Using the results of assessment for improvement

Abstract

uring the past decade institutions of higher education have been in-D volved in establishing assessment programs, choosing appropriate instruments, discussing costs and benefits, and finding ways to convince faculty to participate in assessment efforts. But little attention has been given in the literature or in presentations at national meetings to describing strategies for facilitating the use of this information for improvement of programs and services at institutions. Additionally, some state programs such as the performance funding policy in Tennessee now require that institutions provide evidence of how they are using assessment results for improvement. In the past, the results have been used most frequently to convince the public and lawmakers that higher education is accountable and effective. Now educational institutions must demonstrate to a broader audience that efforts are being made to provide better services and higher-quality academic programs and to operate more efficiently and effectively. The users of assessment results must be able to interpret and use findings before these improvements can be effected.Too often institutions collect assessment data, report the results to governing boards or other publics, and then file this valuable information away. It would be interesting to explore the reasons why many faculty, staff, and administrators in higher education have been slow to rely on data for decision making concerning the curriculum, instruction, programs, and services. Statistics can be confusing, and educators often prefer to rely on the traditions of academe, which have worked well in the past. However, having valid data for decision making depends on developing a well-planned program of assessment. To ensure that assessment results provide information useful for planning improvements, it is essential to review new and established programs to determine that appropriate processes and procedures for gathering valid and reliable data are in place.