THE ASSESSMENT-PLANNING RECORD

The APR online system is an electronic interface that enables performance-based effectiveness evaluations of departmental, unit, and division goals, as well as assessment of degree program goals and student learning outcomes. This process is used to inform planning and ensure continuous efforts at improvement.

APR reports for years prior to 2006 can be accessed on the Index to Assessment Reports at GCSU on the Academic Assessment intranet page:

http://info.gcsu.edu/intranet/Academicassessment/assessmentroadmap1.html

Assessment data for 2006 and later have been submitted either in MS Word format or entered into the electronic APR interface, which can be accessed under "Academic Assessment Record" on the Academic Assessment intranet page or directly: http://apr.gcsu.edu. The APR site contains only the most current year's results; results from previous years can be found in the APR archives:

http://gazeem.gcsu.edu:8777/APR/MainPage.html?Ran=22647

Using the electronic APR System

Anyone can view the assessment record of completed annual cycles (2006 onward).

The ability to input data is limited by passwords that grant deans, chairs, and unit heads the appropriate access. These administrators may designate proxies to use their passwords, but they remain responsible for the data input into their sections. New administrators should contact the Office of Web Enabled Resources to receive a password.

Password entry allows administrators to input or modify the following:

Unit and program goals, that are then linked to goals on the next level above the unit and, through those goals, to the university's strategic directions.
The assessment information for that year:
- At the start of a cycle: specific goals to be assessed and planned means of assessment
- At the close of a cycle: the results of assessment and the planned changes resulting from analysis
- At the close of the cycle: other achievements not tied to goals and assessment
- Password entry while in the archived site also allows administrators to sort data and generate a variety of reports. Note that the reporting feature is not currently available on the electronic APR site for the current assessment cycle.
Information Span
- specific information across multiple units in one specific year
- specific information across one unit or multiple units for a span of years
Information Specificity
- to a reporting unit
- for all units in an administrative area (college, division, etc)
- for all units in the university
Information Relating to Specific Strategic Goals
- of the university
- of a division, college, or other administrative unit
- of a department or service unit
- of the Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) Initiatives
Program Information Stats
- on the number of enrolled majors
- on the number of degrees granted
- on the number of service courses and number of students in them
Categories of Information
- achievements revealed by assessment
- concerns revealed by assessment
- specific achievements in assessment

A. Academic Department Reports

The APR reports produced by academic department chairs reflect evaluation of the department's effectiveness and assessment of the goals and student learning outcomes of every degree program delivered by that department.

1. Unit (Departmental) Assessment

Departmental assessment is based on achievement of the department's performance outcomes. At the beginning of the academic year, departmental goals are reevaluated in terms of university and college strategic goals, and objectives/outcomes are clarified for these goals. Then the means of assessing each objective/outcome are identified.

Assessment data are collected through the year and analyzed by the faculty at the beginning of the following year. This process of data analysis should inform the department's curricular and other planning decisions for the coming year.

2. Degree Program Assessment

Degree program assessments are based on students' achievement of degree program learning outcomes (quality indicators), as well as indicators of program viability and productivity.

Viability Indicators: available resources, student interest (majors/minors), career opportunities, appropriateness mission
Productivity Indicators: number of graduates, number of students served (core, other programs)
Program assessments may be filled out by the chair or by the program coordinators, but they should reflect the faculty's collective analysis and decision-making.

At the beginning of the academic year, specific program goals are identified to assess; in the case of general education assessment, at least two program goals are identified that support the particular general education goal being assessed for that year. Then courses whose specific learning outcomes address program and/or general education goals are identified along with a means of assessing each outcome. Results need to be reported in specific terms citing specific data (two evaluators rated 80 percent of the students as 3 out of 5 on X assignment using a common rubric), rather than broad generalizations without use of supporting data (such as "students did well.").

Assessment data are collected through the year and analyzed by the program faculty at the beginning of the following year. This process of data analysis should inform decisions about the program for the coming year.

B. Academic Support Unit Reports

Academic support units also produce APR reports. At the beginning of the academic year, specific outcomes are identified for each unit goal. Then the means of evaluating each outcome are identified.

Effectiveness and/or assessment data are collected through the year. At the close of the academic year, data are analyzed by the unit staff, and changes based on analysis of effectiveness/assessment results are recorded.

ASSESSING UNIT AND PROGRAM EFFECTIVENESS

ADMINISTRATIVE APR RESPONSE REPORTS