Steps to an Integrated Assessment System: Merging Culture and Process Cara Gardner Assessment Coordinator Bay Path College American Association of Colleges and Universities February 2013
Bay Path College Located in Longmeadow, Burlington, Sturbridge MA Founded in 1895 Womens College 2,300 students Undergraduate and Graduate programs
Step 1. Culture Change This is the biggest challenge, TracDat is the easy part!
Change is a journey.
Ready for change?
Requirements for Successful Change Management Executive Participation Not sponsorship, not delegation Respected Driver/Owner Empowered Change Agent Institution-wide Recognition Internal & External Drivers Key Early Adopters Faculty, Programs, Depts., Schools Know the Hurdles Understand & Engage Them
Faculty Engagement
Ways to Make Assessment our Normal work Monthly Faculty Meeting Assessment Story Standing Educational Assessment Committee Collaborative review assessment plans Annual Program Review Review, analyze, evaluate Year-End Institute Professional Development Leveraging Student Success Stories Other measures of student success
Monthly Faculty Meeting Assessment Story Opportunity for Peer-to-Peer Learning and Sharing Opportunity to share best practices
Standing Educational Assessment Committee Collaborative Review Of Assessment Plans Provides Improvement Feedback for Deans and Chairs
Annual Academic Program Review Includes: Student Learning Outcomes, Enrollment History Data, Program Data, Student Satisfaction Survey, and Summary of Improvements
Year-End Institute Professional Development Two Days of Faculty Professional Development
Leveraging Student Success Stories Stories demonstrate how students are applying their learning.
Step 2. Process for Developing Assessment Plans.
Every program has a plan. Identify program goals Complete curriculum mapping Determine a method of evaluation Set the criterion (minimum performance standard) Review program goals and assessment data annually Decide if improvement actions are needed If yes, assign action and follow-up date Review results
Triggers Improvement Actions
TracDat Uses for Continues Improvement
Organized Data Repository- Avoid the Data Maze
Many Benefits Many Benefits Allows big picture (system) perspective Makes visible strengths and weaknesses Centralizes data for evaluation Roll-up reporting capabilities Knowledge becomes institutionalized
Supports Strategic Direction
Additional Benefits Future Uses: Grant Management Storing alumni employment data Tracking strategic plans
Questions?