Academic Freedom & Meaningful Assessment Ursula Waln, Director of Student Learning Assessment Central New Mexico Community College

Academic Freedom Faculty Rights and Responsibilities

“ ” American Association of University Professors. (1940). Statement of principles on academic freedom and tenure. AAUP Policy Tenth Ed. (2). The common good depends upon the free search for truth and its free exposition.

“ ” Academic freedom is necessary not just so faculty members can conduct their individual research and teach their own courses, but so they can enable students —through whole college programs of study— to acquire the learning they need to contribute to society. Excerpted with permission from Academic Freedom and Educational Responsibility. Copyright 2006 by the Association of American Colleges and Universities. Retrieved from

“ ”...Faculty are responsible for establishing goals for student learning, for designing and implementing programs of general education and specialized study that intentionally cultivate the intended learning, and for assessing students’ achievement. In these matters, faculty must work collaboratively with their colleagues in their departments, schools, and institutions as well as with relevant administrators… Excerpted with permission from Academic Freedom and Educational Responsibility. Copyright 2006 by the Association of American Colleges and Universities. Retrieved from

“ ”... When properly undertaken – that is, undertaken in concert rather than conflict with academic freedom – learning outcomes assessment relies upon faculty enacting their rights and upholding their responsibilities, including assuring that students, individually and in the aggregate, are meeting their intended goals and those of the institution and its constituent parts. Cain, T. R. (2014). Assessment and academic freedom: In concert, not conflict. Occasional Papers. National Institute for Learning Outcomes Assessment. Retrieved from

Collaboration Part of Shared Governance

“ ” Assessment rightly conducted does not ask faculty to repress their knowledge or judgments. Rather, it asks faculty to work together as colleagues to assess student work fairly by criteria respected in the field and to share their knowledge of student strengths and weaknesses, in order to improve curriculum, pedagogy, and other factors affecting learning. Woolvard, B. (2004). Assessment clear and simple: A practical guide for institutions, departments, and general education. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

“ ” The results of assessment can help educate faculty and administrators, suggest new practices, and inform curricular revisions. They should be used to generate thoughtful discussions and encourage improvement but not to force the adoption of new styles or techniques and not to mandate changes in the classroom. Cain, T. R. (2014). Assessment and academic freedom: In concert, not conflict. Occasional Papers. National Institute for Learning Outcomes Assessment. Retrieved from

Customization Finding the Right Fit in Course-Level Assessment

“ ” …If faculty have very diverse teaching goals, then it is not meaningful or responsible to assess the outcomes of their efforts with common instruments. And if faculty teaching goals differ from the stated goals of the program or institution, then focusing assessment on the latter goals risks failing to notice what is being accomplished… Angelo, T. A. (1994). Teaching goals, assessment, academic freedom and higher learning. Essays on Teaching Excellence. Vol. 5 (No. 7). Retrieved from

“ ” Put assessment fully under faculty purview... Have flexible plans that embrace disciplinary differences... Make use of what faculty are already doing... Frame assessment in terms of improvement – and mean it... Use the results wisely... Cain, T. R. (2014). Assessment and academic freedom: In concert, not conflict. Occasional Papers. National Institute for Learning Outcomes Assessment. Retrieved from

“ ” The institution’s processes and methodologies to assess student learning reflect good practice, including the substantial participation of faculty and other instructional staff members. Higher Learning Commission. (2015). Criteria for Accreditation (Core Component 4.B.4). North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. Retrieved from

Assessment and Academic Free dom Compatibility Requiring faculty to articulate learning goals Requiring faculty to contribute to identified program outcomes Requiring faculty to participate in outcomes assessment and improvement efforts Abridgement Abrogating faculty control of measure selection and application Imposing models that do not allow for disciplinary differences Allowing standardization of measures to require standardized approaches to teaching

VALUES GOAL Academic Freedom Balanced Authority External mandates are balanced by the freedom to pursue internally relevant interests, and reporting requirements encourage reflective practices without imposing undue workloads, commandeering faculty efforts, or undermining faculty authority. Academic Merit Assessment is valued primarily for its usefulness in improving student learning outcomes, and accountability is a welcome side effect. Institutional Solidarity Faculty members feel safe to probe uncertain terrain because assessment leading to insights is valued over pro forma assessment. Program Integrity Faculty choose assessment approaches at the course level and relate the findings to the program level via aligned learning outcomes.

VALUES GOAL Shared Governance Balanced Authority The faculty is strongly represented in the institutional leadership that determines the policies and procedures governing assessment reporting. Academic Merit Assessment is steeped in an ethos of inquiry, scholarly analysis, and civil academic discourse that encourages faculty participation in decision- making. Institutional Solidarity Focusing on assessment at the program level promotes shared ownership of program goals and outcomes without spotlighting individual faculty members. Program Integrity A decentralized assessment model encourages collaborative program- level analysis and application of findings.

VALUES GOAL Professional Relevance Balanced Authority Faculty and departments draw upon their field expertise to: determine what the learning outcomes and pedagogy should be, formulate their own assessment questions, employ appropriate measures, interpret results, and respond to findings. Academic Merit Faculty members care about the quality of information assessment provides because they gain from it insights and perspective they can apply toward meaningful changes. Institutional Solidarity Decisions and requests based on credible evidence and thorough analysis receive administrative support. Program Integrity Individual faculty members interpret findings as they pertain to their own classes and collaborate with their colleagues to interpret findings at the program level.

Clearly Articulated Program Goals Provide structure for defining success from a variety of angles

“Be Together. Not the Same” Alignment of course goals to clearly articulated program goals allows faculty to apply course-level measures to program- level assessment. Nebulous program goals fit broadly but serve scantily.

Examples of Program Goals (a.k.a. Competencies or Student Learning Outcome Statements) Apply knowledge of mathematics. Use mathematical methods to model biological systems. Perform mathematical calculations essential to the duties of pharmacy technicians in a variety of contemporary settings. Demonstrate creativity. Apply knowledge of literary techniques and principles of composition to write original, innovative works. Apply knowledge of art techniques and design principles to solve creative problems in innovative ways.

Unambiguous Criteria Common understanding of how program-level learning outcomes are to be evaluated Rubrics, lists, performance standards, etc. Describe what the learning looks like Fleshed out enough to support tangible connections

Deriving Meaning from Diverse Course-Level Assessments Instructors on their Own Interpret and use for own course analysis and professional growth Share findings as they relate to program goals Program Faculty in Collaboration Pool and analyze findings from multiple measures, all related to program goals Explore answers to questions relevant to the discipline Seek ways to improve student learning outcomes