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Interactive Closing Session

Facilitators: Monica Stitt-Bergh, Leah Simpson, TaiwoAnde

Join fellow attendees to summarize important conference take-aways and reflect on the AALHE 2015 conference via a 3-way (aka cooperative) interview activity.

Bonus: learn how to use a cooperative interview. You can use this activity on your campus during different parts of the assessment cycle, particularly during interpretation of results and creation of an improvement plan (see page 2 for topic/question ideas).

Process

1. INTERVIEW

  1. Form teams of three. [If four: first, hold pair interviews using separate sheets to record notes and, second, re-form into a team of four to discuss themes.]
  2. Each team member takes an initial role:

interviewer,

responder, or

recorder.

  1. Each team uses a single recording form to take notes.
  2. For 3 minutes, the interviewer asks the responder the interview question/topic and asks appropriate follow-up questions. The recorder takes notes.
  3. Each team member rotates his/her role so that each person has a turn interviewing, responding, and recording. [3 minutes per rotation]

2. IDENTIFY THEMES

  1. The team then identifies common themes and also notes any other information that helps make sense of the topic.

3. DRAW CONCLUSIONS

  1. The team draws conclusions (or makes recommendations) based on the themes and other information.

Each team shares* with the full group (orally or written on large paper sheets). A facilitator leads a group discussion of what the results mean for the issue at hand.

*Note: because of time constraints, sharing will be in small groups and we will collect the response sheets and distribute every team’s top two via email.**

Thank you for being part of the 2015 conference! We hope to see you again soon.

Topics/questions you might use on your campus with a cooperative interview activity[1]

  1. After hearing the assessment results, what concerns you most about the degree program? Why?
  2. After discussing the assessment results, what two things might the program do to improve student learning? Explain.
  3. Think of a time when you successfully helped students [INSERT knowledge/skill/value]. What did you do? Why was it successful? What types of support were especially helpful?
  4. Think of a successful assignment/activity related to [INSERT knowledge/skill/value]. What was it about? What did students do? Why was it successful?
  5. Think about a well-written dissertation, what characteristics made it well written?
  6. Look over this list of recommendations to improve student learning in our program. Which do you believe will be personally most challenging? Why? What types of supports would you find especially helpful?
  7. In regards to the assessment results, what are you especially proud of about your program? Why?
  8. In regards to student learning, what’s one “wish” that you have for your program? Why?
  9. What concerns you most about student learning in your program? Why?
  10. Think of a time when you were asked to try something new in your professional life. What was it? How did you feel? Did you actually try it? Why or why not? What influenced the steps you took?
  11. Think of a time that you received feedback or information that motivated you to make a change. What was it about the feedback that was particularly helpful? Explain.
  12. Are the assessment results being used to make a positive impact in our program? How can you tell? What’s different now compared to before? What still needs to be accomplished?
  13. What are the most important characteristics—knowledge, skills, values—that students need before they enter the 300-level courses in the major? How could students be better prepared for the major?
  14. After participating in the assessment process, what did you learn about students in the program? What did you learn about the curriculum? What one change would you recommend?

Recording Sheet

Interview Question/Topic
What interesting or important ideas about assessment did you hear during the conference?
Name of responder / Response
Team Themes, Conclusions, Important Take-aways, Recommendations
**On the back of this sheet, please write your team’s top two to be shared via email with all attendees.**

Based on the Cooperative Interview in King, J. A., & Stevahn, L. (2012). Interactive Evaluation Practice: Mastering the Interpersonal Dynamics of Program Evaluation. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.

Top themes/take-aways/conclusions to be shared with all conference attendees via email:

1.

2.

[1] Based on the Cooperative Interview in King, J. A., & Stevahn, L. (2012). Interactive Evaluation Practice: Mastering the Interpersonal Dynamics of Program Evaluation. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.