Key Findings

Each of the nine sections below describes, in progression, important aspects of a student assessment process necessary to consider when implementing a successful institutional strategy.

Organizational and Administrative Approaches to, Support for, and Uses of Student Assessment: Partial Institutionalization

a brief summary of the findings from the national study, including the national survey and the case study institutions.

Predictors of Institutional Approaches

a summary of the external and internal influences on institutional approaches to student assessment as well as the purposes and patterns of support for institutional student assessment efforts.

Predictors of Institutional Uses of Student Assessment

a summary of the organizational and administrative variables and characteristics that help to predict the use of student assessment information in academic decisions.

Patterns of Organizing

descriptions of three organizational patterns for institutional student assessment.

Three Conceptual Approaches

descriptions and details of three conceptual approaches to supporting student assessment at the institutional level.

Linking Student Assessment to Academic Management and Educational Improvement

rationale and necessity for creating a student assessment process that serves both internal and external purposes for student assessment and links the student assessment process to an institution's core academic management function and the institutions educational improvement offices or department.

Leadership, Coordination, and Information Management

discussion of these important aspects of any student assessment process with examples from the national study.

Faculty Involvement In and Satisfaction With Student Assessment

a summary of the factors that promote involvement by faculty in institutional and classroom student assessment.

Building a Culture for Student Assessment

a rationale for the value of and the need to build a student assessment culture across the institution.