Education Commons^™

Closing The Loop: Data-Informed Decisions For Program Success, Megan Slayter

Measures of Success Series

Join Megan Slayter, Professor and Associate Director from the School of Theatre and Dance, as she shares about the multi-year process that she and her colleagues used to develop one example learning outcome to assess the Bachelor of Arts in Dance program, “students are able to articulate and apply a personal aesthetic related to their career goals”. Along the way, she will discuss the tools used for this process, and show how dance faculty integrated assessment data with understanding of the changing landscape of the field of dance to make data-informed decisions to prepare students for success in a wide …

Learning From Our Assessment Heroes: The 2023 Mini Grant Recipients, Office Of Institutional Effectiveness

Measures of Success Series

Come and meet the 2023 University Assessment Steering Committee’s Assessment Mini Grant awardees. Learn about key accomplishments of these WMU instructors and administrators as they share highlights from their assessment projects focused in a variety of subjects and areas ranging from anthropology, finance and commercial law, geological and environmental sciences, Fulbright Foreign Student Program, history, and interdisciplinary health.

The Possibility Of Cognitive Kindness, Karen Yu

Measures of Success Series

Empowering everyone’s very best thinking has perhaps never mattered more. And yet for all the value that colleges and universities place on learning and thinking, we often work in ways that are forcefully counter to this goal. It doesn’t have to be this way. We can be more cognitively kind. Across various levels and aspects of higher education, we’ll explore some ways to intentionally apply what science tells us about how our minds work to design interactions, processes, and spaces that better empower and liberate each person’s full cognitive potential. Along the way, we’ll also see how cognitive kindness can …

Fulbright Foreign Student Program At Wmu Assessment Of Student Needs & Support, Michelle Metro-Rolland

Assessment Grants

Funding is sought to conduct a survey and focus groups with the Fulbright Foreign Students (FFS) at Western Michigan University and recent Fulbright graduates in order to assess student needs and better align program support. Fulbright students are supported by the Fulbright Foreign Student Advisor who liaisons with the placement agencies, departments, and international admissions as well as provides guidance to students in navigating university bureaucracy. The FSA also provides cultural programming.

Aligning Course Learning Objectives And Program Learning Outcomes With Data Visualization, Jessica Cataldo

Assessment Grants

The proposed project will result in the creation of two data visualization tools that map course learning objectives to program learning outcomes for the new Health Administration bachelor’s program. These tools will guide the development of a skill level curriculum map to determine which course(s) are most appropriate to assess program outcomes. Since the program is new, program assessment is in its infancy, thus the project will serve as a catalyst for developing a comprehensive program assessment plan. The project will also support the program’s goal of obtaining Association of University Programs in Health Administration certification.

Exit Survey Development, Melinda Koelling, Cynthia Klekar, Todd Kuchta, Heather Petcovic, Linda Borish

Assessment Grants

In a department like Geography, an exit interview is used to assess programs. In a department like Mathematics, there is no existing exit interview or survey. Even for those interview and survey questions that exist, the questions could be shared and improved. A core group of chairs from Mathematics, Geography, and Philosophy would like to develop exit assessments. A larger group of units proposes to work together to develop a bank of exit interview assessment questions that can be used to assess undergraduate and graduate programs.

Take A Bite Out Of Health Disparities, Betty D. Dennis

Assessment Grants

In spring 2023, the College of Health and Human Services (CHHS) launched a new lunch and learn series called “Take a bite out of health disparities.” Speakers, internal and external to CHHS, are invited to lead informal conversations about four specialty topics to address the myriad of individual, environmental, and social factors that contribute to these various health disparities. We also discuss the intersectionality of race, gender, and sexual identity. The goal is to teach faculty, staff, and students in health services their role in teaching compassionate care. We will expand this series in 2023-2024 by adding new topics and …

Assessing Inspera Assessment, Matthew Ross

Assessment Grants

This mini grant will allow for preliminary assessment of Inspera Assessment software at WMU. The Norwegian company Inspera AS presents a more versatile digital assessment platform than the Respondus lockdown browser which is the current WMU platform. Specifically, Inspera offers MS Excel enabled examinations which is not possible with Respondus or similar platforms such as Proctorio or TopHat. However, assessing the capabilities of Inspera is expected to be a challenging, multidisciplinary, and time-consuming endeavor. This grant application requests funding for faculty time to document the capacity of Inspera Assessment to support WMU finance courses.

Assessment Of An Interdisciplinary Climate Change Facultylearning Community: From Course Redesign To Implementation, Elise Decamp

Assessment Grants

This project is an IRB approved secondary data analysis that serves as a program assessment of the Climate Change Across the Curriculum learning community facilitated in Spring 2022. The primary objectives are to evaluate the learning community’s (1) success in supporting the integration of the complex topic of climate change across the curriculum through interdisciplinary faculty collaboration and (2) the role of this programming in promoting climate literacy among WMU students. Data include pre-/post-survey data on the learning community’s faculty participants, session notes, faculty module and course revision plans, faculty reflections on implementation of their plans, and pre-/post-climate literacy quizzes.

Data Storytelling Strategies, Kate Mcdowell

Measures of Success Series

By understanding storytelling dynamics, anyone can learn how to bring data stories to life. Data stories can help persuade decision-makers, but we need accessible tools for breaking down the dynamic process of storytelling into achievable steps. Based on ongoing research, this talk presents tools anyone can use, including:

-Introduction to storytelling thinking
-Classic advocacy arguments
-Evidence and forms of data for those arguments
-Narrative strategies that draw from common story structures
-Tone and tactics for engaging storytelling with different audience attitudes

One of the most critical things we can do to support institutions of higher education in challenging times is …

Measures Of Success - Learning From Our Assessment Heroes: The 2022 Assessment Mini Grant Winners, Amy Heath, Carrie Barrett, Elizabeth Isidro, Zee-Sun Yun, Chitra Singh, Kelly Weathers

Measures of Success Series

This session highlights the accomplishments of a number of WMU instructors and staff who were recipients of the WMU 2022 University Assessment Steering Committee Assessment Mini Grant Program. With subjects ranging from assessment in literacy studies, fashion merchandising, and physical therapy, the presenters offer up insights that you can use in your own projects and courses.

Measures Of Success: The Why And How Of Wmu Essential Studies Assessment, Jonathan Bush, Randy Ott

Measures of Success Series

Dr. Jonathan Bush, Professor of English and Director of WMU Essential Studies, and Dr. Randy Ott, Senior Director of Academic Collaboration in Merze Tate College, will share the how and why assessment within WMU Essential Studies courses is important, including how the rubrics can be used to measure student learning and future course optimization.

Centering Equity In Assessment: Theories, Models And Practices, Anne E. Lundquist

Measures of Success Series

Assessment data can be a valuable tool to explore inequities on campus and move to remedy them. But assessment itself is not apolitical or objective and the approaches we use and the mindfulness with which we conduct assessment can advance equity in higher education or perpetuate inequities and cause harm. This session will highlight the critical role of cultivating individual awareness as assessors; discuss the context and scholarly history of equity-centered and equity-minded assessment; share frameworks for considering various approaches to centering equity in assessment; and provide some examples of practice and resources. Participants will have an opportunity to reflect …

Curriculum Re-Mapping For Fashion Merchandising Program, Zee-Sun Yun, Kelly Weathers, Chitra Singh

Assessment Grants

This project was the re-mapping of the Fashion Merchandising major (FMEJ) curriculum to improve the program curriculum and meet the standards of Textile and Apparel Programs Accreditation Commission (TAPAC) curricula and learning outcomes. The review feedback from diverse professional sources (i.e., the TAPAC committee, program faculty, industry professional, and expert) guided our decision to revise the FMEJ curriculum by proposing new courses, the proper sequencing of fashion merchandising courses, the degree to which the curriculum supports student learning, and the extent to which learning outcomes are appropriately addressed.

Creating A Culture Of Assessment: Building A Sustainable Model For Communicating Results To Guide Change, Amy Heath, Carrie Barrett

Assessment Grants

The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) has been an active program at Western Michigan University for three years. Using data from the first cohort that completed the DPT program, the Curriculum and Program Evaluation and Assessment Committee (CPEAC) is reviewing the DPT course content and sequencing within the curriculum for efficiency and effectiveness. This grant will fund a model comprised of (a) data analysis and (b) a retreat to discuss results with faculty instructors. The model will improve best-practice in higher level education curricular assessment, engage faculty, assess student outcomes, and provide a curricular assessment blueprint for other university departments.

Understanding Student Perspective’S Around Diversity, Equity, And Inclusion Within The School Of Social Work, Anna Yelick, Dee Sherwood

Assessment Grants

Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) has become a prominent fixture within the social work profession, with educational and professional organizations paying closer attention to issues related to DEI. The Council on Social Work Education (CSWE), the governing body for accrediting social work education programs, has required social work programs to demonstrate a commitment to DEI in their implicit curriculum. Therefore, the School of Social Work is interested in understanding student perspectives and experiences of DEI efforts particularly within the implicit curriculum.

Establishing Content Validity For Wmu’S Special Education Key Assessments, Rena Vanderwall, Kate Lalonde

Assessment Grants

This project seeks to validate the content in the key assessments used in three special education programs at WMU. The purpose of key assessments is to assess student performance and drive ongoing program improvement. Shared key assessments across WMU’s teacher education programs have been validated, but those specific to special education have not been. Establishing content validity includes gathering evidence to demonstrate that the assessment content fairly and adequately represents a defined domain of knowledge or performance. Validation of these assessments will lead to stronger assessment of teacher candidates’ performance and continual improvement of these programs.

Creation And Assessment Of Inclusive Pedagogical Materials In The Spanish Program, Germán Zárate-Sández

Assessment Grants

Data compiled in the Department of Spanish showed that Black students at Western begin Spanish education at high rates but are less likely to advance to upper-level courses and more likely to obtain lower final grades than other groups. Assuming that part of this issue derives from current materials that do not represent Black students, the goal of this mini grant is to develop Spanish learning materials that are more inclusive and representative of the Black experience in Hispanic communities. The materials are expected to be a contribution to improving retention and academic achievement of Black students in the Spanish …

Celcis Assessment Plan/Process Revision, Eva Copija

Assessment Grants

This project will involve revising CELCIS assessment plan/process to make it more meaningful, measurable and manageable and to follow the guidelines of the Commission on English Program Accreditation (CEA), which recommended such revision in response to our 5-year interim report. The steps will include: revising learning outcomes for four kinds of courses at four different levels: elementary, intermediate, pre-advanced and advanced to make them more specific and measurable; aligning evaluation instruments with the learning outcomes; updating our model syllabi to make them reflect the correspondence between the learning outcomes and evaluation instruments, and redesigning progress reports given to students.

Assessment In Action: Trio Student Success Program, Candace Faistenhammer Bracey, Spencer Myers

Assessment in Action Conference

TRiO Student Success Program (SSP) will showcase how our program uses data collection and assessment tools to strengthen and elevate the services offered to first-generation students at Western Michigan University. The TRiO SSP overall mission is to maximize the personal and academic success of our students through advocacy, education and holistic development with the vision that our members can prove themselves to be an elite community of purpose-driven students who positively impact the world around them. With the help of consistent and intentional practices, our program can uphold our commitment to students from the moment they obtain membership until completion.

2022 Western Michigan University Assessment In Action Conference, Office Of Institutional Effectiveness

Assessment in Action Conference

Included here is the program from the 12th Annual Western Michigan University Assessment in Action Conference held virtually on April 8, 2022. The conference, sponsored by the Office of Institutional Effectiveness, is a one-day event where those new to outcomes assessment can come and learn fundamental knowledge about the field, but it is also a place where those who have worked as leaders in outcomes assessment can come and extend their knowledge and skills and network with colleagues. Conference offerings included learning opportunities on various assessment topics for both academic and learner supports units.

More information can be found on …

Anti-Deficit Perspectives On Institutional Diversity Efforts, Ej Edney

Assessment in Action Conference

Institutions of higher learning are central to preparing people to shape the world in which we live. Yet widening opportunity gaps evidence a need for structural change that increases access and improves outcomes for all students. It is important to consider the lens through which practitioners assess and address the unique challenges and opportunities of an increasingly diverse student population. This session will focus on developing anti-deficit approaches to providing the kinds of opportunities that help solve our most pressing DEI challenges.

Itlc Lilly Online Conference, Veronica Rice Mccray

Assessment Grants

For 40 years, Lilly Conferences have provided opportunities for the presentation of the scholarship of teaching and learning. Conference participants are made up of faculty and administrators at various stages in their academic careers that come from across the world representing nearly every discipline found in higher education. The mission is to provide a forum to share and model a scholarly approach to teaching and learning that reports quality student learning outcomes while promoting professional development of faculty.

The main purpose of attending Lilly Online Conference is to learn new approaches to student assessment and refine existing approaches. The secondary …

Identifying And Negotiating Learning Needs Of Tutors And Tutees From The Lens Of Socially Just Literacy Teaching, Elizabeth Isidro

Assessment Grants

The purpose of this project was to describe the learning needs of McGinnis Reading Center (MRC) tutors and tutees from the lens of socially just literacy teaching. To accomplish this, it was necessary to conduct a needs assessment of tutors and tutees through a survey and individual interviews. Determining their learning needs is crucial to enable the reading center director (henceforth referred to as the principal investigator or PI) to initiate program planning and engage in continuous program evaluation. Articulated needs would serve as the basis for program goals, learning outcomes, activities, data collection/analysis, and program modifications.

Wmu Assessment Mini Grant Panel Part Ii, Karen M. Stokes Chapo

Assessment in Action Conference

This session features the 2021 WMU Assessment Mini Grant recipients sharing about the scope of their projects, lessons learned, and insights gained. There will be ample time for attendees to ask questions. To learn more, click here to watch brief interviews with the panelists.

Wmux Makers Lab: Designing And Measuring Tranformational Outcomes, Office Of Institutional Effectiveness

Assessment in Action Conference

In this interactive session, you will design a transformation--an outcome focused on a change in thinking and ability--and a brief curriculum plan to foster that transformation. Using a clothesline method, you will then identify an authentic performance task, objectives, and measures that align with your transformation. You will work individually with paper and pen and collaborate with others in breakout rooms to share and further develop your ideas. It will be highly interactive, so come prepared to share ideas and don't forget to bring paper and a writing utensil.

Wmu Assessment Mini Grant Panel Part I, Karen Stokes Chapo

Assessment in Action Conference

This session features the 2021 WMU Assessment Mini Grant recipients sharing about the scope of their projects, lessons learned, and insights gained. There will be ample time for attendees to ask questions. To learn more, click here to watch brief interviews with the panelists.

Western Michigan University Assessment Handbook: "Celebrating Student Learning", Office Of Institutional Effectiveness

Assessment Publications & Presentations

Western Michigan University (WMU) is committed to the success of our students. That success is predicated on the idea that students graduate from the university having added to the knowledge they had entering WMU. Assessing student learning is crucial to ensuring and documenting that students get the added value they should expect from the institution.

This Assessment Handbook is designed to help units carry out their assessment activities. It contains information, (from both internal and external sources), on how to write good assessment outcomes, answers to frequently asked assessment questions, resources available on campus, and some sample assessment tools, among …

Student Needs Assessment Tool, Kourtney Bakalyar, Katie Easley

Assessment Grants

The purpose for the Student Needs Assessment Tool is to develop a tool for quickly assessing the unique needs of individual students within the WMU community and connecting them with services and supports on campus. The overall goal of the Student Needs Assessment Tool is to help students thrive, complete their classes, and complete a degree at WMU. While developing this tool, the PIs would survey support programs at WMU to create a tool that is easy to use and accessible for other programs at WMU. Planning for data collection and analysis will occur while developing this tool.

Aligning Dance Student Learning Outcomes Within A Vibrant Curriculum Through Curriculum Mapping, Megan Slayter, Jeremy Blair

Assessment Grants

The intent of this project is to investigate and articulate through curriculum mapping how specific skills associated with student learning outcomes for the Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Fine Arts degrees in Dance are introduced, developed, and mastered through their respective curricula.