Assessment because we have to or because we want to?

Greetings everyone!

My name is Ted Elling and I coordinate the assessment and technology missions for the division of student affairs at the University  of North Carolina at Charlotte, a post I've been fortunate enough to hold since 1990.  I also currently serve as one of the national co-chairs of NASPA's Assessment, Evaluation, and Research Knowledge Community (SAAER KC).  In translation, you guessed right, I'm old!

After our friends at StudentVoice asked if I would consider writing a blog for their new social networking site, I was intrigued by the opportunity to perhaps stimulate a series of conversations around how are conducting and encouraging assessment in our fields.

That said, let me first issue a disclaimer that my views and opinions do not necessarily reflect those of my institution, NASPA or StudentVoice.  My friends would tell you that's probably a very good thing!

Alright, in my first attempt at this let me pose the question, are we engaged in assessment because we have to or because we want to?  As I work with my colleagues as they struggle with a charge for program accountability in their job descriptions with little formal training (but it's getting better!), and trying to figure out what's working and what's not, sometimes I think we're losing the main point along the way.

While I recognize and usually support the need for responding to the calls for accountability of our programs and services, I think we miss the bigger points like:

Is my program working?

What's broken and needs fixing?

Do my students learn anything by participating in my program and if so, what?

Does my program make a difference in the lives of my students and if so, how?

Does my program help make better students and if so, how?

Does my program help prepare students for the world outside of our cloistered halls and if so, how?

What do our students need that we are not currently delivering?

Does my program help keep students here and if so, how?

Note that I've not mentioned counting bodies and programs, or gauging student satisfaction but trying to ask a broader series of questions that may instead tell us what's really important in the lives of our students and how do we fit in that picture.

If this line of thought hits a nerve either way, let me hear from you.  Let's see if we can get a conversation going.... 

In the coming months I'll try to talk about other assessment issues, practices and quandaries that may resonate with some of you.

Enjoy the fall season!

Ted

twelling@uncc.edu