Glossary of Terms

Student Affairs

To ensure shared understanding and consistency, below is a glossary of terms.

ANALYSIS

The process by which data collected is transformed into information that can be shared and used (ASK STANDARDS, ACPA, 2006)

ASSESSMENT
Assessment is any effort to gather, analyze, and interpret evidence which describes institutional, departmental, divisional, or agency effectiveness. (Upcraft and Schuh, 1996, p.18)

ASSESSMENT CYCLE
The cycle refers to the full sequence of assessment activities including identifying outcomes, determining methods, planning assessment, gathering evidence, analyzing and interpreting evidence, sharing results and implementing change. (ASK STANDARDS, ACPA, 2006)

CAS
Council for Advancement of Standards in Higher Education (ASK STANDARDS, ACPA, 2006)

CAS STANDARDS
Standards which help professionals create high-quality programs and services (ASK STANDARDS, ACPA, 2006)

CLOSING THE LOOP
The process of utilizing data for improvement or modification of a program, service, or department. (ASK STANDARDS, ACPA, 2006)

COMPREHENSIVE ASSESSMENT MODEL
SERVICE- Measures customer satisfaction, tracking usage, demographics and needs assessments (Barham & Scott, 2006, p. 214)• LEARNING- Measuring what students learn from participating in an experience (Barham & Scott, 2006, p. 214)• DEVELOPMENT- Measures student growth or outcomes

CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT
Regularly using assessment results to improve programs and services. (Upcraft & Schuh, 1996)

CREDIBILITY
The process of providing information that is valid and credible to the larger audience. (ASK STANDARDS, ACPA, 2006)

DATA
Information gathered for the purpose of research assessment or evaluation (ASK STANDARDS, ACPA, 2006)

DIRECT MEASURES OR EVIDENCE
Evidence that is tangible, visible, self-exploratory and compelling evidence of exactly what students have and have not learned. They include both objective exams and performance measures such as evaluations of demonstrations, internships, and portfolios that are evaluated by individuals other that the instructor. (ASK STANDARDS, ACPA, 2006)

EVALUATION
Any effort to use assessment evidence to improve institutional, departmental, divisional, or agency effectiveness. (Upcraft and Schuh, 1996, p.19)

FOCUS GROUP
Group discussions that are intentionally designed to gain in depth discussion around a specific topic. These groups are typically led by trained moderators with questions that have been developed prior to the session. The intent of focus groups is to examine feelings, perceptions, attitudes, and ideas. (ASK STANDARDS, ACPA, 2006)

GENERALIZABLE
Applicable to a larger population. (ASK STANDARDS, ACPA, 2006)

GOAL
Set approximately 3-5 years, describes to what do we aspire • Clearly aligned with institutional and divisional mission and vision • Challenging but realistic and achievable, and reflect positive change.• Depicts the core of what unit does: includes primary concerns and strategic direction for the unit, NOT a comprehensive listing of operational, day-to-day activities. Has some degree of measurability; should be able to gauge whether or not progress toward achievement is being made.

INDIRECT EVIDENCE

Evidence that consists of proxy signs that students are probably learning- it is less clear. (ASK STANDARDS, ACPA, 2006)

LEARNING OUTCOME
A concrete action that a student demonstrates as a result of learning. A learning outcome can be a demonstration of knowledge, a skill, or a value. (ASK STANDARDS, ACPA, 2006)

METHOD
The approach taken for data collection: qualitative, quantitative, or mixed design. (ASK STANDARDS, ACPA, 2006)

METHODOLOGY

Approach to how data will be gathered (survey, experimental, correlation, biography, narrative, case study, phenomenology, etc) (ASK STANDARDS, ACPA, 2006; HENNING & ROBERTS, 2016)

MISSION
The central purpose that provides focus, direction and destination for our work; describes the purpose of our organization, who we serve, and our hopes.

OBJECTIVE
What do we want to accomplish in the short term? Objectives are SMART- Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, Time bound, and are set annually.

OUTCOME

An outcome is the desired effect of a service or intervention, but is much more specific that goals. It is participant focused; what students should be able to demonstrate after their participation, which are also defined as learning or developmental outcomes. Outcomes can also be programmatic (such as increase in usage of a particular resource or service).

QUALITATIVE
Analysis used to tell a story or demonstrate key themes. Detailed descriptions of people, events, situations, interaction, and observed behaviors. (ASK STANDARDS, ACPA, 2006)

QUANTATITIVE
Data collection that assign numbers to objects, events, or observations according to some rule. Generally analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. (ASK STANDARDS, ACPA, 2006)

RESEARCH
Scholarly activity, typically has broader implications for student affairs and higher education. (Upcraft & Schuh, 1996)

RELIABILITY
Consistency of a set of measurements; the extent to which they measure the same thing over repeated administrations. (ASK STANDARDS, ACPA, 2006)

RUBRIC
An established set of criteria by which information is being measured, categorized, or evaluated. (ASK STANDARDS, ACPA, 2006)

SAMPLING
The manner in which participants are selected. There are various types- probability, which allows you to make inferences about a population, and non-probability, which does not allow you to make inferences to a larger population. (ASK STANDARDS, ACPA, 2006)

SELF STUDY
An internal assessment used to evaluate programs including quality and effectiveness in reference to established criteria. (ASK STANDARDS, ACPA, 2006)

SURVEY
Method of collecting information from people about their characteristics, behaviors, attitude, or perceptions. Most often surveys are questionnaires or structured interviews with a specific set of questions. (ASK STANDARDS, ACPA, 2006)

TYPES OF ASSESSMENT

Tracking: keeping track of who uses services, programs and facilities
Needs: assessing student and other stakeholder needs
Satisfaction: assessing student and other stakeholder satisfaction
Campus Climate
Outcomes: end result of an experience

learning: what students know or are able to do as a result of program or experience
program: what the program will accomplish (not levels of learning)

Program Review: comparing functional areas against set of standards

such as national standards such as CAS, or locally developed

Benchmarking: comparing programs or services to peer institutions
Resource effectiveness: cost benefit analysis of programs and services, and how programs promote retention, academic success and time to graduation
Accreditation: contributions to institutional effectiveness; using data for continuous improvement (closing the loop)
National instruments: Large assessments on various topics such as student health, leadership, living on campus. (HENNING & ROBERTS, 2016)

VALIDITY
Determines if the instrument measure what it is supposed to measure and includes construct, criterion and content validity. (ASK STANDARDS, ACPA, 2006)

VISION STATEMENT
A compelling and futuristic statement of desirable state of reality made possible by accomplishing the missions in a way that is consistent with values." (Haines, 2010). Unit Potential· How does the department look if we "do" our mission extraordinarily well?• Should be idealistic, authentic, extraordinary, appealing• Guided by the institutional and divisional strategic plan

VALUES
Those qualities and behaviors that are most highly regarded by members. It is our value/belief system. (How will we do our work?)