Empirically Exploring Higher Education Cultures of Assessment

Abstract

Although touted as beneficial to student learning, cultures of assessment have not been examined adequately using validated instruments. Using data collected from a stratified, random sample (N = 370) of U.S. institutional research and assessment directors, the models tested in this study provide empirical support for the value of using the Administrators’ Survey of Assessment Cultures as an assessment tool. The resulting first order model provided good fit statistics and included five factors: a) Faculty Perceptions, b) Use of Data, c) Sharing, d) Compliance or Fear Motivators, and e) Normative Purposes for Assessment. Internal consistency estimates were also good (Cronbach’s α = .792 to .922). Use of the Schmid-Leiman solution afforded further support for the higher order factor, Culture of Assessment. Predictive discriminant analysis correctly classified the majority of the respondents (80.7%) as belonging to a student learning or accreditation group based on the linear classification scores. Implications for assessment leadership, practice, and future research are offered.

Evaluación del impacto de la acreditación de alta calidad en las instituciones públicas de educación superior de Colombia

“…Igualmente, Fuller et al (2016) realizan una exploración empírica de las culturas de evaluación la educación superior en Estados Unidos, que permitió predecir implicaciones para el liderazgo de la evaluación, la práctica y la investigación futura con base en la categorización como pertenecientes a un grupo de aprendizaje o acreditación de estudiantes en función de los puntajes de clasificación lineal. También, Agaoglu (2016) aplica el análisis discriminante para predecir el rendimiento del instructor, el cual muestra que el éxito de los instructores basado en la percepción de los estudiantes depende principalmente del interés de los estudiantes en el curso.…”

Collaboration and Communication

“…While leadership is important to establish a culture of assessment, bridging connections across campus through collaboration can build and sustain a culture of assessment. Within higher education, a culture of assessment is defined as the “implementation of evidence‐based practices related to assessing student learning and institutional effectiveness” (Fuller, Skidmore, Bustamante, & Holzweiss, , p. 396). The term culture of evidence refers to a commitment among student affairs professionals to use hard data to show how the programs they offer, the processes they implement, and the services they provide are effective and contribute significantly to an institution's ability to reach its stated goals and fulfill its mission (Culp & Dungy, ).…”

Changing the culture: Documenting shifts in a department's norms around data use

“…Therefore, change leaders require continued support and resources to help enact such change. At a time where greater accountability influences institutional practices (e.g., funding), one aspect of cultural change that has received increasing attention is the use of assessment (culture of assessment) [4]. However, there is limited evidence on how institutions organize and establish cultures of assessment in higher education [5].…”