Serving Two Masters
There is a well-known Bible verse in the Book of Matthew that says, “No one can serve two masters.” I was thinking about that adage recently when discussing assessment with some colleagues. We were discussing a department’s assessment plan for the coming academic year and I was repeatedly asked if the accrediting body “would be okay with it.” Assessment has the unfortunate role of trying to serve two masters. The first and primary role of assessment is to measure student learning in the classroom/program/college, and to use this information to inform curricular changes with the goal of increasing student learning. The second master that has begun creeping into my conversations with faculty is the issue of accountability. Will this satisfy our accrediting body? Will the state board think this is okay? Does this meet the requirements? It is hard to meet the needs of two masters that are so fundamentally different in expectations and requirements. So how does academia address Continue reading Serving Two Masters