Learning Resources

Abstract: Stories from the Educational Underground: The New Frontier for Learning and Work
by Peter Smith
Kendall Hunt Publishing: Dubuque, Iowa: 2021
148 pages
ISBN 978-1792472930

Abstract: Professor Armstrong describes the college's particular interest in sexual assault prevention and highlights the critical role that academic department chairs can play in designing institutional research partnerships that support faculty interests as well as the institution's. She emphasizes many faculty's long term commitment to campus health and wellbeing and offers a clear-eyed view about how to leverage faculty research skills for campus goals.

Abstract: This article presents a framework for developing a meta-assessment process for evaluating assessment practices in higher education institutions. Meta-assessment is important for improving assessment processes, setting clear expectations, and efficient decision-making. The comprehensive literature on this topic that is included in this article suggests that developing meta-assessment rubrics is an effective method for evaluating assessment. The meta-assessment results can be used in combination with qualitative resources to encourage program self-improvement. At the American University of Beirut, different meta-assessment checklists were developed based on best practices for evaluating program learning outcomes assessment, unit outcomes assessment, periodic program review, and periodic unit review.

Abstract: In April of 2017 the University System of Georgia (USG) launched a system wide initiative, known as the Comprehensive Administrative Review (CAR). The charge was to identify and implement administrative service improvement, efficiencies, and administrative cost savings that can be redirected to student success efforts and core academic programs. As Chair of the CAR Steering Committee, Dr. Marrero will outline the objectives of the CAR, the process, implementation and reporting structures, and the results to date. Furthermore, as a President of two USG comprehensive universities during the process of and initial implementation of CAR (University of West Georgia and Georgia Southern University), Dr. Marrero will provide an institutional perspective and insight into building a culture of high performance with a focus on evidence-based leadership, accountability, and continuous improvement. The session will highlight why investing in and engaging your people is critical in building a culture of continuous improvement.

Abstract: The consolidation of administrative services into a centralized shared services model is increasingly common. Unfortunately, this move can be a rocky one, often encountering resistance and skepticism. Our session will focus on the implementation and optimization of a shared services model for academic services from both sides of the change—a person on the team leading the change and a key stakeholder undergoing the change. This session will provide you with information, skills, and approaches to ensure a pain-free implementation of a shared services model.

Abstract: Institutions are managing numerous student success initiatives simultaneously, but they lack the necessary data and infrastructure to evaluate outcomes. They also struggle to clearly link a particular initiative to a specific individual outcome. Using prediction-based propensity score matching (PPSM), a methodology compliant with the U.S. Department of Education’s What Works Clearinghouse’s requirements, we facilitated the analysis of key initiatives to measure efficacy, ensuring that outcomes of students participating are compared to control students with similar propensity. The recent work explored in this article helps two institutions understand the impact of their innovation and more precisely scale student support.