Assessment 101
In this nationally-acclaimed (NASPA Silver Award-winning) workshop, participants learn about each step of the assessment cycle with a special emphasis on learning improvement. Assessment 101 is a 5-day virtual, intensive workshop designed to combine synchronous and asynchronous time to reinforce the knowledge gained while also imparting tangible skills. Individuals and teams from across the country come to learn strategies regarding how to teach others about assessment.
Assessment 101 will explore topics such as:
• writing student learning outcomes
• mapping the curriculum
• creating instruments
• examining implementation fidelity
• analyzing data
• reporting results
• using results to make evidence-based decisions
Assessment 101 is ideal for those relatively new to assessment practices. Many seasoned assessment practitioners attend as well. A $1,500 registration fee covers participation and materials provided during the 5-day workshop. There are a limited number of seats for each cohort. Faculty and staff at James Madison University can apply to have this fee waived through an assessment scholarship.
If you have further questions, please contact us at assessmentdevelopment@jmu.edu.
Upcoming Assessment 101 Workshops
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Fall 2024
- Online Workshop (five consecutive Fridays): Each day has a mix of synchronous and asynchronous content.
- Fridays; Oct 11,18, 25, Nov 1, 10 AM - 4 PM EST, and Nov 8, 10 AM -1:30 PM
- Facilitated by Dr. John Hathcoat, Ph.D., Associate Assessment Specialist; Associate Professor of Graduate Psychology, JMU, and supported by CARS graduate assistants.
- Registration Deadline: Thu Oct 3 at noon EST.
- Assessment 101 Scholarship Application for JMU participants. Applications due by Wed 10/2 at noon EST.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Assessment 101 costs $1,500 per person to cover participation and materials provided in the 5-day workshop. All individuals external to JMU will need to enroll with a payment by the posted deadline.
Faculty and staff at James Madison University may apply to have this fee waived through an assessment scholarship.
You can register for as many people as will attend as long as payment is completed for each person by the enrollment deadline. The person sitting for the workshop does not have to be the one completing the registration.
You may cancel your registration up to two weeks prior to the program start date and receive a refund of course registration fees, less a $25 administrative fee. To withdrawal from this course you must send a request to pce@jmu.edu. Requests received beyond the deadline will receive no refund. For more information, please visit Policies & Notices.
As part of Assessment 101, each participant completes an individual or group project. These projects usually pertain to some aspect of the assessment cycle. For example, an individual may choose to focus on writing student learning outcomes for an academic degree program or identifying an appropriate instrument to measure such outcomes.
Here a few examples from previous projects:
While you can expect to receive an orientation email sent the week prior to the session, there is no formal pre-workshop preparation material. However, participants new to assessment may benefit from exploring the CARS Professional Development in Assessment webpage to learn more about the Assessment Skills Framework and other freely available resources.
Improving Student Learning at Scale in Higher Education (Learning Improvement)
Join us for a comprehensive virtual workshop, "Improving Student Learning at Scale in Higher Education (Learning Improvement)," where you will discover the six essential steps to enhancing student learning at scale, guided by the expert who authored the book on the subject (Improving Student Learning at Scale, Fulcher & Prendergast, 2021). This workshop blends synchronous and asynchronous elements to reinforce your learning and equip you with practical skills.
Workshop Topics Include:
- Building a collective will to improve
- Creating a vision for learning
- Establishing a baseline
- Identifying effective interventions
- Implementing interventions with fidelity
- Re-assessing to determine if improvement has occurred
"Learning Improvement" is perfect for individuals with some experience in assessment, teaching, and learning. It is particularly valuable for those managing initiatives aimed at impacting large student populations, such as Quality Enhancement Plans or program-level curricular reforms.
Upcoming Improving Student Learning at Scale in Higher Education Workshop
Register for Improving Student Learning at Scale
- Online Workshop (five consecutive Fridays):
- Friday, October 18, 10 am to 4 pm, EST
- Friday, October 25, 10 am to 4 pm, EST
- Friday, November 1, 10 am to 4 pm, EST
- Friday, November 8, 10 am to 4 pm, EST
- Friday, November 15, 10 am to 1:30 pm, EST
- Approximately three hours of reading are required prior to the first synchronous session.
- Facilitated by Dr. Keston Fulcher, Improvement Strategist at the Center for Assessment and Research Studies, JMU, and supported by Kelsey Nason, Doctoral Assistant, Center for Assessment and Research Studies, JMU.
- Registration Fee: $2,000 (includes participation and materials including a copy of Improving Student Learning at Scale Fulcher & Prendergast, 2021). Faculty and staff at James Madison University can apply to have this fee waived through a learning improvement scholarship.
- Seats are limited, so early registration is encouraged.
- Registration deadline: Wed Oct 9 at 12 noon EST.
- Learning Improvement Scholarship Application for JMU participants. Applications due by Tue Oct 8 at noon EST.
- If you have further questions, please contact us at assessmentdevelopment@jmu.edu.
Best Practice in Student Affairs Assessment: Resources to Support Program Theory, Implementation Fidelity, and Equity
January 14,15, 16, 2025 from 9:30 am to 4:30 pm EST each day
- A $1,200 registration fee covers participation and materials provided during the 3-day workshop. There are a limited number of seats for each cohort.
- Online Workshop (three consecutive days): Each day has a mix of synchronous and asynchronous content delivered by seasoned JMU faculty and supported by CARS graduate assistants.
- Register for Best Practice in Student Affairs Assessment
Participants will review each step of the assessment cycle with a special emphasis on program theory, implementation fidelity, and equity considerations. On their own, student learning and development outcomes assessment data have limited utility for improving student affairs and student success programming. However, program improvement can be greatly facilitated by asking two fundamental questions: “Why should this programming result in the desired outcome?” (i.e., program theory) and “Was the intended programming actually experienced by students?” (i.e., implementation fidelity). Moreover, answering these questions addresses equity and inclusion concerns. Specifically, is programming inclusive of students with different backgrounds and characteristics (e.g., part-time students, students of color, veterans, students who are neurodivergent)? We discuss and provide resources to frame outcomes assessment efforts to answer these fundamental questions, which facilitates program and learning improvement.
This 3-day virtual, intensive workshop is designed to combine synchronous and asynchronous time to reinforce the knowledge gained while also imparting tangible skills. Individuals and teams from across the country can come to learn strategies regarding 1) best practice in assessment and 2) how to teach others about the utility and process of outcomes assessment on their campus.
In “Best Practice in Student Affairs Assessment”, participants will explore topics such as:
• program theory as the mechanism undergirding all outcomes assessment efforts
• implementation fidelity to accurately depict the program being experienced by students
• equity considerations at each step of the outcomes assessment cycle, including
- Student Learning and Development Outcomes
- Selecting and Designing Measures
- Gathering and Analyzing Data
- Reporting Results
- Using Results for Assessment and Programmatic Improvement
- a rubric to identify varying levels of quality assessment, which guides continuous improvement
- resources to facilitate the construction of professional development in best practice in assessment
• alignment between student affairs professional standards and resources shared in this session
“Best Practice in Student Affairs Assessment” is ideal for student affairs educators or higher education professionals focused on designing and assessing co-curricular or student affairs programming. Those relatively new to assessment practices are welcomed. Seasoned student affairs educators, professionals overseeing student success programming, and assessment practitioners will be exposed to powerful strategies to advance best practice and professional development in assessment and program improvement.
Online Workshop (three consecutive days): Each day has a mix of synchronous and asynchronous content delivered by seasoned JMU faculty and supported by Center for Assessment and Research Studies (CARS) graduate assistants.
Lead facilitator: Dr. Sara Finney, Associate Director of Student Affairs Assessment at CARS, and professor of Graduate Psychology at JMU.
Co-Facilitators: Riley Herr, MA, and Mara McFadden, MA, both graduate assistants and assessment consultants at CARS.
