EditStatistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS)
SPSS is statistical software “specializing in the entire analytical process, from data collection to predictive analytics.” Originally created in 1968 to assist graduate level research theses, SPSS still focuses on assisting
higher education in analyzing any data collected despite branching off into commercial and public sectors. SPSS offers
software to assist in data analysis. All software must be purchased per license or user.
EditStatistical Analysis Software (SAS)
SAS is statistical software designed to work in both specialized and general enterprise application environments. Some of its features include:
- Analysis of variance
- Mixed models
- Regression
- Categorical data analysis
- Survey data analysis
- Multiple imputation for missing values
- Study planning
SAS has software designed specifically for higher education uses, such as
enrollment management,
institutional advancement, institutional effectiveness, and curriculum creation. It helps institutions “provide research and analytic software that makes research data meaningful for both students and professors” and “support overall institutional effectiveness and accreditation efforts that connect with overall strategic and operational planning initiatives,” along with several useful
assessment practices.
EditE-portfolios
E-portfolios are a valuable learning and assessment tool used to collect, manage, and organize information by the student, department, or institution. E-portfolios are used to:
- Plan educational programs
- Document knowledge, skills, abilities, and learning
- Track development within a program
- Find a job
- Evaluate a course
- Monitor and evaluate performance
Institutional e-portfolios are used most in conjunction with the accreditation process as it “makes the process as a whole more visible because the documentation is published on a website.” Although complex, institutional e-portfolios are growing in popularity and use due to accrediting agencies “encouraging more institutions to provide tangible evidence of educational outcomes.”