Meaningful and Manageable Program Assessment

“This book provides a much needed how-to guide for program-level assessment. Program chairs and faculty charged with conducting assessment will find the authors’ approach practical and the baker's dozen modules succinct, instructive and rich with program-specific examples of effective assessment.”

Jillian Kinzie, Associate Director, Center for Postsecondary Research - Indiana University

“Meaningful and Manageable Program Assessment is a must-have resource for any person or department or program wishing to do program review. Massa and Kasimatis have written a usable guide to assessing program level quality. By starting with an end in mind – what do you want to know about your students’ learning – the authors provide step-by-step guidance for successful review. The refreshing approach doesn’t rely on a cookie-cutter template, but rather on a tailored, nuanced guide reflective of the program’s desired focus on learning and how to step through a very understandable and doable process for improvement that is assessment at its best.”

Terrel L. Rhodes, Vice President, Office of Quality, Curriculum and Assessment - Association of American Colleges and Universities

“Assessment may seem to be so firmly established that little more needs to be said. Then along comes Massa and Kasimatis’ compact, step-by-step primer. They provide a practical overview of an essential institutional responsibility with proven, practical advice for a new generation of faculty. Massa and Kasimatis have given academe a guide to relearn and reaffirm the means and ends of assessment at the program level—this time with a clear message that assessing student learning is a necessary—and doable--part of faculty work. Every new faculty member should receive a copy.”

William Plater, Executive Vice Chancellor Emeritus - IUPUI

Dedication
Introduction—Putting assessment into context

Module 1: An overview of assessment concepts and principles: Improving student learning
Module 2: Mission, goals and outcomes: Looking at the big picture
Module 3: Student learning outcomes: Articulating what you want students to learn
Module 4: Curriculum and outcome mapping: Understanding the path to student learning in your program
Module 5: Planning: Creating a meaningful and manageable assessment plan for your program
Module 6: Assessment measurement tools: Determining what your students are learning
Module 7: Rubrics: Creating and using rubrics for program assessment
Module 8: Exams: Asking questions that provide the answers you need
Module 9: Surveys: Finding out what your students think
Module 10: Organizing, summarizing and presenting your evidence: Using Microsoft Excel to make sense of your data
Module 11: Closing the loop: Interpreting results and taking action
Module 12: Record keeping: Keeping track of your work
Module 13: Creating a culture of assessment: Tips for keeping assessment meaningful, manageable and sustainable

Appendix: Additional assessment resources
Glossary
Index
References

Laura J. Massa

Laura J. Massa has served as the Director of Assessment at Loyola Marymount University since 2008. She regularly conducts workshops on assessment techniques at LMU, for the WASC Senior College and University Commission, and at a variety of universities.

Margaret Kasimatis

Margaret Kasimatis currently serves as Vice Provost for Strategic Planning and Educational Effectiveness at Loyola Marymount University. She previously served as Executive Director of Institutional Research, Assessment and Planning at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, and Director of Assessment at Harvey Mudd College. In addition, Dr. Kasimatis has been actively engaged in regional accreditation processes through the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC), as an evaluator, a member of the WSCUC Interim Report Committee and the WSCUC Program Review Task Force. She was recently elected Vice Chair of the Commission.

Organizing your Spreadsheet

Summarizing Assessment –Sums

Summarizing Assessment – Frequencies

Presenting Assessment Data