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Rethinking the Alumni Survey: An expanded role supporting the QEP

Rethinking the Alumni Survey: An expanded role supporting the QEP. Michael Schuchert Executive Director, Institutional Effectiveness Marymount University Arlington, Virginia. Purpose of Presentation. Discuss using a common tool to support the Quality Enhancement Plan

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Rethinking the Alumni Survey: An expanded role supporting the QEP

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  1. Rethinking the Alumni Survey:An expanded role supporting the QEP Michael Schuchert Executive Director, Institutional Effectiveness Marymount University Arlington, Virginia

  2. Purpose of Presentation • Discuss using a common tool to support the Quality Enhancement Plan • Allowing for longitudinal analyses • Providing a cost efficient resource • Avoiding additional work • Possessing institutional buy-in

  3. Institutional Context • Marymount University • Independent, masters-level institution located inside the Washington, DC Beltway. • Enrollment of approximately 3600 students (2200 undergraduate; 1400 graduate) • 2008 SACS Reaffirmation • Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) focuses on the infusion of inquiry-based learning into the undergraduate experience

  4. Rethinking the Alumni Survey • Ongoing process to strengthen the Alumni Survey and its resulting data: • Revised the questionnaire to include indirect measures of learning • Strengthened the response rate through an improved process and incentive • Moved from an anonymous to confidential administration

  5. Timeline of Alumni Survey Revision and Quality Enhancement Plan

  6. Revising the Questionnaire • Faculty team developed a module of questions to measure students’ perceptions of their academic preparation to: • Apply knowledge and skills to new situations • Conduct research to support a position • Deliver a coherent oral presentation • Determine the most ethically appropriate response to a situation • Develop a coherent written argument • Evaluate the quality of information ** • Find appropriate sources of information** • Lead a team • Manage time effectively • Solve problems in your field using your knowledge and skills • Understand the major ethical dilemmas in your field • Use quantitative/qualitative techniques within your professional field • Use technology effectively in a workplace environment • Work as part of an effective team **Added in 2007-08

  7. Revising the Questionnaire • 2006-07 added questions regarding institutional contribution to: • Interest in life-long learning • Awareness of global issues • Self-confidence • Openness to new experiences • Interest in cultures different from your own • Leadership

  8. Strengthening Response Rate • 2004-05 used an online survey distributed through e-mails to alumni yielding a response rate of 12% • Starting in 2005-06, Institutional Effectiveness made a solid effort to raise the return rate: • Shifted back to paper due to accuracy of addresses • Provided an online option for interested respondents • Offered an incentive of a free Marymount T-Shirt  Raised the return rate to over 30%

  9. Moving from Anonymous to Confidential • Provided better quality data of known information rather than relying on self reports • Allowed targeted follow-up to non-responders • Permitted future linkage of administrative data to survey responses

  10. Using the Alumni Survey to Support the QEP • Evaluating and justifying potential QEPs topic • Infusing inquiry-based learning • Capitalizing on the DC experience • Expanding the students’ global view • Assessing the QEP • Complements direct measures of student learning • Provides baseline data to begin evaluation • Allows for comparisons between those who participate and those who do not • Implementing the QEP • Compares those who have historically participated in inquiry-based experiences

  11. QEP: Discover Project • Infusion of inquiry-based learning into the undergraduate experience • Revamping the First Year Experience to include a three-credit hour seminar • Revising academic programs to ensure all programs have at least three inquiry-based courses • Introducing a series of (co)curricular activities • Based on an earlier initiative Marymount Academic Research Initiative (MARI)

  12. Differences in Global Evaluation by Participating in Research Project Mean Alumni Evaluation of Overall Experience by Participating in Research Project * Denotes statistically significant difference.

  13. Alumni Evaluation Preparation in Select Skills

  14. Differences in Institutional Contribution by Participating in Research Project

  15. Controlling for Academic Ability and Student Engagement • The sample size limited the ability to control for other variables • Examination of possible variables showed • Alumni who participated in undergraduate research projects had equal cumulative GPA’s to those who did not • Alumni who participated in undergraduate research projects were significantly more engaged in the life of the campus.

  16. Rethinking a routine survey can… • Help evaluate competing QEP ideas • Justify the selection of a QEP topic • Provide baseline data for the QEP assessment • Inform the implementation of QEP • Presentation and examples of the alumni survey report are available at office website • www.marymount.edu/irap

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