now what!? The Global Community for Academic Advising Decide how you will follow-up on implemented changes Timetable to implement changes Assessment of implemented changes Continuous assessment 25

So I have data – now what!? The Global Community for Academic Advising Professional development implications Using assessment to inform and support professional development Revise advisor training/development as needed Demonstrate the need for additional training and development Demonstrate the need for additional resources 26

So I have data – now what!? The Global Community for Academic Advising Building a Culture and Capacity for Assessment The Culture Commitment Communication Collaboration The Capacity Support Fully engage Learning/Leading paradigm 27

At the end of the day…assessment of academic advising is all about… The Global Community for Academic Advising At the end of the day…assessment of academic advising is all about… Developing consensus around collective expectations about student learning Gathering evidence in order to understand student learning Using this evidence to support improvements in advising that will contribute to improvements in student learning and success 28

The Global Community for Academic Advising Thank you!