NILOA Newsletters
We send out monthly newsletters about the work we are doing at NILOA. Sign up here to receive these newsletters.
Current issue: June 2010
Newsletter Archives
May 2010
April 2010
March 2010
February 2010
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December 2009
November 2009
October 2009
June 2010
National Updates: Webscan Report released and AIR presentation uploaded
NILOA has released its 2010 Webscan Report
Exploring the Landscape: What institutional websites reveal about student learning outcomes assessment activities
by Natasha Jankowski and Julia Panke Makela
Despite persistent calls for colleges and universities to post student learning outcomes assessment information to their websites, the assessment information that can be found online falls considerably short of the activities reported by chief academic officers. The study finds that institutions are often not taking full advantage of their website to increase transparency regarding student learning outcomes assessment. The researchers share their findings and offer recommendations for institutions.
AIR 50th Annual Forum Presentations
NILOA researchers presented at two sessions at AIR in early June. The electronic slides are now posted on our website. NILOA Tracking the Status of Outcomes Assessment in the U.S. was presented by George Kuh and Learning Outcomes Assessment, Transparency, and the Internet: A Critical Examination of Higher Education Institutions' Web-Based Communication Strategies was presented by a team of NILOA researchers. Thank you to many of you who came and supported these sessions.
News
We collect news items from a variety of sources related to learning outcomes assessment for our website. Listed below are some from the past month:
For Accreditation, a Narrow Window of Opportunity
Molly Corbett Broad, a member of the NILOA National Advisory Panel and President of American Council on Education, writes this piece on the increased demands from the government on improving institutional performance.
The White Noise of Accountability
In this article from Inside Higher Ed, Clifford Adelman questions the use and assumptions of the word and practice of accountability.
The Faculty Role in Assessment
What is the role of faculty in assessment? This article summarizes some of the debates on this topic, highlighting NILOA's fourth Occasional Paper on this topic written by Pat Hutchins.
Electronic Portfolios and Student Success: Effectiveness, Efficiency, and Learning
This AAC&U publication presents an overview of electronic portfolios and ways individuals and campuses can implement e-portfolios to enhance and assess student learning, recognizing that learning occurs in many places, takes many forms, and is exhibited through many modes of representation.
Pitch Perfect
This new book from William Tyson, Perfect Pitch: Communicating with traditional and social media for scholars, researchers, and academic leaders discusses the many ways to share information to a wider public through mediums such as blogs and Twitter. Through case studies, the book will guide you through the essentials of communicating with your audience.
Upcoming Conferences
A number of conferences and workshops on learning outcomes and assessment are listed on our online calendar. Below are some that still have open registration that will take place soon:
July 19-22: ePortfolios & the Emergent Learning Ecology
AAEEBL, AAC&U, and The Making Connections Project in Boston, MA
July 25-28: The 2010 Institute on Quality Enhancement and Accreditation
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools in Tampa, FL
August 4-5: (Webcast) Improve Student Learning with Action Analytics
Academic Impressions online 1:00-2:30 EDT
Website Updates
There is now a RSS feed available for news items and updates from NILOA. Subscribe here
May 2010
National Updates: Fifth Occasional Paper available, AIR Presentations, Second National Survey In Field
The fifth Occasional Paper is now available:
Valuing assessment: Cost-benefit considerations
by Randy L. Swing and Christopher S. Coogan
Nearly every U.S. accredited college and university allocates resources to support assessment of student learning outcomes, satisfaction, and other measures of institutional effectiveness. But with only limited data about best practices in budgeting for assessment, colleges are left guessing how much they should spend on assessment to achieve the best return on their investment. So how can a campus know when enough spending is really enough? Randy Swing, Executive Director of the Association of Institutional Research (AIR), and Christopher Coogan AIR Chief of Staff and Director of the Data and Decisions® Academy, examine the “what should assessment cost” question. The authors systematically unpack what needs to be taken into account when allocating resources to the assessment of student learning outcomes. Click the link above for the paper.
AIR 50th Annual Forum Presentations
Will you be at AIR in Chicago next week? NILOA will be presenting at two sessions:
NILOA: Tracking the Status of Outcomes Assessment in the U.S. will be presented by George Kuh on Tuesday, June 1st from 2-3pm in the Chicago Ballroom IX.
Learning Outcomes Assessment, Transparency, and the Internet: A Critical Examination of Higher Education Institutions’ Web-Based Communication Strategies will be presented by NILOA researchers on Wednesday, June 2nd from 8:30-9:30am in Parlor C.
NILOA's Second National Survey in Field
The National Institute for Learning Outcomes and Assessment National Survey
The second national survey was launched in March. It is asking questions about assessment practices of randomly selected department or program chairs at accredited two- and four-year college and university in the U.S. about their assessment practices. Click the link above for more information.
News
We collect news items from a variety of sources related to learning outcomes assessment for our website. Listed below are some from the past month:
Engaging Departments: Assessing Student Learning
The Winter 2010 issue of Peer Review from AAC&U has a number of articles on how assessment approaches on student learning are being developed at the departmental level.
The Accountability/Improvement Paradox
This article from Inside Higher Ed discusses the tension between accountability and improvement for professionals and policy makers. Victor M.H. Borden, the author, is also the co-creator of Measuring Quality, an online inventory of assessment instruments, tools, and resources.
Upcoming Conferences
A number of conferences and workshops on learning outcomes and assessment are listed on our online calendar. Below are some that will take place soon:
June 10-12: Assessment and Retention Conference
NASPA Assessment and Retention Conference in Baltimore, MD. NILOA Director, George Kuh is a featured speaker.
June 14-16 or 18: Connecting Student Learning Outcomes to Teaching, Assessment & Curriculum
Alverno College is putting on three or five day long summer workshops in Milwaukee, WI.
Upcoming Deadline
June 15: AGLS Exemplary Program
Does your institution have a creative program accomplishment for learning outcomes? If so, consider applying for the AGLS award.
April 2010
National Updates: New Occasional Paper, Second National Survey in Field, and Updated Comprehensive Assessment Resource
The fourth Occasional Paper is now available:
Opening Doors to Faculty Involvement in Assessment by Pat Hutchings
Much of what has been done in the name of assessment has failed to induce large numbers of faculty to systematically collect and use evidence of student learning to improve teaching and enhance student performance. Pat Hutchings, a senior associate at The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, examines the dynamics behind this reality, including the mixed origins of assessment, coming both from within and outside academe, and the more formidable obstacles that stem from the culture and organization of higher education itself. Then, she describes six ways to bring the purposes of assessment and the regular work of faculty closer together, which may make faculty involvement more likely and assessment more useful.
NILOA's Second National Survey in Field
The National Institute for Learning Outcomes and Assessment National Survey
The second national survey was launched last month. It is asking questions about assessment practices of randomly selected department or program chairs at accredited two- and four-year college and university in the U.S. about their assessment practices.
Updated Comprehensive Assessment Resource
Measuring Quality in Higher Education: An Inventory of Instruments, Tools, and Resources by Vic Borden and Brandi Kernel
In partnership with AIR and ACE, we are pleased to announce the launch of Measuring Quality, an compilation of resources designed to assist higher education faculty and staff in the challenging task of assessing academic and support programs as well as institutional effectiveness, more broadly. Four categories of resources are presented. Items in the first category, instruments such as examinations, surveys, questionnaires, and other data collection approaches, are of special interest in resources for student learning outcomes assessment.
News
We collect news items from a variety of sources related to learning outcomes assessment for our website. Listed below are some from the past month:
Effective Practices (pdf)
CHEA has prepared a statement on Effective Practices: The Role of Accreditation in Student Achievement to describe accreditation practices that are especially valuable as institutions and programs address student achievement.
Assessing Outcomes and Improving Achievements: Tips and Tools for Using Rubrics
Terrel Rhodes has edited a volume for AAC&U that provides advice on using rubrics for assessment.
Student Learning as Academic Currency
Peter T. Ewell, NILOA Senior Scholar, co-authored this re-released and updated ACE publication, which suggests a new system for assigning academic credit.
Pedagogy, Assessment and Policy
The current issue of Change Magazine has two articles of interest, Taking Teaching to (Performance) Task: Linking Pedagogical and Assessment Practices by Marc Chun and The Evolution of Assessment Policy: A View from Virginia by T. Dary Erwin and Joseph G. DeFilippo. Login required.
Upcoming Conferences
A number of conferences and workshops on learning outcomes and assessment are listed on our online calendar. Below are some that will take place soon:
May 17-19: The Closed Loop: Where is the Evidence
Assessment Training and Research Institute and Florida A&M are putting on the conference in Tallahassee, FL. Author of Occasional Paper Two and NILOA National Advisory Panelist, Trudy W. Banta is the featured speaker.
May 29-June 2: Charting Our Future in Higher Education
The Association for Institutional Research has its 50th Annual Forum in Chicago, IL.
Website Updates
There is now a RSS feed available for news items and updates from NILOA. Subscribe here
March 2010
NILOA launched it's second national survey and to streamline the process, monthly newsletters will continue in April.
February 2010
NILOA Occasional Papers
Connecting the Dots Between Learning and Resources by Jane Wellman
With all the talk about the need for more accountability, surprisingly little is known about what kind of resources an institution needs in order to produce a given level of student attainment. Jane Wellman charts this territory and discovers some surprises, such as how conclusions about cost-effectiveness change when the metric is cost-per-degree rather than the traditional cost-per-enrollment. One result is that, contrary to popular belief, community colleges are not cheap when it comes to cost-per-degree. Another important insight—again against the grain of conventional wisdom—is that simply investing more money does not appear to produce more or better outcomes. As Wellman points out, the key to productivity is intentionally targeted investments.
Three Promising Alternatives for Assessing College Students' Knowledge and Skills by Trudy Banta, Merilee Griffin, Teresa Flateby, and Susan Kahn
Of the various ways to assess student learning outcomes, many faculty members prefer what are called “authentic” approaches that document student performance during or at the end of a course or program of study. In this paper, assessment experts Trudy Banta, Merilee Griffin, Teresa Flateby, and Susan Kahn describe the development of several promising authentic assessment approaches. The contributors draw on their rich assessment experience to illustrate how portfolios, common analytic rubrics, and online assessment communities can more effectively link assessment practices to pedagogy.
Assessment, Accountability, and Improvement: Revisiting the Tension by Peter Ewell
In 1987, Peter Ewell delivered a paper at the AAHE Assessment Forum entitled “Assessment, Accountability, and Improvement: Managing the Contradiction.” This NILOA Occasional Paper analyzes what is the same and what has changed over the past two decades, and offers suggestions for how institutions can manage the persistent tension between the twin purposes of assessment in the current higher education environment.
News
We collect news items from a variety of sources related to learning outcomes assessment for our website. Listed below are some from the past month:
Going Public
Douglas C. Bennett, President of Earlham College, suggests each institution have a public learning audit document and gives the example of what this means for Earlham College as a way for public accountability.
Measuring Student Learning, Globally
This article discusses the possibility of having a world learning outcomes assessment spearheaded by the OECD.
More Transparency
Martha Kanter, from the U.S. Education Department, calls for more transparency in the way higher education does accreditation.
What's Next?
Paul E. Lingenfelter, President of SHEEO, writes an informal and conversational piece of his advice to coping with states' budget meltdowns.
Upcoming Conferences
A number of conferences and retreats on learning outcomes and assessment are listed on our online calendar. Below are some that will take place soon:
- On Feb. 19-20 the Collaboration for the Advancement of College Teaching & Learning is putting on the conference, "Assessment for the Changing Learning Environment," in Bloomington, MN. Please visit their website for more information.
- On Feb. 21-23 the 10th Annual Texas A&M Assessment Conference, "Seeing 2020: Building on a decade of assessment" will take place at College Station, TX. Visit their website for more information.
- On March 9th from 3-4:30 EST, Innovative Educators is hosting a webcast given by Terri Flateby entitled, "Designing Meaningful Assessment to Improve Student Affairs Outcomes and Satisfy Accreditation Demands." More can be found at IE's website.
- March 19th is the deadline for proposals to the 2010 Assessment Institute in Indianapolis. More can be found at their website.
Website updates
We are updating a few things on our website and need your help:
- Are you part of a learning outcomes assessment community, either online or local? We would like to include a directory of these communities on our website. Please let use know about your group here.
- Help us make our website better by filling out a short five question survey.
January 2010
Announcements
NILOA has released its third Occasional Paper:
Connecting the Dots Between Learning and Resources by Jane Wellman
With all the talk about the need for more accountability, surprisingly little is known about what kind of resources an institution needs in order to produce a given level of student attainment. Jane Wellman charts this territory and discovers some surprises, such as how conclusions about cost-effectiveness change when the metric is cost-per-degree rather than the traditional cost-per-enrollment. One result is that, contrary to popular belief, community colleges are not cheap when it comes to cost-per-degree. Another important insight—again against the grain of conventional wisdom—is that simply investing more money does not appear to produce more or better outcomes. As Wellman points out, the key to productivity is intentionally targeted investments.
NILOA's second Occasional Paper was released in December 2009:
Three Promising Alternatives for Assessing College Students' Knowledge and Skills by Trudy Banta, Merilee Griffin, Teresa Flateby, and Susan Kahn
Of the various ways to assess student learning outcomes, many faculty members prefer what are called “authentic” approaches that document student performance during or at the end of a course or program of study. In this paper, assessment experts Trudy Banta, Merilee Griffin, Teresa Flateby, and Susan Kahn describe the development of several promising authentic assessment approaches. The contributors draw on their rich assessment experience to illustrate how portfolios, common analytic rubrics, and online assessment communities can more effectively link assessment practices to pedagogy.
NILOA's first Occasional Paper was released in November 2009:
Assessment, Accountability, and Improvement: Revisiting the Tension by Peter Ewell
In 1987, Peter Ewell delivered a paper at the AAHE Assessment Forum entitled “Assessment, Accountability, and Improvement: Managing the Contradiction.” This NILOA Occasional Paper analyzes what is the same and what has changed over the past two decades, and offers suggestions for how institutions can manage the persistent tension between the twin purposes of assessment in the current higher education environment.
News
We collect news items from a variety of sources related to learning outcomes assessments for our website. Listed below are some items from the past month:
The Assessment Gap
In mid-December, the annual meeting of the Middle States Commission on Higher Education focused on assessments. This Inside Higher Ed article recaps the conversation at the meeting about the need to use assessments and tips on how to do so.
True Costs of Student Success
This Inside Higher Ed article discusses a new report by Student Success, looking at the effects of first-year, low-income student retention programs.
Student Engagement in Law School: Enhancing Student Learning
The 2009 Law School Survey of Student Engagement (LSSSE) report is now available, it can be downloaded here.
Upcoming Conferences
A number of conferences and retreats on learning outcomes and assessments are listed on our online calendar. Below are some that will take place soon:
- AAC&U Annual Meeting is in Washington DC from January 20-23. The title for the meeting is, "The Wit, the Will ... and the Wallet: Supporting Educational Innovation, Shaping Our Global Futures." For more information please click here to view the meeting website. Of note on Thursday, Jan 21 there will be a session given about the work of NILOA (p.12 of the program).
- AAC&U General Education and Assessment annual conference is in Seattle, WA from February 18-20. The title for the conference is, "General Education and Assessment: Maintaining Momentum, Achieving New Priorities." For more information please check out AAC&U's website.
- The 10th Annual Texas A&M Assessment conference is in College Station, TX from February 21-23. The title for the conference is, "Seeing 2020: Building on a Decade of Assessment!" For more information please check out Texas A&M's website.
December 2009
Announcements
NILOA has released its second Occasional Paper:
Three Promising Alternatives for Assessing College Students' Knowledge and Skills by Trudy Banta, Merilee Griffin, Teresa Flateby, and Susan Kahn
Of the various ways to assess student learning outcomes, many faculty members prefer what are called “authentic” approaches that document student performance during or at the end of a course or program of study. In this paper, assessment experts Trudy Banta, Merilee Griffin, Teresa Flateby, and Susan Kahn describe the development of several promising authentic assessment approaches. The contributors draw on their rich assessment experience to illustrate how portfolios, common analytic rubrics, and online assessment communities can more effectively link assessment practices to pedagogy.
NILOA's first Occasional Paper was released in November 2009:
Assessment, Accountability, and Improvement: Revisiting the Tension by Peter Ewell
In 1987, Peter Ewell delivered a paper at the AAHE Assessment Forum entitled “Assessment, Accountability, and Improvement: Managing the Contradiction.” This NILOA Occasional Paper analyzes what is the same and what has changed over the past two decades, and offers suggestions for how institutions can manage the persistent tension between the twin purposes of assessment in the current higher education environment.
News
We collect news items from a variety of sources related to learning outcomes assessments for our Web site. Listed below are some items from the past month:
Defining Accountability
In mid-November, American Enterprise Institute hosted a meeting, "Increasing Accountability in American Higher Education." This Inside Higher Ed article covers the conversation with links to presentation papers.
A For-Profit Accountability System
The University of Phoenix has released itsond academic annual report sparking conversation about accountability and transparency. This Inside Higher Ed article identifies the complex dynamics of the report from a for-profit school.
Upcoming Conferences
A number of conferences and retreats on learning outcomes and assessments are listed on our online calendar. Below is one that will take place soon:
A Webcast will take place on January 21: "Prior Learning Assessment: Balancing Academic Quality and Enrollment Goals." For more information, please check out Academic Impressions' Web site.
November 2009
Announcements
NILOA has released its first Occasional Paper:
Assessment, Accountability, and Improvement: Revisiting the Tension by Peter Ewell
Twenty years ago, Peter Ewell delivered a paper at the AAHE Assessment Forum entitled “Assessment, Accountability, and Improvement: Managing the Contradiction.” This NILOA Occasional Paper analyzes what is the same and what has changed over the past two decades, and offers suggestions for how institutions can manage the persistent tension between the twin purposes of assessment in the current higher education environment. Read more here...
News
We are constantly collecting news items from a variety of news sources on the topic of learning outcomes assessments and putting it up on our Web site, so you have one place to go to for all your information. Here are some important news items from the past month:
NILOA 2009 report
The national study conducted by NILOA resulted in a report, More Than You Think, Less Than We Need: Learning Outcomes Assessment in American Higher Education, was released October 26th. A number of articles were written about the report including pieces from The Chronicle and Inside Higher Ed.
ePortfolios: Here, There, & Everywhere
The November issue of Campus Technology looks in depth at ePortfolios. This article looks at how electronic portfolios can be useful to students after they graduate.
Assessing the Assessments
The designers of the VSA conducted an analysis of assessment instruments. This interesting Inside Higher Ed article discusses the history and validity of CLA, CAAP, MAAP.
NSSE and CCSSE
The NSSE 2009 Annual Results report, “Assessment for Improvement: Tracking Student Engagement Over Time” was released November 9th. The CCSSE 2009 Annual Results report, "Making Connections: Dimensions of Student Engagement" was released November 16th.
Upcoming Conferences
An online webinar will take place on December 8th and 15th: "Learning Outcomes: Developing & Measuring Out of Class Experiences." For more information, please check out Innovative Educators' website, here.
October 2009
Announcements
NILOA has released its 2009 survey report:
More Than You Think, Less Than We Need: Learning Outcomes Assessment in American Higher Education
Contrary to what observers think, findings from a national study released today show that gathering information about what undergraduates learn during their studies is commonplace in most US colleges and universities.
Read more...
News
We are constantly collecting news items from a variety of news sources on the topic of learning outcomes assessments and putting it up on our Web site, so you have one place to go to for all your information. Here are some important news items from the past month:
Assessment v. Action
This Inside Higher Ed article highlights the work of NILOA and the recently released report on learning outcomes and assessments.
Who's metrics? Community college accountability
Last week's announcement for a universal accountability system for community colleges has been challenged with responses like this one from Inside Higher Ed. How should the new system be measured? Looking at an example for Oregon community college.
High Response Rates Don't Ensure Survey Accuracy
A helpful Chronicle article for those creating and administrating surveys that looks at response rates of surveys and common issues with them.
Rand: CLA
Rand foundation has just published a new report: The Collegiate Learning Assessment: Setting Standards for Performance at a College or University.
Upcoming Conferences
The Spring 2010 Association for Institutional Research meeting is in Chicago and proposals are due October 30, 2009. For more information, please check out their website, at http://forum.airweb.org/.