1. Assessment in Action at the Community College: Initiatives and Progress
League for Innovation in the
Community College
March 29, 2010
Dr. Christine Harrington
Dr. Karen Hays
Alice Picardo
Middlesex County College

2. Learning Outcomes for Today’s Session:
Participants will be able to describe institutional assessment strategies and apply these strategies to their institution.
Participants will be able to identify the essential elements of a campus wide assessment website.

3. Assessment: Getting Started
Assessment Working Group
Summer Institute
Assessment Website
Workshops and Consultation

4. Assessment Working Group
Faculty
Service Areas
Administrators

5. Assessment Summer Institute
Strong Administrative Support
Small Group -> Large Group
Assessment Process
Shifting to Outcomes
Defining Academic Excellence: The Faculty Voice

6. Defining Assessment Assessment is gathering and Faculty evaluation
What it is…
What it is NOT!
Assessment is gathering and
using data to improve
student learning and services.
Integrated and ongoing
Driven by faculty in collaboration with administration
Faculty evaluation
About “proving” what we do is effective
Up to one person to decide
Designed to be done and put on a shelf until Middle States arrives

7. Simplifying the Assessment Process
Define Learning and Service Outcomes
Choose Assessment Method
Collect and Use Data to Improve Learning and Services

8. “Don’t Re-Invent the Wheel”
Professional Associations
Other Colleges
Learning from Others on Campus

9. Why Assessment? Allows us to look at the big picture.
Keeps us focused on what is important to us- what do we want to accomplish?
Guides our decision making- how can we improve what we do?
Useful tool to communicate to others – students, families, accreditation bodies.

10. Striving for Balance and Keeping Focused…
Manageable yet Meaningful
Productive not Perfect

11. Sharing Assessment Data???
Assessment Website
Sharing Assessment Data???

12. Assessment Website

13. Resources and Power Point Presentations

14. Academic Departments: Jan 2010
56%
78%
74%

16. Viewing and Submitting Assessment Materials

19. Assessment Workshops
Academic
Service
(Non-Academic)

20. Assessment Workshops Creating Learning and Service Outcomes
Creating Assessment Plans: Direct and Indirect Methods
Implementing Assessment Plans: Addressing Logistical Issues
Program and Department Maps
Maintaining our Momentum and Celebrating Our Accomplishments
Surveys and Assessment

21. Needs Assessment -->On-Line Tutorials
Narrated Power Points
Learning Outcomes
Service Outcomes
Course Abstracts
Assessment Plans and Using Data

22. Examples of Assessment Work

27. Strategic Plan Map

28. Assessment: Current Initiatives
Assessment and Research Technician
Course Evaluation Tools
Streamlining Assessment
Publicizing Course Abstracts
Improve Website