Making Assessment Work for You

Whether it's helping to guide those who don't have a background in learning assessment and don't know where to start, or developing a more efficient process for those who might find the process time consuming or tedious, Karen Stokes Chapo, Program Manager in the Office of Institutional Effectiveness, knows how important it is to measure student learning outcomes effectively. WMUx also knows the significant role assessment plays in supporting the evidence-based planning required to enhance the student learning experience. That's why Stokes Chapo reached out to WMUx's Instructional Designers to help her team prepare for the 12th Annual Assessment in Action Conference, 'Back to Basics for Data-Informed Teaching, Learning, & Student Success.'

Their partnership is a long time in the making, however. "2018 was the first year that I was encouraged to invite the Instructional Design team to our conference. They presented a session focused on online learning and talked about assessment best-practices in that environment," Stokes Chapo recalls. "The WMUx Instructional Designers have an ease about how they work with instructors, and they are very skilled in presenting. Many of them have taught at one point in time, so they have experience as both instructors and designers. They are supportive and approachable, but also have the knowledge and skills that build credibility with their audience."

Impressed by what the Instructional Designers brought to the table, Stokes Chapo invited them back, and over the last few years, WMUx's Instructional Design team has taken on a larger role in the conference. "As the instructional design team has grown, not only do they have a lot of expertise in online learning, but also the assessment process. They can help answer questions like, ‘do we have measurable, meaningful student outcomes?' and they can help faculty revisit how they do their assessment," she says.

For the 2022 conference, the team was an active part of the planning process, attending bi-weekly meetings ready with new concepts and ideas to help improve the offerings. WMUx's Instructional Designers developed presentations for three sessions, two breakout sessions, and one general session. The general session was a highly interactive and action-oriented ‘Makers Lab' where participants were guided through how to write learning outcomes and then think through measurement.

Stokes Chapo appreciates WMUx's involvement in the conference. She feels comfortable taking a more hands off approach on their sessions because she knows "they will be professional and share meaningful information on what's new. They are constantly researching what's most applicable to education right now and how they can bring the information and tools to WMU instructors."