(253a) Integrated Assessment of Student Success in Achieving a-k Criteria Using Course Management Software

Data collection efforts for evaluating programmatic success in training students to be successful at meeting program criteria are traditionally time intensive and difficult.  Course management tools offer the opportunity to build program-level data aggregation efforts that allow for computation and numerical evaluation of both groups of students and also individual students.  The automation, thought Desire 2 Learn for this effort, allows for more time to be spend on the qualitative descriptions generated by faculty instead of number pulling and crunching.

 This talk demonstrates how a pilot project was conducted and provides comments on the pros and cons of how to implement this approach.  Pros include easier faculty engagement, regular reminders due to routine data access that data should be collected at the end of each semester, and the ability to compare trends easily from year to year on a statistical basis.  A checklist of steps that will streamline future implementation at other programs is discussed, along with a list of suggestions on alternatives that may make sense for different programs.  estions on alternatives that may make sense for different programs.