NWIC Assessment Resources

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Assessment Resources

The following is a collection of documents, presentations, and links to resources that have been used in the development of assessment processes at NWIC.

They are presented as resources for ongoing assessment work at NWIC.

NWIC RESOURCES

ASSESSMENT PROCESS
NWIC IS CREATING ASSESSMENT PROCESSES THAT…
- are participatory
- are formative (ongoing)
- are culturally appropriate
- recognize and legitimize Indigenous knowledge and skills
- contribute to tribal self-determination and knowledge
- start with interested and supportive faculty and staff
- are faculty-driven (with assistance from the assessment coordinator)
- are streamlined and simplified so that instructors’ and staff’s time may be used effectively
- include employees from appropriate segments of the college
- include students in their design
- result in a respectful and reciprocal relationship between the assessment coordinator and all staff
- build cohesion, collaboration, relationships, and trust among staff through a consultative process
- are conducted in a responsible and ethical manner
- are useful, relevant, and meaningful to the tribal college community
- educate administration, staff and faculty to improve their assessment skills
- report results internally in an ongoing way so that the information can be used to improve student success and learning (i.e., through meetings, reports, a website, email)
- initiate meaningful conversations
- create a shared vision for the future of the tribal college, based on common values
- redirect resources towards priorities outlined in the mission and goals
- increase the college’s responsiveness to the needs of the tribal community
- improve the instructional capacity of the college as well as its public image
- provide the basis for college planning and budgeting decisions
- demonstrate accountability, the responsible use of limited resources, to the public
EMBEDDING ASSESSMENT IN COLLEGE PROCESSES
NWIC IS EMBEDDING ASSESSMENT THROUGHOUT COLLEGE PROCESSES, SUCH AS…

strategic planning

curriculum review

budgeting

program review

the First Year Experience program (learning communities and cohorts)

the college catalog

college publications

the website

job descriptions and announcements

grading criteria

service learning
LEARNING, TEACHING, AND ASSESSMENT APPROACHES
NWIC IS STRIVING TO CREATE AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE STUDENTS ARE LEARNING AND BEING ASSESSED USING:

meaningful, relevant, and contextualized experiences

approaches traditionally used by tribal people, such as apprenticeships, observations, and practice (case studies, capstone projects, journals, apprenticeships, self-evaluation, portfolios)

an integrated curriculum

an experientially grounded curriculum

a “place-based” curriculum

authentic approaches (e.g., self-reflecting and self-assessing, applying concepts to a relevant context, teaching material to peers, writing about a subject, asking essential questions)

a curriculum founded on traditional culture and knowledge

formative classroom assessment techniques (short, frequent, ungraded attempts to assess student learning) to provide immediate in-class feedback from students.

Different forums have been used for engaging faculty in dialogue about innovative teaching, learning, and assessment approaches, such as Friday sessions, spring breaks, pre-service workshops, other workshops, faculty meetings, VP-faculty meetings, weekly/monthly emails to all faculty, etc.
EXTERNAL RESOURCES FOR DEVELOPING AND USING RUBRICS
GENERAL RESOURCES
Here are some links to other colleges and universities with useful guidance on creating and using rubrics:

National Institute for Learning Outcomes Assessment – Resources on all aspects of student learning outcomes assessment. Used by the University of Alaska – Fairbacks and other colleges/universities.

University of Alaska – Fairbanks Assessment Resources – use National Institute for Learning Outcomes framework

Association of American Colleges and Universities – Resources on Assessment

PROGRAM OUTCOMES RUBRICS

Program Rubrics Resources – From Layola Marymont University – Describes the process for developing and using rubrics for program assessment and how it is different from other uses of rubrics.

RUBRICS FOR RUBRICS

How do you assess the effectiveness of a rubric? Here are some example rubrics for rubrics:

Rubric for Rubrics – Buck Institute for Education

Rubric for Rubrics – Arizona State University

Rubric for Rubrics – Eastern Carolina University

Assessment in a Tribal College Context: A Case Study of NWIC

by Anne Marie Karlberg, 2007; 381 page doctoral thesis

TRIBAL COLLEGE RESOURCES

AIHEC – Assessment Essentials for Tribal Colleges (2011)

ASSESSMENT RESOURCES

9 Principles of Good Practice for Assessing Student Learning

by Alexander W. Astin; Trudy W. Banta; K. Patricia Cross; Elaine El-Khawas; Peter T. Ewell; Pat Hutchings; Theodore J. Marchese; Kay M. McClenney; Marcia Mentkowski; Margaret A. Miller; E. Thomas Moran; Barbara D. Wright

Assessment in a Tribal College Context: NWIC Case Study – Anne Marie Karlberg (2007)

Grades Vs. Assessment – Anne Marie Karlberg

ASSESSMENT PRESENTATIONS

These presentations present overviews of assessment structures and processes:

NWIC Assessment Program

By Annie Marie Karlberg (2007)

Components of Tribal College Assessment Programs

By Annie Marie Karlberg (2007)

Institutional Assessment at NWIC

By Annie Marie Karlberg (2006)