This seems to be a common claim from today’s USDOE, citing poor oversight of quality and outcomes, misplaced focus on non-core metrics, the cost of the accreditation process, and permitting institutions to offer failing programs. Let’s unpack each of these over the next few posts. First, poor oversight of quality and outcomes. A focus onContinue reading “Are Accreditors Failing Students?”
Tag Archives: Assessment
Let’s Talk About Online Platforms
As a teacher and then as an administrator I had worked with a few online platforms before I started consulting full-time early in 2020. You know these, they help manage the reporting on assessing student attainment of learning outcomes and administrative outcomes, they provide a template for your accreditation reports, and they may help manageContinue reading “Let’s Talk About Online Platforms”
How Difficult is Accreditation?
I was recently having a conversation with an institution President and a member of that institution’s Board and the President indicated that a reaffirmation “brings an institution to its knees.” I have thought about that statement quite a bit since then and, though I did not voice it then, I stick with my first thoughtContinue reading “How Difficult is Accreditation?”
Why is it so Complicated?!?
I have been in the accreditation arena for a long time, starting with my first SACSCOC annual meeting in 2003 or 2004 and my first On-Site Committee in 2006 or so. In total I have worked at three institutions, visited a dozen or so, and over the past four years consulted with 15 institutions andContinue reading “Why is it so Complicated?!?”
New to the IE Director role? Hah, now you’ve done it!
As I recently shared with a Provost who had just been named the next institutional President, “You’ve got the tiger by the tail now!” But seriously, congratulations on working your way into the role of the IE Director for your institution (especially you Alison!). So, what do you do now? Don’t re-invent the wheel. Look.Continue reading “New to the IE Director role? Hah, now you’ve done it!”
Can AI Write Your Report on Student Attainment of Learning Outcomes?
Paraphrasing the standard: The institution will identify student learning outcomes for each program, assess the extent to which students attain those outcomes, and will use the data to inform changes seeking improvement in student learning. I was recently reviewing a student learning outcomes report from a faculty member at one of my client institutions. TheContinue reading “Can AI Write Your Report on Student Attainment of Learning Outcomes?”
Assessment Academy
Somehow November just snuck on past without a post. Sorry about that. I have been working on a new idea that I am excited to write about. Assessing student attainment of learning outcomes is a common point of pain for institutions and most find themselves on the “non-compliant” side of things at some point asContinue reading “Assessment Academy”
What do you do when a review committee gets it wrong?
Review committees come in all shapes and sizes and individual reviewers are somewhere on the spectrum between first-time team members and people who have been on more review committees than can be conveniently counted. The expectation that review committees get it right all the time is unrealistic so let’s talk about best practices when aContinue reading “What do you do when a review committee gets it wrong?”
Are your online learners ready?
Are your learners ready in reading, writing, and math? Are they ready for the online environment? How does that fit into accreditation?
Mixed Signals on 8.2.a?
Standard 8.2.a (Student Outcomes: educational programs) is one of the most common areas of non-compliance in the SACSCOC region. That makes sense since it is a complex standard that impacts nearly every corner of the academic division of an institution. It does not help when you get mixed signals about what is required to makeContinue reading “Mixed Signals on 8.2.a?”