Proof in the Pudding: Implications of Measure Selection in Academic Outcomes Assessment

Autor/inn/en	Priniski, Stacy J.; Winterrowd, Erin
Titel	Proof in the Pudding: Implications of Measure Selection in Academic Outcomes Assessment
Quelle	In: Research & Practice in Assessment, 12 (2017), S.32-43 (12 Seiten) PDF als Volltext kostenfreie Datei Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	2161-4210
Schlagwörter	Student Personnel Services; College Outcomes Assessment; Pretests Posttests; Measurement Techniques; Selection; Guidance Centers; Grade Point Average; Undergraduate Students; Comparative Analysis; Questionnaires + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Messtechnik; Auslese; Guidance center; Counseling center; Counseling centers; Beratungsstelle; Fragebogen
Abstract	Academic outcomes assessment in student affairs is integral for both service improvement and demonstrating the unit's value to the university's academic mission. However, identifying the right measures is challenging. We implemented three common measures (pre-post self-reported academic functioning, retrospective perceptions of service impact, and semester grades) within a single counseling center client sample (N = 368) and examined the impact of measure selection on the representativeness of client subsamples and the conclusions that might be drawn about service effectiveness. Students' perceptions of academic outcomes suggested greater impact than pre-post or grade measures overall but all three showed positive effects for clients identified as academically at-risk at baseline. No single measure captured a fully representative sample of clients. Rather than providing evidence for one "best" measure, results point to the importance of using multiple measures to assess academic outcomes. Implications for best practices in service outcomes assessment are discussed. (As Provided).
Anmerkungen	Virginia Assessment Group. Tel: 504-314-2898; Fax: 504-247-1232; e-mail: editor@rpajournal.com; Web site: http://www.rpajournal.com/
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2020/1/01