Assessment to ActionAssessment to Achievement

A Comprehensive Approach to Assessing Academic Advising

Gwen Spencer Ed.DKevin Kildun M.ED.

Highline Community College www.highline.edu

I. Overview of Highline Community College II. Assessment Challenges and Rewards III. Brief History of Assessment Task ForceIV. Mission to Measurement V. Group Project and Sharing VI. Assessment of learning and service outcomes VII.Post Assessment: Action Steps, Achievement

Results VIII. Questions

What We’ll Cover

Highline Community College

Mid-way between Tacoma and Seattle

Over 10,000 students Of degree and

certificate seeking students: 60% are transfer 40% are Prof Tech

and/or High School degree

42% male students and 58% female students

Average age 24 of degree seeking students

65% multicultural students

73% first generation 2000+ ELL students

Transient nature of students. Professional staff advising is done primarily using

a drop-in model so continuity is compromised. 2008 survey of Washington community

colleges indicates that 5%+ use appointments only 20% use drop-in almost exclusively 75% use mix of drop-in and appointments

Challenges to Assessment at a Community College

Students receive advising from a variety of sources. When we ask students how satisfied they are with advising, they have different ideas about who we are referring to Faculty Counselors Educational Planning and Advising Center (EPAC) Special service offices such as Athletics,

International, TRIO, Access Services, Washington Achievers, Work First, Worker Retraining, Foster Youth Services

Challenges to Assessment

Challenges to Assessment

Community college’s mission to provide student “access” challenge the focus on persistence and assessment.

Traditionally, national surveys and research has come from baccalaureate institutions.

Some “hit or miss” departmental assessment efforts until Accreditation Review challenged both Instruction and Student Services to utilize assessment to inform practice.

Assessment Task Force (ATF) Launched in Spring 2008. Eight member task force charged with developing an

assessment process, training and review for all Student Services Departments.

Assessment Task Force (ATF)

To build a process that is sustainable, manageable, and systemic

To identify learning outcomes grounded in Education and Student Development theory and practice

To develop a process that informs self-improvement of staff, policies, programs and services (creating a culture of evidence)

To develop a process that engages and educates all Student Services staff and faculty

ATF Guiding Principles

To incorporate multiple measures and sources for each outcome measured

To support assessment measures that are meaningful and not simply “bean counting”

To have fun!

Principles continued

Trained assessment liaisons to guide their department’s process

ATF provided departmental and individual consultations Hosted “exchange of ideas ” meetings for liaisons Provided timely, clear feedback to each liaison so they

could refine their department’s assessment submission . Posted the departments’ submissions on the Student

Services website for transparency and accountability.

The Assessment Process

Supports the college mission and the Student Services mission and vision

Articulates concisely and clearly the department’s unique role and what it provides for students/campus

Expresses mission in a way that someone could understand who is not from the department (no abbreviations or “edu-speak”)

Starting Point – Student Services Mission

Primary Activities take up 75% of weekly time Activities that may be quarterly or annually but is key to

department’s contribution (packaging financial aid, notification of academic probation, major statewide or federal reporting, new student orientation)

Secondary Activities that take up less than 25% of weekly time Activities that happen periodically but are not critical to

services Value enhanced – not expected of department but is a

contribution the college (i.e. teaching a College 100 class)

Primary and Secondary Functions

What campus populations do you serve?

What government, agency, education institutions do you serve?

What community populations do you serve?

Primary and Secondary Service Populations

Primarily focused on the learning that has occurred because of your department’s contact with students

Examples of learning outcomes Student understanding or knowledge – types of

degrees Student learns a new skill – register online Student develops self-advocacy skills – requests

accommodations from an instructor Student develops a personal awareness/belief–

cultural diversity

Learning Outcomes

Benchmarking – how does our college compare to others?

Customer satisfaction – not only students but agencies, high school counselors, faculty, etc.

Return customers Number of projects completed Time to response (i.e. phone calls returned

within 24 hours)

Service Outcomes

Few or no complaints Better than competition Professional development – all staff know how to do

a certain skill such as degree audit by a certain date Results of our services – more students have an

assigned faculty advisor Attendance – numbers who attend New Student

Orientation Over serving or under serving any student

population

Service Outcomes continued

The Educational Planning and Advising Center (EPAC) and High School Programs (HSP) advisors are committed to working with faculty and staff to: Assist students in planning a realistic educational and

career pathway Provide students with accurate and clear information

about academic programs, policies, resources and procedures

Empower students to take responsibility for monitoring their progress and achieving their goals.

Educational Planning Center and High School Programs Mission

New and continuing degree and certificate seeking students

Undecided students Work Force students Students on Financial Aid Evening students and students who cannot

get to campus

EPAC/HSP Service Populations

Provide New Student Orientation programs Notification of students on academic

probation Train faculty advisors Advise students on degrees and programs Provide transfer information Assist students on financial aid suspension

with the petitions

EPAC/HSP FunctionsSome Examples

A student is able to develop and implement a clear academic/career pathway (mapping) Understands the general purpose of the different degrees

and certificates offered at Highline (orientation or first advising session)

Can identify the degree, certificate or courses that will meet his/her educational goal (end of first quarter or two)

Can explain the classes, GPA, internships, etc needed for his/her degree or certificate (beginning of second year)

Submits a graduation evaluation when 50-60% of degree or certificate is completed (mid-way through second year)

Learning Outcome A

A student is knowledgeable about academic and registration policies and procedures so he or she can successfully navigate college Student knows how to register online and can

use the registration tools on the web (i.e. registration appointment time, entry codes, dropping classes, etc.)

A student know how to read the quarterly schedule

Learning Outcome B

A student takes responsibility to monitor and achieve his/her education and career goals Knows how his/her GPA is calculated and know

his/her current GPA at Highline A student comes prepared for advising session Transfer student understands the concept of Major

Ready and can identify classes, GPA, etc. to successfully transfer into the major

Running Start student knows the classes he/she needs to complete high school diploma

Learning Outcome C

Increase attendance at New Student Orientation Programs by 10% for 2009-10 and another 10% but 2010-2011

Assign a faculty or staff advisor to 65% of all students who have completed three quarters at Highline in 2009-10 and then to 75% in 2010-11.

Monitor student satisfaction with services and programs

Service Outcomes

Brainstorm some assessment methods for the following outcomes:

Service outcome: “How would you assess a student’s success in the

navigation of a school’s system from when they first apply as a student to when they register for classes?”

Learning outcome: “How would you assess a student’s understanding of what

their particular degree requirements are?” In other words, how do we measure if students know what

courses and other requirements are needed to successfully complete their degree?

Group Project

Pre and Post “Clicker” assessment at Orientations Pre and Post Assessment online assessment at

Running Start Orientations with program developed by one of our Computer classes

Follow-up phone calls after student was placed on academic probation and when a student got “off” academic probation

GPA prediction mid-way through quarter Students attempt to fill out degree planning

sheet themselves

EPAC/HSP Assessment Strategies for our Learning Outcomes

Pre and Post Assessment Online

Learning Outcome Template

Identification of classes needed and completed for intended degree

Understanding of pre-requisite requirements for intended degree or major

Understanding of GPA needed to pursue specific major or program degree

Knowledge of application deadlines and expectations

Awareness of the need to apply for graduation  

Able to identify classes completed and needed very accurately

Able to identify pre-requisite classes completed and needed very accurately

Correctly identified GPA needed

Understands very clearly the deadlines and application procedure

Has already applied for graduation

Able to identify 75 to 90% of classes completed and needed for degree/programs

Able to identify most pre-requisite classes needed and completed

Generally understands the GPA needed

Has general understanding of application deadlines and procedure

Has not applied but knows this must be completed

Unclear about classes needed and completed

Unclear about classes needed and completed

Is uncertain what GPA is needed

Has very limited understanding of application deadlines and procedure

Does not know that an application for graduation must be completed

Orientation attendance Criterion for what should be included in a

meaningful Orientation Base line – how many degree/certificate

seeking students that had never attended college prior to coming to Highline?

70% had attended the CORE, Running Start, International or Athletes Orientation

Track attendance based on new offerings and interventions (up 9% in first year)

Service Outcome Assessments

Satisfaction Surveys On our web site Follow up to e-advising Focus Groups Cards after advisor session Satisfaction with Orientation Satisfaction after a specific programs such as Transfer

Fair – college reps and student participants Advisor assignments (track number for first two years

and then we will track utilization of assigned faculty or staff advisor)

Collect Student ID numbers to gather demographic data

Service Outcomes Assessment

Assessment can also be a powerful tool in revising and improving policies, programs and procedures Students on Probation taking over 18 credits Running Start students with HS GPA of less

than 2.00 Running Start student applying to college 2

weeks prior to quarter Online Class success

Policy and Program Perspectives

Change in policies and procedures New specialized orientation programs –

Nursing, Human Services, Vets, Work Force “How To” Camtasia Videos online New methods for presenting orientation

material – case study approach with Ken D. Moines

Share the news – Division Chairs, faculty meetings, have a website

Results and Recommendations

“Stump the Stars” Everyone on staff has at least one “piece of

the assessment” Assessment Template – keeping the records

and the focus Periodic “Pep” Rally's at Division-wide

meetings – “Olympics” theme

How do you keep staff motivated to conduct

assessment ?

Questions??

Assessment – Looking at where we have been to determine where we are

going

“Assessment is not valuing what we measure but measuring what we value.” (Astin, 1991)

“…Assessment can help us understand which students learn best under what conditions” (AAHE, 1992)

“Assessment itself is a strong factor in pushing institutions toward clarify of purpose.” (Nichols, 1995)