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Enhancing Value and Impact of Honors Organizations in Higher Education Assessment

This talk by Dr. Jane S. Halonen outlines the importance of continuous improvement and effective assessment in honors organizations. It discusses how postmodern educational challenges demand institutions to evaluate their performance standards through benchmarking and evidence of quality. By addressing critical questions about the existence and impact of honors programs, this session equips campus officials with strategies to enhance their programs' visibility and efficacy. The emphasis on storytelling, benchmarks, and evidence generation aims to strengthen the case for funding and support for honors organizations.

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Enhancing Value and Impact of Honors Organizations in Higher Education Assessment

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  1. DeterminingYour Organization’s Value Jane S. Halonen University of West Florida A Consultation with Association of College Honor Societies February 7, 2014

  2. High Risk Luncheon Talk • “Assessment” and dessert may not be a good mix

  3. Why bother (in general)? • Postmodern life in higher education requires • Continuous improvement • Performance standards • Assessment of impact • Benchmarking

  4. Postmodern Assessment Drivers • Legislative Mandates (e.g., Florida’s ALCs) • Institutional Accreditation (e.g., SACS) • Program-specific Accrediting Organizations • Internal Practices (e.g.,QEPs) • Institutional Budgeting & Planning • Academia need to control its destiny • Do the Right Thing for the Right Reason

  5. Postmodern Assessment Climate • • Formal standards have been emerging in disciplines for the past decade • Co-curriculum not quite under the same mandate, but organizations recognize “positioning” for resources and profile

  6. Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed people can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has. ~Margaret Mead

  7. Why bother (in specific)? • Continuous improvement helps maintain vigor • Communication of great results builds pride and development potential • Honors organizations uniquely positioned to provide elevator success stories to key campus figures

  8. College Officials • Strive to help campus catch “good-to-great” disease • Need good stories with good evidence of quality for PR and “advancement”

  9. Faculty NotAlways Thrilled • Taxonomy of Faculty Reactions to Assessment

  10. Goals for Today: Session 1: • Put assessment of honors organizations in context • Identify relevant assessment dimensions of target performance Session 2: • Design strategies to optimize evidence of quality and impact strategically Overall: • Move your taxonomic status in a positive direction

  11. Time Out for Some Reminiscing…

  12. Critical Questions Driving Assessment Decisions • Why is the existence of an honors program important? • To the honoree (and significant others) • To the chapter administration • To the campus • To the host community • To the parent organization

  13. In pairs, trios, or tables • What impact did your own honor society experience have on your development? And as a warm up for Session 2: • What tangible evidence would help “capture” that impact?

  14. Overall Value of an Honors Society • Higher caliber students for entire campus • Retention 6/year persistence rate often much higher for Honors • Intellectual and social enrichment of the campus • Social enrichment of the community through service • Personalized attention (the small College within the large university feel) • Community of like-minded individuals • Donation and development opportunities • A constant source of exemplary student performance • Faculty/student interactions/mentoring opportunities • Student Leadership & involvement on campus • Active and effective alumni base

  15. Critical Questions Driving Assessment Decisions Why should Honors be funded? (Or be worthy of any other campus resource)? What kind of evidence makes a compelling case? What strategies can promote success?

  16. The Challenges of Applying Evidence Strategies to Honors Organizations • Leadership Transience • Student Caliber Variability • Size of Chapter • Scope of Effort (recognition only or larger scope?) • Motive for Measurement (requirement, growth, or recognition?) • Level of Analysis

  17. Level of Analysis • Student Growth • Advisor Quality • Chapter Quality • Board Quality • Society Quality • Society Leadership Quality (you can begin to see out assessment possession is within reach…)

  18. “And the Survey Says…” • Many of you are engaged in evidence generation already in response to • Campus reporting requirements • Chapter annual reports But is your evidence of quality --pro forma or compelling? --efficient or time intensive? --read by anyone but the evidence gatherer?

  19. Benchmarking Adventures • Campus Profile • yours versus other honor societies on campus • National Profile • yours versus other chapters in the honor society The Big Question: Does ACHS wish to invest in distinguishing high quality performers from just functional ones?

  20. Seems like a good point for a break..On return, we will --briefly discuss value of rubrics--organize by chapter size to share strategies that are most effective

  21. Let’s get started… Session 2: Finding and Using Effectiveness Evidence

  22. Methods Best Suited to Honor Societies • Archival Data • Induction Numbers • Attendance Figures • Scheduled Events • $ Raised • # of Collaborations • # Service Projects • Performance Rubrics • Satisfaction Surveys • Inductees • Parents • Faculty in Related Discipline • Service Learning Beneficiaries • Reflection Papers DIRECT MEASURES INDIRECT MEASURES

  23. Rubric Exemplars • Handouts provide existing strategies already in play

  24. At your table Share ideas about • what works well in evidence gathering • what new directions might be optimal • communication strategies that exploit gains Scribe needed to capture key ideas. Spokesperson needed to provide report.

  25. Whatever you decide… Keep it SIMPLE! --feasible --manageable --transparent --measurable

  26. Closing the Loop:The Assessment Cycle • What do the data say about the strength and weaknesses of your target? • How can we capitalize on the strengths (showcase activities)? • How can we redress areas of weakness? • What challenges inhibit performance?

  27. Gauging Progress through Benchmarking • Set improvement goals at a static but reasonable level? (e.g., 1% improvement over last year’s metrics) • Compare your achievements to other comparable groups (this is where a bold move on ACHS’ part could help capture attention…)

  28. Exemplary Chapter Status ACHS could provide a “seal” of exemplary performance for honor societies that would --increase ACHS profile with campus administrators --provide shorthand for high quality performance --potentially increase interest in getting more ACHS members of high caliber on campus

  29. Time to Evaluate this Session Take a moment and write down the most important insight gained from our time together. Estimate how likely you are to make a change. Identify where you are taxonomically. ASSESSMENT HOSTILE RESISTANT NEUTRAL ENTHUSED ENERGIZED POSSESSED

  30. Questions or Comments? • Thanks for coming. [especially with Bourbon Street calling your name] jhalonen@uwf.edu

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