Dr. Geri Cochran Director, Institutional Research, Assessment and Planning

 It’s all about what is important to you ◦ Identifying what is important, the values that guide what you are doing. ◦ Using those values as a basis for evaluating what you are doing ◦ Taking what you have learned from that evaluation to improve what you are doing in order to better achieve your values

Program assessment is a form of evaluation by which participants in a program judge its effectiveness in achieving their values and use what they have learned to improve the program’s effectiveness in achieving those values.

Premise Assessment is linked directly to value Propositions 1. What we assess indicates what we value 2. What we value should guide what we assess

A form of evaluation in which the values of the participants’ in a program are made explicit expectations for what should “come out” of their actions and those actions are evaluated according to the extent to which the actions achieve the expected outcomes.

Improving Programs Program Outcomes Program Criteria Program Values

 Focusing on the value of education shifts our attention from inputs to outcomes  What “comes out” of an educational experience must be directly or indirectly observable to be assessed.  Program assessment belongs to the program; the purpose of outcomes assessment is to improve programs by encouraging evidence-based decision-making by people in the program

 Professional Readiness - Ability to work in the professional environment with a broad-stroke understanding of how movies are made and the individual specialty skills involved. - Ability to create a compelling reel or portfolio to profile themselves for specialized industry opportunities.

 Professional Communication - Ability to communicate using industry terminology. - Understanding of research required for film projects and professional presentations.  Creative Collaboration - Ability to assemble and work effectively with a team on film projects.

 Visual Storytelling - Understanding of story and how it is advanced through the arts of story development and screenwriting, as well as acting, directing, art direction, cinematography, picture-editing and sound design. - Ability to tell a compelling visual story. - Ability to conform written concepts and stories to the visual medium, beginning with storyboards.

 Critical Analysis - Understanding of film history, aesthetics, and technology. - Ability to apply understanding of film history, aesthetics, and technology to identify and solve contemporary filmmaking problems.  Technical Skills - Ability to properly set up and operate all basic grip and lighting equipment. - Ability to operate properly all production equipment, such as the Panasonic DVX video camera and Sound Devices sound mixer. - Understanding of and ability to implement Final Cut Pro editing software.

Specialty Skills by School of Filmmaking Discipline

 What evidence should be gathered for assessing outcomes?  What are the sources of the evidence for the outcomes?  How often is the evidence to be collected?

 Relatively direct (SACS preferred) ◦ Writing assignments ◦ Short films ◦ Design projects ◦ Senior Films ◦ Essay exams  Relatively indirect ◦ Surveys ◦ Internship reports ◦ Employer Surveys

 Evidence should be meaningful information that is appropriate for assessing a particular outcome.  Evidence should be manageable: reasonable to attain and evaluate (time, effort, availability)

 List of Outcomes  Evidence to be collected  Source of evidence  Frequency of collection of evidence

OutcomesEvidenceSourceFrequency Ability to assemble and work effectively with a team on film projects Production evaluations, internship reports Students, faculty, professional in the field Semester & Annually Ability to properly set up and operate all basic grip and lighting equipment. Instructor rubrics, peer evaluations, Tests, etc Students, facultyAnnually

 Is the evidence specific enough in describing the form of the evidence and venue for collection?  Does the plan rely mainly on direct evidence?  Is the evidence meaningful for the particular outcome?  Is the evidence manageable (reasonable to collect and evaluate) ?

Improving Programs Program Outcomes Program Criteria Program Values

 Goal: To use the evidence as a basis for judging the extent to which the program is meeting the members’ values for the program.

 Goal: To apply what has been learned in evaluating the program toward identifying actions to address areas of concern

 As a result of your assessment, what changes if any, have you implemented to address areas of concern (in the program or in the assessment of the program)?

 What outcomes are you planning to assess for the next reporting cycle?

 How can I help? Geri Cochran