Communicating the Purpose and Value of Assessment

Readings to help with answer

Use Assessing Student Learning: A Common Sense Guide to read the following:

• Chapter 14, “Valuing Assessment and the People Who Contribute,” pages 175–186.

Use the Internet to read the following:

• American Association for Higher Education. (1996). Nine principles of good practice for assessing student learning. Retrieved from https://www2.indstate.edu/assessment/docs/ninePrinciples.pdf
• National Institute for Learning Outcomes Assessment. (2018, April 16). Why are we assessing? Retrieved from https://www.learningoutcomesassessment.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Viewpoint-Why-Are-We-Assessing.pdf

Question:

Introduction

For this Question, you will apply what you have gained from the readings about the misunderstanding of and the resulting resistance to assessment efforts. You will also propose known strategies for navigating the resistance to assessment, as presented in the readings. In this real-world, on-the-job, practical question, you will assume the role of a member of student services or an academic department or a program that serve students. Those who work in your academic department or program are expected to collaborate on implementing an assessment plan, but there has been some resistance. You will create two email messages:

1. The first to a supervisor who has asked you to look into the controversy regarding assessment.
2. The second to a colleague, a co-worker you have heard complain about “what the administration is expecting us to do now.”

Instructions

• Assuming the role of a member of a student services or an academic department or program, develop two e-mail messages as described below. These messages are to be concise and professional. In both e-mail messages, provide citations from the readings thus far in the course to support your position and provide a list of references from the readings that you use for this question. Be sure to apply the submission requirements described below.
• Your first e-mail message is to the head of the department, your direct supervisor, who is aware that there has been some resistance to assessment among those working in your academic department or program. Your supervisor has asked you to report on what assessment is, what common obstacles to involvement exist, and how your department can engage faculty or staff members in assessment efforts.
• The second e-mail message is to be directed to a fellow member of your department or program, one whom you have heard complain about “what the administration is expecting us to do now.” In this more informal e-mail message, persuade your colleague of the value of assessment and the reasons they should be involved.

Submission Requirements

Your submission should meet the following requirements:

• Written communication: Written communication is free of errors that detract from the overall message.
• Resources: Support ideas, claims, and concepts with evidence from scholarly literature.
• APA formatting: Resources and citations are formatted according to current APA style and formatting.
• Length: 1–1.5 pages for each e-mail message (for a total of 2–3 pages), single-spaced, excluding references page.

Resources

• Assessing Student Learning.