OFFICE FOR ACADEMIC ASSESSMENT & PROGRAM REVIEW

Mini-Grant Opportunity—Student Outcomes Assessment Projects

Application Guidelines

Amount:Up to $500 per award.*It is anticipated that a total of up to seven (7) awards may be granted annually across the institution. (*Awards greater than $500 may be considered on a case by case basis. Contact Dr. Grackin to discuss.)

Limits:One award per department per year will be considered. Individual faculty may not receive more than two (2) consecutive annual awards.

Purpose: Within the framework of a discrete program, a particular course or curriculum, or a specific area of study within a department, the purpose of this grant is to contribute to continuous quality improvementby

  • Developing faculty skills in the use of student outcomes assessmentresults, especially linking course and program or departmentlevel assessments
  • Substantially enhancing the ability of faculty to further develop and utilize sound practices to increase the reliability of student outcomes assessments, especially at the program or department level
  • Facilitating faculty/department use of Taskstream to develop and implement student outcomesassessments and to use assessment findings to assure continuous quality improvementof key courses or curricula.

Criteria:Project descriptionsmustclearly describe the project’s potential to improve student outcomes through enhanced assessment practices.

Priority will be given to projects

  • With a well-defined scope and detailed description
  • That describe how the goals of the project may contribute substantially to enhancedquality of some aspect of the college curriculum or student experience
  • That provide a clear plan for disseminating the results

Highest priority will be given to projects that also address at least one of the following emphases:

  • Enhancement of cross-curricular assessmentefforts of an entire department or program or the institution
  • Support for collaborative assessment efforts of faculty members within a department
  • Innovative and collaborative cross-disciplinary student outcomes assessments

Eligibility: All full-timefaculties are eligible to apply, either individually or as collaborative teams. Grantee(s) agree to formally present results of the project to campus and/or external audiences within one year of project completion. Documentation of presentation(s) will be required. Venues for presentation might include: Assessment Symposium, ASAC Assessment Review and Orientation, regional conferences, and other similar events.

Time Period:Calendar year (Specify Spring and/or Fall semesters and may include Summer)

Process:Applications will be reviewed by the Office for Academic Assessment & Program Review

Procedures:Applicant must complete the attached web-based form and forward it via e-mail to the Office for Academic Assessment & Program Review at on or before November 15, 2014 for projects beginning Spring, Summer or Fall of 2015.Proposals received after this date will NOT be reviewed.

Notifications:Notifications of Awardswill be made on or before December 20, 2014

Examples of Fundable Projects:

  • Major revision by a group of faculty of assessment rubrics and/or other assessment tools for use across sections
  • Development of highly effective, reliable assessment tools and methods not currently in use
  • Development ofreliable assessment methods for learning goals that are difficult to assess, e.g., infused general education competencies (critical thinking, information management, basic oral communication, basic written communication)
  • Development of assessment methods that link course and program level learning goals, especially related to curriculum mapping
  • Use of the Taskstreamonline assessment management system by department and/or program faculty as a group to enhance assessment practices and results

**PLEASE NOTE: Requests for funds to purchase refreshments MAY be included in proposals but must include clear justification.**

Please submit your completedapplication via e-mail

to the attention of Chris Duffy at

OAPR 091514