10.11: Assessment Plan, Documentation Strategies, and Research Focus

IMPORTANT NOTICE:   Yes, this is a VERY long post. If you lose interest - be sure to cut to the end where the assignments are listed because I changed the readings for next week's class.


Writing Center Assessment Plan:
We started class by looking over the CAS assessment plan and the Kean University boilerplate language for developing Departmental assessment plans. This was in addition to our review of the Kean University Department of English Assessment plan on 10.4.

We also reviewed the Writing Center mission statement (one more time) as a way to set up a conceptual discussion of what we wanted to propose for the WC Assessment Plan.

Tim suggested that we might start with a focus on College Composition.  We have many students from College Composition; our primary outreach in terms of class presentations is in College Composition classes; and the course is offered to all freshman, and therefore avoids either the developmental or English Major focus that can attach itself to writing centers.  The course's GE focus also my help structure a larger study where we may eventually look at "regulars" from  Research and Writing, and the Capstone courses.

With College Composition as a target course, we  revisited the Center for Academic Success Goals and Objectives -:

Goal 1: To improve the retention and persistence to graduation rates for Kean University.

Goal 2: To ensure a student centered learning environment by delivering quality full service customer relations.

Goal 3: To provide students with the services necessary to reach their full potential in an interactive university setting.

With these goals in mind, we identified particular Student Learning Outcomes that would both reflect the objectives of ENG 1030 - and the overall goals of the CAS.



Student Learning Outcomes to serve as basis for WC Assessment Plan
1. Students will examine and use writing to learn.
2. Students can write to different rhetorical demands.
3. Students can work effectively with peers.
4. Student will integrate their personal perspective with perspectives from different cultural traditions.
5. Students will use systematic, formal methods of self-assessment.

Simone agreed to "revise" the boilerplate language for Departments so that it reflects the intentions and Learning outcomes set forward above, and to post the resulting Assessment plan at the ENG 5071 Site set up by Joe.

At this point we moved on to discussion of archiving and documentation strategies, with particular focus on the what each GA would need to do to set up focused documentation of activities associated with each job description.  The plan is for the focused documentation set up by each of you to allow subsequent GAs in your job description to continue in the kinds of research questions your documentation strategies establish.  


To get you started on establishing a documentation  [aside: I have been trying to finish this post since last night, the window has been open and I have been working on it - with interruptions since 1:45 - it is now 5:08. . . .]  we talked through a process for developing a documentation strategy. 


Developing a documentation strategy. You began by reviewing the available documentation for your job description; as you reveiw,.you consider what kinds of questions you could answer in light of the present documentation strategy, and consider what kinds of questions need to be answered.  Finally - you pose some specific areas/research questions to focus on - and describe documentation strategies, along with systems for organization and access (and periodic review + updating) that would allow for data-based answers with respect to those areas & questions.


Below I have listed your initial summary of what data you have available + the kinds of questions you might answer..

Simone
Available data (resulting from existing, general documetation strategies
tutortrac visit notes
observatioins (latina caucus)
attendance information

What kinds of questions do you think you want to answer
Are we serving our diverse populations?  Are we meeting their needs?

Plan to focus/organize your data collection

Tim
Available data (resulting from existing, general documetation strategies
protocols
event records (composition classroom presentations)
presentation materials + drafts & communications documenting their development

What kinds of questions do you think you want to answer
how are our programs and events promoting or expanding access to WC services (Tim will rephrase
Waht kinds of publicity + program outreach actually gets students to come to the center?

Plan to focus/organize your data collection

Josh
Available data (resulting from existing, general documetation strategies

minutes

email

schedules

payroll stubs

annual report

What kinds of questions do you think you want to answer

What are effective scheduling practices?  in terms of worker needs & center needs => principles to balance

Plan to focus/organize your data collection

Joe

Available data (resulting from existing, general documetation strategies

google doc
coach handbook brainstorming
original ESL training
Training protocol
Minutes
Fall 2010 orientation

What kinds of questions do you think you want to answer

what are the training needs for the center for the coming year
what are the future need (Skype - electronic coaching)

Plan to focus/organize your data collection

tiered system - changes to main training program in response to center needs
also supplemental training
documentation by category

For next class:
Post a documentation strategy and program of research for your job description on the 5071 site.  It should be a concise, narrative account that replies to the three headings for each job description above.


Write: documentation strategy and program of research, (and make sure you have posted last week's assignments for the job description & technology plan)
Simone will post the (draft) Assessment Plan.


I know I said we were going to talk about online coaching but I think I want to switch in the readings the Strategic Planning at this point

Read:  SWOT analysis  http://writinglabnewsletter.org/archives/v32/32.10.pdf; Strategic plan for (Columbus State University) @ http://writingcenter.columbusstate.edu/pdfs/StrategicPlan2009-2012.pdf

In class we will review the structure of the University's Strategic Plan + develop a timeline, a process & an outline for developing our strategic plan.