THE COLLEGE OF NEW JERSEY

The Role of Data and IT in Accreditation and

Assessment

Paula MaasDebra Frank

Input Model Output Model

Role of IT

Role of Program

Role of IT

Role of ProgramAnalyze

Data

Input Assessment

Data

Develop Assessments

Assist in Retrieving Data for Reporting

Create Databases to

Maintain Data

Create Systems for Data Input

Major Paradigm Shift in Accreditation

Middle States Accreditation Standards

Major principle guiding standards revision: “greater emphasis on institutional assessment and the assessment of student learning”

Assessment of Institutional Effectiveness

Implement Strategies

Assess Achievement

Use the Results

Define Goals

Middle States

Standard 7

Assessment of Student Learning

Offer Student Opportunities

Assess Achievement

Use the Results

Develop Learning

Goals

Middle States

Standard 14

Learning Outcomes Assessment 101

Learning

Outcome:

How

do

you

know t

hi

s?

How

do

you

know

you

ar

e

successf

ul

?

Characteristics of Effective Assessments

Useful

Cost-effective

Reasonably accurate and truthful

Planned

Organized, systematized, and sustained

Roles for IT in Effective Assessments

Useful

Cost-effective

Reasonably accurate and truthful

Planned

Organized, systematized, and sustained

NCATE Accreditation

Standard 2: the unit has an assessment system that collects and analyzes data

Data Collection

Using built-in assessment functions in course management system• Scored and un-scored rubrics• Checklists• Teamwork assessments

Data Storage

ACCESS Database

SA System

Other

Increasing Data Volume

Catego

ry 1

Catego

ry 2

Catego

ry 3

Catego

ry 4

0246

Series 1Series 2Series 3

Linking Data to Other Sources

• Scored and un-scored rubrics• Checklists• Teamwork assessments

Using built-in assessment functions in course management system

Reporting Data

Communication between faculty/staff and IT professionals is key to managing the web of data

Data

Data

Data

Analyzing Data

Programs analyze data

IT can provide technical support

Communication Issues

What you may hear:“I have no idea how to do this, but this is

what I need…”

What they

mean:“I’m looking to you to be the technology

expert”

“I need you to translate my needs into language that

data administrators understand”

What data will you need from existing systems?

Student record data

Student bio-demographics?

Courses completed with term?

Course grades?

Faculty data Courses taught with term, enrollment, grades?

Degrees, certifications, experience?

Course Management System Embedded assessment results?

Other Questions to Ask

•Once per semester? Once per year? More often?

How often will the data need to be

refreshed?

•What data security mechanisms are in place?

Who will have access to the data?

What format will the final output need to

be in?

When (how often) do you need the output?

More Questions to Ask

Are there existing interfaces? •Note – the assessment folks won’t know the answer to this!•If it is an “off the shelf” product – what are the specs for data import, and can your existing systems produce what is needed?

Some Available Products

WEAVEonline http://www.weaveonline.co

m/Xitracs

http://www.xitracs.comChalk & Wire

http://www.chalkandwire.com/

EduMetry http://www.edumetry.com/

TaskStream https://www.taskstream.co

mTk20

http://www.tk20.com/Waypoint Outcomes

http://www.subjectivemetrics.com/index.cfm

Listing of products within this presentation does not constitute endorsement.

A Word of Caution

An “off the shelf” product may be very helpful for

organizing assessment data

It will not perform the assessment!

•Learning outcomes•Performance criteria•Relationship to academic program

It will not, in and of itself, “complete the

loop”

•Communication of results•Application to program changes

But it can be more cost effective alternative

Assessment 102 (Live)

1. The main point of this presentation is:A. IT can solve accreditation needs.B. As accrediting bodies move toward outcomes

assessment, the role of IT is increasingC. Institutions need to decide whether to use home

grown or off the shelf products for accreditation2. What is meant by assessing institutional

effectiveness?

Assessment 102 (Live)

3. What is meant by assessing student learning?

4. Where does IT fit into data management for accreditation?

5. What kinds of questions can IT ask to facilitate the assessment and accreditation process?

Contact

 Paula A.Y. Maas, Executive Director, Center for

Institutional Effectiveness-maas @tcnj.edu

 Debra L. Frank, Coordinator of Assessment, School of Education, The College of New Jersey- frank@tcnj.edu