Part I of Reporting Followed by A-Team Updates Jennifer Lowman September 23, 2013

Reporting Learning Outcomes Assessment Report – Student centered, evidence-based outcomes To Do List 1.Align Mission and Learning Outcomes in one document The key of well-defined Goals/Objectives 2.Turn your methodology into a narrative Detailed enough that another person could replicate your process

LOA Report 1.Introduction 1.Mission – Goals – Outcomes Alignment* 2.Methodology* 3.Results 4.Plan of Action a)To improve Program b)To improve Assessment c)Implications (optional) d)Dissemination (optional) What’s Missing? 1.Description of the Event 2.“Literature Review” Yes, I left it out on purpose!

Mission Outcomes Recall: Start at the End, with what students learn To assess the assessment process we need some context – Description of Assessment Why did we observe what we observed? – Description of Mission – Assessment Alignment Did we observe what we need to observe?

Goals link Materials with Ideals Learning Outcomes  Observable Outcomes Realistic, situational, limited Goals  Optimal Outcomes Idealistic, best case scenario Mission  Why Affirmation of why we are here

Example 1 New Student Initiatives – Within New Student Initiatives, our sole purpose is to make sure new students at Nevada succeed academically, socially and emotionally in their first year of college. – We know that if new students adapt well to college life, they are far more likely to re-enroll and have a successful progression to graduation.

Example 1 - Mission New Student Initiatives – Within New Student Initiatives, our sole purpose is to make sure new students at Nevada succeed academic ally, social ly and emotion ally in their first year of college. – We know that if new students adapt well to college life, they are far more likely to re-enroll and have a successful progression to graduation.

Example 1 – Implied Goals Goal 1: Academic Success Goal 2: Social Success Goal 3: Emotional Success Goal 4: Adapt to College Goal 5: Re-enroll, Persist Goal 6: Graduate

Example 1 – Link to LOs Goal 1: Academic Success – Learning Outcome 1: As a result of attending orientation students will be able to identify at least three resources that can assist them with academic success. Goal 2: Social & Emotional Success – Learning Outcome 1: As a result of attending orientation students will be able to identify at least three resources that can assist them with personal and social success. Goal 3: Emotional Success

New Student Initiatives The mission of the Office of New Student Initiatives is to make sure new students at Nevada succeed academically, socially and emotionally in their first year of college. We know that if new students adapt well to college life, they are far more likely to re- enroll and have a successful progression to graduation. We provide support and programming to achieve five goals. Goal 1: Academic Success Goal 2: Social & Emotional Success Goal 3: Adapt to College Goal 4: Re-enroll, Persist Goal 5: Graduate In the summer of 2013, we assessed the achievement of our first two goals by observing two student learning outcomes. Goal 1: Academic Success Learning Outcome 1: As a result of attending orientation students will be able to identify at least three resources that can assist them with academic success. Goal 2: Social & Emotional Success Learning Outcome 1: As a result of attending orientation students will be able to identify at least three resources that can assist them with personal and social success.

Example 2 - Mission Office of Fraternity & Sorority Life – The University of Nevada's Fraternity and Sorority community exists to promote a unified community of integrity, character and cultural diversity. – Our foundation rests on the extended support system that we create through which our members' academic, personal, and professional successes are fostered. As a group, we strive to improve not only our individual members but also the local community as a whole. We hope that our lifelong connection will provide a positive and lasting effect on all those who come to know us.

Example 2 - Goals Goal 1 – Unified campus community Goal 2 – Integrity Goal 3 – Character Goal 4 – Cultural Diversity Goal 5 – Academic Success Goal 6 – Personal Success Goal 7 – Professional Success Goal 8 – Improve Local Community

Example 2 – Link to LOs Goal 7 – Professional Success Objective 1: Leadership – Learning Outcome 1: Chapter Presidents who participate in monthly one on one meetings will be able to identify three goals in areas of leadership growth. – Learning Outcome 2: Chapter Presidents who participate in monthly one on one meetings will be able to identify three areas of chapter policy growth. – Learning Outcome 3: Chapter Presidents who participate in monthly one on one meetings will be able to evaluate three areas where transformative leadership has impacted their chapter

Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life The University of Nevada's Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life exists to promote a unified community of integrity, character and cultural diversity. Our foundation rests on the extended support system that we create through which our members' academic, personal, and professional successes are fostered. As a group, we strive to improve not only our individual members but also the local community as a whole. We hope that our lifelong connection will provide a positive and lasting effect on all those who come to know us. We provide support and programming to achieve eight goals. Goal 1 – Unified campus community Goal 2 – Integrity Goal 3 – Character Goal 4 – Cultural Diversity Goal 5 – Academic Success Goal 6 – Personal Success Goal 7 – Professional Success Goal 8 – Improve Local Community In the fall of 2013, we assessed the achievement of our seventh goal by observing three student learning outcomes. Goal 7 – Professional Success Objective 1 - Leadership Learning Outcome 1 - Chapter Presidents who participate in monthly one on one meetings will be able to identify three goals in areas of leadership growth. Learning Outcome 2 - Chapter Presidents who participate in monthly one on one meetings will be able to identify three areas of chapter policy growth. Learning Outcome 3 - Chapter Presidents who participate in monthly one on one meetings will be able to evaluate three areas where transformative leadership has impacted their chapter.

Complexity Varies Mission Statement – Goal 1 Learning Outcomes a, b, c – Goal 2 Learning Outcomes a, b, c Mission Statement Goal 1 Objective 1 (1:1) Learning Outcomes a, b, c Objective 2 (1:2) Learning Outcomes a, b, c Goal 2 Objective 1 (2:1) Learning Outcomes a, b, c Objective 2 (2:2) Learning Outcomes a, b, c

“Why I hate Mission Statements” handout Author: Michele Yurecko Key Points – Too aspirational – Always look forward, never back – Overwhelmingly affirmational – Eliminate challenges and limitations from identity – Too focused on self-promotion

Methodology Replication  Institutional Memory How you did what you did & why Written record of key decisions you made – Selection of Methods Description of Instruments – Selection of Participants Description of participants and non-participants – Limitations and Lessons

Context? Chronological approach – Process as a sequence – Implies direct causality – Promotes replication Narrative approach – Process is emergent or fluid – Implies simultaneous events – Multiple sources of indirect influence

Misstep in Reporting Failure to target your audience – Mission and Methodology  Each other – Results and Plans of Action  Administration Benefit of your Colleague as your target audience – Don’t spend time describing your event – Spend time describing your methods, measurement, and key decision points – Transparency will help everyone improve both programming and assessment