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Processes and Definitions for NCSU Administrative Units’ Assessment

Administrative units conduct assessment of their processes and products.  For assistance with assessment of your administrative unit, contact: Dr. Joni E. Spurlin, University Director of Assessment and Associate Director of UPA. Phone: (919) 515-6209.

Processes for NCSU Administrative Units’ Assessment

Guiding Principles for Assessment at NC State University were developed by the Assessment Work Group to guide assessment efforts across NC State University. These Principles are core values and philosophies that describe how NC State University currently conducts and strives to conduct assessment. Developing and reviewing these principles assists the coordination of assessment, provides a perspective of what is expected and increases the sense of shared responsibility for student learning and effectiveness of NC State.

Statements Of Best Practices for assessment at NC State University are intended to provide direction, focus, and vision for assessment at NC State University. The Assessment Work Group developed these best practices to put into concrete terms the ideals expressed by Guiding Principles for Assessment.

Each administrative unit's assessment processes need to include written documentation about the following, at a minimum:

  • Outcomes: what the unit wants clients/students to know (cognitive), ways clients/students think (affective/attitudinal), or things clients/students should be able to do (behavioral, performance, psychomotor). Collectively the outcomes reflect the most important purposes of the unit. Outcomes can be about the impacts or quality or effectiveness of the unit’s processes, services or programs.
  • Assessment methodology: outlines how the outcomes are measured, including a clearly delineated procedure for collecting relevant data: specifics on who, what , when and how.
  • Key findings and decsions: summarizes the results/key findings, how those findings are interpreted, emphasizes strengths and weaknesses, use of the findings for decisions and relevant action plan/agenda.

Administrative Units Workshop Materials

Definitions for NCSU Administrative Units’ Assessment

There are many methods for conducting assessment. The following terms may be helpful in developing an assessment process for your administrative unit, however, not all processes need to encorporate all these elements. Feel free to use any of the following for your assessment processes, as needed. See also the definitions under the planning section, for comparisons.

Assessment process

  • The combined activities of assessment including developing objectives, outcomes, collecting and interpreting evidence and using results for decision making.

Objectives

  • They are broad, general statements of [1] what the unit/program wants clients/students to be able to do and to know or [2] what the unit/program will do to ensure what clients/students will be able to do and to know.
  • They are related to the mission and goals of the division or unit in which the unit/program resides, and to the mission and goals of the University.

Outcomes (or Expected Outcomes)

  • They may be things the unit/program wants clients/students to know (cognitive), ways clients/students think (affective/attitudinal), or things clients/students should be able to do (behavioral, performance, psychomotor).
  • Collectively the outcomes reflect the most important purposes of the unit.
  • Outcomes can be about the impacts or quality or effectiveness of the unit’s processes, services or programs

Implementation strategies (or unit’s processes)

  • What the unit does intentionally to achieve their objectives and outcomes.
Assessment Methodology (measures)
  • Assessment methodology outlines how the objectives/outcomes will be measured, including a clearly delineated procedure for collecting relevant data: specifics on how and when, and who. Identify person(s) responsible to ensure assessment plan is written, implemented and report written based on timeline.
  • Outcomes must be measured and reported on.  Objectives may be measured and reported on.
  • To develop these measures, an inventory of existing assessment activities should be conducted within the unit, since various forms of assessment may already occur within the administrative unit.  In the interests of time and efficiency, units should make use of as many of these existing assessment activities as feasible. 
  • Measures may be quantitative or qualitative, direct or indirect. They may take the form of surveys, focus groups, interviews, or work products from clients, end-users or students, etc.
  • Multiple measures (more than one measure for an outcome) will yield a more realistic picture of unit performance. 
  • The following questions may serve as guidelines in developing appropriate assessment measures:
    • What type of data will provide the needed information? Survey? Personal interviews?
    • What type of research design and sample will best provide this information?
    • What statistics or comparisons will be appropriate? Frequencies? Means? Trends?
    • How often will this information be collected? Monthly? Yearly?

Performance Criteria

  • The level of acceptable performance in terms of a specific numeric criterion.
  • Statements are specific and measurable, identifying the performances required to meet the outcome.
  • Suggests success or lack of success in reaching the desired outcome and should be confirmable by evidence.
  • Agreed upon values used to measure the quality of performance, processes, etc.

Data/Evidence

  • The information and evidence gathered during the assessment process for use in determining the level of performance.
  • The data/information acquired from the implementation of assessment tools.

Assessment Plan

  • Documentation that outlines the outcomes and objectives, the direct and indirect assessment methods used to demonstrate the attainment of each outcome/objective, a brief explanation of the assessment methods, an indication of which outcome(s)/objectives is/are addressed by each method, the intervals at which evidence is collected and reviewed, and the individual(s) responsible for the collection/review of evidence.  Best plans include performance criteria for each outcome/objective.

Report

  • Documentation that summarizes the results/key findings, how those findings are interpreted, emphasizes strengths and weaknesses, use of the findings for decisions and relevant action plan/agenda.

Levels of assessment

  • University, division/college, unit/program, specific course/program, student/client

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