US Perspectives on Educational Quality, Assessment, and Accreditation A Presentation Dr. Joseph G. Burke Fulbright Specialist, Thailand June 2013

Outline Questions and Answers Describe US values & impact on quality Outline US quality movement Rationale and history Describe US Approach Questions and Answers

US Higher Education: Values & Context

Fundamental American Values Three Scales - FREEDOM v order - INDIVIDUAL v society - LIMITED v powerful government Strong belief in market approach to societal issues Values influenced: Constitution: Federal system and separation of powers Government policy regarding education & accreditation Others: health care, gun control

US Higher Education Context No powerful ministry of education Who’s in Charge? Feds provide some financial support and broad policy outlines State/local governments provide financial support and regulation Multiple non-governmental groups provide “participatory” rule making regimes: commissions, associations, agencies, boards

Implications US higher education system highly diverse & decentralized w/autonomous institutions Overlapping funding/regulatory structures Multiple organizations involved in accreditation Yet system: “best in the world” reputation protects academic freedom Encourages innovative and critical thinking w/entrepreneurial and highly successful graduates

Quality Assessment US History (1983) “A Nation at Risk” report of Reagan era Decline in learning standards versus rising costs (1985) “Time for Results” examination of HE (1985-2000) – Rise of Assessment Movement Phase I – Total Quality Procedures inherited from Industry (Processes and Industrial- type Awards) Phase II – Data Compilation Phase III – Big Question, comparative, and Internationalization Stage Phase IV -Current 2000 – Growing concern US education system less competitive. Growing federal intervention

Why Assessment Movement? Atmosphere of accountability Increased competition in academic marketplace Constrained fiscal condition requires evidence-based academic management Technology provides increased capacity to generate, compile, present, and analyze evidence Use of “Dashboards” (analytics) Industry provides better management techniques

The US APPROACH

Institutional Accreditation Responsibility Independent regional commissions elected by members Federal government periodically reviews performance Comprehensive focus Resources, governance, faculty qualifications, instructional quality, student performance Consequence of institutional failure Elimination of eligibility to participate in federal student aid and financial loan programs

Programmatic Accreditation Responsibility Commissions chosen by professional membership associations Some states involved in program approval Dual Focus Faculty qualifications, curriculum, student performance Level of Institutional support Consequences of failure dependent on professions

Accreditation Process Comprehensive Self Study by institution Multiday visit by peers, w/report & recommendations Institution comments Commission action Accredit Accredit with warning and reporting requirement Not Accredit Appeal Process

Questions for University Council and Administrative Leadership How Good is our Product What a student knows and can do upon graduation? What is the “value added” by the learning process? How good are we at producing our product? -retention and graduation rates Are our customers satisfied? Do we have the right mix? Do we make the grade? (Accreditation)

Summary Based Upon American Value System De-centralized w/multiple actors and approaches Focused on Student Development and Learning Quality approach Emphasizes formative evaluation and continuous improvement Accreditation based upon summative evaluation of Resource availability Program qualifications and results Assessment process

Comparison of US and Other Approaches to Quality US tends to disaggregate quality and risk management functions US less focused on comparative rankings US has far more diversified and de- centralized approach Each approach has strengths and weaknesses US accreditation/educational system under review National concerns about quality, competitiveness, effectiveness of meeting changing occupational requirements

AGB Resources Peter T. Ewell, Making the Grade, Second Edition, AGB Press, 2012. “AGB Statement on Board Responsibility for the Oversight of Educational Quality, AGB Press, 2011. “How Boards Oversee Educational Quality: A Report on a Survey on Boards and the Assessment of Student Learning,” AGB Press, 2010.

Question and Answers