Programs partner to present assessment findings on national stage

This summer, representatives from JMU’s Community Service-Learning program and the Center for Assessment and Research Studies spent a few days in San Antonio together. The rendezvous was not the groups’ first foray into partnership; in fact, the two entities have a longstanding and powerful partnership, one that allows them to work together to assess JMU’s Community Service-Learning programs.

The team was in San Antonio to present at a NASPA -- Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education conference. The conference, which focused exclusively on Assessment and Persistence, was designed to promote student learning and success by strengthening assessment and improving educational quality.

The team presented on enhancing assessment through the use of mixed research methods. During the session, they discussed combined quantitative and qualitative approaches and shared their jointly conducted assessment work around CS-L’s Federal Work Study program. The research involved assessing Federal Work Study students in two areas, communication skills and ethical decision-making.

“The research we’re conducting is cutting edge as there are only a handful of universities running program assessments of Federal Work Study,” said Walt Ghant, associate director, Community Service-Learning. “Ultimately, this type of research improves our service-learning programs and supports JMU’s goal of being the national model of the engaged university.”

Presenters at the conference included Ghant, Jeanne Horst, assistant professor and assistant assessment specialist, and Devon Whetstone, graduate student.

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Aug. 28, 2014