The authors emphasize the notion that there is no one right way to do assessment with the breadth of institutional examples featured in this book. Tackling the tension of accountability and improvement head-on, the editors allow each institution to lay bare their own institutional assessment story and discuss future directions of assessing student learning within their context. By collaborating with accreditors to spotlight institutions with effective assessment approaches, AALHE might just be on to something—envisioning accreditors as partners in this work.”
Gianina Baker
Acting Director, National Institute for Learning Outcomes Assessment (NILOA)
“In a time when higher education professionals must step-up their efforts to assess teaching and learning in order to improve outcomes for all students, this book provides exemplars in the field of assessment from colleges and universities who represent diverse missions and student populations. Recommended by their respective accreditor, the institutions highlighted in this book provide the reader a wealth of information about effective assessment structures and practices that can be molded to fit a variety of educational cultures and environments."
Stephanie Droker
President, Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges
“This collection puts a human face on assessment activity, revealing challenges and innovations as institutions try to meet accreditation requirements while improving teaching and learning. The full range of complexity of the task is on display in the chapters, each centering on the difficult task of understanding student development and acting on the results. Anyone facing challenges in their own assessment program (and who isn’t?) needs to read this book.”
David A. Eubanks
Assistant Vice President for Assessment and Institutional Effectiveness Office of Assessment and Institutional Research, Furman University
“Exemplars of Assessment in Higher Education celebrates institutional and program success as measured by authentic assessment and student learning, providing a welcome respite from a national higher education environment that so often equates higher education’s success solely with student loan metrics and graduation rates. It illustrates cooperation, partnership, and shared purpose among accreditors and the institutions and programs that they accredit. Faculty, administrators, and accreditors will find ideas and inspiration from others who have gone before on the assessment journey.”
Laura Rasar King
Executive Director, Council on Education for Public Health
"Souza and Rose have produced a wonderful and much-needed volume that engages practitioners in bringing the oft-described assessment for accountability together with assessment for improvement in learning. By focusing on the major regional accreditors'standards for assessment of student learning and then examining how a diverse set of campuses and programs use those standards, they illustrate how their actions and policies to achieve improved student learning provide the evidence that accreditors need for summative assurance of quality standards. A truly welcome change from check-the-box routines that may satisfy the minimum report requirements but do not help students, faculty, or organizations achieve quality.”
Terrel L. Rhodes and Kate McConnell
Senior Scholar, AAC&U; and Vice President, AAC&U
“Exemplars of Assessment in Higher Education provides a one-of-a-kind insider’s look into higher education as it relates to the undeniable importance of assessment – both of students and of an institution as a whole. Exemplars of Assessment in Higher Education provides the building blocks that allow the reader to embrace assessment and understand its critical role in ensuring the quality of education being provided. I am delighted to endorse this publication and hopeful that it provides the reader with a go-to manual in understanding and utilizing assessment at their own institutions.”
Heather M. Stagliano
Director of the Council on Podiatric Medical Education American Podiatric Medical Association
“If I were granted one wish, it would be that all of higher education would better use assessment data to guide the ongoing enhancement of student learning. Exemplars of Assessment in Higher Education shows us how meaningful assessment can help to guide us as we work to ensure that our students are learning what we promise in our institutional or program mission statements. Whether you are a faculty member, an assessment professional, or an administrator, this book shows how the assessment process can provide a roadmap to institutional effectiveness and is, most certainly, a wish come true.”
Catherine Wehlburg
Editor-in-Chief, New Directions for Teaching and Learning.
“Student learning assessment is not often linked with the word 'inspiring.' This book is truly inspiring and affirming that programs and institutions are finding real value in committing to assessing and improving student learning all across the United States. It puts to shame the occasional naysayers that assessment is of no value. The stories and case studies presented here cover a useful range of experiences across a diverse group of institutions showing that assessment can be done thoughtfully and with impact. There is so much to learn here with so many helpful approaches that address not only how to undertake assessment but to identify steps to success. It is definitely a good read at all levels within institutions.”
Ralph Wolff
President of the Quality Assurance Commons and former President of the Senior College Commission of WASC
