Build up, Don’t Burn out MEREDITH FARKAS 897/

Assessment is the norm Doing it for the right reasons Customer-service focused Culture of learning, curiosity Decisions based on data New initiatives tied to performance measures Changes based on what is learned WHAT IS A CULTURE OF ASSESSMENT?

Be better teachers Make better decisions Demonstrate value to ourselves and others Use data to advocate for the library Use data to grow the IL program Hold ourselves to the same standards as any other academic department Accreditation WHY BUILD A CULTURE OF ASSESSMENT?

PSU 4: A NEW HOPE 850/

PSU 5: CRASH AND BURN 717/

Focused on doing what is needed for accreditation Coercive and top-down Little support or education Coalitions of the willing Data is gathered, but rarely used Not seen as an integral part of teaching and learning Often a lot of cynicism around assessment ASSESSMENT AT MANY INSTITUTIONS

What it takes to build a culture of assessment

“For a scholarship of assessment to thrive, we must align faculty culture, institutional structures, and leadership for change. The importance of this point cannot be overstated. A meaningful assessment program is more than just a new activity to be undertaken, it is a change in how we think about what we do in higher education.” Don Haviland. (2009). “Leading Assessment: From Faculty Reluctance to Faculty Engagement.” Academic Leadership 9(2).

Most librarians don’t have training in assessment of IL instruction Need to speak a common language The development of learning outcomes is an important step Need to be able to develop assessment tools and analyze results EDUCATION

STEP 1: OUTCOMES

Good learning outcomes are Measurable

Good learing outcomes Match the level (bloom’s)

Good learing outcomes are Balanced

Good learing outcomes are Transferable

Building an outcome

Outcomes: before and after Students will Come up with keywords for their paper topic Develop topic-relevant keywords in order to search with maximum flexibility and effectiveness Learn how to evaluate sources Critically evaluate different types of sources in order to select sources with quality appropriate to the information need

PSU Campus-Wide Learning Outcomes Matrix of PSU Information Skills and Abilities ILAGO/Portland Area IL Proficiencies for Rising Juniors ACRL Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education AASL Standards for the 21st Century Learner TOOLS WE USED

FEEDBACK, FEEDBACK, FEEDBACK 551/

Nov. 30, 2011 Outcomes adopted by Administrative Leadership Team

Strategize Definition: Students will develop the disposition and skills to develop a realistic topic and plan for research; determine what types of sources they should seek, develop an effective search strategy and ask for help when needed. Rationale: In order to find the information they need, students must first be able to clearly define their information need and understand what resources are available to them. Specific Outcomes:  Use general information resources to increase familiarity with the topic and disciplinary vocabulary.  Identify keywords, synonyms and related terms in order to flexibly search information resources.  Define or modify the research topic, question or thesis to achieve a manageable focus appropriate to the assignment criteria and available resources.  Seek out relevant individuals in one’s network in order to get assistance with their research.  Recognize that emotions play a role in the research process in order to decrease research anxiety.  Identify the range of library resources and services in order to develop a realistic overall plan and timeline for research.  Distinguish characteristics of sources produced for different audiences (scholarly, popular, professional, corporate, government) in order to select appropriate resources.

Step 2: Support

Collection of concrete assessment tools and techniques, tied to our outcomes. Incentivizing assessment? Assessment Plan Task Force Instruction retreat - determine questions we want to answer and revise outcomes Focus on assessment “where the light is better” FUTURE PLANS FOR SUPPORT

Wait. Get to know the culture Build political capital Don’t go into this alone. Provide assessment tools that people can immediately use in their classes Wait some more. WHAT I’D DO DIFFERENTLY

PSU 6: INCH BY INCH life/ /

Supporting assessment Keep the focus on student learning Provide plenty of education and support for faculty/staff Develop common learning outcomes for your instruction program Let faculty/staff choose their own assessment instruments

Supporting assessment Start small Focus on questions faculty/staff have Experiment early on Look for spots “where the light is better” Make it clear that individual (class/instructor) results will not be shared Don’t focus on creating the perfect assessment Plan for short-term wins

Supporting assessment Make sure there are no consequences for poor results Build incentives for doing assessment Give people time to reflect on their assessment results and improve their teaching Meet often to discuss what you’re learning from assessment

One person can’t do it alone Burnout is a risk Best setup: a manager and a peer Know who has your back Know what resources you have If administration isn’t as committed, it won’t happen If your colleagues aren’t on-board, it won’t happen BEST PRACTICES FOR CHANGE LEADERSHIP

Questions? Find me at meredith.wolfwater.com/wordpress mgfarkas (at) gmail.com flickr, twitter: librarianmer facebook: meredithfarkas Questions? Find me at meredith.wolfwater.com/wordpress mgfarkas (at) gmail.com flickr, twitter: librarianmer facebook: meredithfarkas