SERVICE, ENGAGEMENT, AND ACCREDITATION Measuring Outcomes Indiana Campus Compact Indianapolis, IN November 10, 2005
DEVELOPMENT OF GOALS/OUTCOMES Mission statement(s): vision, values, goals Goals and objective for general education NSSE/benchmarking Defined in course requirement(s) Strategic planning goals Freshman year experience Goals/outcomes to fit specific types of students Institutional definition/promotion/distinctiveness
PROCESS Mission revision General education review Lilly funding stimulus Clearer definition of purposes of existing partnerships Just start, then shape and define SL or CE office leadership Triggered by self-study/AQIP processes
PROCESS Incubators (faculty/departments) Created through partnership projects
EVIDENCE Transcript/course numbering Student work/journals/course products Student identification of learning outcomes/growth/change Basic bean counting (how many did...) Integrate into capstone experiences Community survey Creative data mining
EVIDENCE Testimonials (agency, students, faculty) Sampling? Portfolios (structure, discipline) National tools (NSSE) Kellogg Study framework (7 part test) Include student organizations and clubs
CHALLENGES Soft money Lack of valid instruments for measuring Measuring competencies Fit of service learning for working adults Conundrum of “definitions”/tracking Cost of accessing some useful information Incentivization that gets results Role of faculty rewards/recognition Highly decentralized nature of varieties of engagement on campus
CHALLENGES Politicization of many social justice issues/voting Faculty buy-in/sharing responsibility--adjuncts, too. Distinguishing actions of individuals from university position Appropriateness of “triad” to what institutions want for student Maintaining relationships over the long haul. Moving beyond listing to critical reflection Fit to minority students/communities Who defines outcomes in a partnership?
CHALLENGES Differential value of projects to the college/community Urban/rural differences Relationship of service learning to needs that are driving the economy
SUGGESTIONS Conferences: Florida State Institute on College Student Values; Educators for Community Engagement:.... See this as shifting cultures, not just tinkering with what exists Use the scholarship of engagement/service: e.g. Michigan Journal of Community and Service Learning Social justice vs social responsibility Be satisfied with temporary answers as you search for longer term solutions
COMMENTS Unique position of Indiana Shifting campus culture is hard although not impossible. Unique window of opportunity: who shapes the academy and for what ends? Central role of faculty, but new openness to issues of learning and pedagogy. Asking questions is a good thing and not a bad place to be.
INDIANA CAMPUS COMPACT Jackie McCracken Executive Director