Problem
Read below
Imagine a several-year study of an institution and the programs within it that involves a large number of committees articulating goals, making a plan, executing parts of the plan, and writing a report for an accreditation peer review team. After the team leaves, the committees disband and the report is filed away without further thought or consideration as to how it might be used to improve student learning. A significant amount of time and energy was extended for the study and report, but quickly it is forgotten as the institution moves to other initiatives. Unfortunately this scenario is common on many college campuses, as most simply undertake assessment of student learning for compliance purposes with external requirements (Kuh et al., 2014, 2015; Kuh & Ikenberry, 2009).Be it for an accreditation study or for another compliance-driven reason, information about educational quality is often not used by or reported broadly to different audiences, whether internal or external to the institution. This breakdown of communication with varied audiences is unfortunate because it does not foster the use of assessment information for institutional improvement. Instead, documents and reports, whether created for accreditation, program review, committee work, or some other reporting means, could be used to tell a story about the institutional efforts to explore student learning, inform subsequent iterations of assessment, and lead to the improvement of student learning. Although using assessment information primarily for compliance activities is certainly the case at many institutions, some institutions have begun to revamp assessment processes by asking questions about student learning that are of interest to those within the institution rather than assessing for assessment's sake (Kuh et al., 2015). When assessment work is designed simply for compliance, the communication of information is often via a final summative report, which does not generate action. Striking a balance where institutions can meet the goals of accountability expectations and improve student learning requires institutions to share assessment information in a transparent way, both within and beyond the walls of higher education.
Although we do not advocate that all accreditation information and institutional reports be made public, we do believe that the information gained from and reporting due to compliance activities can be better used on campus if communicated effectively, where the results lead to further examination and engagement of stakeholders. Communication is a necessary element of meaningful use of assessment results. Assessment information tailored to specific audiences and shared through multiple dissemination channels has the potential to impact student learning when coupled with space and time for stakeholders to discuss what the results mean for students and the institution.This chapter describes how reporting assessment information can serve both assessment purposes-improvement of student learning and accountability. The various transparency initiatives created by national organizations provide one method of reporting, and dashboards and benchmarking provide others. Next, the chapter offers strategies to consider when reporting, such as minding the audience, the presentation style, and the structure of the report. The chapter continues with a discussion of the National Institute for Learning Outcomes Assessment's (NILOA) Transparency Framework, which is a guide for institutions to use as they examine institutional websites for transparent information on student learning. The chapter concludes by explaining that assessment information needs to be placed in context and made available to facilitate use of the data. The primary goal of this chapter is to promote reporting on assessment to tell an institutional story about student learning and using the data gleaned from assessment to improve.
Task
A. As you reflect on this readings, which topic or issue resonates the most with you? Why?
B. What big question remains unanswered?
C. What did you gain from this readings?
D. Include your own experience.