Within the field of higher education there are several notable scholars who have contributed to the field of higher education and assessment in particular. Their experience and perspective are continually helping to provide direction and shape the greater assessment community. Some scholars making progress in the field of higher education assessment include:
EditMarilee Bresciani
Marilee Besciani is an Associate Professor of Administration, Rehabilitation, and Postsecondary Education at San Diego State University. Some of her publications include
Examining Institutional Transformation Through Self-Review, Federal and State Influence Upon Assessment in Higher Education, Institutionalizing Assessment: Questions to Consider, and
Turning Research into Assessment. Her research emphasizes good practices in the assessment of student learning and development, competencies in administrators, evaluation of technological systems that promote transparency in quality student learning and development, and identification of institutional characteristics that contribute to student learning and development.
[1] Her published books include
Assessing Student Learning and Development: A Handbook for Practitioners (with Carrie L. Zelna and James A. Anderson),
Outcomes-Based Academic and Co-Curricular Program Review: A Compilation of Institutional Good Practices (with Ralph A. Wolff) and
Assessing Student Learning in General Education: Good Practice Case Studies (with Paul E. Lingenfelter).
[2]Besciani focuses much of her research on finding manageable ways to engage universities in meaningful assessment initiatives that meet not only the institution’s assessment criteria, but also that of accreditors and other external stakeholders.
[3] While much of her work centers on assessment in the academic realm, she has also identified fitting approaches to institutional self-review in general, emphasizing shared values, collaboration, and sustainability.
[4]EditGeorge Kuh
George Kuh currently serves as the Director for Indiana University Bloomington’s Center for PostSecondary Research in addition to holding a faculty position in the Department of Higher Education. The Center for PostSecondary Research also oversees the administration of
NSSE (National Survey of Student Engagement) and FSEE (Faculty Survey of Student Engagement) which are widely used in colleges and universities across Canada and the United States.
[5] Driven by the need for greater institutional accountability,
NSSE and FSEE serve to assist campuses in gathering data on student learning. Dr. Kuh is a leading scholar in the areas of undergraduate student research and assessment, challenging the larger higher education community to create a culture of learning in which students thrive. He has published over three hundred books and articles,
[6] including
Student Success in College: Creating Conditions that matter and Involving Colleges: Successful Approaches to Fostering Student Learning. Dr. Kuh’s commitment to research and dedication to the higher education profession have provided university communities with the tools and resources to more accurately assess student engagement and learning. His efforts will continue to serve as the catalyst for new and creative ways to further the profession.
EditPeggy Maki
Peggy Maki has brought a wealth of experience to higher education serving in positions at various colleges and universities and most notably as the Director of Assessment at the American Association of Higher Education (AAHE) and as the Associate Director of Commissions on Institutes of Higher Education, New England Association of Schools and Colleges. Much of her efforts within the assessment community have focused on student learning and the role of accrediting agencies in assessing institutional effectiveness.
[7]Dr. Maki has also written several books and articles in scholarly journals.
Assessing for Learning: Building a Sustainable Commitment Across the Institution provides colleges and universities with an assessment framework, providing examples on how these directives can be a catalyst towards a campus culture valuing evidence to support student learning.
[8] In her role as a consultant and author, Dr. Maki’s efforts are transforming campuses in their assessment efforts, helping them to see that it is a manageable activity that will revolutionize student learning.
EditM. Lee Upcraft and John Schuh
M. Lee Upcraft is Professor Emeritus and Assistant Vice President Emeritus for Student Affairs at The Pennsylvania State University. His research is based in residence halls, student retention, transition to college, student affairs management, minority-majority relations, and assessment.
[9] John Schuh is a Distinguished Professor in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies at Iowa State University who has authored, co-authored, or edited over 235 publications.
[10] Upcraft and Shuh have penned
Assessment Practice in Student Affairs: An Applications Manual, which is widely used among assessment professionals for guidance on “a range of methodologies, approaches, and issues—explaining how to use them and when to recruit expertise from other campus sources.”
[11] The book is a follow-up to their 1996 work,
Assessment in Student Affairs: A Guide for Practioners. Written for a student affairs practitioner, the applications manual provides a systematic and comprehensive approach to assessment. Upcraft and Shuh provide a practical guide to assessment and the book is in many ways regarded as an integral foundation for any student affairs professional’s work.
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