The Collaborative Assessment of Learning Outcomes in Student Affairs

1
The Collaborative Assessment of Learning Outcomes
in Student Affairs

• Nathan Lindsay, Student Life Assessment
• Donna Chapa Crowe, Center for Leadership
  Education Service

2
Presentation Objectives

• Highlight a few keys for effective collaboration
  in learning outcome assessment
• Provide an overview of learning outcomes at the
  University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW)
• Outline several methods to assess learning
  outcomes
• Provide a forum for discussing others best
  practices, including how others have overcome
  challenges with assessment

3
Keys to Effective Collaboration

• 4 Desirable Levels of Professional Commitment to
  S.A. Assessment
• A supportive vice-president
• A director/coordinator of assessment
• An assessment committee
• Knowledgable unit-level staff
• (Green, Jones, Aloi, 2008, An Exploration of
  High-Quality Student Affairs Learning Outcomes
  Assessment Practices, NASPA Journal, 45(1),
  133-157).

4
In our S.A. Division, our Vice-President is
supportive of assessment.

1. Strongly Agree
2. Agree
3. Neither Agree or Disagree
4. Disagree
5. Strongly Disagree
6. Unsure

5
In our S.A. Division, we have a full-time
assessment coordinator/director.

1. Yes
2. No
3. Unsure

6
In our S.A. Division, we have an assessment
committee.

1. Yes
2. No
3. Unsure

7
In our S.A. Division, our unit level directors
take responsibility for assessment.

1. Strongly Agree
2. Agree
3. Neither Agree or Disagree
4. Disagree
5. Strongly Disagree
6. Unsure

8
Overview of UNCW

• Regional, comprehensive university
• 2007-2008 Enrollment 11,911
• Division of Student Affairs
• 142 staff in 12 departments
• Most recent student affairs strategic plan
  developed in 2004-2005, modeled after the
  university plan

9
UNCWs History of Assessment

• Assessment Committee formed in 2004-2005.
• Learning Outcomes developed and aligned with
  Division Strategic Plan.
• Wabash National Study of Liberal Arts Education
  served as sample plan.
• Directors built Department Strategic Plans based
  on Learning Outcomes.

10
Assessment Questions in Student Affairs

• Are students
• Participating?
• Satisfied?
• Learning?
• To answer this third question, UNCW developed 6
  Learning Outcomes
• Informed Reasoning, Effective Communication,
  Personal Responsibility, Pluralistic Maturity,
  Well Being, and Civic and Community Engagement

11
UNCWs Strategic Assessment of Goals, Objectives,
and Learning Outcomes

• Conducted in Summer 2007-Spring 2008
• An assessment of all 6 Learning Outcomes, as
  outlined in the Sub-Outcomes
• Completed by all Student Affairs Departments (see
  handout)
• Likert Scale self assessment

12
Likert Scale for Strategic Assessment

• 1   Outcome is non-applicable (i.e., N/A)
• 2   Outcome is applicable, but is not being
  addressed (i.e, missing)
• 3  We hope/believe that the outcome is being
  addressed (i.e., hopeful)
• 4   We have anecdotal evidence that the outcome
  is being addressed (i.e., probable)
• 5   We have empirical evidence that the outcome
  is being addressed (i.e., demonstrated)

13
Division of Student Affairs Strategic Assessment
regarding Pluralistic Maturity

• Student learning outcomes needing the most
  attention
• To understand that actions and values are shaped
  by understandings and interpretations of the
  past, of culture, and of ones position in
  society.
• To participate in opportunities to learn about
  different cultures.
• To understand your personal responsibility toward
  achieving a diverse society.

14
Learning Outcomes Survey Background Information

• Conducted in Spring 2007
• 1,122 UNCW students participated
• Random sample stratified by class year, gender,
  and race/ethnicity
• Administered online by StudentVoice
• Purpose of the survey
• To assess how participation in student affairs
  programs and events was related to students
  development of personal responsibility.

15
Study Research Questions

• 1) How did the overall sample of UNCW students
  score on the items measuring personal
  responsibility?
• 2) How did participation in student affairs
  activities predict students responses on these
  items?

16
Learning Outcomes Results

• As a result of their experiences at UNCW,
• 88.64 of students agreed that they understood
  the power and privilege that comes with being
  educated.
• 86.75 of students agreed that they have a better
  understanding of their personal strengths and
  weaknesses.
• 83.52 of students agreed that they are better
  aware of how their current actions and behaviors
  impact their future career opportunities.

17
The Benefits of InvolvementExample 1 Housing
Residence Life

• As a result of my experiences at UNCW, I better
  understand the impact of my behavior on others.
• In response to the above question, the
  percentages of students who agreed were as
  follows

18
Example 1 Housing Residence Life

• As a result of my experiences at UNCW, I better
  understand the impact of my behavior on others.
• In response to the above question, the
  percentages of students who agreed were as
  follows

19
Examples 2, 3, and 4

• 90 students who participated in CLES programs
  agreed that their leadership skills had been
  developed at UNCW, whereas only 78 agreed in the
  total sample.
• 84 of students who participated in CAREs
  programs and services agreed that they now were
  more likely to take responsibility for their
  actions. In comparison, only 70 of the overall
  UNCW sample agreed with this statement.
• 80 of students who participated in various
  aspects of Health Promotions agreed that they
  were more knowledgeable about health and wellness
  issues, compared to 62 of the overall UNCW
  sample who agreed with this statement.

20
Working Toward Transparency

• Reports created on the Strategic Assessment of
  Learning Outcomes, as well as the Personal
  Responsibility Survey
• Findings discussed by the Assessment Committee
• Results shared with IR, and presented at the
  Directors Meeting and at the Full-Division
  Meeting
• In individual meetings, staff are encouraged to
  highlight these results in their annual reports

21
Benefits of Learning Outcomes Assessment

• Provides opportunities to document the value
  added by our programs
• Helps us question our assumptions
• Facilitates an evaluation of areas of strength
  and weakness across the student affairs division
• Allows for dialogue about learning with academic
  affairs

22
Future Outcomes Assessment at UNCW

• University-wide survey on Pluralistic Maturity
• Fall 2008
• Will be developed by the Divisions Assessment
  Committee
• Additional learning outcomes assessments within
  departments
• Slight revisions of the learning outcomes based
  on feedback from the strategic assessment

23
Sharing Best Practices

• What are other ways/instruments by which you have
  effectively assessed learning outcomes?
• How have you been able to overcome barriers to
  assessing learning outcomes?
• In what ways have you tied your learning outcomes
  data to new or improved programs/initiatives?