Exploring the impact of The Students Assessing Teaching and Learning Program

Abstract

The Students Assessing Teaching and Learning (SATAL) Program at the University of California, Merced offers assessment support for faculty and program leads while engaging diverse, cross-program undergraduates in students-as- partners experiences in a work setting. Grounded in the Students as Partners (SaP) principles of respect, responsibility, and reciprocity (Cook-Sather, Bovill, & Felten, 2014), our assessment of the SATAL program reveals benefits for both students and faculty acting as co-creators of teaching and learning. Using the SATAL program as an example, we offer readers a logic model to guide the development of student-faculty-staff partnerships and assess the impact of these programs in a more meaningful and consequential manner. We also provide lessons learned from our evolving SATAL program to support others interested in designing sustainable student assisted assessment partnerships.

I will teach you here or there, I will try to teach you anywhere: perceived supports and barriers for emergency remote teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic

“…Student surveys and group interviews were carried out via Zoom during the final week of instruction (between May 5 and May 8, 2020) by three Students Assessing Teaching and Learning (SATAL) interns, an assessment team of trained undergraduate students out of UC Merced’s Center for Teaching and Learning (CETL) (Signorini & Pohan, 2019 ). SATAL interns were used, because they allowed for data to be collected from students without an instructor being present, which created a more confidential and safer environment for the students.…”

Collaborative Teaching plus (CT+): A Timely, Flexible, and Dynamic Course Design Implemented during Emergency Remote Teaching in an Introductory Biology Course

“…The collection of data was primarily carried out by the Students Assessing Teaching and Learning (SATAL) interns, an assessment support team formed by five trained and experienced undergraduates offered by the CETL ( Signorini and Pohan, 2019 ). The data analysis included collaboration with a third biology faculty member, three undergraduates, and two graduate students.…”

Moving toward student-faculty partnership in systems-level assessment: A qualitative analysis

“…(2014) classified benefits for students as (a) enhanced engagement: confidence, motivation, enthusiasm, and engagement in process over outcomes (Cook-Sather, 2011;Healey et al, 2014;Sambell & Graham, 2011); (b) enhanced awareness: improved metacognition and a stronger sense of identity (Bain & Zimmerman, 2009;Bain, 2012;Cook-Sather, 2014); and (c) enhanced learning experiences: more active learning, understanding pedagogical intent, and taking responsibility for learning (Cook-Sather et al, 2020;Gibson, 2011;Werder et al, 2012). Similar benefits (i.e., enhanced engagement, awareness, and teaching) may be accrued by faculty/staff in such partnerships (Bovill, 2014;Cook-Sather & Agu, 2013;Felton et al, 2013;Signorini & Pohan, 2019).…”