ERIC ED434689: Columbia Basin College Assessment & Effectiveness: Report to the College Community.

28 Pages·1999·0.57 MB·English

by  ERIC

DOCUMENT RESUME
ED 434 689
JC 990 622
Columbia Basin College Assessment & Effectiveness: Report to
TITLE
the College Community.
INSTITUTION
Columbia Basin Coll., Pasco, WA.
1999-00-00
PUB DATE
NOTE
28p.
Reports
PUB TYPE
Descriptive (141)
EDRS PRICE
MF01/PCO2 Plus Postage.
DESCRIPTORS
*College Outcomes Assessment; Community Colleges;
*Educational Assessment; *Evaluation Methods; *Institutional
Evaluation; *Institutional Mission; Needs Assessment;
Student Evaluation; Two Year Colleges; Vocational Evaluation
IDENTIFIERS
*Columbia Basin College WA
ABSTRACT
This report furnishes examples of assessment and
effectiveness activities at Columbia Basin College (Washington). In 1997, the
college's Board of Trustees began using the Carver Model of policy governance
and created a new college mission statement and related end states, which
directly answer the question, "What good will be produced for which people,
at what cost?" The college also developed a strategic planning model to
measure inputs, throughputs, and accountability as tied to the end states and
the new mission statement. Assessment and evaluation are conducted across the
Columbia Basin College community, including academic and professional
programs, general education requirements, facilities, community relations,
and student services. The types of activities the college focuses on include:
(1) institutional effectiveness, which involves creating a plan that outlined
core indicators of effectiveness;
(2) department/program level outcomes
assessment, such as its nursing department assessment tool and the
development of a common final by the Mathematics Department;
(3) course level
outcomes assessment, including a syllabus project and a "one-minute write";
(4) general education assessment, such as ASSET scores and a statistical
analysis of the success of English courses; and (5)
accountability/performance funding assessment, which is especially apparent
at the Career and Transfer Centers. This document provides an overview of the
process used to develop the college's assessment system, the general way in
which the assessments and evaluations are conducted, and recommendations for
further steps and ongoing evaluation.
(EMH)
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1
rt
'4inger'w
6 ffiffElll
A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT
This report highlights outcomes assessment at Columbia Basin College. As you will see, we have
significantly increased our assessment efforts in the last four years.
These efforts focus on three levels of assessment: institutional, department/program, classroom.
They emanate from the college's strategic planning model and are designed to determine how well
CBC is doing in meeting the needs of our students and our communities.
Assessment is not an easy activity. Controversy swirls around its methods and value. Nevertheless,
CBC believes that regular on-going assessment is critically important to the logical determination
of both short and long-term goals.
Finally, assessment is a campus-wide activity. Over the years, many faculty and staff have worked
I greatly
significant hours in determining the methodology and gathering and analyzing data.
appreciate their efforts.
Cet
Lee R. Thornton
President
3
ASSESSMENT AND EFFECTIVENESS AT COLUMBIA BASIN COLLEGE
A REPORT TO THE COLLEGE COMMUNITY
Table of Contents
Page
Introduction
1
Policy Governance
1
Strategic Planning ModelTom Keegan
2
History and Role of the Current CBC Assessment Committee
2
Institutional Effectiveness at CBC
3
Examples of Institutional-Level Assessment
3
Institutional Effectiveness PlanJudi Knutzen
3
Perception/Image Study and Strategic Effectiveness StudySully Bayless A
Facilities Walk-Through AssessmentMike Smith
5
College Catalog RenewalSully Bayless
5
Community ConnectionsKatie O'Leary
6
Development, Implementation and Analysis of the 60-Minute Matrix
Judi Knutzen, Sully Bayless, and Gene Holand
7
Assessment Web PageDennis Pearson
8
Department/Program Level Outcomes Assessment
8
Examples of Department/Program Level Assessment
9
Nursing Department Assessment Tool: NCLEX summary profiles
Donna Campbell
9
Student Services Career CenterBabette Albin
10
Environmental EnhancementBill Saraceno
11
Development of a Common Final by the Math DepartmentPaul Meier
12
In-Class Essay for English 98/99Cliff Wakeman
12
Course Level Outcomes and Assessment
13
Examples of Course Level Assessment
13
The Syllabus ProjectSully Bayless
13
One-Minute WriteDennis Pearson
13
Anatomy Class Study Using Writing and Discipline-Specific Knowledge--
Ben Curtis
14
General Education AssessmentCraig Mason
15
Examples of General Education Assessment
16
ASSET Scores and Success in Reading Intensive CoursesJudi Knutzen
16
.
Statistical Analysis of the Success of English CoursesCliff Wakeman
17
Accountability
Performance Funding Assessment
18
Examples of Accountability Assessment
19
Math Department Raises ExpectationsMike Brands
19
Student Services Transfer CenterBabette Albin
20
Conclusions and Next Steps
20
ASSESSMENT AND EFFECTIVENESS AT COLUMBIA BASIN COLLEGE
A REPORT TO THE COLLEGE COMMUNITY
The values of an institution are revealed in the information it
gathers and pays attention to.
Alexander W. (Sandy) Astin
Introduction
but provides highlights of the variety of
assessment and effectiveness
activity
taking place at CBC since the early 90's.
Assessment at Columbia Basin College
has been ongoing in various forms since
the college began offering classes in
1955. A statewide focus supported by
Policy Governance
the State Board for Community and
Technical Colleges began in the late 80's
In 1997, the CBC Board of Trustees
with funds provided to the community
began using the Carver Model of policy
colleges to support assessment.
governance and created a new college
mission statement and related end states.
Early
assessment activity
at CBC
The End States
directly answer the
centered on classroom assessment.
A
grant brought attention and
question, "What good will be produced
Title
III
for which people, at what cost?"
resources to assessment at various levels An
of
annual evaluation is to be conducted to
including
institution
the
the
of
determine if the goals of the End States
development
general education
Columbia
competencies (abilities).
Basin
being
met.
are
College's End Statements read:
Before general education
the
competencies
could
fully
be
CBC exists to provide people of the
the
service district with access to the
college
became
implemented,
involved in an internal administrative
institution's educational programs.
struggle that resulted, in part, with the
CBC exists to ensure that students
resignation of the
college
president.
successfully complete requirements
Since then, the college has focused on
that would enable them to transfer to
restoring through
participatory
trust
upper division colleges
and
governance and the use of data in
universities.
decision making, planning, assessment,
CBC exists to ensure that students
institutional
In
and
effectiveness.
successfully
who
complete
support of that focus, the Office of
occupational training programs will
Institutional Research and Marketing
be employed in and out of the
was created in 1997.
service district.
CBC exists to provide the college
of
report
This
furnishes
examples
and the community with diverse and
assessment and effectiveness activities
multicultural programs designed to
over time at Columbia Basin College. It
improve our quality of life.
is not meant to be an exhaustive account
1
5
This led to the establishment of the
CBC exists to promote the physical
and emotional well being of its
the
purpose
committee's
and
development of six guiding principles.
students and the community.
Assessment Committee
The
CBC
principles,
following
identified
the
Strategic Planning Model
which are still is use today:
The college has developed a strategic
The primary purpose of assessment
will measure
planning
that
model
inputs, throughputs, and accountability
is to improve student learning.
as tied to the end states and the new
fair
Assessment
systems
to
are
mission
The
college
statement.
faculty and students.
measurements best suited for the each
collaboration
Professional
and
End State and the technical aspects of
development support assessment.
be
will
that
information
gathering
The broad college community is
determined by the end of the 1998-99
assessment
represented
in
The strategic planning
academic year.
development.
model is displayed at the end of this
Communication about assessment is
report.
regular and clearly stated.
Assessment systems are reviewed
Data collected for the Core Indicators of
and improved on a regular basis.
the CBC
in
included
Effectiveness
Plan
also
Effectiveness
Institutional
The CBC Assessment
Committee's
measure aspects of the End States. The
statement of purpose:
Effectiveness Plan is referred to in more
under
this report
later
in
detail
guide, and review
To determine,
Institutional Level Assessment.
CBC assessment efforts;
disseminate
share
and
To
information about assessment with
the goal of increased knowledge and
History and Role of the
within
the college
support
Current CBC Assessment
community.
To coordinate
college assessment
Committee
of
duplication
avoid
projects
to
effort;
In 1997 a CBC Assessment Committee
To encourage the use of assessment
was re-formed after a brief period of
results in the process of positive
The committee consisted of
inactivity.
change.
representatives from all the instructional
and
student
services,
divisions,
develops
the committee
year
Each
of CBC,
with
Students
Associated
The goals for 1998-2000
annual goals.
representation
and
administrative
are:
support from the Director of Institutional
indicators
develop
core
for
Research and Marketing.
institutional effectiveness; determine
baseline information and bench mark
The first project of the committee was to
the indicators;
study the broad subject of assessment.
provide support and help for student
It is a philosophy centered on quality
services and instructional faculty in
and constant improvement.
can be a vehicle
for positive
program/department
determining
It
or
outcomes
administrative
change.
objectives;
It connects areas of the college in a
provide support and help to faculty
variety of different ways.
It has the potential of energizing
syllabi include
updating
to
in
learning outcomes and assessment;
faculty in the classroom.
education
implement
general
application
direct
has
It
to
outcomes and abilities;
of
the
accreditation state
and
education
determine accountability
general
or
a
Washington
assessment plan.
performance funding measures.
institutionalize assessment practices
Examples of Institutional Level
in all areas of the college.
Assessment
The Assessment Committee determined
that assessment should occur at three
Institutional Effectiveness Plan
(1) at the
general levels of the college:
The committee began at the institutional
though
level
the
institutional
level with the development of a CBC
of
institutional
development
an
Institutional Effectiveness Plan with core
effectiveness plan with core indicators of
The model
indicators of effectiveness.
the
effectiveness,
(2)
at
by
departmental/program level though the
developed
was
the
one
used
American Association of Community
of
learning
student
development
outcomes, or in the case of student
This particular model was
Colleges.
minor
with
because,
services, administrative objectives, and
chosen
included
the
areas
through modification,
course
it
level
the
(3)
at
covered by CBC's mission and end
determining student learning outcomes
states, was straightforward, and spoke
including
syllabi
course
for each
directly to the mission of the college.
assessment methods for those outcomes.
chosen by the
The core
indicators
committee were:
Student Progress
Core Indicator No. 1
Student Goal Attainment
Institutional Effectiveness at
Student Persistence (Fall to Fall)
Degree Completion Rates
CBC
Core Indicator No.2--Transfer
Preparation
The Assessment Committee identified
Number and Rate Who Transfer
developing
for
an
reasons
six
Performance After Transfer
institutional effectiveness plan.
Developmental
Core Indicator No. 3
Institutional effectiveness is a system
Education
or framework for looking at what
Success in Subsequent Related
we're doing and why we're doing it.
Course Work
3
7
Core Indicator No. 4
Career
The
processes.
Institutional
Preparation
Plan,
Effectiveness
supporting
Placement Rate in the Workforce
documentation and studies are available
Employer Assessment
as an exhibit for accreditation.
Core Indicator No. 5
Health and
Developing "End Statements" for the
Wellness
of
Employee Wellness
Columbia
Basin
Board
College
Community Fitness
Directors (aka TRI Study)
Student Fitness
Athletic Program
In
community
the
campus
1995,
recognized the need for reliable and
Staff
Student, Faculty,
and
objective information that identified or
Emotional Wellness
explained how CBC was positioned in
Core Indicator No. 6
Customized
the community. There were few, if any,
Education
informational baselines and to the extent
Participant Assessment of
the college was effective, evidence was
Programs and Services
support
lacking
proposition.
that
to
Resources were provided to gather that
Client Assessment of Programs
And Services
evidence.
The TM study involved over 1000
Core Indicator No. 7
Community
respondents from a variety of targeted
Development
Responsiveness to Community
constituencies both internal and external
to CBC, and extensively used focus
Participation Rate in CBC's
Service District
groups to gather their data. Accordingly,
the
information
illuminated
service
Core Indicator No. 8
General
deficiencies
required
that
immediate
remedial attention. More important, in
Education
the longer term, it led the college to
Outcomes
develop a new mission statement and a
The plan was presented to the college
set of related end states.
of
community
December
in
1997.
Baseline data has been gathered for
From the revised mission, a strategic
planning model evolved and created
seven of the core indicators and data will
continue to be gathered on a yearly
intensified
management
interest
in
During 1999, the Assessment
basis.
developing
monitoring
devices
and
Committee will study the baseline data
measurements.
effectiveness
also
It
internal perception of
begin
benchmark
make
and
intensified the
to
determinations based on the baseline
commitment
needed
staff
to
data. Strategies to increase effectiveness
development
including
all
levels
at
in all areas of the plan will be developed
management. The activities triggered by
these and other
at the departmental/program and course
continue
studies
to
Assessment of the plan will
levels.
resonate in campus change.
occur yearly with the goal of providing a
feedback
loop for continuous
the
of
improvement
student learning
4
special clean-up areas, and the need for
or
Special
updating.
remodeling
Perception/Image Study
emphasis is being placed on receiving
feedback from individuals that use each
Because CBC had never attempted to
define
facility.
it's
investigate
formally
and
community image, the Washington State
of
After this year's facilities walk-through,
School
Murrow
University,
a combined-needs list has been compiled
Communications was hired to engage in
by the Director of Plant Operations and
objectively
inquiry
systematic
to
a
for maintenance and other
priorities
establish the view the citizens of Benton
The list
changes are being established.
and Franklin County had of the college.
is serving as a central way of gathering
Two WSU researchers completed the
information on each building and has
task in late 1997, and provided for the
general
setting
in
that
assisted
already
baseline information
time
first
if
maintenance as a higher priority on the
would help
college improve
the
necessary, frame the college message
facilities
The
campus.
CBC
walk-through information will be added
properly, and choose the most effective
to other facilities assessment tools such
stakeholder
for
media
vehicles
as the new software (Benchmate) that
communication.
maintenance
facilities
tracks general
items and SPAG, the committee that
The sample of 400 respondents and the
tabulated results yielded a one-hundred
reviews the facilities usage.
and thirty-page study. The study was
The walk-through conducted this year
the college community,
circulated to
has already resulted in a number of items
personnel.
administrative
especially
being accomplished such as
general
uncover
not
the study
did
While
painting, correcting water damage,
significant problem areas, it did confirm
a widely held belief that the college
plumbing, and electrical upgrades. The
image was very positive within the
walk-through appears to be the best way
to assess the current condition of the
This study, together with
service area.
campus and will be an annual spring
the one that had just been completed by
activity for CBC.
the
Group,
Strategic Effectiveness
reached many of the same conclusions
with regard to overall public perception
College Catalog Renewal
of the college.
Because of the ten-year accreditation
self study, CBC decided to advance the
Facilities Walk-Through Assessment
normal publication date of the college
site
precede the
visit.
Beginning in 1999, the Director of Plant
catalog
to
partnership
Research,
Institutional
Operations, accompanied by appropriate
in
with the College Relation's office, had
staff, such as faculty, classified, deans,
already held student focus groups in
and other exempt staff, conducted a
order to obtain a user perspective from
walk-through for each CBC building.
the catalog's primary audience. The
The purpose of the walk-through was to
review the status of each building and
focus groups illuminated some areas for
on maintenance
including
need
to
needs, improvement
the
make
notes
5
Statements. When the trustees adopted
re-order
catalog
reorganize
and
their new model in 1996, this mandate
components. catalog was
also
The
reviewed extensively by the deans and
proved challenging.
discussed by FLAG. Some members
How could the trustees establish a two-
thought the catalog was too institutional
in language and unfriendly in tone. A
way dialogue with our community? A
staff member in the College Relations
few thought we actually had a "catalog
office adopted the project and began
with an attitude." Ad hoc task groups
found some inaccuracies and omissions,
researching possible strategies.
and set about to remedy them, including
the drafting of new text, which went
The college conducted two
Research:
of reviews
research projects to establish baseline
and
variety
through
a
community's
the
information
about
approvals.
perceptions. These studies were broad in
scope, but one community expectation
Following this fact-finding and analysis,
became clear: the community expected
the College Relation's office was tasked
with producing a modernized catalog,
the college to be a leader in collaborative
problem solving. This, then, became a
given budget
enhancements
to
and
accomplish it. They retained a contract
new challenge for the college.
extensive
catalog
had
who
editor,
How can the college create a context for
The editor
suggested
experience.
alternative text and provided a style
collaboration and maintain its dialogue
staff
College
with the community?
guide for college use. Additional editing
continued their research into possible
cycles beyond the norm were built into
the time line, and selected staff were
collaboration strategies.
the catalog
participate
invited
in
to
staff member
The College Relations
revision.
used traditional academic research to
As a result, the staff believes the recent
appropriate
strategy. She
an
find
is more
catalog published this
literature review
conducted
in
a
year
collaboration
and
communication,
accurate, complete, understandable, and
predecessor by
community college fields. She also used
than
friendly
a
its
substantial margin. This belief will be
including
research,
informal
more
tested with follow-up assessment,
with communication
discussions
as
State
Washington
professors
students become users of the document.
at
University and staff members at other
Additional budget was also provided to
that use the Carver Model.
place the catalog on the Internet and to
schools
Based on this
the college
research,
keep it updated.
Community
committed the
to
Connections project.
Community Connections
The Board
of
The
Project Implementation:
Project
Justification:
Trustees' governance model mandates
Community Connections project has two
establish a context
that it establish and maintain dialogue
purposes: for
to
with our college's community and use
collaboration enhance the
and
to
of the
this dialogue to help develop their End
environmental
college's scan
10
6