Assessment Stories

“Story telling is about connecting to other people and helping people to see what you see.” Michael Margolis I ran across this quote recently as I was looking for some interesting quotes to put into a presentation I was working on.  It didn’t fit my presentation, but it did make me think about telling a story. This past January, the professional development week that precedes the semester at JCCC included a panel of faculty who told their stories of assessment.  The panelists were wonderfully candid in sharing insights about their experiences and I was thrilled to hear all the different stories of how assessment had evolved in their disciplines.  Unfortunately, not many people attended the session. I thought the stories the faculty told about their respective assessment journeys were powerful and compelling. So, living in a digital age, I asked the faculty from the panel to come to the studio and tell their stories again – to the camera. Under Continue reading Assessment Stories

More Than the Sum of Its Parts

One of my hobbies is quilting.  I took it up later in life, meaning somewhere past my 40th birthday, and I have found that I really enjoy it.  When quilting, you have to consider the overall design of your creation and how the selection of patterns, colors, and shapes are going to fit together.  The most important part is deciding how you will bring all of these elements and the resulting individual pieces of fabric together to create a whole that is beautiful, durable, and, of course, keeps you warm on a cold winter night. I have determined through my experience that assessment is a lot like quilting.  There are many elements that go into a good assessment plan.  You certainly need to consider your overall design, starting with what exactly you want to know about your students.  If you design your assessment plan well, then all of the pieces will indeed fit together to form a cohesive whole focused Continue reading More Than the Sum of Its Parts

Ambrosia

I know I have mentioned before that I’m a Southerner.   I am actually one of those very rare native Floridians—rare because most residents of Florida are transplants.  One of the great food traditions of Florida is a winter dish called Ambrosia, a fruit salad made with fresh winter oranges and coconut.  Some of you may recognize another version: Homer referenced ambrosia in his poems as the food of the gods. I think the same could be said of the Florida fruit salad since it is one of my favorite dishes and is known to taste divine. After the Moving Forward with Assessment conference, I would like to offer another spin on the definition of ambrosia – not as a winter dish served in Florida, but as a spring treat generously shared in the Midwest.  This variation is composed of the wide variety of dialogues on assessment swirling around me this past Friday at the conference.  The opportunity to connect with Continue reading Ambrosia

Moving Forward with Assessment

This is it! Spring is in the air and flowers and trees are blooming all over campus. This is the week we’ve been looking forward to since last year’s conference.  The 5th Annual Regional Community College Assessment Conference – Moving Forward with Assessment, is finally here!  And I am excited. As you are on the countdown to attending the conference, here a few tips to make this experience amazing. Check out the schedule in advance on the blog site and determine which breakouts you want to attend (choose your top two picks). Bring your business cards to give to your new colleagues, and ask them for theirs – you may want to follow-up with them after the conference. Join us the night before for the reception; it will be a nice informal opportunity to meet, chat and network. Be prepared to take home lots of great ideas to share on your campus. I sincerely look forward to greeting each of Continue reading Moving Forward with Assessment