A Team-Based Assessment Model Annual Conference on First-Year Assessment October 12-14, 2008 San Antonio, Texas John N. Gardner Executive Director, Policy Center on The First Year of College

Focus on the Institution Institutional Policies, Structures, Practices, Procedures What we CONTROL What we can CHANGE What we can CONTINUE What students do Student success

First-Year as a Single Unit of Analysis Students experience “the college” as a whole – not as an array of units/divisions. Assessment, historically, has chopped up the first year into artificially distinct programs.

What is the Foundations of Excellence ® Self Study? Builds on 30 year First Year Experience reform movement Takes a holistic approach to the first year Aspirational, not minimum, standards Model for assessment and improvement Voluntary, comprehensive self study May be linked to reaccreditation New form of task force based assessment

The Standards Model Foundations of Excellence ® in the First College Year Rationale FYE—a 20 year old reform movement A victim of its own success First-year orientation seminar Focused on retention Fragmented activities Foundations Project—an attempt to move beyond narrow, program-level assessment Aspirational model Measurement model

Foundations of Excellence ® Project began in 2003 with four-year sector (with 124 pilot and 24 “Founding Institutions”) Extended in 2005 to two-year institutions (with 88 pilot and 10 “Founding Institutions”) Currently, 20 four-year and 10 two-year participants To date, 147 institutions, both four-year and two-year, have participated in Foundations of Excellence

FoE Key Components Foundational Dimensions ® Performance Indicators Faculty Staff & Student Surveys Current Practices Inventory (CPI) Policy Center Written Feedback

Foundational Dimensions ® Philosophy Organization Learning Faculty/Campus Culture Transitions All Students Diversity Roles & Purposes Improvement

Philosophy The problem: Many approaches to the first year have no underlying philosophical base, no purpose beyond retention. Why this Dimension is important: The experience of first-year students should be crafted with a sense of educational purpose.

Organization The problem: No one in charge; inefficient and confusing “silos” Why this Dimension is important: Organization is essential to the realization of purpose.

Learning The problem: Inadequate attention to learning Why this Dimension is important: Learning is the primary purpose of going to college.

Transitions The problem: Uneven attention to elements of successful transition Why this Dimension is important: The success of the initial transition predicts future collegiate success.

Faculty/Campus Culture (Four-Year/Two-Year) The problem: Need for more meaningful faculty and staff involvement with first-year students Why this Dimension is important: Without involvement of faculty and staff, first-year initiatives are difficult to launch and sustain.

All Students The problem: Many initiatives reach only certain students; others do not reach populations with special needs. Why this Dimension is important: All new students have developmental needs that should be addressed.

Diversity The problem: Institutions vary in the degree to which they successfully address diversity issues. Why this Dimension is important: Education about human difference is an important component of the beginning college experience.

Roles & Purposes The problem: Students’ narrow view of the purpose of higher education Why this Dimension is important: The first year is the time for exploration of roles and purposes.

Improvement The problem: Too few initiatives are subjected to rigorous assessment. Institutional isolation – lack of exposure to others Why this Dimension is important: Improvement is vital to sustainability and effectiveness.

FoETask Force: FoE Task Force: The engine of the process

Steering Committee Established & Meets Regularly Coordinates the Current Practices Inventory (CPI) Oversees the Foundations of Excellence Surveys Manages the Process and Campus Communications Review the Foundational Dimensions® Access FoEtec® Consider Task Force Membership and Leader Options Design the Work Flow Target Dates - Survey Administration Decisions Steering Committee Pulls It All Together Final Foundations of Excellence Report Executive Summary Report Card Report Narrative Prioritized Actions Implementation Plan Communicate Findings and Advocate for Improvement Implementation Periodic Review Adjustment Dimension Review

Foundations of Excellence ® Technology FoE tec ®

FoEtec ® - Hands-on Assessment Password protected online site– accessible 24/7 Access to the Current Practices Inventory & Performance Indicators specific to each Dimension Access to FoE Faculty/Staff & First-Year Student Surveys and Results Self-study materials are developed and stored in one central location that is accessible to everyone on the task force. Maintains a record of the self study and action item recommendations

Self-Study Home Base Software supports and structures the self-study process Manages Task Force Membership Designed to insure long-term campus ownership of the resulting improvement plan Progression Tracking

Current Practices Inventory The CPI is a comprehensive audit of all policies, practices, and programs affecting first-year students Accessible to all task force members, the CPI is updated throughout the process and provides a basis for evaluation

Data Tools Systematic evidence provides validation of the Dimensions Software provides a variety of resources for understanding and managing the survey process Survey results are integrated into the software to aid evaluation of institutional performance

Managing the Surveys The surveys are managed using an advanced suite of tools called the Web Enabled Survey System (WESS) Distribution Variety of Tracking & Reporting Features

Filtering Results by Demographics

Dimensions The Dimensions provide general guidelines for an intentional design of the first year Task force members use specific Performance Indicators to evaluate institutional achievement of the nine Foundational Dimensions ®

Performance Indicators Unique Performance Indicators (PIs) are used to examine institutional achievement of each Dimension PIs guides committee discussions and interaction Record of evaluations and recommendations

Evidence Library The Evidence Library is a central location for task force members to archive sources of evidence These documents and links are used in evaluating institutional achievement of the nine Dimensions.

1)We specifically recommend that a campus undertake a “self study” (yes, the two most dreaded words in the higher ed lexicon!) 2)And that this self study be conducted by a campus- wide task force charged to develop a strategic action plan for improvement 3)Evaluate institutional performance using some aspirational measures (we suggest those of excellence, and connected to the institutional mission statement) 4)Collect existing and new evidence, educate task force members, and use to make judgments and recommendations A Generic Self Study Template

5)Conduct an inventory of current policies, practices, high enrollment courses, high DWFI courses and student characteristics 6)Engage in a collegial, inclusive, intellectually stimulating process of analysis and decision making 7)Affirm what is working well 8)Recommend changes for what is not working well 9)Develop a vision, an intentional plan for your beginning college experience

Key Elements of a Generic Study of the First Year Make the first year a unit of analysis-- in its entirety. Discover and USE the data that you already have about the first year. Develop, implement, and continually evaluate your plan. Consider linking with procedures for assessment incorporated into reaffirmation of accreditation.

Contact Information John N. Gardner,