When: 4/5/2013 from 2:45 PM - 3:30 PM | Where: Columbus GH, Gold Level, East Tower |
Keywords: | ||
Description: | ||
| This session outlines procedures that NMHU followed while transforming the outcomes assessment system from a general, institutional portfolio approach, to a program-specific approach that generates outcomes assessment data unique to each program which feeds into a comprehensive, university-wide system. We discuss implementation issues surrounding aggregating program-specific data for university-level outcomes. |
Target Audience: |
| Assessment directors and faculty charged with building meaningful and useful centralized assessment systems for universities. |
Speaking: |
| Dr. Margaret A. Young, Dean-School of Business, Media and Technology, New Mexico Highlands University Dr. Jean L. Hill, Director, Office of Institutional Research, New Mexico Highlands University Dr. Margot S. Geagon, Assistant Professor of Finance and Quantitative Management, New Mexico Highlands University |
Issues to be Addressed: |
| This presentation outlines a 10-point process we followed in implementing a university-wide system. First we discuss the six original goals of our plan and the plans we made to meet these goals. We then outline specific actions that various departments and schools within the university took to match departmental goals to stated university outcomes. We’ll show several examples of these processes, and discuss the challenges and successes with this process. We will also discuss our results to date. To addresses issues of external validity that were raised in the Assessment Academy Results forum, we report on efforts to extend our model to correlate our internal assessments to externally normed assessments such state-mandated Teacher Licensure Exams, and external assessments in Business and other programs. Finally, we will outline where we are in this process and our plans for continual improvement |
Expected Learning Outcomes: |
| Participants in this session will get a glimpse into the successes and challenges associated with implementing a university-wide assessment system. Specifically, participants will have a process that they can use if they desire to pursue a similar set of goals. The process we developed at NMHU is as follows: Integrated University Outcomes Assessment Process 1.Convene a committee of the willing. 2.Obtain university administrative support for the process of university-wide outcomes assessment; build awareness of the importance of this process, and develop a set of expectations surrounding the process; 3.At the university level, identify desired goals that set parameters for matching departmental processes to university-wide learning outcomes objectives; 4.Develop a framework for inputting assessment data into a university-wide database; 5.Identify or develop assessments that show the degree of attainment of outcomes, both departmentally and university-wide ; 6.Develop curriculum matrices linking assessment objectives at the course level, the program level, the university level, and to external accreditation as appropriate. Reflect the objectives in course syllabi; 7.Develop an outcomes assessment handbook; 8.Collect outcomes assessment data annually on student performance; 9.Use the data formatively for program improvement; and 10.Implement a continuous improvement cycle to refine and improve the process. |