assessment in student support areas...january 27, 2016. niloa transparency framework. linking...

Assessment in Student

Support Areas

Lauren Thomas,

Susana Luzuriaga,

Office of Institutional Research

January 27, 2016

NILOA Transparency Framework

Linking Assessment to Mission

“Whatever the mission or emphasis of the institution, its

student affairs program needs to be developed to support

and complement it” (Hirt, 2009; NASPA, 1989).

It is imperative that student affairs professionals develop programs,

services, and experiences that contribute to student learning

experiences that are valued at their institution and, moreover, that

are empirically verified as adding value to the student experience at

their institution. Some activities of student affairs professionals and

some things that are measured in student affairs assessments are

not aligned with the institution’s mission or goals. As a check

against these tendencies, any student affairs assessment should

start from the following question: How does this program or

experience contribute to the institution’s mission or goals, and what

evidence can be gathered to demonstrate this?

Mission StatementThe University of Cincinnati serves the people of Ohio, the nation, and the world as a

premier, public, urban research university dedicated to undergraduate, graduate, and

professional education, experience-based learning, and research.

We are committed to excellence and diversity in our students, faculty, staff, and all of

our activities. We provide an inclusive environment where innovation and freedom of

intellectual inquiry flourish.

Through scholarship, service, partnership, and leadership, we create opportunity,

develop educated and engaged citizens, enhance the economy and enrich our

University, city, state and global community.

University of Cincinnati

University of Cincinnati

Why Don’t We Assess?

• Survey Fatigue

• Busy-ness

• Need for Training

• Unclear Goals

• Lack of Feedback

• Communicating Results

What is the Research

Question?BAD -> How many students

participated in X event?

GOOD -> What did students learn

by participating in X event?

Number of recreational opportunities

on campus

Who uses recreational facilities, and

what are students gaining from

participating?

Students survey to assess if they were

satisfied with their tutoring

Assessing student performance after

tutoring

Key takeaway – Must have empirical evidence to

be confident that programs, activities, and

experiences actually do contribute to student

learning

University Surveys Planning Calendar

https://share.uc.edu/uc/InstRes/Lists/UPC/AllItems.aspx

*Requires central login and password*

What Data is Available?

• National Survey of Student Engagement (odd years)

• Student Satisfaction Inventory (even years)

• EBI/Skyfactor Resident Assessment (2013, 2016)

• Multi-Institutional Study of Leadership (2015)

What is the NSSE?

• Undergraduate survey measuring quality of academic

experience

• Student participation

• Institutional resources and organization

• Conducted on 1,600+ campuses since 2000

• Allows longitudinal, benchmark, and freshman-to-senior

comparisons

Why NSSE?

Grades, persistence, student satisfaction,

gains across a range of desired outcomes,

and engagement go hand in hand

Findings from George Kuh’s Analysis

Findings from George Kuh’s Analysis

Findings from George Kuh’s Analysis

High-Impact Activities

First-Year Seminars and Experiences Common Intellectual Experiences Learning Communities Writing-Intensive Courses Collaborative Assignments and Projects “Science as Science Is Done”; Undergraduate Research Diversity/Global Learning Service Learning, Community-Based Learning Internships Capstone Courses and Projects

Engagement Indicators

Higher Order Learning

Reflective & Integrative Learning

Learning Strategies

Quantitative Reasoning

Collaborative Learning

Discussions with Diverse Others

Student-Faculty Interaction

Effective Teaching Practices

Quality of Interactions

Supportive Environment

• Boston University

• Bowling Green State University

• Georgia Institute of Technology

• Indiana University – Bloomington

• Indiana University – Purdue

University Indianapolis

• North Carolina State University

• Ohio University

• Syracuse University

• University of Akron

• University of Alabama at

Birmingham

• University of Houston

• University of Illinois at Chicago

• University of Memphis

• University of South Florida

• University of Texas at Arlington

• University of Texas at San Antonio

• University of Toledo

• Wayne State University

Comparison Group

National Survey of Student Engagement

2015

National Survey of Student Engagement

2015

National Survey of Student Engagement

What is the SSI?

• Undergraduate survey measuring importance of and

satisfaction with university experience

• Conducted on 2,700 campuses with more than 5.5

million responses

• Allows longitudinal and benchmark comparisons;

provides ethnicity and gender comparisons

Student Satisfaction Inventory Scales

Student Centeredness

Campus Life

Concern for the Individual

Service Excellence

Responsiveness to Diverse Populations

Campus Climate

Instructional Effectiveness

Recruitment and Financial Aid

Campus Support Services

Academic Advising

Registration Effectiveness

Safety and Security

SSI: Campus Life

SSI: Campus Life, 2014

SSI: Responsiveness to Diverse

Populations

EBI/Skyfactor Resident Assessment

• Provides insight into student learning and satisfaction

along 19 factors

• Identifies factors as “issue,” “needs work,” or “good”

based on 7 point scale

EBI/Skyfactor Resident Assessment

Diverse Interactions

Self-Knowledge and Skills

Personal Competence

Empathy

Residents are Tolerant

EBI/Skyfactor Resident Assessment

2013

• Low ratings for Personal Growth and Time Management

indicate potential for targeted programming

• Students report that fellow residents are tolerant of other

genders, races, sexual orientations, religious beliefs, and

political views

• Respect for space, privacy, property, and time is an

issue

Multi-Institutional Study of Leadership

• Based on the “input-environment-outcome” college

impact model and the Social Change Model of

Leadership Development

• Conducted at 250+ institutions since 2006

Multi-Institutional Study of Leadership

Self-Awareness

Creating Value for the Community

Creating a Shared Vision

Consciousness of Others

Ethical Leadership

Multi-Institutional Study of Leadership

2015

Multi-Institutional Study of Leadership

2015

Resources for Assessment in Student

Support Areas• The Role of Student Affairs in Student Learning Assessment

(Schuh & Gansemer-Topf)

• What Matters to Student Success: The Promise of High-

Impact Practices (PPT) by George Kuh

• NASPA’s Assessment, Evaluation & Research Knowledge

Communities

• National Institute for Learning Outcomes Assessment

(NILOA)

Resources for Assessment in Student

Support Areas

• ACPA’s Commission for Assessment and Evaluation

• Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher

Education (CAS)

• Southwestern Ohio Council for Higher Education

(SOCHE) – Conference on April 15, 2016

• Graduate Certificate in Assessment and Evaluation at

UC

Questions?

Lauren Thomas

Senior Research Associate, Office of

Institutional Research

lauren.thomas@uc.edu

Susana Luzuriaga

Director, Office of Institutional Research

susana.luzuriaga@uc.edu