- Documenting the Self-Study (I) Preparation for Georgian Accreditation (with internationally acceptable standards) Amy Kirle Lezberg GEDA Staff NEA Staff Spring, 2007

Overview of This Session Introductions Overview: the meaning and process of accreditation The importance of the institutional self-study General advice for the self-study Comments on standards 2, 4, 6 *with time for your questions.

A Reminder: Why Accreditation Guarantees that a student gets the education promised by the institution’s mission (and faculty/department ’s goals) Guarantees that the credential awarded is appropriate to the education offered Facilitates transfer of credentials and credits Facilitates interpretation of credentials and credits by employers, etc

General Process of Accreditation Institutional Self-Study—the most important part (say what you do and how it meets the standards and your mission) Peer Visit—to Validate the Self-Study report (does the institution do what it says it does) Decision by the Commission (What decision does the self-study and peer report support? What requirements and recommendations to current practice are necessary) Note that this is a bottom-up process

Accreditation = Standards + Mission + Standards of NEA and higher education community Mission of your institution evidence, evidence, evidence, evidence, evidence, evidence, evidence, evidence, evidence, evidence Ultimate goal is assurance of quality

Importance of Institutional Mission Individuality within Consistency of addressing standards Importance of Institutional Mission Individuality within Consistency of addressing standards Accreditation is QUALITATIVE (not just quantitative) Institutional Mission must be supported by faculty, department and individual program goals, both academic and administrative At the heart of the accreditation process is the guarantee of excellence in education; all aspects of an institution Must therefore be carried out in a way that is APPROPRIATE TO ITS MISSION

QA is used to produce Self-study Product Process The document, the product, the report you produce. Mission + Standards. What the expert team uses. To examine your institution against the Standards. To analyze how and how well your institution meets the Standards. To increase institutional understanding through systematic scrutiny. To make necessary changes so that quality is achieved.

Examine itself against standards of the higher education community and its own mission Place institutional agenda in context Purposes of the Self-Study An introduction to the institution To validate, as part of the process The institution’s application for (continuing) accreditation Evidence of how institution fulfills the Standards 1. For the institution 2. For the team 3. For the Commission 3 purposes + 3 audiences ***********************

The essence of the written self-study Description: What we do to meet the Standards Appraisal: How well we do it – strengths + concerns Projection: Commitments for improvement Enhancing our strengths Addressing our concerns Meeting the challenges ahead

Preparation: Read the draft Standards and: 1.Attend the workshop and read the materials 2.Read the draft Standards, Indicators and Verification Sources 3.Plan how the self-study can serve the institution 4.Gather the data you’ll need for the study 5.Plan when and how to get participation 6.Read the Standards, Indicators and Verification Sources

Key Words for a Successful Self-Study Candid Evidence-based Analytical Participatory Clear Useful

Plan the Self- Study Write the self- study Self- study report Useful Participatory Candid Clear Concise Evidence- based Analytical Those key words in action....

Align the self study with what’s happening at the institution. Strategic plan Substantive change (planned or just in effect) New leadership – now or announced. Change in enrollment patterns Making sure the self-study is useful New programs Higher degree

Participatory: Getting involvement Who? How? When? Faculty, staff, board members, students, branch campus representatives Committees and sub-committees, surveys, focus groups, distributed and posted drafts At the beginning: a bottom-up process to a draft: e.g., When the self study is “along side” planning

Analytical: Putting STUDY in the self-study 1. Gather the evidence first 2. Figure out what additional information you’ll want – and go get it. 3. Remember: “How do you know?” in writing the Description and Appraisal sections 4. Don’t just tell what you do in assessment and evaluation – tell what you’ve learned and how you’ve used the information for improvement.

Examples of Evidence 1.Enrollment data: admissions, retention, advising 2.Publications: catalogs, websites, fact books 3.Institutional work products: policy statements, program reviews, strategic plans, committee minutes, task force reports 4.Assessment results: normed exams, portfolios, work samples, self-reported gains, external reviews of student work. 5.Surveys: of faculty, students, staff, alumni, employers, community

Evidence, evidence: Who has the evidence? Institutional Research Planning Office Admissions Registrar Chief Financial Officer Library Technology office Continuing education Student Services Alumni Affairs Career Services Orientation Freshman Seminar Academic Departments Deans’ Offices Graduate School

Evidence in the Self Study Not simply Who We Are “ There are 754,700 volumes in the library. ” But also What We Do “ A syllabus study shows that students in 65% of their classes have assignments that require them to use information resources. ” And How Effective We Are “ A review of senior capstone projects in three departments shows that 83% of the students were rated as ‘ proficient ’ or ‘ highly proficient ’ in information literacy skills. ”

EvidenceAnalysis “ There are 754,700 volumes in the library. ” “ This is a 20% increase in 5 years and puts us at the median of our peers. ” “ A syllabus study shows that students in 65% of their classes have assignments that require them to use information resources. ” “ It was not clear that students are expected to use increasingly sophisticated sources of information. ” Evidence-based and Analytical

Our students gain the skills of information literacy. Student Services successfully supports students with special needs. The faculty effectively use a variety of teaching styles and techniques. Our atmosphere supports people of diverse backgrounds and characteristics. The institution ensures the integrity of its finances. Evidence answers “ How Do You Know? ” How do you know??

Characteristics of Good Evidence 1.Relevant: to the question, the Standard. Valid. 2.Verifiable: Replicable. Reliable. Documented. 3.Representative: of the population and time period. Typical. 4.Cumulative: Multiple sources or data points, where possible, on most important points. Triangulation. 5.Actionable: Useful for improvement. Trustworthy and useful

Description, Appraisal, Projection Description Clear, succinct: How we meet the Standards Not just what we do; also what we learned Appraisal Evidence, evidence: Include it. Your analysis: Strengths and concerns Projection Clear plans: On-going and new commitments NO passive voice. NO self-advice.

Candor 1.To demonstrate institutional strength 2.As part of The Surprise Reduction Program! open, objective, straightforward, unconcealed, forthright

Candor and the 3 audiences Yourself : Team: Commission: To gain value from the process To build confidence in the institution’s ability to know itself and address its challenges To be candid with the Commission, you must first be candid with yourself.

Figuring it out if you’ve got it right... A good self-study is: A good self study: Clear Candid Concise Addresses the standards – with evidence Reflects the institutional mission Identifies institutional strengths and concerns Is helpful to the institution

Feedback from other system chairs “Hammer them to keep it brief.” 2.“Capture the overall feeling, not every individual gripe.” 3.“An excellent self-study is a good tool. A weak self-study is still a good tool.”

Plus documents in the team workroom** Provide backup and support to the self-study Organized by Standard Include a list in the self-study See sample list to be distributed **or electronically, if possible Gather at the beginning and as you work.

Find NAS on the web: us: Find self studies on the web (Google) Use the printed materials distributed Ask NAS to visit Send NAS drafts More help: