Assessment,Accreditation,andAccountabilityinHigherEducation

Instructor:

Office:610 Library

VirtualOfficehours:5-10 PM Mon-Fri or by email appointment

PurposeoftheCourse

Tofamiliarizestudentswithpolicies,processes,andproceduresfordesigning,implementing,andreportingassessment,accountability,andaccreditationdocumentationforstakeholdersin highereducation.

RequiredPrimaryReadings,GovernmentDocuments,andResearchPublications

TheSpellings CommissionReport-2006

New Debate About Accountability – IHE 2015

NewCriteriaforAccreditationHigherLearningCommission2012

CommittingtoQuality:Guidelinesfor AssessmentandAccountabilityinHigherEducation-NewLeadershipAllianceforStudentLearningandAccountability-20I2

AcademicallyAdrift-ArumRoksa20II

ACultureofTeaching:Policy,Perception,andPracticeinHigherEducation.Cox,B.E.,Kardian,L.,Reason,R.D.,Terenzini,PT.ResearchinHigherEducation(2011)808-829.

HighImpactPractices,Kuh,G.(2011).AmericanAssociationofCollegesandUniversities

Articlesfrom theChronicleofHigherEducation,InsideHigherEd,LiberalEducation,andPeerReviewthatdebatethetopicsofgeneraleducation,access,retention,funding,andacademicfreedom.

StudentLearningObjectives-Thesuccessfulstudentwill:

1.Articulateanddefendapositiononthe assessment movement in higher education.

2.Createa program-level assessmentplan for curricular assessment

3.Create a university-level assessment plan for co-curricular assessment.

4.Create a web portfolio of class artifacts for employment seeking

5.Communicate,inwriting,apositiononthe use of high impact practices

6.Communicate, in writing, a position on assessment of prior learning

7.Synthesizeandarticulatebestpracticesinassessmentofstudentlearning

8.Align evidence of student learning assessment and co-curricular assessment with accreditation criteria

CourseRequirements

  1. Application Papers (2)- SLOs 2, 8 – Students will design a sample curricular program-level assessment and a sample evidence file for accreditation.
  2. Discussion Boards (5)- SLOs 1, 4, 5, 6 - Discussion boards are designed to be interactive discussions and activities with the entire class. The purpose is to learn from one another. All participants can view entries. Students are required to post comments on other class members' entries in order to enhance learning from one another. Topics are chosen from course readings. Entries are graded for use of course reading, depth of coverage, and interaction with classmates.
  3. Oral Exam (1) SLO 3 - The mid-term exam is an oral presentation of a co-curricular assessment plan
  4. WrittenExam (1) SLO 8 – The final exam consists of a student presentation of alignment of assessment evidence with accreditation criteria.
  5. Skype –(2) This activity enables the student and instructor to engage in a face to face session to discuss student progress in the course, suggest changes to course content and delivery, and discuss professional development. The requirement for full points for the first Skype session is to participate by providing the instructor with feedback and receiving formative assessment from the instructor. The requirement for full points for the second Skype session is to present evidence of attention to feedback received during the first session.
  6. Web Portfolio – (1) SLO 4
  7. Quizzes – (5) (SLO 7) Quizzes will follow lectures or readings to check comprehension.

Grading - Points

Application Papers 100 (2 X 50)

Discussion Boards 50 (5 X 10)

Mid-term (oral) 50

Final (written) 50

Skype 50 (2 X 25)

Web Portfolio 50

Quizzes 50 (5 X 10)

Notes:

Allassignmentsmustbesubmittedby11:59PMofduedate.Nocreditisawardedforlatesubmissions.

GradingA=90-100% B=80-89%, C=70-79%, D=60-69%

59orbelow

Schedule and Calendar

Week OneIntroduction to Accountability and Review of Syllabus

Week TwoHistory of the Accountability Movement

Week ThreeAssessment Basics – Program Evaluation vs. SLO Assessment

Week FourCo-Curricular Assessment Practices

Week FiveCo-Curricular Assessment Practices part II

Week SixHigh Impact Practices

Week SevenMid-Term

Week EightCurricular Assessment Practices

Week NineCurricular Assessment Practices Part II

Week TenAccreditation

Week ElevenProfessional Development and Employment Opportunities

Week TwelveAssessment of Prior Learning

Week ThirteenProfessional Online Presence

Week FourteenFinal Exam

AttendancePolicy

AttendanceisevaluatedbytheBbparticipation.Ifstudenthasnotfirstloggedintothe courseinBbduringfirst4days,studentmaybeadministrativelywithdrawnfromclass.

AcademicIntegrity

Allworksubmittedforthiscoursemustbeyourownandmustbewritten exclusivelyforthiscourse.The useofsourcesmustbeproperlydocumentedusingAPAstyle.Eachstudentisexpectedtomaintainthehigheststandardsofacademichonestyandintegrity.Ireservetherighttoreducea grade,failanyassignmentorassignafailinggradefortheentirecourseifanystudentisfoundguiltyofacademicdishonesty.Additionally,ifastudent'ssubmittedworkiscollaboratedwithanotherstudent,afailinggradewillresultforthatassignment.

Plagiarismisconsideredacademicdishonesty.Plagiarismisclaimingcreditfor workdonebyothers.Itincludes:

•Usingsomeoneelse'sideasorworkwithoutacknowledgingthe source(s).

•Copyingwordsofotherswithoutputtingtheminquotationmarksandprovidinga reference.

•Copyinganswersfromanotherpersonortextona testorotherassignment.

Ifastudent'ssubmittedworkiscollaboratedwithanotherstudent,afailinggradewillresultforthatassignment.

DISCLAIMERS:

StudentsareresponsibleforadheringtoASU'sguidelinesforthefollowing:AcademicHonesty/CodeofConduct/AttendancePolicy http:/Istudentconduct.astate.edu/codeofconduct.html

http:/Istudentconduct.astate.edu/studenthandbook.html

.htm

SUPPORTSERVICES

StudentsneedingassistanceduetophysicalorlearningdisabilitiesshouldcontacttheDisabilities ServicesOfficeat870.972.3964or

Peertutoringisavailable(freeofcharge)toallstudentsenrolledinASU-Jonesborocoursesin theLearningSupportCenter(LSC)locatedintheDeanB.EllisLibrary,Room100.VisittheLSCwebsiteformoreinformation:

Studentsareresponsibleforcompliancewithalluniversitystandards.

ACADEMICHONESTY

PR3003adherestotheacademichonestypolicyofArkansasStateUniversity,whichcanbe foundat:http:/Istudentlife.astate.edu/academicintegrity.html

"ArkansasStateUniversityenthusiasticallypromotesacademicintegrityandprofessionalethicsamongallmembersoftheASUacademiccommunity.Violations ofthispolicyareconsideredasseriousmisconductandmayresultin disciplinaryactionandseverepenalties."

AdditionalPolicies:AnypoliciesnotexplicitlyoutlinedinthecoursesyllabuswillbesubjecttotheASUBulletin,availableontheASUwebpage.Studentsareencouragedtoobtainacopyofthe bulletinandrefertoitforallmattersof theireducationalexperience.