Improving Academic Quality through Outcomes Assessment and Active Learning Strategies - a Model for Effective Institutional Change

To kickoff this session, we had a case study and a chance to talk to each other about approaches to "ramp up" the culture of assessment on campus. Several of us shared common experiences with resistance from faculty in shaping up outcome statments, but we also shared ideas about how to support faculty in "driving" the "ramp up" process. These included building faculty learning communities in each discipline with a common literature base, gaining administrative support for the assessment culture, and scheduling roundtales to define learning outcomes.

In this project, goals were focused on increased use of outcomes based assessment and active learning in courses. These goals were accomplished through activities of developing learning outcomes, curriculum maps, and competency growth plans within programs; course embedded assessments, direct and indirect assessment methods, and criteria developed in rubrics; instructional design support for outcome achievement, and focused faculty development programs with support such as stipends, money for conference travel, "faculty coaches," and a resource library and Web site.

In addition to sustained incentives for faculty participation, instructional design support, and "faculty coaches," there also were demonstration fairs and student participation in NSSE was at a remarkable 55% response rate, above the 25% average. Presenters consider this effect a benefit of the increased active learning and better alignment of assessments with learning outcomes.

The budget for this five-year project was $1.78 million with support from USDE Aid.

Presenters: Mary C. Hassinger & Theresa R. Moore, Stephens College & Viterbo University