Events – Assessment by Design

Co-Curricular Assessment

Posted on March 5, 2019 by sbarre13 — No Comments ↓

One of the “hot button” topics in higher education is assessment of co-curricular activities. In the Higher Learning Commission universe, it is even written into the Criteria for Accreditation; however, many schools are struggling to understand how to assess these activities. For that matter, how do we as educators define co-curricular versus extra-curricular activities? At my institution, we are grappling with these issues with new specialized software and a task force charged with determining the how, why, and when of capturing and assessing how students benefit from co-curricular engagement. If you are in the same boat, you might consider joining us at the Pre-conference workshop for Assessment Matters on Thursday, April 25th. We have two afternoon sessions on assessing co-curricular. The first is from our keynote Dr. Jeremy Penn, President of the Association for the Assessment of Learning in Higher Education. His session is entitled “When you Run a Co-curricular Program, Assess it! Strategies for Developing Manageable and Meaningful Co-curricular Continue reading Co-Curricular Assessment→

Spring – where are you?

Posted on February 25, 2019 by sbarre13 — No Comments ↓

Spring is not here. I know this because we are still experiencing frigid weather, snow, ice, brown landscapes, and all the joys of winter. But I know that spring is coming and I’m ready! Beyond the warmth and green the season brings, this spring will also bring the Assessment Matters Conference – April 25 & 26th, 2019. It has been two years since our last conference, as we’ve moved to an every other year format. The line-up for this year’s conference and pre-conference workshop is stellar and I’m excited for April to arrive. This year’s lineup includes Dr. Jeremy Penn, President of the Association for the Assessment of Learning in Higher Education as our keynote speaker. We will also be featuring great sessions from colleagues at St. Louis Community College, Metropolitan Community College, Southeast Community College, Emporia State University, the University of Kansas, and others! For the next several weeks I’ll feature information on the blog about our upcoming conference. Continue reading Spring – where are you?→

Schools Out for Summer!

Posted on May 23, 2017 by takins2 — No Comments ↓

No more pencils, no more books, no more teacher’s dirty looks. Hmm, now that I’m an adult with children of my own, that little rhyme no longer gives me the same sense of elation it did as a youth. Even though classes are done for most educators until the fall term; learning is never over. Come spend a day with us and learn more about the Cycle of Assessment at the Assessment by Design workshop. Learn how to use Bloom’s Taxonomy as a planning framework to tie together course objectives, program outcomes, and classroom assessments. Discuss and receive practical tips on writing program goals. Learn about assessment data: how to gather it, ways to summarize it, how to analyze it, and the myths surrounding it. Network with colleagues from various institutions during the hands-on activities and over lunch. Pick the date that best fits your schedule (June 16 or June 30 CANCELLED) and spend the day with us learning about assessment. Continue reading Schools Out for Summer!→

Just Keep Swimming

Posted on May 9, 2017 by takins2 — No Comments ↓

As a former English teacher, I love a good metaphor. Just keep swimming is a simple metaphor meaning to never stop: never stop trying, never stop believing, and never stop learning. As the end of the semester and the start of swim season approaches, plans are being made for summer activities at every college across the United States: what books to read, trips to take, and what workshops/conferences to use hard earned faculty development dollars. Allow me to entice you to use those development dollars on Assessment by Design: a one day workshop providing a comprehensive overview on assessment. Assessment by Design is an interactive workshop providing useful information for assessing student learning and how you can use the Cycle of Assessment as a framework to improve teaching and learning. The hands-on activities are facilitated by JCCC instructors and staff. The $135 fee includes a workbook designed to assist you over the course of the workshop day and in the Continue reading Just Keep Swimming→

Time and Space

Posted on December 2, 2015 by mmcmull5 — No Comments ↓

Many a trip continues long after movement in time and space have ceased. —John Steinbeck I enjoy discovering quotes. In fact, I have saved a few particularly poignant ones that I would be happy to share if you want to drop by my office. Recently, I came across this one by John Steinbeck. I’m a fan of several of Steinbeck’s books, but, interestingly, I didn’t find this in a book. It appeared in one of those little “inspirational” calendars that are very popular gifts at this time of year and for which it seems wholly appropriate. As I was musing on the quote, it came to me that assessment is very much like a trip that continues “long after movement…have ceased.” When assessing students, the movement generated in the collecting of data on student learning has an impact on the curriculum long after the actual data collection has stopped. With the act of analyzing the data, this movement amplifies as Continue reading Time and Space→

More Than the Sum of Its Parts

Posted on April 21, 2015 by mmcmull5 — No Comments ↓

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→

Professional Development – A Plethora of Opportunities

Posted on November 4, 2014 by sbarre13 — No Comments ↓

Definition of Professional Development – “the process of obtaining the skills, qualifications, and experience that allow you to make progress in your career.” (Macmillan Dictionary, 2014) Looking ahead over the next several months at JCCC, I find the opportunities for faculty development in the assessment of student learning remarkable in both breadth and depth. Leading off the new academic semester in January, the Office of Outcomes Assessment (OOA) will host a workshop that was piloted last summer. Assessment by Design – Comprehensive Overview, is a day-long, hands-on workshop which provides participants with an interactive and theoretical framework for addressing the assessment needs of their courses or programs. Come to this workshop as an individual faculty member working on assessing student learning in your courses, or bring your colleagues to address assessment initiatives for your program. During Professional Development Days, find your development opportunity in sessions such as: “Hits and Misses” in Launching Assessment Strategies, a faculty panel discussion Taming Continue reading Professional Development – A Plethora of Opportunities→