Well, hello there! I’m Michelle Baron, Academic Assessment Specialist at Utah Valley University, and an Independent Evaluation Strategist.

I’d like to share some tricks of the trade with you in building a culture of assessment in higher education. As an evaluator, the main idea for me is helping people understand what works, why it works, and how to use the resulting ideas and information to improve programs and organizations. These same principles apply directly to building a culture of assessment in higher education.

Why build a culture of assessment?

Building a culture of assessment in institutions of higher education is a multi-faceted process filled with both successes and potential pitfalls. Evaluators must take into account many internal and external factors, including, but not limited to, the following:

• National and specialized accreditation requirements
• Federal, state, and local government education policies and standards
• Internal ease of access to information through institutional research or other entities
• Internal capacity of entities to take the initiative for assessment activities
• The willingness and ability of entities to use assessment results to enhance student learning and strengthen programs

Hot Tip #1: Speak their language:

Many times organizations do assessment, but because they may use different terminology, there is often a disconnect between the evaluator and the organization in communicating ideas and information. Understanding the terms they use and using them in your conversations helps get the message across more smoothly.

Hot Tip #2: Keep assessment visible:

In the daily activities of faculty and staff members, assessment is often last on their to-do list – if it’s there at all. I make a point to meet early and often with associate deans, department chairs, and assessment coordinators to help them develop and use assessment in their areas of responsibility. Regular communication with these entities keeps assessment at the forefront of their minds and helps them to make connections between assessment and their other activities (e.g., teaching courses, engaging in research, developing strategic plans).

Hot Tip #3: Recognize assessment champions:

There are often many people within an organization who see the benefit to assessment and actively use it in their departments and programs. I take opportunities to recognize these assessment champions in meetings and other public events and activities. This not only validates their efforts and helps them know their work is well received, but recognizing them also introduces them to other members of the campus community as potential assessment resources.

accreditation · Assessment · higher education · institutional research