Using SNAAP Data for Positive Change 3 Million Stories March 8-9, 2013 Sally Gaskill, Director Amber D. Lambert, Research Analyst Angie L. Miller, Research Analyst Center for Postsecondary Research, Indiana University Bloomington snaap.indiana.edu

Session Outline SNAAP Basics Resources Ways to Use SNAAP Data– on campus and in the community Group Discussion

Introduction to SNAAP

SNAAP Mission We investigate the educational experiences and career paths of arts graduates nationally Provide the findings to educators, policy makers, and philanthropic organizations To improve arts training, inform cultural policy, and support artists

Leadership Partners Indiana University Center for Postsecondary Research Curb Center for Art, Enterprise, and Public Policy at Vanderbilt National Advisory Board

Generous start-up funding Surdna Foundation (leadership gift) Houston Endowment Barr Foundation (Boston) Cleveland Foundation Educational Foundation of America National Endowment for the Arts (4 consecutive grants)

SNAAP Basics: Who is surveyed? Participants drawn from.. Arts high schools Independent arts colleges, arts schools or departments in comprehensive colleges & universities All arts alumni, all years (since 2011) : surveyed selected cohorts

Increasing Numbers… 2011 Administration 36,000 respondents 66 institutions 2012 Administration 33,000 respondents 70 institutions Combining 2011 and 2012 respondents to create SNAAP Database with 69,000 respondents

Questionnaire Topics 1. Formal education and degrees 2. Institutional experience and satisfaction 3. Postgraduate resources for artists 4. Career 5. Arts engagement 6. Income and debt 7. Demographics

Participating institutions receive... Institutional Reports: Customized, Confidential Separate reports for undergraduate and graduate alumni Both quantitative and qualitative data New report on “Recent Grads” Comparative data with other schools Complete data file of responses Workshops/webinars on how to use data

Resources

Aggregate Reports

Aggregate Report (detail)

Annual Reports

Annual Report (detail)

SNAAP Special Reports

SNAAP Special Reports (detail)

SNAAP DataBriefs

Available at:

Using the Data

Using the data... Sharing on campus Alumni and donor outreach Recruitment Assessment and curricular change Strategic planning Advocacy and public policy

Sharing on Campus

2012 SNAAP Results Sarah B. Cunningham Executive Director of Research

Alumni and Donor Outreach

Recruitment

Assessment and Curricular Change

Using SNAAP for Curricular Assessment and Change

Using SNAAP for Curricular Assessment (cont.) Most important skills: 1. Creative thinking and problem solving 2. Listening and revising 3. Interpersonal relations and working collaboratively 4. Broad knowledge and education 5. Critical thinking and analysis of arguments and information Recommend that faculty: Incorporate open-ended projects (top skill #1) and group projects (top skill #3) Require analysis of theories or reviews/critiques (top skill #5) and provide opportunities for feedback and revision (top skill #2) Ensure curricula include a firm knowledge foundation in a wide variety of areas (top skill #4)

Using SNAAP for Curricular Assessment (cont.)

Identify strengths: What skills have the highest % of alumni reporting the institution helped them develop “very much” or “quite a bit”? Identify areas for improvement: What skills have the highest % of alumni reporting the institution helped them develop “very little” or “not at all”? Peer group information provides context: Do other institutions have similar strengths and weaknesses?

Examples From 2011 Aggregate Findings

Using SNAAP for Curricular Assessment (cont.) Alumni receive strong training in learning artistic techniques Discrepancies between those who say a skill is important for their work and those who say the institution helped them develop that skill suggest some improvements that could be made, such as: Requiring business and financial classes, or incorporating these elements into existing courses Include classes looking at the “nontraditional” career paths of arts graduates

Using SNAAP for Program Assessment

Using SNAAP for Program Assessment (cont.) Programs and services with low satisfaction may need to be revised Career advising had 59% report either “very dissatisfied” or “somewhat dissatisfied” Additional resources could be devoted to developing new components of career advising such as: Alumni career panel presentations Résumé or portfolio building sessions Networking opportunities for graduating students

Strategic Planning

Provides an overview to make decisions about the future direction of the school Reinforces leadership by documenting success Proof that you are involved in analyzing effectiveness of your institution

Advocacy and Policy

In your local community With state and other public sector funders With donors

Institutional Location & Careers In the first 5 years after leaving your institution, did you take up residency in the town/city where it is located to pursue you career?

Source: snaap.indiana.edu/pdf/2012/2012_Annual_Report.pdfsnaap.indiana.edu/pdf/2012/2012_Annual_Report.pdf

Discussion

Some discussion questions... What are other ways of using SNAAP data for positive change? What obstacles might you might face in using SNAAP data? How might SNAAP data benefit your institution?

Strategic National Arts Alumni Project Indiana University Center for Postsecondary Research Sally Gaskill, Director snaap.indiana.edu