As assessment has matured, we now see many programs and units have been developing mission statements, goals, outcomes, and measures for years. Surprisingly there is one part of the process that continues to be challenging – setting targets. An achievement target answers the question, “What are you looking for? What would success look like?” […]
Why Grades Are Not Assessment
For as long as we have been assessing, faculty have asked “I spend a lot of time and effort grading – why can’t I use those?” The answer is actually quite nuanced, and makes a lot of sense once we discuss it. In truth, often the exact same assignments might be used for both […]
ALOs and IE Leaders: Partners in Accreditation
Always called to a life of helping others, Dr. Vince Erario, Director of Institutional Effectiveness Planning and Research at Life University, found himself as an “accidental academic.” Kicking off his career with nearly three decades of service as a chiropractor, Vince ventured into politics, quality assurance, and clinical work. Dr. Erario joined us to discuss […]
Real Assessment: How UNK is Shifting Assessment Culture to Move Beyond Data
While the perception and practice of assessment has certainly come a long way, it’s still not uncommon to hear challenges with buy-in, closing the loop, and culture of continuous improvement. As with any type of work, there may indeed be some cases of genuine opposition to doing assessment, or at least to doing it “right.” […]