Bringing Authenticity to Academic Space Development

Assessment Techniques

Rachel Besara, Florida State UniversityRebecca Bichel, Florida State UniversityKirsten Kinsley, Florida State University

Susan Whitmer, Herman Miller

June 8, 2010

Academic Learning SpacesInvention, (Re)Invention & Innovations

Bringing Authenticity to Academic Space Development: Assessment Techniques

Space Development Is All About “You”(There Is No Shortcut)

• University: Residential Campus

• University: Non-Residential Campus

• Liberal Arts College• Community College

o FTEo Discipline strengthso Residential or commutero Distance educationo Historical Noteso Community/Settingo Strategic Prioritieso Average age of studento Economic Realitieso Carnegie Rankingo Faculty Makeup

Bringing Authenticity to Academic Space Development: Assessment Techniques

Assessment Techniques

• A multi-method assessment approach allows for the aggregation and verification of outcomes across measures.o Qualitative techniques provide deeper understanding.

These instruments help answer how and why questions.o Quantitative techniques provide broader understanding.

These instruments answer what questions.

• Both are appropriate for before and after

Bringing Authenticity to Academic Space Development: Assessment Techniques

Assessment Techniques

• Surveys• Focus Groups• Interviews• Environmental Scan• Charrettes• Observation• Photos• Videos• Building Use Statistics

• Diaries• Institutional Statistics• Personas• Furniture Trials• Bed Checks• GPS• Personas• Workshops w/

Stakeholders

Bringing Authenticity to Academic Space Development: Assessment Techniques

Reasons Why We Don’t

• “It Takes Too Long”• “It Costs Too Much”• “I/We Don’t Have the Expertise”• “I’ll Just Do What ______ Did”• “I Already Know What Our Patrons/Students

Need”• “Isn’t That the Architect’s Job?”

Bringing Authenticity to Academic Space Development: Assessment Techniques

Actionable Assessment (Next Steps)

• Analyze the Data• Interpret the Data• Synthesize the Data/Glean Insights• Share the Results• Identify Actions• Prioritize Actions & Sort Low Hanging Fruit• Act• Continuous Assessment

Bringing Authenticity to Academic Space Development: Assessment Techniques

Your Roles

• Facilitator• Note Taker• Time Keeper• Presenter(s)

Bringing Authenticity to Academic Space Development: Assessment Techniques

Today’s Toolbox

• Environmental Scenarios (10 minutes)• Techniques

1. Design Your World (15 minutes)2. Through the Looking Glass (25

minutes)3. How Statistics Tell a Story (5 minutes)4. Freeze Frame (15 minutes)5. Personas (30 minutes)

• Group Report Outs (30 minutes)

Bringing Authenticity to Academic Space Development: Assessment Techniques

Scenarios

• Scenario One: Foster State University

• Scenario Two: Grand Mountain University

• Scenario Three: Agnes West College

Time: 10 minutes

Bringing Authenticity to Academic Space Development: Assessment Techniques

Design Your World

• Technique: Investigating User-Created Drawings to Uncover Student Space Preferences

• Exercise: Examine student charrette; interview student to describe both the space and the needs they are trying to address

• Let’s Look at an Example

Bringing Authenticity to Academic Space Development: Assessment Techniques

Design Your World Example

Bringing Authenticity to Academic Space Development: Assessment Techniques

Design Your World

• Technique: Exploring User-Created Drawings to Uncover Student Space Preferences

• Exercise: Examine student charrette; interview student to describe both the space and the needs they are trying to address

• Time: 20 minutes

Bringing Authenticity to Academic Space Development: Assessment Techniques

Through the Looking Glass

• Technique: Gaining Insights Into Student Behavior through Photo Self-Reflection and Interviews

• Exercise: Review user-taken photos (10, 14 & 15); Interview students about the selection, content and significance of their photos.

• Let’s see an example

Bringing Authenticity to Academic Space Development: Assessment Techniques

Through the Looking Glass Example

Question Nine: ”Photograph a place at your university where you feel you belong.”

Bringing Authenticity to Academic Space Development: Assessment Techniques

Through the Looking Glass Example

Question Thirteen:”Photograph a popularstudy space you never use.”

Bringing Authenticity to Academic Space Development: Assessment Techniques

Through the Looking Glass

• Technique: Gaining Insights Into Student Behavior through Photo Self-Reflection and Interviews

• Exercise: Review user-taken photos (10, 14 & 15); Interview students about the selection, content and significance of their photos.

• Time: 15 minutes

Bringing Authenticity to Academic Space Development: Assessment Techniques

Statistics

• Technique: Using Institutional Data for Decision-Making

• Exampleso Gate Countso Visit Intervalso Reference Interactionso Graduation and Retention Rateso Class Fail Rates

Bringing Authenticity to Academic Space Development: Assessment Techniques

Statistics

Bringing Authenticity to Academic Space Development: Assessment Techniques

Freeze Frame

• Technique: Capturing Moment-In-Time Images of Students Engaged in Authentic Activities

• Exercise: Examine Photos. First “Observe” and Then “Interpret”

• Let’s Look at Examples

Bringing Authenticity to Academic Space Development: Assessment Techniques

Freeze Frames: Example

Bringing Authenticity to Academic Space Development: Assessment Techniques

Freeze Frames: Example

Bringing Authenticity to Academic Space Development: Assessment Techniques

Freeze Frame

• Technique: Capturing Moment-In-Time Images of Students Engaged in Authentic Activities

• Exercise: Examine Photos. First “Observe” and Then “Interpret”

• Time: 15 minutes

Bringing Authenticity to Academic Space Development: Assessment Techniques

Personas

• Technique: Creating an Engaging Characterization of Data.

• Exercise: Synthesize data provided to you to create a user profile (narrative) representing data.

• Let’s look at examples.

Bringing Authenticity to Academic Space Development: Assessment Techniques

Persona ExamplesArizonaArizona is an FSU sophomore studying biology. Arizona grew up in a large family and finds dead silence impossible to study in; there is just something about the buzz of a coffee house that keeps her going. If she were to study by herself in her room, she’d probably fall asleep at her desk.

Arizona is a gregarious person. She studies in groups for motivation, not necessarily for collaboration. She studies during the day, in between classes, to keep her schedule open for social obligations. She’s the treasurer of the Student Government Association and this requires a substantial amount of evening hours during the week. In addition to taking a full-load of classes,

Arizona also works part-time at Tropical Smoothie.

Arizona needs a lot of light to study, and prefers natural light. She seeks out spaces with a casual, chatty atmosphere. Herhighlighters, note cards, WiFi and laptop are essential for her to get her studying done. Arizona uses her laptop so she can review her lecture slides on Blackboard.

Bringing Authenticity to Academic Space Development: Assessment Techniques

Personas

• Technique: Creating an engaging characterization of data.

• Exercise: Synthesize data provided to you to create a user profile (narrative) representing data.

• Time: 30 minutes

Bringing Authenticity to Academic Space Development: Assessment Techniques

Group Report Outs

• Share o Your Persona(s)o How the Data/Exercises Led to That Persona

• Time: 30 minutes

Bringing Authenticity to Academic Space Development: Assessment Techniques

Final Thoughts

If We Knew What We Were Doing, It Wouldn’t Be Called Research- Albert Einstein

Aha!: Share A Light Bulb Moment