September 20: Data Collection, Assessment, and Strategic Planning

We used this discussion as a process for developing a data collection plan for the Kean University Writing Center.  While this will be Simone's project for this term, WC administrators play a central role in planning data collection and assessment for their Centers.

Kean and assessment. To provide some background for the press for data collection and assessment here at Kean, we looked at the form and language set up in the assessment plan developed by the English Department.  This plan was in keeping with a template developed by the University which requested"

• the mission statement, 
• a description for the process for assessment, 
• the particular learning outcomes to be assessed (these should grow out of both the mission & the process); 
• a description of the location (a particular course activity/assignment) + the tool for the assessment (a rubric, scale, survey, set of codes + analytic plan, etc) 

Writing Center data collection & assessment. A writing center plan for data collection and self assessment will be different for a department plan, in that our mission rests on primarily on effectiveness of service rather than of teaching.  Though both are connected to student learning - our assessment might also take into account the availability of our services, staffs' preparation to meet demands, how/whether the Center's administrative structure, space, and resources match demands for services, and so on.  

While we did not discuss any of the readings in particular detail- we did draw heavily from the conceptual plan presented in Hawthorne's "Approaching Assessment as If It Matters" (237).

Hawthorne set forward a 5 point process for developing a data collection plan.
1. Identify the  purpose for the assessment (how the assessment will be used)
2. Decide what to assess in order to meet that purpose
3. Prioritize (phase in a series of data collection practices - you can't do everything at once)
4. Decide on a range of data collection methods, indirect & direct = how  assessment will be carried out
5. Analyze and apply data to determine what processes work/don't work & what to change so that you can  achieve your purposes

(This list is slightly different that the written copy I gave Simone - but I am hoping it is close).

Although the specifics of our planning are not appropriate for a blog post, we talked through these points and came up with a two-fold purpose, a list of aspects of writing center work to assess, several high priority assessments (two of which were continuations from last year, and a couple to set up as priorities for this year.  We were working on approaches/plans for actual data collection when we ran out of time.

For next week. We will focus on using technology to administer writing centers.  There is not much written on this topic, we will read and discuss Chisolm's essay - which I don't think is going to tell you much that you don't know.  I am hoping each of you will come to class prepared to talk briefly about administrative technologies for:

• PR & outreach: social networking, videos (Tim & Josh)
• Training: digital training modules, videos, forums & lists, "Webinars" etc Joe
• Scheduling & payroll: Josh
• Data collection: Simone

The rest of the class will be spent on a conceptual discussion about how to use/expand the use of programs/technologies we already use.  Specifically - we agreed to talk about re-organizing how we use google.docs, making better use of google.sites, re-thinking the email accounts, and perhaps tutortrac, and anything else you want to put on the agenda.