The assessment of student learning outcomes runs through virtually all the BVA’s work, and all BVA campuses have assessment processes in place, some fully developed, some more emergent. This working group, representing many of the BVA campuses, was established in late 2019 to provide a forum for exchange about principles and practices of assessment in the research university setting—a chance for members to learn from one another’s experiences with the design of assessment, explore its connections with faculty work on pedagogical improvement and innovation, and share what is being learned about using results to improve the quality of student learning. The group met (mostly virtually) a number of times over two years, with lively exchange and cross-institutional sharing.
In summer 2021 it became apparent that other BVA themes and initiatives—existing RACS as well as emergent work on diversity, equity and inclusion, flexible teaching, and the business case for improved teaching—raise important assessment challenges and opportunities. Accordingly, the original working group is now reorganizing around a distributed model which brings assessment expertise to other areas of BVA work.
Working group outcomes and activities:
BVA Online Assessment Resource
On-campus faculty-centered programs at KU and USF based on the online assessment resource
An essay for the National Institute for Learning Outcomes Assessment on a model for faculty engagement in assessment at KU
Conference presentations:
Association of American Colleges and Universities STEM conference, Nov 2020, on principles for effective assessment in an online environment
Accelerating Systemic Change Network conference on transforming institutions, June 2021
Assessment Institute session (upcoming), October 2021