Life After VSA: An Update

1. Life After VSA: An Update Oklahoma Association of Institutional Research and Planning Fall 2009 Conference October 23, 2009

2. Voluntary System of Accountability (VSA) Initiative for public universities to supply basic, comparable information on the undergraduate student experience to important constituencies through a common web report – the College Portrait. Sponsored by APLU & AASCU. Funded by the Lumina Foundation for Education.

3. Provide a useful tool for students during the college search process Assemble information that is transparent, comparable, and understandable Demonstrate accountability and stewardship to public Measure educational outcomes to identify and enhance effective educational practices VSA Goals

4. Multiple Audiences Prospective students and families High school, community college counselors Policymakers and elected officials Campus faculty and staff Accrediting associations, institution and state boards Taxpayers and public-at-large

5. VSA Participation • 329 institutions from 49 states and Puerto Rico, including 7 from Oklahoma(10/05/09) • 63% of 520 APLU & AASCU institutions • 250+ College Portraits posted on www.collegeportraits.org

6. VSA Context Perceived lack of useful and transparent data preventing institutions from demonstrating accountability and contribution to public good (Spellings Commission) Policymakers and employers demand evidence of educational outcomes – particularly broad transferable skills

7. A Community Effort • Concept outlined in APLU white papers, refined through feedback from members • Strengthened by AASCU endorsement • Structure developed by task forces - presidents, provosts, student affairs, IR • 82 members from 70 institutions • Input from associations and larger HE community

8. Result: College Portrait Free web report that communicates user-friendly, consistent information about college campuses. • Student & Family Information • Student Experiences & Perceptions • Student Learning Outcomes

9. www.collegeportraits.org No rankings, no spin ... just the facts!

10. Student & Family Information Institution description, highlights Student characteristics Cost of attendance, net cost calculator Success & progress rate Degree programs, class sizes Post graduation plans

11. Introduction to Campus Community Menu links take users to each section and data element Campus Defined Buttons

12. Success & Progress Rate • Tracks student progress across 2-year and 4-year institutions using NSC data • New cohort query available to all Student Tracker users • Developed as alternative to IPEDS graduation rate • Focuses on student success in higher education system

14. Student Experiences & Perceptions group learning interaction with faculty institutional commitment active learning diversity experiences student satisfaction • Selected senior responses from one of 4 surveys: NSSE, CSS, CSEQ, UCUES • Snapshot of student experiences on campus within 6 common areas

15. 6 Common Constructs Selected responses from Seniors

16. Student Learning Outcomes Learning gains in critical thinking, analytic reasoning, written communication measured at institution level Reported in a common format using CAAP, CLA or MAPP

17. Student Learning OutcomesTest Validity Study Funded by the Fund for the Improvement of Post-Secondary Education (FIPSE).

18. Background • VSA measures value-added for student learning outcomes of critical thinking and written communications. • VSA offers a choice of three tests of student learning outcomes: CAAP, CLA and MAPP. • Testing companies agreed to adopt the same value-added methodology and reporting format, controlling for entering student quality. • Validity study needed to ensure that the three tests produced consistent scores.

19. Methodology • Students take each of the three tests. • 13 tests administered to 1,100+ students at 13 universities • 13 tests components of CLA, CAAP, MAPP • 4 tests of critical thinking • 2 tests of reading • 2 tests of mathematics • 4 tests of writing • 1 test of science

20. University of Michigan, Ann Arbor University of Minnesota, Twin Cities University of Texas, El Paso University of Vermont University of Wisconsin, Stout Participating Universities • Alabama A&M • Arizona State • Boise State • California State-Northridge • Florida State • MIT • Trinity College • University of Colorado-Denver

21. Conclusions • Validity and reliability are high across tests and should not affect choice of measure • Factors affecting adoption: • Acceptance by students, faculty, administrators or other policy makers • Trade-offs in cost, easy of administration, etc • Utility of the test for other purposes such as supporting campus activities and services or providing guidance on improving learning • Thus VSA will continue to permit universities to choose to use either CLA, CAAP or MAPP.

22. Final Reports Two reports are available on the VSA website: http://www.voluntarysystem.org/index.cfm • The complete (and technically complex) Test Validity Study full report • An interpretative report for VSA participating schools can be found at

23. P e t e r D HART RESEARCH A S S O C I A T E S How Should Colleges Assess & Improve College Learning? Employers’ Views on the Accountability Challenge Key findings from survey among 301 employersConducted November 8 – December 12, 2007for

24. Employers Find College Transcripts Of Limited Use In Evaluating Potential How useful do you find the college transcript in helping you evaluate job applicants’ potential to succeed at your company? Not sure Very useful Fairly useful Not useful Just somewhat useful 24

25. Assessments’ Effectiveness In Ensuring College Graduates Have Skills/Knowledge Very effective Fairly effective Supervised/evaluated internship/community-based project where students apply college learning in real-world setting 83% Advanced comprehensive senior project, such as thesis, demonstrating student’s depth of knowledge in major & problem-solving, writing, and analytic reasoning skills 79% Essay tests to evaluate level of problem-solving, writing, and analytical-thinking skills 60% Electronic portfolio of student’s college work, including accomplishments in key skill areas and faculty assessments 56% Multiple-choice tests of general content knowledge 32% 25

26. Assessments’ Usefulness In Helping Employers Evaluate College Graduates’ Potential Very useful Fairly useful Faculty supervisor’s assessment of applicant’s student internship/ community-based project applying college learning in real-world setting 67% Sample of applicant’s student senior project and overview of faculty assessment of the project 61% Electronic portfolio of applicant’s college work, including accomplishments in key skill areas and faculty assessments 56% Applicant’s score on essay test to evaluate level of problem-solving, writing, and analytical-thinking skills 54% Applicant college’s score showing how the college compares to others in advancing students’ critical-thinking skills 36% Applicant’s score on multiple-choice test of general content knowledge 29% 26

27. An obvious place to begin: Tell The Students What They Are Expected to Accomplish

28. The Power of Rubrics for Assessing Learning • Help guide students around learning expectations • Help guide faculty • Reinforces assessment for learning • Places individual faculty judgment within national shared experience • Can build up from course level to institutional reporting needs AND down from general to specific program/course context rhodes@aacu.org

29. Openedpractices.org A website open to everyone in higher education Free to join, easy to sign up openedpractices.org A library of sorts…a site where a collection of rubrics (and other best practices) can be: Stored Shared Tagged Built with open source software to share knowledge and best practices openly

30. VALUE Process Develop criteria from rubric collection Each rubric development team member wrote a row of performance descriptors for one criteria Draft rubric then discussed and debated, edited and transformed Testing and feedback – e-Portfolios

31. VALUE Project http://www.aacu.org/programs/VALUE

32. Voluntary Framework of Accountability • Initiative to report comparable information on community college • Use measures better suited to community colleges • Funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Lumina Foundation for Education • Sponsored by American Association of Community Colleges (AACC), College Board and Association of community College Trustees

33. Oklahoma • Encourage participation in VSA • Participate in Achieving the Dream • Revise Assessment Policy • Use measures in Brain Gain funding

34. Dr. Debra L. Stuart Vice Chancellor for Educational Partnerships dstuart@osrhe.edu 405-225-9168