Assessment in Student Affairs at The University of Memphis Active learning: Comment at Twitter #umassess Polleverywhere = pollev.com; text from phone Take notes Three volunteers

Objectives Identify aspects of “doing assessment” Explain why assessment is important to Student Affairs at The University of Memphis Recognize types of assessment Develop a self-perception of your individual competence for assessment Identify ways you might improve your individual assessment competence Recognize the extent to which your department supports assessment Identify one action you might do in order to support divisional assessment priorities

“Assessment builds a bridge between learners and educators so that each understands self and one another in a more authentic way” ◦Keeling et al. (2009), Assessment Reconsidered

Assessment Upcraft (2003) defines assessment as “any (intentional, meaningful, coordinated) effort to gather, analyze, and interpret evidence, which describes institutional, divisional, or agency effectiveness” (p. 556). Student affairs assessment is the formal and informal collection and review of data pertinent to student affairs functions.

What assessment is NOT It is NOT research. ◦Research aims to prove/explain often across contexts; Assessment used for ongoing improvement in some singular context ◦While assessment must have a determined methodology, the expectations for assessment are not the same as with research ◦Research requires IRB approval; assessment typically does not

How will we know? Quantitative ◦Surveys  National admin (e.g. NSSE)  Locally developed; post and pre ◦Evaluations ◦Tests; Exams; Direct measures Qualitative ◦Focus groups ◦Interviews ◦Student one-on-one interaction; document; analyze themes

Types of Assessment Learning/Retention – what do students/stakeholders learn? How does our program support keeping them in school and persisting to graduation? Program Effectiveness – what do we do well/not so well? Student Experiences – what are they? Student Perceptions (aka satisfaction) -what do they think of their experiences? Head counts – how many use our services/visit offices/? What kinds of contacts are we having?

Why is assessment important? Externally demanded, inspired by a weakening of the implied social contract regarding higher education Institutional demands – provide evidence of contributions For Student Affairs, it positions us stronger with the academic mission of the institution; strengthens idea that we educate Explains what we do, what we accomplished and what difference that makes in ways that other people who are not us can understand and remember

You doing assessment means you are: ◦Asking appropriate questions (intentionality) ◦Reflecting on answers across “cases” (reflection) ◦Explaining common responses (identifying themes) ◦Documenting these themes (record-keeping for dissemination/personal revisiting) ◦Using the themes to inform approaches (Acting/improving practice) Assessment ultimately is ◦Intentional, Reflective, Active, Developmental

Individuals What do I know to do well? What kind of assessment do I already do? What do I need to know more about? What are the best ways to teach me? How do I make the time to do assessment? Handout, notes, discuss and/or personal reflection Offer thoughts on #umassess and polleverything

Individual Debrief What do YOU need from me? ◦#umassess Diverse skills/perceptions of competence Varied commitment to increased competence Unsure of how to infuse into work

Making it a part of our work Contribute through administering a quantitative approach ◦Dan can help Contribute through some qualitative approach ◦Dan can help Contribute through thoughtful, intentional approach with students, asking the right questions, documenting responses, reflecting on themes, reporting, using for future practice ◦You have to do this but it has the most payoff for practice ◦Can be collaborative and developmental

Assessment must be a priority What MUST stay and what CAN go in order to infuse this more into your work? What must a work week look like if we better infuse assessment?

Departmental Rate your department: 5 – part of culture; consistent purposeful attention to assessment; attentive to institutional, divisional, and distinct departmental demands/needs; “We have an assessment agenda” 4 – part of culture; ebbs and flows as a priority; attentive to divisional demands and distinct departmental needs “We have an assessment plan” 3 – part of culture during key reporting times; some ongoing assessment exists; attentive to divisional demands; “We attend to assessment tasks” 2 – not a part of the culture; attentive to divisional demands during report times; assessment is something we hurry up and do when we’re tasked to do so “We respond to assessment demands” 1- If wouldn’t get in trouble for not doing assessment, then wouldn’t. “Assessment? UGH!”

Departmental What messages do I get from departmental leadership about the importance/value of assessment? Have clear expectations been set for all in the department to participate in assessment? What have we been doing? How effective has it been? What times during the year do I see assessment become a bigger part of my job? Are there (extended periods of time) during which I can just forget about assessment?

Departmental Rate your department: 5 – part of culture; consistent purposeful attention to assessment; attentive to institutional, divisional, and distinct departmental demands/needs; “We have an assessment agenda” 4 – part of culture; ebbs and flows as a priority; attentive to divisional demands and distinct departmental needs “We have an assessment plan” 3 – part of culture during key reporting times; some ongoing assessment exists; attentive to divisional demands; “We attend to assessment tasks” 2 – not a part of the culture; attentive to divisional demands during report times; assessment is something we hurry up and do when we’re tasked to do so “We respond to assessment demands” 1- If wouldn’t get in trouble for not doing assessment, then wouldn’t. “Assessment? UGH!”

Departmental Debrief What does YOUR DEPARTMENT need from me?

Divisional Discussion What’s working? What needs to improve? What do I need to do to support collective efforts? What roles could each of us play?

What we all need to do Acknowledge the external/internal demand will not go away Become educated/educate (TAG) Advocate for the value of assessment Determine assessment priorities ◦Driven by Federal and State priorities, Dr. Raines, Dr. Bingham, AVPs, departmental needs/functions Create a plan to best collect evidence Infuse assessment into our work; philosophy! Dedicate time to some level of assessment Discussion with supervisors: ◦If doing assessment is too demanding, but there is a need for assessment, what needs to give? ◦If not you, then who?

“Assessment builds a bridge between learners and educators so that each understands self and one another in a more authentic way” ◦Keeling et al. (2009), Assessment Reconsidered