If We Build it, Will They Learn? Assessing Academic Program Efficacy in Times of Institutional Change Linda D. Feeney, Ed.D. Director of Computer Services Diane Holtzman, Ed.D. Assistant Professor, Business Studies Carra Leah Hood, Ph.D. Associate Professor, Writing Jennifer Barr, Ph.D. Professor, Business Studies The Richard Stockton College of NJ  101 Vera King Farris Dr  Galloway, NJ Presentation slides and web links available at:

Who are we? Richard Stockton College is a public, medium- sized liberal arts college located in southern New Jersey The college has experienced extensive growth in student enrollment, academic programs, and infrastructure during the past decade

The Middle States Process Mission driven Mission Strategic planning and the Four Themes:Four Themes – Learning – Engagement – Global Perspectives – Sustainability

Recognizing Crucial Factors for Reaccreditation The infusion of a culture of assessment The evaluation of institutional effectiveness across divisions, schools, departments, and programs The role of strategic planning and the balanced scorecard approach The systematic alignment of planning, measurement, and resource allocation with decision-making

Getting Started: Reflections of a Co-Chair Novice Attend a Middle States self-study institute Immerse yourself in the process from as many vantage points as possible Understand the pivotal role of the research questions and the necessity for transparency Establish timelines (but maintain a fluid mindset) Inform and motivate team members (bring food to meetings!)

Research Question – Version 1 How does the college meet its goals for student learning in various academic programs and what evidence is available to demonstrate that the program offerings have the academic content, rigor, and coherence appropriate to the undergraduate and graduate levels?

Research Question – Version 2 What evidence is available to demonstrate how the College evaluates the effectiveness of assessment of student learning in various academic programs?

Research Question - Final How effective is the assessment of student learning outcomes in academic programs?

Changes – More Students & Faculty More first year, transfer, and graduate students More residential students Changes in student demographics respond to the economy, workplace needs, and the ethnic/national identities living in the region Student demographic information Enrollment report Annual report More new faculty, new/enhanced programsnew faculty

Changes – More Money The cost of attending Stockton has increased Voluntary System of Accountability 2011 Fundraising and College assets have grown In 2011, first $1 million gift for scholarships to support low-income students Stockton faculty have received more internal and external funding Institutional Profile 2009 (contains comparative data about faculty grants) Grants/Contracts FY10

Changes – More Services Increased services for students Increased services More smart classrooms and computer labs More online courses Expanding physical plant Increased community partnerships and off- campus learning centerscommunity partnerships and off- campus learning centers

Instructional Program Assessment Big Task/Little Pieces – Rubrics – Spreadsheet – Interview Summary Task assignment - overlap

Rubric Began with a qualitative approach – Incomplete, Satisfactory, Exemplary Disparate methodologies prompted a more global perspective Extracted assessment reports from program self-studies Summarized assessment efforts at the program, school, and institution levels

Breaking Down the Task

Sub-Group Report Submitted to co-chairs Report Sections – Procedure – Evidence – Summary of Findings – Suggestions

Task Management Blackboard CE8 Course Section – Document Repository – Progress Reports – Report Drafts

Blackboard Repository

Institute for Faculty Development Supports effective pedagogy and productive scholarship for all faculty members Director develops resources for teaching, research, service, and assessment of student learning Evidence newsletter – communicates the assessment of student learning by faculty, programs, and schools (8 years’ worth) – Publishes and interprets the results of the CLA, VSA, and NSEE data for use in faculty and program discussions on improvement

Evidence

Evidence

Annual Coordinator Reports Sample page from Annual Program Coordinators’ Reports draft template. Similar to 5-year program review draft template: collects consistent information follows a consistent organization uses predictable categories includes relevant data from Institutional Research

Academic Program Reviews This draft template provides for consistent information, and format, facilitating internal and external reporting and institutional data mining.

Sedona A web database application – allows faculty to maintain their teaching, research, service, experience, development, credentials, and assessment records – used to support accreditation, build rubrics to assess learning objectives, customize reports, create database queries, ePortfolios, evaluations, and benchmark faculty productivity – can be connected to the institutional database

Sedona Currently being used by the School of Business for AACSB accreditation—will be expanded for use throughout the college Provides consistency in reporting of data and use of terminology facilitating more reliable comparisons throughout the college Allows for graphical representation of data for ease of comparison of progress in assessment in faculty development

Sedona

Looking Ahead Encourage ongoing campus conversation Further refinement of course, program, and school goal alignment with institutional goals Refinement of templates for course/program assessment documentation Development of an electronic document repository as a single, institutional resource

Questions? Linda D. Feeney, Ed.D. Director of Computer Services Diane Holtzman, Ed.D. Assistant Professor, Business Studies Carra Leah Hood, Ph.D. Associate Professor, Writing Jennifer Barr, Ph.D. Professor, Business Studies The Richard Stockton College of NJ  101 Vera King Farris Dr  Galloway, NJ Presentation slides and web links available at: