Engaged Learning in Uncertain Times
This panel session includes experts in assessment, teaching, student success, and faculty support who will discuss several current issues. These include challenges facing the HIPs community, such as budget cuts, environmental and societal uncertainties, state and federal changes in higher education, and faculty burnout. Panelists will also explore practical solutions to sustain and expand high-impact practices, experiential learning, and engaged learning despite these obstacles. A particular emphasis will be placed on strategies to sustain and improve faculty, staff, and student morale and wellbeing amidst these uncertainties.
Alaa Alsarhan, Utah Valley University; Amy Cicchino, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University; Jocelyn Evans, University of West Florida; Sara Evans, Kennesaw State University; Kevin Gannon, Queens University of Charlotte; and Amy Johnson, Old Dominion University
Presentation Type: Keynote Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Theme: Engaged Learning

HIPs 2.0: Perspectives on the Next Frontier of High-Impact Practices
This session will begin with a discussion of the commonly used definitions of high-impact practices (HIPs) and their essential characteristics. The presenter will share perspectives on the benefits of establishing an ecosystem of HIPs to provide a spectrum of engagement opportunities for a broad array of students throughout their college careers. This session will offer various approaches for evaluating the impacts of HIPs, as well as critical leadership and infrastructure support for sustainable success of HIPs in different institutional contexts for consideration. The presenter will also offer her own perspectives on the state of HIPs as a long-time practitioner, and the audience will be invited to share their thoughts and experiences.
Catherine Chan, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Presentation Type: Keynote Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Theme: Engaged Learning

Grand Challenges in Assessment in Higher Education Tactics to Support Inclusive Environments
Leaders from the Grand Challenges in Assessment in Higher Education Project will share innovative approaches that foster inclusion and equity in assessment practices. This panel discussion will touch on creating inclusive environments through multiple strategies that include: using transparent assignment design, measuring student growth rather than static knowledge, implementing equitable assessment practices, creating accessible data stories, and employing just-in-time approaches that invite all students into the learning process. This lively discussion will provide some practical solutions to urgent challenges facing higher education.
Chadia Abras, Johns Hopkins University; Becky Croxton, Colorado State University Libraries; Beth Janetski, University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Pharmacy; Christine Robinson, University of North Carolina at Charlotte; Karen Singer-Freeman, George Washington University; Jessica Taylor, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
Presentation Type: Keynote Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Theme: Inclusive Environments

Promoting Cultures of Belonging on Campus: Strategies and Insights from HBCU-CEEQA Colleagues
Colleges and universities continue to attract, educate, and graduate students from historically under-represented, -served, and -resourced backgrounds. There is a need to foster a sense of belonging with and for our students, along with attending to their holistic personal, academic, and professional needs and aspirations. This thematic keynote session offers insights from HBCU-CEEQA member institutions concerning effective strategies for promoting inclusive environments across the higher education sector.
Mark Howse, Morehouse School of Medicine and colleagues representing HBCU-CEEQA
Presentation Type: Keynote Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Theme: Inclusive Environments

Leveraging Intervention Mapping to Guide Innovative and Effective Programming in Higher Education
Drawing on experiences at James Madison University in both academic and student affairs, this session suggests that innovation in instruction or any programming on campus would benefit from adopting an intervention science approach. If we really hope to engage in effective innovative strategies to impact what students know, value, and can do, we need a robust process to guide and sustain programming efforts. Could Intervention Mapping, a common and expected approach in health-education programming, help higher education professionals design, justify, and improve their instructional and programming strategies? We explain how an Intervention Mapping approach aligns with, yet enhances, the typical outcomes assessment approach used in higher education. Importantly, an Intervention Mapping approach forces us to ask and answer two basic questions about curriculum/programming: “Why should this curriculum/programming result in desired outcomes?” (i.e., program theory) and “Will the intended curriculum/programming be experienced by students?” (i.e., implementation fidelity). This “enhanced” programming and assessment approach has potential to afford better-designed, well-implemented curriculum/programming that could demonstrably improve student learning and development.
Sara Finney and Riley Herr, James Madison University
Presentation Type: Keynote Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Theme: Innovative Instruction

Beyond Check Sheets and Pro Forma Approaches: Making Gen Ed Meaningful for Students and Faculty
This Innovative Instruction keynote features the editors of Reforming and Refining General Education: Insights for Institutional Leadership, Management, and Governance and An Educator’s Guide to Reforming and Refining General Education: Insights for Curriculum and Assessment. Drawing on their work curating campus narratives from a wide range of institutions, the speakers will highlight evidence-based practices and successful strategies for improving general education. Attendees will gain insights into aligning general education with institutional mission, accreditation expectations, and the evolving needs of today’s students. The presentation will emphasize replicable approaches rooted in the literature and shaped by institutional experience, offering practical guidance for leaders, faculty, and assessment professionals. Informed by the expertise of the American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) and the Assessment Institute, this session promises actionable takeaways to support innovation and assessment in general education reform.
Kate Drezek McConnell and C. Edward Watson, American Association of Colleges & Universities (AAC&U); and Caleb J. Keith, Indiana University Indianapolis
Presentation Type: Keynote Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Theme: Innovative Instruction

Becoming a Champion for Excellence: Applying the Baldrige Leadership Triad to Personal Leadership Practice
In the pursuit of organizational excellence, many leaders overlook the foundational role of personal leadership integrity, vision, and service. This presentation introduces the Champion for Excellence Model, an applied framework grounded in the Baldrige Performance Excellence Program’s Leadership Triad—Leadership, Strategy, and Customers—and reimagined as a personal leadership development tool. By aligning core business principles with individual leadership practices, this model empowers leaders to intentionally lead with integrity, plan with strategic purpose, and serve stakeholders with empathy and excellence. Drawing from transformational leadership theory, values-based leadership, and real-world applications, the model offers actionable strategies for cultivating personal mastery, clarity, and alignment. Through case examples from higher education, consulting, and organizational effectiveness initiatives, participants will explore how personal excellence drives institutional results. Attendees will leave with a practical framework and reflection tools to champion excellence from the inside out—ultimately shaping cultures of continuous improvement and high performance.
Bridget Dewees, University of Wisconsin-Stout
Presentation Type: Keynote Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Theme: Strategic Directions 

Closing the Loop with Change Management: Maximizing the Impact of Assessment in Higher Education
All change is not created equal, nor are all change efforts equally successful. Additionally, the assessment cycle step that is least discussed but most difficult to implement is using assessment data for change and improvement. A panel of authors from the recent book Maximizing the Impact of Assessment in Higher Education: Closing the Loop with Change Management will share how to move from data to action utilizing change management theories, frameworks, and models.
Divya Bheda, Santa Clara University; Cindy Cogswell, New York University; Keston H. Fulcher, James Madison University; Gavin Henning, New England College; and Natasha Jankowski, University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee
Presentation Type: Keynote Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Theme: Strategic Directions

From Data to Action: Storytelling with Data
Crafting meaningful data stories is essential for driving impactful change on campus. This session explores how to humanize assessment findings by integrating narratives that highlight student success. Participants will gain practical tips for crafting compelling data stories, engaging diverse campus stakeholders, and embedding sustainable data collection cycles into departmental and divisional practices. Learn strategies to ensure reporting and accountability are seamlessly integrated into timelines, fostering a culture where data informs action and enhances student experiences.
Shaun Boren, University of Florida; Renée Delgado-Riley, University of Oregon; Kimberly Kruchen, University of Colorado Boulder; Joseph D. Levy, Excelsior University; Tori Rehr, The Ohio State University; and Heather Strine-Patterson, Virginia Tech
Presentation Type: Keynote Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Theme: Student Success 

From Insights to Action: Driving Student Success Through Student Partnerships in Assessment
The true value of assessment data lies not just in its collection, but in its ability to drive actionable improvements that enhance student learning. This keynote will explore how engaging students as active partners in the assessment process can transform data from passive results into a dynamic driver of change. By involving students in designing assessments, interpreting results, and making data-driven decisions, we not only improve the assessment process but also foster a deeper sense of ownership, accountability, and collaboration between students and faculty. Participants will gain insights into how higher education can evolve from using assessment as a static tool to leveraging it as an ongoing, transformative process—where student engagement is central to the evolution of institutional practices and student success.
Robin Anderson, James Madison University; and Nicholas A. Curtis, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Presentation Type: Keynote Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Theme: Student Success

A Roadmap to Success: Creating the Conditions for Assessment Evidence Excellence
This session will demonstrate how the University of Northern Colorado’s Office of Assessment created the conditions to generate strong evidence for assessment-related accreditation criteria. Based on these examples, participants in this session will briefly review their own institution’s assessment practices and timelines to identify potential sources of evidence for accreditation criteria. Situating these potential sources of evidence in the context of good assessment practice, participants will identify their institution’s strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities. Participants will then identify action steps upon returning to their institutions to generate assessment-related evidence prior to their next accreditation review.
Chad M. Bebee and Samantha Buck, University of Northern Colorado
Presentation Type: Rise-and-Shine 20-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Accreditation 

Assessment for Improvement, Not Just Accountability: A Call to Accrediting Bodies
Accreditation should be a tool for improving student learning, not a bureaucratic exercise that drains faculty time. Yet, too often, assessment standards prioritize compliance over meaningful educational change. This session will explore how we can advocate for accrediting bodies to reshape assessment requirements—shifting the focus from static reporting to dynamic, faculty-driven improvements in teaching and learning. Participants will discuss strategies for pushing assessment frameworks toward actionable, classroom-based insights that empower faculty rather than burden them. Join this interactive “rise and shine” session to explore ways we can drive accreditation reform for the benefit of educators and students alike.
Will Miller, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
Presentation Type: Rise-and-Shine 20-Minute Session
Audience Level: Beginner
Primary Topic: Accreditation 

Bridging Accreditation, Leadership, and Change: A New Conceptual Model
Accreditation is often framed through the lenses of quality assurance, accountability, and improving outcomes. However, this framing limits its potential as a mechanism for learning, transformation, and organizational change. The session presents the findings from a conceptual literature review that critically examines (a) the historical conceptualization and context of accreditation, and (b) the dominant methods, analytical approaches, and emerging shifts in how accreditation is investigated and discussed. Drawing from leadership, organizational learning, and change theories, this session introduces an integrative conceptual model to reframe accreditation as a mechanism for institutional growth and transformation and provides exemplars of practical applications.
Virginia McMunn, Oakland University
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Accreditation 

Charting a Path for a Successful Affirmation
This session offers a practical roadmap for navigating the reaffirmation process with clarity and purpose. Attendees will gain actionable insights into effective planning, organization, and strategies for reviewing accreditation standards, with a focus on crafting compelling narratives. Distinctive in its emphasis on analyzing the nuances of standard language—such as verbs and punctuation—this presentation equips participants with transferable skills that can be applied across various accreditors. Whether preparing for reaffirmation or improving institutional processes, attendees will leave empowered with tools and techniques to ensure success.
Carolyn Beamer and Angela Bryan, University of West Florida
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Beginner
Primary Topic: Accreditation 

Maximizing Impact: How Accreditation and Assessment Work Together for Institutional Success
This session explores Morehouse School of Medicine’s (MSM) approach to bridging institutional accreditation requirements with program-level assessment. Using scenarios from MSM’s ARC-PA, CEPH, LCME, and SACSCOC accreditation efforts, we demonstrate strategies for aligning assessment practices across health professions programs to drive continuous improvement. Attendees will gain insights into integrating institutional priorities with program-specific needs, fostering a data-driven culture, and leveraging assessment results for strategic planning. This session is ideal for assessment professionals, accreditation leaders, and faculty seeking practical strategies to enhance accreditation alignment and institutional effectiveness while promoting sustainable assessment practices.
Brandi N. Newkirk and Beatrice Porter, Morehouse School of Medicine
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: HBCU Collaborative for Excellence in Educational Quality Assurance (HBCU‑CEEQA) / Accreditation

Xitracs™ for Assessment, Planning, Accreditation and Credentialing
Xitracs™ is a user-friendly, cost-effective software platform that allows your IR/E staff, other campus leaders, and users-at-large to streamline work related to learning outcomes assessment, institutional effectiveness reporting, program review, strategic planning, faculty/staff credentialing, agency accreditation activities, grant management, AI integration options, and more! This presentation will give an overview of how Xitracs supports success and continuous improvement in these key areas. We will wrap up the session with time for your questions and input.
Stephanie Allen, Xitracs by Concord USA, Inc.
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Sponsor Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Accreditation 

Analyzing Small Sample Sizes After Disaggregation: Exploring Observation-Oriented Modeling for Assessing Learning Outcomes
Traditionally, assessment professionals use analyses relying upon null hypothesis significance testing (NHST), but those tools have limitations when analyzing small samples or disaggregated data. This study used common NHST analytical techniques, compared their results, and then explored an alternative technique that perhaps allows for a more precise understanding of learning outcomes. These findings show how meaningful disaggregation and interrogation of collected data can help instructors improve pedagogy and materials, as well as serve the field at large by suggesting alternative analytical tools to glean meaningful results from difficult-to-analyze data.
Vince Nix and Lan Song, West Texas A&M University; Joseph D. Levy, Excelsior University; and Yi-Chin Wu,Georgia Tech University
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Analytics and Metrics 

Assessing Courses in Real Time Using Student Performance Metrics
In today’s data-driven education landscape, real-time assessment enhances student learning by providing immediate feedback and actionable insights. Research confirms that formative assessment improves engagement and achievement (Black & Wiliam, 1998; Hattie & Timperley, 2007). This session explores how educators can use student performance metrics, key performance indicators (KPIs), and advanced tools like LMS analytics and AI-driven insights (Siemens & Long, 2011) to improve instructional effectiveness. Participants will engage in discussions and hands-on activities to implement real-time assessment strategies, personalize learning, and proactively support student success through data-driven decision-making.
James R. Tarr, Colorado Technical University (CTU); and Holly Rick, American InterContinental University System (AIUS)
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Analytics and Metrics 

Building the Bridge to Learning Analytics: The Meeting of Institutional Strategy and Classroom Impact
Learning analytics, such as those found within a learning management system or other instructional tools, can provide helpful information for assessment and improvement. However, it can be time-consuming to create the structure and policies needed at an institutional level. This presentation will detail how concurrently starting at the instructor and program level to socialize learning analytics practices can create buy-in from faculty and departments, while the institutional foundation is being implemented. These efforts help develop an ecosystem where currently available data from learning technologies is actively used during and after instruction to improve courses, programs, and student outcomes.
Christina A. Bifulco and Chris Drue, Rutgers University
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Analytics and Metrics 

Curricular Analytics: Current Research and Applications for Assessment Professionals
As a new and unique method to analyze a curriculum, curricular analytics provides useful metrics by examining the structural complexity of a curriculum, focusing on course sequences related to pre- and co-requisite relationships. This analysis can aid students in their efforts to complete an academic credential by reducing curricular barriers to completion. The purpose of this session is to introduce the basic concepts of curricular analytics and describe the body of research surrounding its use in higher education. The session will introduce the topic, describe related research, and provide examples of how curricular analytics can be used in assessment work.
Shane E. Schellpfeffer, University of North Dakota
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Beginner
Primary Topic: Analytics and Metrics 

Decoding Psychometrics: How to Enhance MCQ Exam Quality through Effective Item Analysis
This session is designed to empower assessment professionals with the skills to analyze key psychometric data and enhance the quality of multiple-choice questions (MCQs).  It addresses the challenges faced by those without a background in educational research and dispels the myth that only subject matter experts can provide valuable insights.  Attendees will learn to identify crucial metrics, interpret psychometric data, and make informed recommendations for item revisions.  The session includes a step-by-step method for item review, real-world examples, and an activity to apply new knowledge.  Participants will leave with best practices and actionable strategies to improve MCQs at their institution.
Sarah A. McCauley and Kelly McCarthy, University of South Florida
Presentation Type: Rise-and-Shine 20-Minute Session
Audience Level: Beginner
Primary Topic: Grand Challenges in Assessment / Analytics and Metrics

Developing Data Literacy with the Unizin Data Platform
Can analytics of teaching and learning actually improve instructor and students’ practices? Despite over a decade of efforts, the fundamental question of “closing-the-loop" in learning analytics remains a persistent challenge. This session articulates this challenge in the context of several instructors forming a community of practice to develop analytics and data-based solutions to their teaching practices. These instructors engaged in a workshop focusing on using the Unizin Data Platform. This session articulates instructors developing an understanding of these data and analytic resources with specific attention to how these data influenced their teaching practices.
Joshua Quick and Carrie Hansel, eLearning Design & Services-Indiana University
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Beginner
Primary Topic: Analytics and Metrics 

Metrics and Early Performance Indicators in a Master's of Physician Assistant Studies Program
A growing number of student applications to graduate Physician Assistant (PA) programs has highlighted the need for effective screening and selection of candidates. Much of the work in this area has focused on connecting student course grades and performance in the national board certification “PANCE” exam, however, this is of limited value in identifying those studies who struggle academically prior to certification. Therefore, we retrospectively analyzed five cohorts of PA students (n=175) to determine if differences exist in pre-admission metrics and early PA course scores between those students who required academic remediation during PA school vs. those who did not. Students requiring remediation had significantly reduced undergraduate science and organic chemistry GPAs, as well as significantly poorer scores in Gross Anatomy, Pathophysiology and Clinical Medicine courses (p=<0.01) during their PA training. Our results indicate that early academic performance indicators may identify students that require learning interventions during their graduate coursework.
Gary Long, Lauren Gilliam, and Katie Pletz, Indiana University Indianapolis
Presentation Type: Rise-and-Shine 20-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Analytics and Metrics

Student Success as a Key Metric: Strengthening Assessment at the School Level
This presentation demonstrates how assessment results from one program can improve the overall school-level assessment process. The project started by setting clear goals to evaluate student success within a single program. By gathering and analyzing data from different stages of the student journey, valuable insights were gained. These findings helped develop strategies that could be applied to other programs, leading to broader improvements. The process concluded with practical recommendations to enhance assessment practices, ensuring a data-driven approach to continuous improvement.
Jie Zhang, Purdue University; Yiyun Jie, Virginia Commonwealth University; and Yanmei Zhang, Georgia Institute of Technology
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Analytics and Metrics 

Using Latent Profile Analysis to Identify Performance Patterns and Improve Licensure Outcomes
High-stakes licensure exams serve as critical gateways to professional practice, yet declining pass rates have raised concerns about student preparedness. This study uses Latent Profile Analysis (LPA) to identify distinct student performance patterns based on structured test preparation assessments, didactic coursework, and licensure timing. Findings reveal that structured assessment performance, not self-study effort alone, is the strongest predictor of NAPLEX success. This session will explore how LPA can enhance early identification of at-risk students, evaluate curricular effectiveness against external benchmarks, and inform data-driven decisions on assessment design and resource allocation in professional education and beyond.
Benjamin Shultz and Kristen Goliak, University of Illinois Chicago
Presentation Type: Rise-and-Shine 20-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Analytics and Metrics

A Novice Exploration Testing the Role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Qualitative Survey Feedback Analysis: Human vs. Machine
Qualitative feedback can provide a deeper understanding to identify student thoughts about the curriculum. Using AI to provide thematic analysis could save time in identifying and implementing changes compared to traditional methods. Our vision is to unveil the strengths and limitations of applying AI when conducting a qualitative data analysis. A thematic coded analysis will compare AI to manual coding. We plan to use a reflective approach by setting parameters and ensuring narrative comments are coded correctly. Those key parameters and the duration of the analysis will serve as the measurement for this project.
Jaymi Russo and Rebecca Lustfield, University of South Dakota, Sanford School of Medicine
Presentation Type: Poster Session
Audience Level: Beginner
Primary Topic: Artificial Intelligence (AI) 

AI-Powered Assessment: Driving Innovation Across Two Campuses
This session explores how AI enhances assessment practices at both program and course levels. Southern Methodist University leveraged atificial intelligence (AI) to streamline program assessment, while Walsh University focused on AI’s role in course design and student learning. Key insights include AI’s impact on efficiency, assessment quality, and faculty development. Presenters will share practical strategies, challenges, and lessons learned from this collaboration. One highlight of this session is the showcase of student partnership in assessment. Attendees will gain actionable takeaways for integrating AI into their own assessment efforts to drive innovation and continuous improvement.
Amy J. Heston, Walsh University; Yan Cooksey, Southern Methodist University; and Tatiana C. Tolson, Walsh University
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Beginner
Primary Topic: Artificial Intelligence (AI) 

Artificial Intelligence (AI) Pilot: A Co-Assessor for Business Core Competencies
This multiple-case study pilots artificial intelligence (AI) as a co-assessor for business core competencies, examining its validity (Messick, 1989), learning analytics (Siemens, 2013), and competency-based assessment. Using a mixed-methods approach, AI-generated assessments (Walters) are compared with human evaluations to assess reliability and fairness. Data analysis identifies AI’s strengths, limitations, and biases. The findings suggest that AI enhances assessment efficiency but requires human oversight. Conclusions highlight AI’s potential to support objective, scalable evaluation in business education. This study impacts higher education assessment models by advancing AI-driven competency assessments while ensuring ethical implementation in academic evaluations.
Nhung T. Pham, Texas Christian University and David Disabito, Western New England University
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Artificial Intelligence (AI) 

Artificial Intelligence (AI)-Driven Assessment: Aligning Learning Outcomes with Smarter Rubrics
Artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing assessment, offering tools to align evaluations with institutional and course-level goals. This session explores how we utilized AI to enhance our Canvas Outcome integration. This process provided faculty more ownership to develop adaptive rubrics that could be used across the programmatic and general education curriculum, monitor progress, and refine assessments through data insights. Join us we explore how we used AI to develop, design, and integrate assessment into our Canvas environment to enhance learning outcomes and instructional effectiveness campus-wide.
Tim McKenna-Buchanan and Justin Lunsford, Manchester University
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Artificial Intelligence (AI) 

Artificial Intelligence (AI)-Powered Curricular Coherence: Standardizing Course Information Across Campuses
Managing curriculum alignment across multiple campuses is a complex challenge, especially when consolidating course catalogs with significant variations. At Embry-Riddle, we leveraged AI to streamline the process of merging three separate catalogs—examining 3,000 courses for consistency in prefixes, titles, descriptions, goals, and learning outcomes. AI-driven analysis helped us standardize formatting, align courses with best practices, and generate draft revisions for faculty review. This approach minimized faculty workload, reduced cross-campus tensions, and enabled us to complete the project in under three months. This session will explore our AI-driven process, share lessons learned, and discuss strategies for scalable curricular alignment.
Will Miller and Lisa Kopp, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Artificial Intelligence (AI) 

Closing the Loop with Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI): Empowering Faculty to Streamline Assessment and Reflection
Many faculty members struggle to "close the loop" in assessment due to overwhelming workloads, time constraints, and the challenge of reflecting on past data while managing their teaching, research, and service obligations. This session explores how generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools can support faculty in making data-informed decisions, streamlining assessment reflections, and integrating assessment into their workflow without sacrificing privacy or academic integrity. Through practical demonstrations, faculty will learn how AI can help them analyze trends, develop actionable insights, and improve student learning—all while reducing the stress of juggling multiple responsibilities in higher education.
Karol A. Batey, Christopher Born, Manuel Fernandez, and Beena George, University of St. Thomas
Presentation Type: Rise-and-Shine 20-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Artificial Intelligence (AI) 

Coding at Scale: Using AI to Support, Not Replace, Qualitative Analysis of Student Feedback
This session explores the practical and methodological challenges of using generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools, such as Chatbots, to support qualitative analysis of open-ended student survey responses. Drawing on real-world experiences from institutional assessment work, the session will highlight effective prompting techniques, the limitations of AI-generated coding, and ethical considerations. Participants will leave with strategies for using AI as a collaborative partner—one that enhances, but does not replace, the human-centered analysis essential to authentic assessment.
Jonathan Waterhouse, Yale University, Poorvu Center for Teaching and Learning
Presentation Type: Rise-and-Shine 20-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Artificial Intelligence (AI) 

Culturally Responsive and Personally Authentic Assessment with Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Personal authenticity contextualizes instruction and formative assessment using each learner’s experiences, interests, and identities. This supports generative learning that transfers readily. This is consistent with culturally responsive pedagogy and the situative transfer theory of expansive framing. Generative artificial intelligence (e.g., ChatGPT) is astonishingly capable of personalizing instruction and formative assessment, then summatively assessing for transfer using more general contexts. We demonstrate this with a case study from ongoing design-based research of an online graduate course, Learning and Cognition in Education. We show how this reduces instructor feedback workload while bypassing political opposition to culturally responsive assessment and the risk of stereotyping.
Daniel T. Hickey, Ty Barth, and Kyle Beyersdorf, Indiana University
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Artificial Intelligence (AI) 

Development of a University-Wide Assessment Strategy through the Use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) to Translate Assessment Rubrics into Disciplinary Language
Alfred University is a small comprehensive university, with five distinct undergraduate colleges and schools. Learning outcomes assessment is regularly conducted within our academic units, however, the data collected is siloed, making university-level learning outcomes assessment a challenge. In this session, we introduce a novel approach that utilizes generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) to transform our standard rubric into a discipline-specific one, incorporating accessible terminology and increasing faculty buy-in to the assessment process. We will share data and insights from applying this novel approach over the past year during our general education learning outcomes assessment efforts.
Jean A. Cardinale, Alfred University
Presentation Type: Rise-and-Shine 20-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Artificial Intelligence (AI) 

Enhancing Student Feedback through Artificial Intelligence (AI): A Practical Demonstration from Graduate-Level Education
This hands-on experience addresses a significant challenge in graduate-level education: the need for high-quality, personalized feedback. Leveraging our experiences as educators and professional mentors, this presentation showcases how Artificial Intelligence (AI), particularly widely available tools like ChatGPT, can revolutionize student feedback. The session will demonstrate how AI can maintain rigorous academic standards while personalizing feedback, moving away from traditional approaches that often leave feedback feeling impersonal and generic or that are time-consuming for faculty to draft. A live demonstration will show how AI aligns feedback with grading rubrics and instructor styles, enhancing the relevance and impact of feedback received by students.
Christopher Prentiss, National War College, National Defense University; and Melissa LaDuke, National Intelligence University
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Artificial Intelligence (AI) 

From Reflection to Application: Using Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) in Business Education to Enhance Organizational Behavior Insights
This session explores the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in Organizational Behavior (OB) education through experiential learning and reflective poster assignments. The study analyzes students' perceptions of AI as an enabler or disruptor in team-based learning and assesses its impact on engagement and knowledge retention. Using theories such as Experiential Learning Theory (Kolb), Sociomateriality, and the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), this study uncovers emerging themes from student reflections. Attendees will gain insights into AI’s pedagogical implications, assessment strategies for AI-based learning, and practical recommendations for integrating AI into course design to enhance critical thinking, teamwork, and innovation.
Antigoni Papadimitriou, Lehigh University; and Marius Boboc, Cleveland State University
Presentation Type: Rise-and-Shine 20-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Artificial Intelligence (AI) 

From Templates to Talk: Leveraging Artificial Intelligence (AI) to Enrich Faculty Engagement in Assessment
Traditional assessment processes often reduce faculty engagement to bureaucratic form-filling, limiting the depth and value of assessment efforts. At Embry-Riddle, we have reimagined this process by leveraging AI to transform faculty conversations into meaningful assessment documentation. Instead of filling out templates independently, faculty participate in recorded discussions about how they know students are achieving learning outcomes. AI then transcribes and structures these insights, allowing faculty to refine and finalize reports. This method fosters deeper reflection, uncovers barriers, and enhances the assessment process—making it richer, more efficient, and more impactful. Join us to explore this innovative approach and its transformative effects.
Will Miller, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Artificial Intelligence (AI) 

Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI): Organizing Your Work for Presentations and Publications
In an effort to increase the potential of presenters and published professionals in the field of assessment, this session will focus on utilizing generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) in ways to help assessment professionals craft professional presentations and publishable papers in the field. The group will explore the ethical implications of using generative AI to support research and ways to navigate the murky world of using generative AI to support your work process. We will guide participants through the use of tools like Gamma, Google Notebook, ChatGPT, and Consensus to demonstrate how to create outlines, find appropriate literature, organize literature on your topic, and build slides from your work.
Jessica Taylor, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and Glenn Allen Phillips, Watermark Insights
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Beginner
Primary Topic: Artificial Intelligence (AI) 

Higher Education Assessment in the Era of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Digital Technologies: Trends, Opportunities, Challenges, and Recommendations
This presentation features key findings of a new 100-page report entitled Higher Education Assessment in the Era of AI and Digital Technologies commissioned by a major international governmental association. The presentation will focus on the most important finding that might otherwise be unfamiliar to attendees. These include trends (e.g., in assessment theory), opportunities (e.g., "aligning” formative and summative items with GenAI), challenges (e.g., prior "waves" of reform), and recommendations (e.g., interview for academic integrity). These insights, dozens of tool analyses, and fourteen case briefs will help educators, administrators, and policymakers navigate the evolving digital assessment landscape more effectively.
Daniel T. Hickey, Indiana University
Presentation Type: Rise-and-Shine 20-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Artificial Intelligence (AI) 

Human vs. Machine: A Comparative Study of Faculty and Artificial Intelligence (AI)–Based Scoring of Student Work
As artificial intelligence (AI) continues to transform education, its role in grading and assessment remains a highly debated topic. This session presents a comparative study analyzing the effectiveness, accuracy, and consistency of faculty scoring student work versus AI-based assessment tools. Through empirical research and discussion, we aim to explore the strengths and weaknesses of both approaches, implications for pedagogy, and the potential future of AI-assisted grading.
Kerry L. Jones, Tiffin University
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Beginner
Primary Topic: Artificial Intelligence (AI) 

Implementing Artificial Intelligence (AI) in English Composition Assessment: A Collaborative Exploration with Student Researchers
In an effort to explore the integration of atificial intelligence (AI) in higher education, this project focused on the evaluation of perceptions of AI-related assessment strategies between student researchers and professional researchers. With English composition as a focal point, the AI-driven framework consisted of the policy, guidelines, and rubric that were analyzed through perceptions related to cognition, attitude, and behavior (Bandura, 1977). Through the creation and implementation of the “Perceptions of AI-Generated Assessments Model,” researchers compared and contrasted their insights and identified trends that resulted in innovation in higher education assessment.
Amy J. Heston, Walsh University; Ling Qian and Madeline M. Heston, The University of Akron; and Tatiana C. Tolson, Walsh University
Presentation Type: Poster Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Artificial Intelligence (AI) 

Is there Validity with Artificial Intelligence (AI)? A Case Study for Institutional Assessment
Assessment is crucial for institutional effectiveness, involving the collection of evidence to evaluate student learning outcomes (SLOs). Validity is the process of ensuring accurate and consistent interpretation of evidence. With the rise of artificial intelligence (AI), analyzing and interpreting data has become more efficient. This study explores the use of AI in reviewing academic assessment reports, comparing AI-generated feedback with human evaluations. The goal is to examine the validity of AI in this context, contributing to the field on AI's role in institutional assessment and its potential to enhance continuous improvement in higher education.
Lissette A. Tolentino, University of Florida
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Artificial Intelligence (AI) 

Leveraging Artificial Intelligence (AI) to Enhance Faculty Engagement with Student Evaluations of Teaching
This presentation will share the findings of a research study conducted at Pratt Institute exploring whether AI-filtered summaries of student evaluations enhanced faculty perceptions of Student Evaluations of Teaching (SET). Specifically, it will examine whether AI-generated summaries were viewed as more constructive, emotionally manageable, useful, and accurate compared to raw, unfiltered feedback. The innovative use of AI in educational feedback systems has the potential to increase faculty engagement with student responses. These insights may lead to improvements in teaching practices and overall faculty satisfaction.
Zachary Mngo, Southern College of Optometry; and Denise Shaver, PRATT Institute New York
Presentation Type: Rise-and-Shine 20-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Artificial Intelligence (AI) 

Leveraging Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) for Formative Assessment: Engagement and Comprehension
The Student Socratic Metric (SSM) is an artificial intelligence (AI)-driven edtech tool designed to enhance student learning outcomes by fostering engagement, comprehension, and communication skills. Through AI-generated 1-on-1 interactions, SSM challenges students to evaluate their understanding, articulate their thoughts, and refine their reasoning abilities in real time. This presentation will explore how SSM leverages generative AI to personalize learning experiences, provide adaptive feedback, and assess cognitive development. Attendees will gain insights into its pedagogical impact, practical applications, and how it is transforming student engagement and assessment in higher education.
Huston T. Pullen and Ying Iverson, Westcliff University
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Navigating Artificial Intelligence (AI) Grading Implementation: Lessons from a Pilot Study on Institutional Readiness and Student Experience
This session presents key findings from an initial pilot study of AI grading implementation at Brigham Young University-Idaho, highlighting critical considerations for assessment professionals, AI Offices, technology leadership, and faculty leaders. Through examination of stakeholder perspectives, institutional readiness factors, and student feedback, we explore the complexities of integrating AI grading tools while ensuring assessment integrity and enhancing the student learning experience. The presentation offers practical insights into building collaborative frameworks between early adopters and skeptics, establishing protocols for tool validation, and ensuring that AI grading serves rather than dictates pedagogical goals.
Kyle Dillon and Jodi Robison, Brigham Young University - Idaho
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Artificial Intelligence (AI) 

Previewing the Generative AI Community of Practice
Launching in 2025 under the auspices of the Assessment Institute in Indianapolis, the Generative AI Community of Practice (GenAI CoP) will offer its members the opportunity to build networks, pilot projects in their local contexts, and contribute to the development of resources to share with the broader higher education assessment community. This session previews important topics, resources, processes, and perspective shaping higher education GenAI efforts, in general, and the assessment-oriented activities and priorities of the CoP, more specifically.
John Hathcoat, James Madison University; Will Miller, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University; and Ruth Slotnick, Bridgewater State University
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Artificial Intelligence (AI) 

Quantitative Assessment of Institutional Artificial Intelligence (AI) Policy and Practice
As generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) continues to transform higher education, institutions must assess their readiness to integrate AI effectively. This presentation introduces a rubric designed to quantitatively evaluate a university’s AI readiness and capability across key criteria including teaching, student use, research, policies, communication, and ethics. The rubric provides a structured, data-driven approach for institutional self-assessment and benchmarking. Attendees will gain insights on gathering this data across multiple stakeholder groups. This tool empowers universities to make informed decisions as they navigate the evolving landscape of AI in education.
Cara J. Gomez, Delaware State University
Presentation Type: Rise-and-Shine 20-Minute Session
Audience Level: Advanced
Primary Topic: Artificial Intelligence (AI) 

Significant Learning of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) Literacy
Generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) has created an epistemological crisis in higher education, fundamentally disrupting traditional conceptions of knowledge demonstration, acquisition, and validation. Despite the growing implementation of AI tools in both healthcare and education, current assessment frameworks inadequately address the competencies required for effective generative AI literacy, particularly in relation to metacognitive development and adaptive learning capacities. Using medical education and prompt-a-thons as a model system, this empirical research addresses the critical gap between operational AI knowledge and the higher-order integration, learning-to-learn, and human dimension competencies essential for sustainable professional adaptation in an AI-augmented landscape.
Yuliya Yoncheva, NYU Grossman School of Medicine
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Advanced
Primary Topic: Artificial Intelligence (AI) 

Transforming Assessment through Artificial Intelligence (AI) and VALUE Rubrics: A Practical Workshop for Assignment (Re)Design
This interactive 60-minute workshop empowers participants to harness artificial intelligence (AI) for enhanced assessment practices using the American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) VALUE rubrics. We will begin by exploring the diverse landscape of generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools to understand how systems like Claude, ChatGPT, and Gemini offer unique capabilities for assessment applications. Next, we will turn to leveraging AI alongside AAC&U’s VALUE approach to assessment. Since major AI models already contain the AAC&U VALUE rubrics, participants will learn practical strategies for using these tools to redesign assignments to align with essential learning outcomes and to refine their assessment and teaching practices. This hands-on session encourages attendees to bring assignment prompts and assessment questions to collaboratively workshop with AI assistance. Through guided activities, participants will learn how to leverage AI to enhance assignment design and refine existing rubrics for better alignment among expected outcomes, intended purposes, and pedagogical innovations. Attendees will leave with an introduction to concrete strategies for integrating AI into their assessment and pedagogical toolkits, as well as practical examples of AI-enhanced assignment design.
Edward Watson, Kate Drezek McConnell, and Jessica Chittum, American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U)
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Transforming Student Assessment through Artificial Intelligence (AI): Enhancing Personalized Learning and Self-Reflection
This presentation explores the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) tools in student assessment and self-assessment practices. By leveraging AI to automate grading, provide formative feedback, and foster self-reflection, institutions can enhance personalized learning experiences. Participants will explore practical strategies, ethical considerations, and best practices for implementing AI-driven assessment tools in online and traditional learning environments. The session will also address how AI can promote metacognition and student engagement, creating more equitable and meaningful assessment practices.
Sheila Boysen-Rotelli, Lewis University
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Artificial Intelligence (AI) 

Understanding Resident Interactions: Identifying Positive and Negative Trends for Student Support using Artificial Intelligence (AI) through NVivo
This session explores the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in NVivo 14 with 20,000 documented resident conversations provided by undergraduate student staff living on campus. Through Curricular Approach outcomes, conversations are collected and reviewed for trending themes and phrases that may need follow-up. These intentional conversations are logged and analyzed by AI functionality of NVivo 14 providing data on sentiment of responses and holistic coding of responses. This allows staff to direct practices of student support through resident follow-up and intentional programming. This is easily adapted to student employees, student leaders, and any large amount of qualitative data collected about student experience.
Garrett J. Tur, Julie Ridgway, and Lauren Ivankovich, Ball State University
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Beginner
Primary Topic: Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Assessing Teamwork Assignments: Blind Spots
While dutifully developing learning objectives at the start, assessment blind spots have been noted after two years: An assumption that teamwork is an innate skill for both students and instructors has led to neglect in providing educational material for both students and instructors to gain knowledge of skills needed in a group setting. A literature review and an outline of planned materials to correct these blind spots are included here.
Cindy Shnaider and Leonard Del Gallo, Jr., College for Financial Planning
Presentation Type: Rise-and-Shine 20-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Assessment in Online Courses and Programs 

Using Data to Drive Continuous Improvement in Online Course Assessments
In this session, participants will explore the importance of using assessment data to drive continuous improvement in online courses. By understanding how to collect, analyze, and interpret both quantitative and qualitative data, faculty can make informed decisions to enhance student learning outcomes, improve course design, and foster greater engagement. Practical strategies for using data to identify learning gaps, personalize learning, and align assessments with course objectives will be discussed. Participants will leave with actionable insights and tools to implement data-driven improvements that support ongoing instructional success in the online learning environment.
Cindy Solari, Catherine McBride, and Keya Simon, Colorado Technical University
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Assessment in Online Courses and Programs

A Transformative Mixed-Methods Study: Legitimizing Affective Learning Outcomes (ALOs) Assessment
Learning-outcome statements for 227 undergraduate nursing programs accredited by the SACSCOC and the CCNE were evaluated for references to ALOs in order to determine how widespread affective assessment actually is and at what level it is implemented. A novel taxonomy was employed to categorize each school, in hopes of finding which factors can predict which institutions are most likely to implement affective learning outcomes at an exemplary level. Results were a statistically significant F (3, 202) = 3.28, p = 0.02, η² =0.05 relationship between retention rate and exemplary ALO assessment practices.
Lan Misty Song and Vince Nix, West Texas A&M University
Presentation Type: Poster Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Assessment Methods 

Advancing Student Success Through Assessment and Development of Character Skills
The mission of higher education institutions includes developing well-rounded students ready to contribute to society, yet many struggle to foster the character skills essential for long-term success. This session explores the impact of character development on student success through case studies emphasizing the need for a new approach. Presenters will introduce a new assessment tool designed to measure Character Skills, providing campuses with a practical framework for integrating character development into their student success initiatives.
Shalin Shah, Character Arc
Presentation Type: Poster Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Assessment Methods 

Applying the Assessment Cycle for Mission Development
The 2024 Assessment Institute plenary speaker asked whether assessment might be “part of the problem” regarding the public’s loss of faith in higher education. Nevertheless, the United States government and accreditors recognize mission as significant for contextualizing education and thereby giving education meaning within the social milieu. Thus, mission assessment is not a “nice-to-have” but a “must-have” that keeps assessment on a path orienting it toward specific definable outcomes appropriate to education. This presentation addresses: 1) how the stages of the assessment cycle correspond with phases of mission development and 2) key strategies for developing institutional mission at each stage.
Michelle N. Blohm, Duquesne University
Presentation Type: Poster Session
Audience Level: Advanced
Primary Topic: Assessment Methods 

Assessing Academic Integrity on Campus – The Academic Integrity Rating System (AIRS)
Academic integrity has become a national focus in the wake of the COVID-19 Pandemic and the introduction of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) like ChatGPT (Wiley, 2024). Ensuring student work is authentic is a challenge facing faculty across the globe. However, research into academic integrity notes the importance of developing a campus climate that fosters academic integrity as key to mitigating student academic misconduct (Rettinger et al., 2024; McCabe et al., 2012). Most institutions evaluate student misconduct based on case rates and academic programming; the Academic Integrity Rating System (AIRS) offers an institution the opportunity to self-study their campus climate of academic integrity.
Courtney Cullen, Georgia Institute of Technology
Presentation Type: Rise-and-Shine 20-Minute Session
Audience Level: Beginner
Primary Topic: Assessment Methods 

Assessment 101
Assessment. Where to start? It’s here in Assessment 101. Participants will interact with each other and engage in hands-on activities throughout this full-day workshop. You will grapple with questions fundamental to higher education such as: What should students know, think, and be able to do when they graduate? And how would someone know if students succeeded? Fortunately, assessment can help us address these questions. Specifically, by the end of this workshop, you will be able to do the following: (1) explain the basic steps in the assessment process, (2) distinguish among beginning, developing, good, and advanced assessment reporting, (3) develop an assessment plan for one student learning outcome (SLO), and (4) discuss the fundamentals of applying interventions [e.g., pedagogy and curriculum] at the program level to improve student learning.
Keston H. Fulcher and Mason Jones, James Madison University
Presentation Type: Pre-Institute Workshop
Audience Level: Beginner
Primary Topic: Assessment Methods 

Assessment as Celebration
How can we shape assessment to incorporate more collaboration and joy? We explored this question by seeking feedback from our community about our teaching center and to raise awareness of events marking our tenth anniversary. We developed a sequence of interactive, public prompts where people wrote, drew, or used stickers to answer questions relating to teaching and learning. Our session will reflect on this process, what we gained from it, and how it helped draw connections across the community, paired with discussions of affordances and challenges of using interactive assessment methods like these on campus to collect data and celebrate milestones.
Meghan Bathgate and Jennifer Claydon, Yale University; and Elliot Enriquez, Fairfield University
Presentation Type: Poster Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Assessment Methods 

Assessment of Student Learning in Academic Programs
This session will share a comprehensive process of assessing academic programs essential for supporting continuous improvement. Attendees will be introduced to a program assessment model, starting with the development of performance indicators that reflect desired program outcomes. We will explore the mapping of these indicators to the curriculum, ensuring alignment between instructional objectives and program outcomes. The session will also cover the selection of effective assessment methods and measures and strategies for data collection. Participants will learn how to analyze assessment results to identify trends and evaluate findings to ultimately promote a culture of learning improvement and informed leadership.
Gloria Rogers and Robyn Hall, ABET, Inc.
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Beginner
Primary Topic: Assessment Methods 

Authentic Assessment for Student Learning Outcomes Improvement – Course-Level SLOs and Canvas Outcomes
This session will focus on one department’s efforts to move course-level SLO assessment toward meaning, authenticity, and equity. It will detail the process and results of a pilot to move from quiz-based assessments to rubric-based assessment for SLOs using Canvas Outcomes in ways that were intentional and transparent to students and with a commitment to focus more on learning than grades. Live demonstrations of how this work appears in Canvas and Tableau will be shared, as well as the department’s plans for next steps. Participants will also learn about specific SLO metrics that are improving based on this process.
Trisha Wilging, Long Beach City College
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Beginner
Primary Topic: Assessment Methods 

Beyond the Grid: Integrating Student Input in Rubric Design
This session explores the value of integrating student perspectives into assessment through rubric design, grounded in the Transparency in Learning and Teaching (TILT) framework and co-creation principles (Cook-Sather, 2022). By involving students in rubric development, such as ranking criteria or providing feedback, student expectations become more explicit-- increasing transparency, reducing bias, and fostering meaningful learning. Through practical examples, participants will learn how to leverage rubric co-creation to enhance student success for all.
Lina R. Eskew, Northwestern University
Presentation Type: Rise-and-Shine 20-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Assessment Methods 

Building a Curriculum Map and Assessment Plan
A well-designed curriculum map and assessment plan facilitate alignment between learning outcomes, instructional strategies, and evaluation methods. This session provides a practical, step-by-step approach to developing a curriculum map and assessment plan that integrates program goals, student learning outcomes, and key assessments. Attendees will learn how to identify gaps, enhance coherence, and implement an assessment plan that informs continuous improvement. Practical examples and templates will be shared to streamline the process. By the end of the session, participants will be equipped with actionable strategies to create a meaningful, data-driven framework for curriculum assessment and improvement.
Cara J. Gomez and Megan Rothermel, Delaware State University
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Assessment Methods 

Closing the Loop on Long-Term Assessment Outcomes
This presentation will address the challenge of evaluating long-term outcomes in higher education. We will describe the generation and evaluation of long-term outcomes for a faculty development project, and we will describe how our underlying transformative goals influenced decisions about evaluation tools and reports. We will share an example connecting a logic model, outcomes, tools, and reports, and we will incorporate participants’ input about challenging long-term outcomes. We will practice using a worksheet for mapping stakeholder groups to assessment products that we designed as a tool for holding ourselves accountable for equitable reporting about our long-term outcomes.
Amy Cardace, Fairleigh Dickinson University
Presentation Type: Rise-and-Shine 20-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Assessment Methods 

Crafting Better Exams: A Hands-On Session for Improving Your Multiple-Choice Test Questions
Writing exam questions that accurately assess student knowledge is challenging. Many courses utilize  multiple-choice questions to evaluate student learning. However, most instructors are not trained in question writing, which can limit the ability of exams to measure student achievement of learning objectives. We will share best practices in item writing and how to apply them to create high-quality questions, as well as how to use generative AI as an item improvement tool. Bring your multiple-choice exam questions to this hands-on session! Together, we’ll apply best practices and leverage AI tools to enhance the quality and effectiveness of your assessment items.
Mary S. Kopale and Benjamin Shultz, University of Illinois Chicago, Retzky College of Pharmacy
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Beginner
Primary Topic: Assessment Methods 

Effective Strategies to Excite Faculty about Assessment: Refocusing the Assessment Process on Faculty and Courses
In this poster session, we will explore topics related to the concurrent session, Do Your Faculty Love Assessment? They will!  We will discuss refocusing the assessment process on the faculty and course levels and emphasize faculty members’ concerns, values, and purposes - the teaching-learning process. By more deliberately integrating assessment into the teaching-learning process, the primary, or one of faculty members’ primary purposes, the application of significantly adapted program theory and implementation fidelity, will result in their deeper understanding of the benefits and importance of assessment.
Teresa Flateby, Consultant, T.L. Flateby & Consultants
Presentation Type: Poster Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Assessment Methods

From Revision to Reality: Testing and Refining the Revised Quantitative Literacy VALUE Rubric
Following an intensive revision process for the American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) Quantitative Literacy VALUE Rubric that kicked off in 2023, this session reports on the testing and refinement phase that has shaped the revised rubric. We will share comprehensive findings from our multi-stakeholder testing process, where quantitative literacy experts, higher education faculty and staff, experienced VALUE rubric scorers, and additional subject matter experts evaluated the revised rubric using authentic student work samples. Participants will learn about the iterative feedback loop that emerged from this testing phase, including specific challenges identified by scorers, areas where the rubric performed well, and strategic revisions to implement next. Additionally, we will provide an update on the publication timeline and share practical insights for institutions considering similar collaborative processes for rubric revisions. This session offers valuable lessons for individuals interested in evidence-based approaches to updating established assessment tools in response to evolving educational priorities, employer expectations, and societal needs that have emerged since the original VALUE rubrics were developed.
Jessica Chittum, American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U); Steven K. Jones, American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) Senior Fellow; Luke Tunstall, Trinity University
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Assessment Methods 

Grand Challenges in Assessment in Higher Education: Using Assessment Findings to Update Pedagogical Practices
This session will address the grand challenge of bridging the gap between assessment and instruction by exploring actionable strategies for using assessment findings to refine and improve pedagogical approaches. This presentation will begin with an overview of how to properly align student learning outcomes and course activities to ensure the learning we intend is happening in the classroom. Presenters will provide a concise framework for aligning course activities with learning outcomes. By the end of the session, participants will be able to align assessments with learning outcomes, utilize assessment strategies, and adapt teaching practices to improve student learning outcomes.
Jessica N. Taylor, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga; Chad Bebee, University of Northern Colorado; Yan Cooksey, Southern Methodist University; Jarek Janio, Santa Ana College; and Mary Thompson, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Presentation Type: Rise-and-Shine 20-Minute Session
Audience Level: Beginner
Primary Topic: Grand Challenges in Assessment / Assessment Methods 

Leveling Up Your Assessment Skills: From Beginner to Advanced
Whether you are new to assessment or looking to lead improvement efforts on your campus, this session offers something for you. Discover James Madison University’s award-winning, 5-day Assessment 101 workshop, which guides participants through the full assessment cycle—from writing learning outcomes to using results for improvement. You’ll explore the workshop’s structure, try sample activities, and experience its practical, hands-on approach. For more advanced participants, we’ll share leadership strategies from our Improving Student Learning at Scale workshop, which focuses on leadership at the program and institutional levels. Led by experts from JMU’s Center for Assessment and Research Studies, this session supports growth at all experience levels.
Keston H. Fulcher and John Hathcoat, James Madison University
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Sponsor Session
Audience Level: Beginner
Primary Topic: Assessment Methods 

Redefining Success: Inspiring Accountability and Growth through Contract Grading
In a world where grades often overshadow growth, contract grading offers a transformative approach. Join us for an inspiring session on Redefining Success, where we’ll explore how contract grading redefines accountability, motivates students, and fosters genuine learning over mere performance. Learn how this method, tailored for a college classroom, promotes self-direction and deep engagement, empowering students to take charge of their educational journey. Whether you’re curious about grading reform or seeking fresh strategies to inspire your students, this talk will equip you with insights and practical tools for nurturing authentic academic growth.
Andrea L. Mescall, Franklin College
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Beginner
Primary Topic: Assessment Methods 

Redesigning Assessment Processes: Revision from the Ground Up
Our post-COVID return to normal program review practices did not go as smoothly as planned. Lengthy narratives and unclear directions did not suit our current needs, and recent restructuring and program prioritization led to the advent of new types of data analysis. Recognizing that our assessment practices were no longer in alignment with each other, we determined our best road forward was to reimagine our entire assessment and review process and timeline. Using the HLC Program Review Workshop as a springboard, we developed a new six-year assessment and review cycle for all programs on our campus.
Jennifer Schroeder, Millikin University
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Beginner
Primary Topic: Assessment Methods 

Shifting From Feedback to Supportive Reflection
For committee review of departments’ assessment reports, we shifted toward reflective conversation rather than counterproductive written feedback to create a healthier assessment culture. Assessment committee members reviewed programs' reports, but rather than evaluating them (providing feedback that alienated rather than helped), committee members and departments met for productive reflective dialogue. The habits of marking-up reports and using language like “feedback” was difficult to break, but the reflection dialogues have been fruitful, much more useful than giving departments red ink. Evidence is that faculty are now using assessment in improving programs rather than viewing it as bureaucratic obligation.
Daniel Cullen, Angie Mohrman, and Lex van Blommestein, Northern Michigan University
Presentation Type: Rise-and-Shine 20-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Assessment Methods 

Supporting Students’ Engagement in Attaining Course Learning Objectives: Follow-Up from 2023 Assessment Institute
This study examines the effectiveness of in-class graded labs compared to traditional take-home assignments in assessing learning objectives in Informatics courses. A semester-long assessment revealed a significant discrepancy between student performance on take-home assignments (100%) and in-class assessments (60%), indicating a 40% reduction in demonstrated learning. To address this gap, graded in-class labs were introduced, requiring students to complete hands-on exercises aligned with weekly learning objectives. Results showed a significant improvement in learning assessment accuracy, with score discrepancies reducing from 16.67%(p=1.8e-06) to -9%(p=3.012e-11). Findings suggest that in-class graded labs enhance hands-on learning, motivation, and overall student performance than take-home assignments.
Zeyana A. Hamid, Indiana University Indianapolis
Presentation Type: Poster Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Assessment Methods 

The New 10: ACCELERATE: Assessment Principles for Best Practice
The original Nine Principles of Good Practice for Assessing Student Learning (AAHE, 1992, 1996) have been ubiquitously used across our field of practice for the last thirty years or so. The development of ACCELERATE: Assessment Principles for Best Practice (2025) emerged from a revisiting of these original Principles as part of the 2024-25 President's strategic initiative for the Association for Assessment of Learning in Higher Education (AALHE), led by Dr. Constance Tucker. Attendees will learn about the new 10 principles of assessment best practice co-created over this past year by Assessment professionals in the field. Participants will learn how you can deploy these 10 principles at your institution in academic, co-curricular, and administrative assessment, in teaching and learning and skills and workforce development, as well as in accreditation and program/peer review to help us all serve our learners and assure their success better. Additionally, attendees will be invited to participate in future publishing, research/scholarship, and thought leadership work during this session.
Divya Bheda, Santa Clara University; and Constance Tucker, Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU)
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Assessment Methods 

Tracking Student Engagement: Findings from the Online Weekly Journal
There is limited tracking of ongoing student experiences, such as online weekly journals, across institutions. This study presents an assessment conducted over eight weeks at two research universities in Spring 2024 as part of a federally funded project examining students’ academic engagement, perceptions of success, and psychological factors impacting success. One key finding showed that the library was the most frequently used place on campus, followed by student organizations. Stress and social media were found to significantly affect students’ academic work. The project director will share insights on how to better support students at institutions.
Jung Mi Scoulas, University of Illinois Chicago
Presentation Type: Rise-and-Shine 20-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Assessment Methods 

Transforming Higher Education: A Synergistic Ecosystem for Continuous Improvement through Internal Community Engagement
Higher education institutions face increasing pressures to adapt in a rapidly changing landscape. This presentation introduces the “Campus-Engaged Assessment for Higher Education Transformation,” a novel framework designed to address these challenges. Grounded in systems thinking, collaborative governance, and community-engaged research (CEnR) and community-based participatory research (CBPR) principles, it offers a holistic and adaptive approach for continuous improvement and institutional effectiveness. The concept of “community” is redefined to include internal stakeholders—students, faculty, and staff—fostering shared ownership and collaborative action. Traditional hierarchical structures often lead to inefficiencies and communication breakdowns, highlighting the need for this new approach.
Naima Wells, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Advanced
Primary Topic: Assessment Methods 

Unlocking Potential: Leveraging Innovative Prior Learning Assessment Methods to Enhance Student Outcomes
This session explores innovative approaches to prior learning assessment (PLA) that improve outcomes for all students. We highlight three key initiatives: (1) the PantherPath Credit Predictor, a lead generation tool that helps students identify eligible PLA credits, improving access and equity; (2) the integration of AI to develop authentic, outcome-aligned PLA assessments, ensuring rigor and relevance; and (3) the use of Infogram infographic software to analyze and effectively communicate assessment results to stakeholders. Together, these methods expand access to meaningful educational pathways for diverse learners, provide data-driven insights, and provide a win-win scenario for students and Davenport University.
Mathew Devereaux and Wayne Sneath, Davenport University
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Assessment Methods 

Using Dialogue Skills in Interviews for Qualitative Assessment
The Center of Dialogue and Pluralism (CDP) at Cornell University offers campus-wide training, several semester-long courses, and workshops on request. What these interventions have in common is their emphasis on dialogue that promotes human connection through skills like active and intentional listening. CPD researchers also utilize specific dialogue skills during data collection to create participant centered experiences that can mutually benefit interviewees and interviewers. In this presentation, we will share dialogic techniques and lessons from our approach to interviewing, discussing the nuanced use(s) of these skills and their potential impact on researchers, participants, and the research processes.
Nimot Ogunfemi, Marissa Rice, and Rachel Sumner, Cornell University
Presentation Type: Poster Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Assessment Methods 

Using the New Basic Needs CAS Standards
The Council for the Advancement of Standards (CAS) recently released Standards and a Self-Assessment Guide (SAG) for Student Basic Needs. This session shares national data and trends on student basic needs from The Hope Center for Student Basic Needs, provides an overview of the creation and use of the Basic Needs CAS standards, and showcases how The University of Oregon is using the standards for program development, assessment, and improvement.
Anne E. Lundquist, Temple University; and Renée Delgado-Riley, University of Oregon
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Assessment Methods 

What Reliability and Validity Evidence Do I Need? Developing Strong Assessments from Start to Finish
How do we design assessment tools that work well? This presentation describes a decision-making framework for practitioners who develop assessment tools and need to share evidence about reliability and validity. We present a faculty development project for which we needed to compose survey questions, adapt published survey questions, and design a novel rating scale. We will highlight essential steps for deciding whether to use an existing assessment tool or to create a new one, while clarifying how reliability and validity evidence varies for common use cases. We will practice using a worksheet to operationalize the framework with examples from attendees’ contexts.
Amy Cardace, Fairleigh Dickinson University
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Beginner
Primary Topic: Assessment Methods 

Zero to Sixty: The Journey to Establishing Course-Level Outcomes Assessment
Discover how Cuyahoga Community College’s (Tri-C) participation in the Higher Learning Commission’s Assessment Academy led to the successful development of course-level outcomes assessment plans across 60 disciplines. This session will highlight how the college went from zero disciplines with course-level outcomes assessment plans to 60. Participants will gain insight into the strategies employed, challenges overcome, and loop closure conversations that resulted from the initiative. Finally, participants will learn how this approach was subsequently applied to Tri-C’s general education outcomes assessment.
Holly Craider, Anne Distler, Amanda Nolan, Pat Stansberry, and Meagan Fowler, Cuyahoga Community College
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Assessment Methods

Built to Last: An Organizational Structure That Can Bear the Assessment Load
Is your institution’s organizational structure built to effectively support all the “moving parts” required for assessment of student learning? Are you confident this structure will stand the test of time? Based on a survey of community colleges in Illinois, we will examine how different schools have setup their institutions to make the assessment magic happen! Who leads? Who works with instructors? Who handles data? Who makes the technology work? And finally...who is involved in the actual assessment of student learning process? Together, let’s examine some “blueprints” that can perhaps guide the building of an effective organizational structure for assessment!
Alan Boerngen, Kaskaskia College
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Campus Business Operations and Services 

Do You Have a Code of Ethics for Assessment Practice?
If it exists, does anyone know about it or use it? Presenters will provide an informational overview and interactive session exploring Cambridge International’s use of a Code of Ethics to support global assessment practices, certifying evidence of learners’ academic achievements. A Code of Ethics example will be shared to stimulate discussion and understanding about this resource. The session describes the value of an Assessment Code of Practice and the commitment to transparency. Every campus needs codes and procedures that represent a set of standards against which assessment is conducted and serves as the foundation on which assessment processes are built.
Pamela Kerouac and Chantel Reynolds, Cambridge International
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Campus Business Operations and Services

Ctrl+Alt+Dlt: Refreshing the Assessment Wheel for A Community College
When administration changes, demands and roles change. Well established protocols for assessment in a community college help make modifications to include stronger ties for data storytelling for an entire institution. The college-wide changes are not only applicable for a post-COVID environment, but also helpful in conveying these changes as a component of the self-study report for a re-accreditation report and onsite visit. Join us for a session to explore the findings from our journey.
Natacia Owens, Sharla Anke, and Belinda Richardson, Butler County Community College
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Beginner
Primary Topic: Community Colleges 

How it Started...How it’s Going: One Assessment Team’s Continuous Journey
In 2023, Harford Community College presented a session at the Assessment Institute focusing on how the newly formed Academic Assessment Team (AAT) successfully got academic program reviews back on cycle. This year, the team returns to share how we have grown, how we have expanded our focus, and how we are working to cultivate a culture of assessment across campus. Attendees will learn how the college’s AAT has revitalized and reshaped academic assessment practices and fostered a supportive assessment environment for faculty. We will also address shared challenges related to building an assessment culture and explore strategies for improvement.
Olivia Rines, Alison Amato, Bee Hodshon, and Julianne Taylor, Harford Community College
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Community Colleges 

Moving from Contentious to Consensus: The Academic Program Review Process at Community College of Philadelphia
The academic program review process at Community College of Philadelphia has moved from friction, lag, and miscommunication to fluidity, efficiency, and cohesion. Today’s process helps academic programs achieve student success and contributes to institutional effectiveness. The Office of Assessment and Evaluation has adopted innovative practices that strengthen communication with faculty and stakeholders, clarify expectations, and track progress. This presentation provides examples that participants may adapt for use at their own institutions, the assessment and equity check-in and the enrollment projections process, and other tips and tricks for engaging faculty and stakeholders with competing agendas in the academic program review process.
Amy A. Birge-Caracappa and Diael Thomas, Community College of Philadelphia
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Community Colleges

Adventures in Specifications Grading: Navigating the Path to Student Success
This presentation will explore the principles of specifications grading, its benefits for both instructors and students, and practical strategies for implementation. Through real-world examples and lessons learned, the presenter will discuss how this grading system fosters equity, reduces grading disputes, and encourages mastery of course objectives. Attendees will leave with actionable insights to embark on their own adventure in specifications.
Jennifer Hatfield, Indiana University
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Beginner
Primary Topic: Competency-Based Education and Assessment 

Applying Qualitative Research Approaches to Lifelong Learning Outcomes Assessment
We often find ourselves working to quantify learning outcomes, even though we recognize that numbers alone cannot capture the rich nuances of student experience. In this session, we will address the significance of the qualitative approach to assessing lasting learning outcomes, the procedures and challenges in using a qualitative data analysis tool for assessment purposes, and how assessment results can inform strategies to better support student learning. Considerations of disciplinary differences, the diverse nature of lifelong learning outcomes, and the significance of pre-post assessment design will also be discussed.
Juyoung Kim, Deenene Brewer, and Katie Burr, University of Georgia
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Competency-Based Education and Assessment 

Fermenting a Culture of Assessment
This presentation by the faculty and assessment staff at the Culinary Institute of America discusses the creation of a blossoming culture of assessment, where a team of assessment coordinators selected from the faculty translate the “language of assessment” for their peers and help to nurture assessment successes and uplift those struggling with understanding assessment.
Matthew Ruane and Cynthia Keller, Culinary Institute of America
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Competency-Based Education and Assessment 

Fundamentals of Competency-Based Assessment
This session provides a foundational understanding of competency-based assessment. Participants will explore the essential principles for defining, measuring, and evaluating competencies grounded in demonstrable skills and knowledge. The session will review practical strategies for designing effective performance-based, authentic assessments, along with methods for delivering meaningful feedback. Attendees will gain insights to implement or refine competency-based approaches within their educational or professional settings, promoting learner mastery and practical application.
Laurie Dodge, Competency-Based Education Network
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Competency-Based Education and Assessment

Hitting the Mark: An External Pathway for Competency-Based Remediation in Teacher Education
This pilot study examines the implementation of professional development modules as a systematic intervention for teacher education candidates based on rubric performance in common assessments. Sourced from the Indiana Learning Lab and aligned with InTASC standards, these modules provide targeted support in areas such as lesson planning, bias, and assessment practices. The intervention operates outside traditional grading structures and course structures, emphasizing competency-based improvement. Modules include content review, a quiz, and a reflection, with certificates uploaded for monitoring. In the pilot, approximately 11% of candidates were assigned a module. This innovative approach ensures continuous skill development and tracks competency gains aligned with established teaching standards.
Jenn Barce and Amber Reed, Purdue University
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Competency-Based Education and Assessment 

Piloting a Flipped Classroom with a Graduate-Level Biomedical Statistics Course
In a flipped biostatistics course for graduate students in Health Informatics (Fall INFO B518), students engaged with prerecorded lectures before class, allowing in-person sessions to focus on hands-on statistical labs. During class, students applied statistical methods to an assigned dataset under instructor guidance, enhancing their analytical skills. To reinforce learning, students independently replicated the lab using a self-selected dataset, which remained consistent throughout the semester. This approach fostered deeper comprehension of biostatistical techniques, encouraged critical thinking, and strengthened data analysis proficiency by enabling students to apply concepts to real-world datasets relevant to their research or professional interests.
Zeyana A. Hamid, Indiana University Indianapolis
Presentation Type: Rise-and-Shine 20-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Competency-Based Education and Assessment 

Progressive Learning Autonomy Assessment Tool to Improve Clinical Performance
The shift from traditional apprenticeship models to competency-based medical education (CBME) has highlighted the need for structured feedback to enhance clinical training. This proposal introduces a progressive autonomy learning model that integrates frequent, actionable feedback to address gaps in traditional evaluation methods. By employing a structured assessment framework focusing on case complexity, student preparedness, and autonomy levels, this model facilitates skill development and fosters independence. Data from a pilot at Indiana University School of Dentistry will validate the model through inter-rater reliability and correlation analysis. Expected outcomes include improved resident readiness, enhanced patient care, and faculty development, advancing clinical education.
Monica P. Gibson and Vanchit John, IU School of Dentistry
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Competency-Based Education and Assessment 

Project ePortfolios for Health Informatics
In this course, students maintained a semester-long project using Canvas ePortfolios, fostering continuous engagement, critical thinking, and reflection in Health Informatics. Each week, students applied newly learned concepts to incrementally build their projects, integrating class assignments with self-directed learning. This structured approach allowed students to document their progress, demonstrate competency in health data analysis, and connect theoretical knowledge with practical applications. By the end of the semester, students had a comprehensive portfolio showcasing their skills, critical thinking, and problem-solving abilities. This method promoted active learning, personalized exploration, and deeper engagement with course material in a meaningful and structured manner.
Zeyana A. Hamid and Sameer Mohammed, Indiana University Indianapolis
Presentation Type: Rise-and-Shine 20-Minute Session
Audience Level: Beginner
Primary Topic: Competency-Based Education and Assessment 

Skills at Your Scale: How to Integrate and Assesses Workforce Skills in Curriculum
How can you integrate relevant workforce skills into curriculum and assessment today? In this workshop, participants will learn about strategies to scale the skills approach up to address entire programs, or down to individual lessons/courses, based on need and context for their own institution. Participants will learn how to leverage open tools and resources for workforce intelligence data, integrate skills into competencies and curriculum, and create a skills-denominated competency-based assessment plan. Participants will walk away from this workshop with practical knowledge and strategies to integrate workforce relevant skills into competences, curriculum, and assessment.
Laura Williams and Samantha Coen, Western Governors University
Presentation Type: Pre-Institute Workshop
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Competency-Based Education and Assessment

TiLTing in Competency-Based Curriculum: A Case Study from the Dental School
What are the struggles and benefits of applying the TiLT (Transparency in Teaching and Learning) framework in a competency-based curriculum? This session presents a case study on the application of TiLT in dental school curriculum for international students. Participants will brainstorm additional benefits and challenges of using TiLT and discuss best practices for adapting the framework to competency-based curricula. Although the case study focuses on students joining their cohort mid-program, it is also relevant for guiding students in the early stages of competency-based programs by providing clear purpose, tasks, and criteria for success.
Minnie Cho, Indiana University Indianapolis
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Beginner
Primary Topic: Competency-Based Education and Assessment

Adapting to Generative AI in Ways that Support Equity and Accuracy in Measures of Student Learning
Generative AI has disrupted the educational landscape and created both challenges and opportunities for the assessment of student learning. Student work on assignments influence their learning. The grades they receive influences their success and feelings of belonging. In this workshop, the Grand Challenges in Assessment Project directors will share a model that identifies features of assignments associated with inequities in learning or the measurement of learning and provides simple modifications that improve measurement and increase equity. We will address ways in which traditional assignments are vulnerable to completion using artificial intelligence and ways in which artificial intelligence can support or interfere with student success.
Karen E. Singer-Freeman, The George Washington University; and Christine Robinson, University of North Carolina at Charlotte
Presentation Type: Pre-Institute Workshop
Audience Level: Beginner
Primary Topic: Emerging Trends in Assessment 

Assessing Student Success: Mapping Emerging Dimensions to Student Engagement
Student success efforts in higher education today include a focus on relationship-rich education, engaging career experiences, and holistic, integrated academic challenge and support. Thus, assessment evidence should inform and assess the impact of campus interventions on these dimensions. This session introduces the National Survey of Student Engagement’s new Student Success Framework Mapping tool as a starting point for exploring the application of engagement data to assess these student success dimensions at institutions, spark discussion about results as a gauge of college and university performance, and consider implications for institutional assessment and accreditation.
Jillian Kinzie and Christen Priddie, Indiana University Bloomington
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Emerging Trends in Assessment 

Basic Needs and Academic Outcomes: Findings and Recommendations from The 2023 - 2024 Hope Center for Student Basic Needs National Survey
The link between basic needs security and persistence is unequivocal: 79% of student respondents to The Hope Center for Student Basic Needs National Survey who had previously stopped out of college told us it was due to basic needs insecurity. This session highlights findings from the national survey along with promising practices for colleges and universities to support student basic needs and policy recommendations for systemic change.
Anne E. Lundquist, Temple University
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Beginner
Primary Topic: Emerging Trends in Assessment 

Beta Testing Assessment Chihuahua: Building a One-Stop Shop for Assessment Professionals
In the absence of a centralized assessment or institutional effectiveness website, there is no real home for assessment professionals to find resources and community. Assessment Chihuahua was developed by two assessment professionals with the goal for creating a “one-stop-shop” for all things assessment. This session is designed to “beta test” the new website with assessment community members to offer guidance and critique. Session activities will include an introduction of the website and its purpose, a tour of the current resources available, and time to discuss ways that the community can iteratively improve it, citing their specific needs.
Glenn Allen Phillips, Watermark Insights
Presentation Type: Rise-and-Shine 20-Minute Session
Audience Level: Beginner
Primary Topic: Emerging Trends in Assessment 

Dear Diary, LOL
Many colleges use learning journals (LJs) to assess students, especially in subjects that require reflection and critical thinking. LJs are common in arts, education, business, healthcare, and engineering. Digital LJs help track progress in real time, making learning easier for students and teachers. As AI tutors become more advanced, LJs will play an even bigger role. "Dear Diary, LOL" isn’t just a journal—it’s a fun, game-based way to track learning with quests, daily challenges, badges, leaderboards, mystery prompts, and team challenges.
Thomas K. Gillespie and Elizabeth Kostal, South University
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Beginner
Primary Topic: Emerging Trends in Assessmen

Emerging Trends in Assessment: Leveraging Artificial Intelligence to Align Medical Education with United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Content Areas
This session will explore innovative assessment strategies in medical education. We will discuss current trends and the pivotal role of artificial intelligence (AI) in enhancing assessment practices. Using data-driven tools and methodologies, participants will learn how AI can effectively align MD course objectives with USMLE content areas. Through practical implementation strategies, educators and assessment specialists will gain insights into integrating AI technologies to improve student outcomes and ensure curricular relevance. Join us to discover the future of assessment in medical education.
Beatrice Porter, Morehouse School of Medicine
Presentation Type: Rise-and-Shine 20-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Emerging Trends in Assessment 

Evaluating Articulation: Faculty Training, Rubric Reliability, and Artificial Intelligence (AI) Integration in a Large-Scale Evaluation
This study examines the evaluation of articulation skills in 1500 senior student artifacts (e.g., cover letters) using a standardized rubric applied by trained faculty and generative artificial intelligence (GenAI). We analyze test-retest reliability and percent agreement to assess the rubric’s consistency, comparing human and GenAI evaluations. The research explores the subjectivity and objectivity of the rubric, along with the effectiveness of faculty training. Findings offer insights into optimizing writing assessment practices and the potential role of generative AI in enhancing objectivity and reliability in large-scale evaluations. This study contributes to improving writing assessments in higher education through human and AI methods.
Katie B. Boyd and Isabelle Couvillion, Auburn University
Presentation Type: Rise-and-Shine 20-Minute Session
Audience Level: Beginner
Primary Topic: Emerging Trends in Assessment 

Grand Challenges: Integration of Rapid Pedagogical Improvements through Assessment Practices
This presentation explores the integration of Rapid Pedagogical Improvements through effective assessment practices. It examines various assessment strategies, including diagnostic, formative, and summative assessments, alongside authentic and data-driven approaches. By defining Rapid Pedagogical Improvement, the presentation highlights the importance of agility in teaching practices and the continuous cycle of feedback and adjustment. Just-in-time teaching is presented as a precursor to Rapid Pedagogical Improvement. Additionally, critique of current assessment methods, including challenges and limitations, is addressed. Research questions focus on whether assessment practices facilitate rapid pedagogical change. The session concludes with discussions on methodologies, limitations, and future directions.
Chadia Abras, Johns Hopkins University; and Jessica Taylor, University of Tennessee, Chattanooga
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Grand Challenges in Assessment / Emerging Trends in Assessment 

Is It Your Turn?: Assessing Equity and Depth in Peer Collaboration Using Discourse-Based Indices
Equitable participation is commonly used as a benchmark for effective group work in higher education, yet equal contribution alone does not ensure meaningful collaboration or learning engagement. This session presents a classroom-based study introducing two discourse-based indices—Contribution Balance Index (CBI) and Co-Construction Score (CCS)—as tools for assessing both the equity and quality of student peer interactions. Coded video data from small-group problem-solving tasks were used to identify a disconnect in group learning. While students often exhibited balanced participation, they did so without engaging in responsive, co-constructive discourse. We will explore how these indices can be used to enhance classroom assessment practices and provide actionable insights for improving collaborative learning outcomes in classrooms.
Carin Neitzel and Alicia Silcox, University of Indianapolis
Presentation Type: Rise-and-Shine 20-Minute Session
Audience Level: Beginner
Primary Topic: Emerging Trends in Assessment 

Online Authentic Student Assessment Strategies as Faculty Evidence in Reappointment, Promotion, and Tenure
Since spring 2020, semester faculty in higher education have been struggling with personal and professional concerns. Within the typically well-defined system in higher education, faculty understand the expectations and performance levels related to reappointment, promotion, and tenure (RPT), and manage instruction in ways aligned with their strengths, content, and the needs of the learners. However, the COVID-19 global pandemic set many of the ideas, understandings and practices for RPT aside in favor of an unknown future in many institutions. COVID-19 impacted the higher education system during spring 2020. We can address this through online authentic assessment.
Raymond W. Francis, Central Michigan University
Presentation Type: Rise-and-Shine 20-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Emerging Trends in Assessment 

Rethinking Assessment: A Student-Centered Ecosystemic Approach
Tired of assessment approaches that feel fragmented and fail to capture the complexity of student success? This session introduces the Student Success Ecosystem Framework (SSEF), a novel approach that integrates Bronfenbrenner's Ecological Systems Theory with systems thinking for holistic, student-centered assessment. Moving beyond isolated metrics, SSEF emphasizes interconnectedness, feedback loops, and leverage points within the student ecosystem. Participants will delve into the theoretical foundations of SSEF, explore practical examples, and gain tools and strategies for implementation. Discover how to map the student ecosystem, identify leverage points, and use data for continuous improvement, guiding institutions toward meaningful improvements in student success.
Naima Wells, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
Presentation Type: Rise-and-Shine 20-Minute Session
Audience Level: Advanced
Primary Topic: Emerging Trends in Assessment 

Successfully Reframing Equity Work Due to Macro and Micro Pressures
The Grand Challenges Project supports global collaborations informing equitable and evidence-informed practices for higher education assessment practitioners. The Grand Challenge’s Equity Action Makers Team conducted twenty interviews in 2023/2024 with assessment professionals across higher education. Several participants explained that they have adjusted their approach to equity work to successfully complete their projects or achieve their goals. They did this in response to various macro and micro influences, such as recognizing their own positionality, meeting grant funding requirements, dealing with institutional financial or cultural pressures, navigating political pressures outside their influence, or fostering supportive networks of practitioners.
Julene L. Jones, Mary Thompson and Beth Janetski, University of Wisconsin-Madison; and Sarah Wu, Georgia Tech
Presentation Type: Poster Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Grand Challenges in Assessment / Emerging Trends in Assessment 

The 2023 Landscape Report: Practitioners’ Perceptions on the Field of Student Affairs Assessment
The newly established research arm of the Student Affairs Assessment Leaders, the Research On and Advancing Knowledge of the Profession Committee, surveyed the professionals who had registered for the Student Affairs Assessment Leaders Listserv. Three broad categories of respondents’ institutions were found to impact respondents perceptions: institutional type, institutional designation, and accreditor. Respondents also provided qualitative data for open-ended items on the questionnaire which provided more insight to some quantitative responses. Recommendations for practice and implications for future research were provided.
Vince Nix and Lan Song, West Texas A&M University; Ellissa Brooks Nelson, University of North Carolina Charlotte; Rebecca Gibbons, University of South Florida; Erin Thomas, Illinois State University; and Leo Young, Azuza Pacific University
Presentation Type: Rise-and-Shine 20-Minute Session
Audience Level: Beginner
Primary Topic: Emerging Trends in Assessment

Assessing Experiential Learning in Capabilities in Application and Practice (CAP)
The Masters of Science in Library and Information Science Program (MSLIS) School of Information Sciences (iSchool) at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign has decades of practicum data. However, it had not analyzed Practicum in relationship to its Program Learning Outcomes (PLOs). To address this, a staff-faculty collaborative team asked, “In what ways do Practicum Experiences meet Program Learning Outcomes and needs of our students entering the workforce? What course design, student services, and assessment methods are needed?” This poster shares lessons learned from a year-long Provost Initiative for Teaching Advancement grant we earned to answer these questions.
Sharon L. Comstock and Ben Schaap, School of Information Sciences, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
Presentation Type: Poster Session
Audience Level: Beginner
Primary Topic: Experiential Learning 

The Impact of a University-Wide Assessment of Real-World Experiences on Student Success
This case study explores the implementation and assessment of an experiential learning initiative designed to enhance student success, skill development, and real-world application of knowledge at the University of Houston. The university’s SACSCOC Quality Enhancement Plan initiative integrates hands-on projects, community partnerships, and experiential practices to bridge academic learning and professional readiness. This session will 1) explore frameworks for evaluating learning outcomes including skill development, career readiness, and personal growth through a mixed-methods assessment, and 2) highlight the initiative’s design, challenges, successes, and lessons learned, offering practical insights for adopting or refining experiential learning assessment practices.
Christina Williams and Anne Dayton, University of Houston
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Experiential Learning 

Zero to Hero: How Leveraging Year 0 Builds a Stronger Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) Assessment Plan
Georgia Institute of Technology developed a Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) to create Leaders in Progress and Service. Direct and indirect measures of student’s ability to meet three student learning outcomes (SLOs) are vital to the assessment plan. These SLOs include: 1) students will be able to integrate multiple perspectives in defining complex problems; 2) students will be able to reflect on their identity development as professionals; and 3) students will be able to describe how their actions as professionals impact society. To determine the validity of the assessment plan, a pilot assessment was undertaken during Year 0.
Courtney Cullen, Georgia Institute of Technology
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Beginner
Primary Topic: Experiential Learning

Advancing Our Culture of Assessment through Faculty Development Planning
Effective assessment practices are crucial for fostering student success and institutional effectiveness. At the College for Financial Planning, the Office of Institutional Research and Effectiveness (OIRE) and the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL) have developed a strategic partnership to support faculty in integrating meaningful assessment into their teaching. Through tailored training programs, ongoing professional development initiatives, a new Faculty Fellowship program, an assessment speaker series, and conference support, this collaboration aims to build assessment literacy, encourage evidence-based teaching practices, and promote professional growth.
Jeffrey J. Barnette and Bethany Alden-Rivers, College for Financial Planning
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Faculty/Professional Development 

Advancing Structural Consistency through Educational Networks and Design (UASCEND)
The University of Connecticut (UConn) recently received a grant from the Davis Educational Foundation, to support a multi-year project, called UConn Advancing Structural Consistency through Educational Networks and Design (UASCEND). This university-wide, multi-campus project will support faculty and academic programs to develop student-centric learning objectives; align assessment measures to objectives; design common rubrics; and/or design integrative, longitudinal, and capstone assessment measures. Faculty members collaborated on a 13-week course that will be piloted in Fall 2025 and offered to cohorts of individual course instructors, academic programs with multi-section courses, and eventually to graduate instructors.
Jamie Kleinman, Pamela Bedore, Phil Birge-Liberman, Sally Chamberland, Stephen Fitzgerald, Lauren Schlesselman, and Diego Valente, University of Connecticut
Presentation Type: Rise-and-Shine 20-Minute Session
Audience Level: Beginner
Primary Topic: Faculty/Professional Development 

Assessment Culture: Using "Assessment 101 in Higher Education" to Engage Faculty and Staff in the Assessment Process
This session explores the use of a book study, focusing on Assessment 101 in Higher Education, to enhance faculty/staff professional development in assessment best practices. Conducted at two colleges of nursing within the same health system, the book study involved four sessions designed with constructivist principles, including discussions and application exercises. Book study participants complete pre- and post-assessments to evaluate the effectiveness in improving knowledge and application of assessment practices. The session will share book study effectiveness and lessons learned as well as provide guidance on adapting the book study model for other institutions to support professional development in assessment.
Elizabeth Harp, Christina Garcia, and Jennifer Larson, Saint Anthony College of Nursing and Saint Francis Medical Center College of Nursing
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Faculty/Professional Development 

Building a Faculty Development Strategy to Support Advances in Assessment and Evidence-Based Pedagogy
Transform your institution with evidence-based teaching and learning practices. This workshop is designed for colleagues committed to advancing student success through innovative pedagogy, engagement, and assessment practices. Learn to move beyond traditional methods by leveraging faculty development programs with clearly articulated goals, competencies, and evidence. Explore strategies to implement and assess engagement quality, use data to identify equity gaps in student outcomes, and implement Universal Design for Learning to foster accessible and inclusive learning environments. Discover how to foster a student-centered culture by using data informed decision-making, and how to engage a variety of campus resources in supporting student learning. Walk away with actionable strategies, practical tools, and a renewed commitment to creating impactful and equitable learning experiences. This workshop is ideal for those with roles in assessment, faculty development, and oversight of High Impact Practices and other evidence-based pedagogies.
Maureen Martin and Jon Iuzzini, Howard Community College
Presentation Type: Pre-Institute Workshop
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Faculty/Professional Development 

Creating Some Magic: The Collaborative Power of Assessment Combined with Faculty Development
Assessment has traditionally lived in offices or portfolios of accreditation, compliance, or institutional research/data. There are also specific assessment portfolios that live in student affairs at many institutions. What are the possibilities when assessment, student success, and faculty development can overlap and come together as partners via offices or efforts—proactively and intentionally? What meaningful institutional excellence and innovation is possible that can catalyze curricular and co-curricular efficacy?
Divya Bheda, Santa Clara University
Presentation Type: Rise-and-Shine 20-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Faculty/Professional Development 

Designing and Implementing a Curriculum Mapping Campaign for Faculty
Explore the process and impact of a campaign designed to encourage faculty program coordinators to develop curriculum maps. This session will detail the components and steps of the campaign, the training and resources provided, and the benefits and challenges encountered. Participants will gain practical strategies and best practices for implementing curriculum mapping in their own institutions, enhancing curriculum development efforts and improving student learning outcomes.
Katherine H. Burr, Wynonna Deenene Brewer, and Juyoung Kim, University of Georgia
Presentation Type: Rise-and-Shine 20-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Faculty/Professional Development 

Do Your Faculty Love Assessment? They Will!
In this session, we are focusing on fostering faculty members’ understanding of the potential value of the assessment process. We will highlight the benefits of assessment for the teaching - learning process, the primary focus of most faculty members. Through an example at a state university, participants will realize how faculty members embraced assessment and looked forward to the process due to their perception that assessment supports their teaching. We will further explore how reflections produced in this example can be used to develop program-level assessment through the assistance of generative AI and how we were able to leverage these reflections as evidence of effective teaching for their annual reviews and tenure and promotion processes.
Teresa Flateby, Consultant, T.L. Flateby & Consultants
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Faculty/Professional Development 

Elevating Advising: Standardizing Best Practices for Faculty Led Student Success
Explore the role of faculty-led advising in boosting student success through implementing standardized best practices. This session explores key insights from Tennessee State University’s Quality Enhancement Plan, highlighting the impact of faculty development and student outcomes. Gain insights from both a faculty member and the QEP manager as they share effective, practical strategies to foster faculty engagement, assessing effectiveness, and scaling initiatives. Whether you are refining advising models or seeking to enhance institutional engagement, this session offers practical takeaways to transform faculty advising at your institution. Join us to explore a structured approach that balances consistency with student-centered flexibility.
Melody L. Cottingham and Alexis Heaston, Tennessee State University
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Faculty/Professional Development 

Empowering Faculty as Equity Champions: Lessons Learned from a Pilot Program Assessment
Centers for Teaching and Learning play a key role in institutional change, especially as partners with faculty who are working to advance equitable student success. This session presents findings from a pilot of the Equity Champions program at the University of Louisville, using pre-post assessment data and faculty impact stories to identify shifts in equity-oriented teaching. Participants will use findings to identify areas where faculty may need more support and discuss how assessment can inform program refinement and advocacy for broader institutional change. Attendees will leave with strategies for leveraging similar data to enhance equity efforts at their institutions.
Caroline Boswell and Abbie Bordewyk, University of Louisville
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Faculty/Professional Development 

Empowering Student Affairs through Monthly Assessment and Professional Development: A Sustainable Model for Engagement and Impact
This presentation will showcase an innovative and sustainable approach to increasing engagement and assessment buy-in through a dual-series model: a monthly assessment workshop series and a monthly professional development series. While the topics of each respective series are not directly linked, the coordination and execution of having each series host a once-monthly workshop serves to increase overall divisional engagement and foster stronger partnerships between the Planning & Assessment office and the other departments. The session will explore the design, implementation, and outcomes of these initiatives, offering practical strategies that can be replicated or adapted at other institutions.
Kelsey H. Guy and Ogorchukwu Johnson, Mississippi State University
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Faculty/Professional Development 

Evaluating the Impact of Long-Term Faculty Professional Development in Adoption of Equity-Minded Teaching and Assessment Practices
While the demographics of college-going students in the U.S.A. are increasingly shifting toward a minority-majority population, students of color are consistently underrepresented when considering graduation and retention rates. As a result, there has been an increasing call to incorporate teaching practices that aim to realize the potential for success of all learners. We present a case study on the impact of a semester-long professional development course in just and equitable teaching practices upon the adoption and implementation in the classroom at a large, public R01 institution, contributing to current research in understanding how to transform teaching practice in higher education institutions.
Rachana S. Bhave and Kalpana Gupta, University of Colorado, Boulder; and Quatez Scott, Colorado State University
Presentation Type: Rise-and-Shine 20-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Faculty/Professional Development 

If it is Gathered, Will it be Used? Disciplinary Differences in Faculty Perceptions of Institution- and Course-Level Assessment
Institution-level assessment of student learning and experience are often critiqued by faculty for being mainly symbolic, focused primarily on external accountability, or lacking disciplinary relevance. These critiques may be clouding institutional leaders' perceptions of faculty assessment practices with course-level assessment within their courses and programs. So how do faculty engage with institution- and course-level assessment to hone their teaching and learning practices and are they different? This study uses the Faculty Survey of Student Engagement (FSSE) to explore disciplinary differences in how faculty perceive and use institutional- and course-level assessment evidence.
Emily Braught, Indiana University Indianapolis; and Stephen Hiller, Indiana University Bloomington
Presentation Type: Rise-and-Shine 20-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Faculty/Professional Development 

Let’s TALK (Teach, Assess, Learn, Know): Developing Professional Development of Teaching and Learning
Faculty benefit from professional development on teaching and learning. However, faculty and staff workload often limits a college’s ability to develop these types of programs. To enhance faculty buy-in, programs should be both accessible and perceived as valuable. We’ll share our experience and easily reproducible framework for efficiently building an innovative, accessible, effective teaching and learning professional development structure. Attendees will leave our session with their own detailed written plan ready to implement.
Mary S. Kopale and Kristen Goliak, University of Illinois Chicago, Retzky College of Pharmacy
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Beginner
Primary Topic: Faculty/Professional Development 

Opportunities to Transform Assessment While Transitioning to a new Assessment Management System
This session helps institutions navigate the transition to a new Assessment Management System (AMS) by offering strategies to engage faculty, optimize workflows, and improve assessment practices. Participants will learn to reduce faculty workload, expand assessment coverage across disciplines, and implement peer review rubrics to enhance student learning outcomes. Practical tools will be shared to streamline assessment schedules, involve faculty in system design, and assess broader learning data. Attendees will leave with actionable insights to create a culture of continuous improvement and transform their assessment processes, improving both efficiency and quality.
Kelli E. Listenbee and  Ryken Cocherell, Arkansas State University
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Faculty/Professional Development 

[Re]Fueling Faculty Engagement: Incentives for Outcomes Assessment Participation
Our collaborative, iterative dialogue aims to increase faculty participation in outcomes assessment. This session will explore tangible returns-on-engagement for faculty, seeking to understand what truly resonates with them. It will examine preferred recognition methods, exploring how to acknowledge their vital contributions. Finally, it will discuss integrating outcomes assessment into faculty evaluation processes, ensuring their contributions are formally valued and rewarded.
Seth Matthew Fishman, Villanova University; and Mitsu Narui, The Ohio State University
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Faculty/Professional Development 

Restructuring Webinars for Critical Self-Reflection, Growth, and Accountability
How can centers for teaching and learning (CTL) strategically enhance the value and outcomes of short, one-off educational development offerings (such as webinars)? In this session, educational developers from a CTL at a US urban research institution present an example of a re-envisioned webinar series designed to extend attendees’ commitment to teaching development by articulating concrete self-reported examples of changes in their teaching practices, while strategically responding to institutional goals and making staff workload manageable. This session is relevant not only to educational developers but to all those who offer training and development through webinars and workshops.
Anusha S. Rao and Douglas Jerolimov, Indiana University IndianapolisPresentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Faculty/Professional Development 

Strategic Framework: Crafting a Comprehensive Faculty Development Program Aligned with Assessment and Accreditation Standards
Faculty development that is timely and responds to accreditation changes and feedback is critically important. This workshop aims to help participants develop a comprehensive faculty professional development program including a robust orientation. Recognizing the substantial investment of time, attention, effort, and financial resources in faculty development, this process is strategically crucial. It serves as a pivotal process in acquainting faculty with the institution, establishing institutional and faculty connections, communicating expectations clearly, and assuring accreditation needs become part of faculty development. During the workshop, participants will engage in interactive, hands-on activities to: 1) identify the essential components of faculty professional development including initial orientation, establish a comprehensive understanding of “must-have” elements, 2) develop a “just-in-time” model for faculty professional development, ensuring relevance and timeliness and considering feedback from accreditors, 3) evaluate the effectiveness of their institution’s faculty professional development program through practical assessment strategies, and 3) provide evidence demonstrating that the institution meets and responds to accreditation requirements, both institutional and programmatic, pertaining to faculty training.
Amy N. Morris and Nehad El-Sawi, Des Moines University
Presentation Type: Pre-Institute Workshop
Audience Level: Beginner
Primary Topic: Faculty/Professional Development 

Teaching Experiences: Curriculum Mapping with Themed Entertainment Design
For this presentation, we would like to discuss lessons learned while implementing an institutional initiative including a faculty development program offered at two locations: Purdue University West Lafayette and Purdue University Indianapolis. This program is known as Charting the Institutionalization of the Embedded Learning Outcomes (CIELO). This program is designed to integrate three different outcomes agreed upon by the Undergraduate Curriculum Council (UCC). These three outcomes included the following definitions: 1) Communication, 2) Ways of Thinking, and 3) Interpersonal Skills.
Allan B. Celik, Josh Polk, Christian Rodgers, Jason Guy, and Michael Cole, Purdue University
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Faculty/Professional Development 

The EDGE Effect: Transforming Professional Development through Leadership Growth
Traditional leadership development programs focus on individuals in supervisory roles, leaving many professionals without structured opportunities to enhance leadership competencies. The EDGE for Success program was designed to fill this gap, equipping faculty and staff with essential leadership, communication, and facilitation skills. This session will present findings from The EDGE Effect, a research study assessing leadership confidence and self-efficacy growth in non-traditional leaders. Participants will engage in interactive discussions and small group activities to explore how institutions can integrate mentorship-based professional development to support faculty, staff, and accreditation needs.
Melisa Pierce, Whiddon College of Medicine
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Faculty/Professional Development 

Using a Learning Circle to Gain Faculty Buy-In for Assessment
This session describes a Faculty Learning Circle at a small undergraduate institution where some faculty viewed assessment as a top-down directive disconnected from pedagogy. To shift this perception, the Learning Circle engaged faculty in structured discussions and guided them in assessing a learning goal in their courses using a worksheet. Pre/post surveys showed improved attitudes and confidence in assessment. Faculty refined assessment methods and pedagogy based on findings. Due to its success, the approach has been institutionalized with annual Learning Circles and broader worksheet use. This presentation explores how structured faculty engagement fosters meaningful assessment practices that enhance student learning.
Rachael D. Reavis and Maria Haworth, Earlham College
Presentation Type: Rise-and-Shine 20-Minute Session
Audience Level: Beginner
Primary Topic: Faculty/Professional Development

Exploring the Impact of Student Organizations, Fraternities, and Sororities on Student Learning in Higher Education
Recent studies highlight the educational benefits of involvement programs, particularly for student leaders. Integrative learning extends beyond formal programs, impacting daily student activities. Documenting fraternity, sorority, and student group members' learning experiences underscores the role of specific involvement in enhancing student learning and career readiness. Utilizing mixed methods, including reflective prompts, learn how researchers are assessing student learning. Join us to delve into the impact of involvement on the educational mission of higher education.
Cindy Cogswell and Sharrell Hassell-Goodman, New York University
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Fraternity and Sorority Life

Reframing Fraternities and Sororities as Civil Society Organizations: Past Roles, Present Actions, and Future Possibilities
Fraternities and sororities can have civic impacts! A research team has synthesized studies, asking: what civic roles might fraternities and sororities play? We introduce concepts from the civil society literature and then review what the research says. We argue that by harnessing the collective passion and energy of its members, it may be possible to positively influence the collective impact of fraternities and sororities on civic issues, civic discourse, social injustices, and their ability to contribute meaningfully to the betterment of communities beyond the campus environment. Join us to discuss actionable strategies for scholars, administrators, and organizational leaders.
Matthew Baggetta, Indiana University Bloomington; and Stevan Veldkamp, Penn State Piazza Center
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Fraternity and Sorority Life

A Path to Continuous Improvement of the General Education Component
The General Education Assessment Committee follows a straightforward five-step path. Step 1 starts with the curriculum map, illustrating how courses align with institutional competencies and outcomes. In Step 2, we develop an assessment plan to define our direction. Step 3 focuses on collecting data from Canvas LMS and institutional surveys, which we analyze in Excel. Step 4 involves sharing these results with the advisory committee, who provide valuable input and feedback. Finally, Step 5 turns that feedback into an actionable plan. This path ensures we meet accreditation standards and continually improve the quality of the General Education component.
Alma I. Vega García and Rose M. Vincenty, Ana G. Méndez University
Presentation Type: Poster Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: General Education 

Assessing Your Assessment (Creating a New Assessment Plan)
How often does your program reflect on its assessment approach? In this session, we will share with participants a strategic planning document we used to help us reflect upon past assessment projects in order to craft a new 3-year plan for assessment. This comprehensive document synthesized past assessment projects, highlighted key learnings while noting areas overlooked, and posed questions for future consideration. Eight different faculty committees used the document to facilitate an assessment of our current approach. We will conclude with new assessment research questions and an appropriate procedure designed to analyze the effectiveness of our general education curriculum.
Diamond R. Brown, American University
Presentation Type: Rise-and-Shine 20-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: General Education 

Assessment with Purpose: Indiana University Southeast’s Model for General Education
Assessing General Education remains one of the more complex and nuanced challenges institutions face, balancing state mandates, institutional mission, faculty-defined goals, and a curriculum that spans departments and disciplines. At Indiana University Southeast, the purpose of an undergraduate education is to prepare students to act as thoughtful, informed, and productive citizens and lifelong learners in a rapidly changing world. This vision of intellectual breadth and depth is supported by a set of common educational goals that crosscut all programs, developing essential skills like written and oral communication, quantitative reasoning, ethical inquiry, and critical thinking. This presentation will explore how Indiana University Southeast structured its General Education assessment process to reflect those goals meaningfully and manageably. Historically, the institution struggled with organizing and tracking assessment data across a wide array of courses and requirements. By rethinking their framework and utilizing a system that allowed for data aggregation and disaggregation across courses and programs, they created a sustainable and faculty-driven process that supports both internal improvement and external accountability. Attendees will learn the following: how to structure General Education assessment across diverse curricular paths while maintaining alignment with institutional and statewide outcomes; strategies for mapping outcomes to both major and general education courses, recognizing their shared contributions; approaches for managing and reporting data in ways that are meaningful to stakeholders; and lessons learned from moving to a clearer, more aligned model with reduced administrative overhead. Whether you're just beginning to rethink your General Education assessment process or looking for strategies to make it more actionable, this session offers a practical case study grounded in values, alignment, and continuous improvement.
Jayme Kerr, SPOL; and Amanda Scarberry, Indiana University Southeast
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Sponsor Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: General Education 

Beyond FYE: Tracking Skill Transfer Across the First-Year Curriculum
This presentation will explore an approach to assessing the effectiveness of the First-Year Experience (FYE) course by examining how well students apply the academic skills they learn in FYE to other courses. While our previous assessments have focused on measuring learning outcomes within the FYE course, this study expands the scope to assess the extent to which students transfer these skills to other courses in the first-year curriculum. We will present the assessment results and discuss how to effectively assess the impact of FYE beyond and across other first-year courses.
Kei Masunaga, Takahiro Abe, Douglas Gloag, Satoko Imaizumi, Katsumi Senyo, and Tetsuya Shiroishi, Yamagata University
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Beginner
Primary Topic: General Education 

Building A Robust Tutoring Centre: Funding, Marketing, and Data
Our session details how to develop a comprehensive and highly effective tutoring center that provides personalized academic support tailored to the unique learning styles and needs of each student. This initiative aims to foster an environment that enhances student achievement, promotes academic confidence, and ensures measurable success through individualized instruction, innovative teaching strategies, and ongoing assessment. By prioritizing student-centered learning, the tutoring center will offer a structured yet flexible approach that adapts to diverse educational challenges, equipping students with the skills and resources necessary for long term academic growth.
Terron Dames and Cadmus Inniss, Central State University
Presentation Type: Poster Session
Audience Level: Beginner
Primary Topic: General Education 

Collaborative Approaches to General Education Assessment: Designing Effective and Efficient Rubrics, Tools, and Processes
Following a 2022 recommendation from its institutional accreditor, New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) has been developing a new system for assessing its General Education Requirements (GER) program--from scratch! This session will first provide attendees with insights into NJIT’s guiding principles for developing general education assessment tools and processes. Attendees will then learn about NJIT’s collaborative and iterative development of learning outcomes, curricular-level holistic developmental rubrics—including the adaptation of existing rubric models—alongside a data recording, collection, and distribution system. Attendees will leave with access to relevant resources that they can adapt as needed in their own institutional contexts.
Jeremy P. Reich, New Jersey Institute of Technology
Presentation Type: Rise-and-Shine 20-Minute Session
Audience Level: Beginner
Primary Topic: General Education 

Exploring Student Self-Assessment in General Education: Using Survey Tools for Enhancing General Education Program Assessment
Enhancing a broader initiative to assess its general education program, New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) is piloting a process for student self-assessment of their proficiency in general education learning outcomes. This session will focus on the design and methodology of a pre- and post-test procedure for facilitating students’ self-assessment using existing tools. Participants will explore the context of NJIT’s general education assessment initiative, the development of program-level holistic developmental rubrics, relevant literature, and the findings and implications of the student self-assessment process. Attendees will leave with adaptable rubrics and self-assessment survey examples for their own institutional contexts.
Yi Meng and Jeremy Reich, New Jersey Institute of Technology
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: General Education 

From Data to Action: What Five Years' of General Education Assessment Taught Us
Over the past five years, Southern Methodist University (SMU) has implemented a structured approach to assessing and improving student learning in its Common Curriculum, which includes 18 components assessed on a three-year cycle. Using a juried assessment process, SMU collects over 4,500 student artifacts and evaluates 1500+ samples annually, engaging faculty in norming and inter-rater reliability checks to ensure robust results. This presentation highlights SMU’s experiences with data collection, faculty rater training, and targeted improvements to assignment design and pedagogy that have led to measurable learning gains. Attendees will gain actionable strategies for impactful assessment practices at their institutions.
Yan Cooksey, Southern Methodist University
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: General Education 

From Obligation to Opportunity: Building a Culture of Assessment by Engaging Faculty and Students
For many institutions, assessment too often remains a compliance-driven task rather than a tool for meaningful improvement. Shifting this mindset requires intentional efforts to cultivate a culture of assessment that emphasizes learning, reflection, and action. This session will explore how a dynamic assessment process enhances learning outcomes in general education, specifically within an introductory sociology course. We will demonstrate how fostering faculty engagement, supporting pedagogical innovation, and engaging student participation coincide with enhanced institutional effectiveness. Designed for those new to assessment or looking to refine their approach, this session will provide tangible takeaways to support the evolution of assessment.
Bartell M. Berg, Timothy Rosignol, and Adam Sizemore, University of Southern Indiana
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Beginner
Primary Topic: General Education 

Hook Your Gen Ed Class to Career Competencies Day One
Show your gen ed students day one the connections between your class and the career competencies they want to grow. This session will demonstrate how to engage students in a discussion of relevant career competencies and their application in a gen ed class. This activity can serve as an icebreaker and promote a sense of belonging as you guide students to the purpose of a gen ed class. Whether in a synchronous or asynchronous setting, students will know that your gen ed class helps them achieve their career goals.
Jessica Rabb, Nashville State Community College
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Beginner
Primary Topic: General Education 

How to Not Drown in Data: Making Sense of General Education with a Deep Dive into Data
How deep do you go when assessing general education? At Austin Peay State University, general education is typically reviewed at the course level based on student performance on Student Learning Outcomes. However, after successfully navigating the SACSCOC reaffirmation of accreditation process, the Gen Ed Committee paused assessment and decided to go deeper into the data to focus on things like student demographics and course structure. This presentation will focus on the findings of that data deep dive, as well as the suggestions the researchers identified for moving forward with general education.
Allie Michael and Nick Kirby, Austin Peay State University
Presentation Type: Rise-and-Shine 20-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: General Education 

Jumpstarting General Education Program Review: A Systems Thinking Approach to the Self-Study
Often overlooked in the discussion of a general education program development and assessment is the issue of program review. The Association for General and Liberal Studies (AGLS) offers two resources, “The Gen Ed Leader’s Playbook” and a “Guide to Assessment and Program Review,” to stimulate a collaborative discussion for improving a general education program. The Playbook provides leaders with various tools to help address the tough questions, such as “Why do we need Gen Ed Programs?” At the heart of the “Guide” is a set of twenty systems analysis questions to improve program quality. This workshop focuses on the initial stage of the self-study and allows attendees to “test-drive” the tools and practice some basic general education program evaluation steps.
Jody DeKorte, Purdue Global; Christine Robinson, University of North Carolina at Charlotte; and Kevin Hermberg, Dominican University New York
Presentation Type: Pre-Institute Workshop
Audience Level: Beginner
Primary Topic: General Education 

Merging the Orient and the Occident for the Ideals of Education
This research paper explores the importance of persuasive communication and its techniques. It highlights key elements such as understanding the audience, using evidence, and effectively utilizing rhetoric. The paper also discusses the impact of cognitive biases and emotions on persuasive communication and the importance of adapting the message to the audience and context. Strategies such as storytelling, emotional appeals, and building trust and credibility can be used to improve persuasive communication skills. The paper concludes that persuasive communication is crucial in today's world, both in personal and professional contexts, and that developing these skills can help individuals become more effective communicators.
Vijay Lakshmi and Ankit Lashkari, JK Lakshmipat University
Presentation Type: Rise-and-Shine 20-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: General Education 

Please Pardon Our Dust: Remodel of General Education Assessment is Underway
Mercer University is changing our approach to general education assessment. First, we are piloting population-level assessment by embedding rubrics in general education courses. With large data on student performance, we aim to identify areas for improvement across all schools/colleges. Second, we are applying Fidelity of Implementation (FOI) to ensure consistency in improving student learning. In our session, we will present data from our first year and describe how the data was used to design faculty development aimed at improving student learning. We will engage the attendees in an open discussion and solicit feedback on applying FOI to general education.
Troy Nash, Alana Alvarez, and Wesley Barker, Mercer University
Presentation Type: Rise-and-Shine 20-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: General Education 

Reflection as a Career-Minded Tool
This session highlights data on career-informed undergraduate education in the American Association of Colleges and Universities employer study and explores implications for educational meaningfulness and talent readiness in reflection as a career-minded tool for owning and articulating one’s abilities for success on the job. Multi-disciplinary faculty from a Michigan urban regional comprehensive university will share career-minded reflective practices used in a Certificate in Humanistic Inquiry that incorporates humanities-oriented methodologies and questions to guide human-centered lines of inquiry through themes of technology, sustainability, justice, and leadership in Humanities and non-Humanities designated general education courses. Participants will engage in reflection and discussion.
Stephanie Roach, Jennifer Alvey, and Kazuko Hiramatsu, University of Michigan-Flint
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Beginner
Primary Topic: General Education 

Star Faculty Fellows: Developing and Implementing a General Education Assessment Plan
This session offers strategies for implementing large-scale general education assessment through reflecting on the experiences of assessment leaders at the University of Illinois Springfield. This session will explore three key points of assessment: developing the assessment plan, creating a curriculum map, and implementing a round of assessment, and will offer participants a practical model for general education assessment as presenters discuss their institutional context, reflect on barriers and successes, share out the final assessment products, and facilitate discussion and planning with participants.
Stephanie Hedge and Carrie Allen, University of Illinois Springfield
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: General Education 

Students Finding their Place through General Education
The general education curriculum in higher education, if designed properly with faculty leadership, can prepare students for their roles in a fast-changing 21st Century World. A small university in Kentucky created a newly reframed core curriculum in 18 months that positions student learning in the context of Finding Your Place at UPIKE. Learn how this school retained its learning outcomes but more intentionally tied them to the new framework. In addition, learn how faculty deliberately use institution-wide rubrics on the course management system that allow for assessing general education competencies.
Meg Wright Sidle and Justin Hazlewood, University of Pikeville
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: General Education 

The Impact of General Education Learning Outcomes on Assessment and Curriculum at a Community College
Delta College has developed an integrated general education model which is incorporated in all degrees.  We will share details of our assessment committee structure and methods for collecting scores and analyzing results. Recently, our General Education Learning Outcomes (GELOs) have impacted discussions regarding Delta’s graduation requirements for its associate degrees. We will focus our presentation on the impact that the GELOs have had on our curriculum.  We will also discuss some problems that we have faced and solicit feedback from attendees on ways to move forward.
Eric Wiesenauer, Casey Armour, and Jonathan Garn, Delta College
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: General Education 

Watch the Rubric Bloom: Utilizing Blooms Leveled Rubrics Across Programs
“Doesn’t meet, meets, exceeds.” We are all familiar with the basic structure of the assessment rubric. But does this really get at the knowledge and skills our students have achieved? At Colorado Technical University, we are rethinking our rubrics. What is that knowledge or skill we want our students to be able to demonstrate at a specific moment in their program life cycle? We have developed rubrics that scaffold performance indicators utilizing the Blooms taxonomy, and in 2025, we launched them in programs across the university. We want to tell you how it went and what we learned!
Jennifer Daines, Margaret Carmack, Max Fassnacht, and Jennifer Palmer, Colorado Technical University
Presentation Type: Rise-and-Shine 20-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: General Education

Beyond the Report: Turning Program Review into Action
Academic Program Review (APR) is typically an administrative burden on academic leaders with little to no return on the investment of time and resources needed to execute its requirements. Adler University has addressed this by adding key elements to our APR process that ensure we are adding value for academic leaders while closing the loop on action items. This session will explore how Adler’s APR schedule, report production timeline, and data resources enable faculty to engage in data-driven reflection and planning without overwhelming workloads while also ensuring findings are discussed at the institutional level.
Katy Selinko, Adler University
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Graduate/Professional Education 

Collaboratively Tracking Student Success through a Homegrown Data Visualization Platform
Professional degree programs generate large volumes of static and dynamic academic data. It’s advantageous for students and faculty / administrative stakeholders to have a comprehensive view of a student’s academic achievement throughout their educational program. At Indiana University School of Dentistry, comprehensively tracking student achievement was challenging due to having to access data from multiple sources across different platforms. IUSD developed and implemented a user-friendly, Power BI-based student achievement dashboard to enable comprehensive visualization of students’ academic data and progress toward completing graduation requirements. The dashboard will be demonstrated, and its collaborative development, implementation and impact will be discussed.
Laura Romito, Jeremy Fry, and David Zahl, Indiana University School of Dentistry
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Beginner
Primary Topic: Graduate/Professional Education 

From Surveys to Synergy: The Evolution of Our Doctor of Physical Therapy Program Assessment
From the initial charge to a final Assessment Matrix, we share our journey in developing a culture and associated processes of program assessment. Sharing our story from our start to current operations, we will illustrate how our Assessment Committee Leadership and Program Leadership transitions were key to our success. We will discuss strategies used to educate Program Faculty, our use of exam software for tracking of relevant assessment information, implementation of an Assessment Matrix to monitor relevant assessment areas, and modification of prior attempts as we built our Program assessment.
Michael Bridges, Tzurei Chen, Derek Gerber, and Sheryl Sanders, Pacific University
Presentation Type: Rise-and-Shine 20-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Graduate/Professional Education  

“Getting to Know People and Getting to Feel Known by Others” - Assessing a Required Program for Incoming Undergraduates
This interactive presentation focuses on Community at Cornell (CAC), a required program completed by over 3000 incoming undergraduates per year. CAC helps students prepare for learning from and with others who have different backgrounds, perspectives, and values during their time in college. Those who attend this presentation can expect to: understand the CAC program and which qualitative and quantitative data have been collected to assess its impact since its beginning in 2018; apply an approach to dialogic communication that is introduced to participants during CAC; discuss findings from CAC assessment data and how they have been used.
Rachel Sumner, Nimot Ogunfemi, and Marissa Rice, Cornell University
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Beginner
Primary Topic: HIPs in the State/High-Impact Practices 

The Value of a Bigger Bridge Program: Assessing a Post-Baccalaureate Program Model for Law School Admissions
Pre-matriculation skills programs, or bridge programs, are often short on time and assessment. In this session you will learn about an expanded approach to the standard bridge program, a nine-month post-baccalaureate program for students targeting law school admission. This presentation will discuss the mechanics and motivation of the post-baccalaureate/pre-law program while explicating best practices for assessing (and justifying) bridge programs for graduate and professional programs.
Joel Chanvisanuruk and Kelsey Risman, AccessLex Institute Center for Legal Education Excellence
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Beginner
Primary Topic: Graduate/Professional Education 

Workplace Based Assessment: Lessons Learned from a 5 School Consortium
This session explores the reliability and validity of Workplace Based Assessments (WBA) within a consortium of five medical schools. By analyzing four years of WBA data related to student performance in Communications, Clinical Reasoning, and Teamwork, the study identifies key concerns such as data quality, bias, and the challenges of longitudinal analyses. The findings provide insights into best practices for creating, administering, and reporting WBA data, ultimately aiming to enhance the quality of feedback to students and improve curriculum discussions and patient care.
John V. Moore III, National Board of Medical Examiners
Presentation Type: Rise-and-Shine 20-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Graduate/Professional Education 

Advancing Innovative Approaches to Institutional Excellence - A Case Study in The Establishment of Integrated Planning for a Center for Teaching Excellence
This case study examines the transformation of four distinct instructional support units into a unified Center for Teaching Excellence through systematic integrated planning. The five-phase process included website redesign, shared identity development, collaborative SWOT analysis, strategic alignment, and assessment planning. This approach exemplifies Grand Challenges in Assessment Objective 1.2 by providing a replicable methodology for integration that promotes institutional agility. Results demonstrate increased responsiveness to faculty needs, efficient resource utilization, and enhanced support capabilities. The documented framework offers a template for higher education institutions seeking to create cohesive educational support systems that are responsive to evolving pedagogical landscapes.
Karen Singer-Freeman, George Washington University
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Beginner
Primary Topic: Grand Challenges in Assessment / Strategy and Planning 

Decoding Psychometrics: How to Enhance MCQ Exam Quality through Effective Item Analysis
This session is designed to empower assessment professionals with the skills to analyze key psychometric data and enhance the quality of multiple-choice questions (MCQs).  It addresses the challenges faced by those without a background in educational research and dispels the myth that only subject matter experts can provide valuable insights.  Attendees will learn to identify crucial metrics, interpret psychometric data, and make informed recommendations for item revisions.  The session includes a step-by-step method for item review, real-world examples, and an activity to apply new knowledge.  Participants will leave with best practices and actionable strategies to improve MCQs at their institution.
Sarah A. McCauley and Kelly McCarthy, University of South Florida
Presentation Type: Rise-and-Shine 20-Minute Session
Audience Level: Beginner
Primary Topic: Grand Challenges in Assessment / Analytics and Metrics 

Grand Challenges in Assessment in Higher Education: Using Assessment Findings to Update Pedagogical Practices
This session will address the grand challenge of bridging the gap between assessment and instruction by exploring actionable strategies for using assessment findings to refine and improve pedagogical approaches. This presentation will begin with an overview of how to properly align student learning outcomes and course activities to ensure the learning we intend is happening in the classroom. Presenters will provide a concise framework for aligning course activities with learning outcomes. By the end of the session, participants will be able to align assessments with learning outcomes, utilize assessment strategies, and adapt teaching practices to improve student learning outcomes.
Jessica N. Taylor, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga; Chad Bebee, University of Northern Colorado; Yan Cooksey, Southern Methodist University; Jarek Janio, Santa Ana College; and Mary Thompson, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Presentation Type: Rise-and-Shine 20-Minute Session
Audience Level: Beginner
Primary Topic: Grand Challenges in Assessment / Assessment Methods 

Grand Challenges in Assessment: Co-Curricular Learning and Agency
In today's rapidly evolving educational landscape, the value of higher education is increasingly scrutinized. With the rise of non-academic digital credentialing, higher education institutions must enhance traditional academic offerings to remain relevant and impactful. One critical component of this robust educational experience is the integration of co-curricular activities which encompass a wide range of experiences integral to the holistic development of students. These activities provide students with agency and structure, fostering essential skills that complement their academic learning. This session will address the themes of agency and structure in the co-curricular space and how they improve students’ metacognition and self-efficacy.
Chadia Abras, Johns Hopkins University; Chandler Harriss, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga; Colin Suchland, Lincoln Land Community College; Mary Thompson, University of Wisconsin-Madison; and Brianne Lauka, Towson University
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Grand Challenges in Assessment / Learning Improvement 

Grand Challenges: Integration of Rapid Pedagogical Improvements through Assessment Practices
This presentation explores the integration of Rapid Pedagogical Improvements through effective assessment practices. It examines various assessment strategies, including diagnostic, formative, and summative assessments, alongside authentic and data-driven approaches. By defining Rapid Pedagogical Improvement, the presentation highlights the importance of agility in teaching practices and the continuous cycle of feedback and adjustment. Just-in-time teaching is presented as a precursor to Rapid Pedagogical Improvement. Additionally, critique of current assessment methods, including challenges and limitations, is addressed. Research questions focus on whether assessment practices facilitate rapid pedagogical change. The session concludes with discussions on methodologies, limitations, and future directions.
Chadia Abras, Johns Hopkins University; and Jessica Taylor, University of Tennessee, Chattanooga
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Grand Challenges in Assessment / Emerging Trends in Assessment 

New Directions in Innovation: Creating Successful Student Partnerships in Assessment
The Grand Challenges Innovation Group explores trends in assessment and strives for opportunities leading to both student success and institutional effectiveness, particularly those resulting in institution-wide change. Through formal and informal leadership in assessment this year, this group identified significant success in student-led initiatives. This presentation shares successes with student partnerships and engagement such as a student learning analyst assessment program, an Honors project focusing on assessment with Quality Matters implementation, and strategies that led to impact at scale for campus-wide change.
Amy J. Heston, Walsh University; and Jessica Turos, Bowling Green State University
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Beginner
Primary Topic: Grand Challenges in Assessment / Student Partnership and Engagement in Assessment 

Pushing Boulders: Exploring the Barriers to Conducting Equity Informed Assessment
In the quest for equitable student success, assessment professionals from higher education and supporting organizations face a myriad of challenges. As part of the Grand Challenges in Assessment Project, twenty-four leaders in equity-informed assessment practices were interviewed to share their experiences. They revealed the internal and external barriers they navigate daily, from mental stress and isolation to structural obstacles. These professionals are on the front lines, striving to ensure all students have equal access and outcomes, despite the uphill battle against entrenched resistance and apathy. Their stories highlight the resilience and dedication required to push for meaningful change.
Beth K. Janetski and Mary Thompson, University of Wisconsin-Madison; Julene Jones, University of Kentucky; and Sarah Wu, Georgia Institute of Technology
Presentation Type: Poster Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Grand Challenges in Assessment / Inclusive Environments 

Successfully Reframing Equity Work Due to Macro and Micro Pressures
The Grand Challenges Project supports global collaborations informing equitable and evidence-informed practices for higher education assessment practitioners. The Grand Challenge’s Equity Action Makers Team conducted twenty interviews in 2023/2024 with assessment professionals across higher education. Several participants explained that they have adjusted their approach to equity work to successfully complete their projects or achieve their goals. They did this in response to various macro and micro influences, such as recognizing their own positionality, meeting grant funding requirements, dealing with institutional financial or cultural pressures, navigating political pressures outside their influence, or fostering supportive networks of practitioners.
Julene L. Jones, Mary Thompson and Beth Janetski, University of Wisconsin-Madison; and Sarah Wu, Georgia Tech
Presentation Type: Poster Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Grand Challenges in Assessment / Emerging Trends in Assessment 

Unwrapping the Literature on the Impact of Exam Wrappers
Our literature review indicates exam wrappers (N = 30) are a promising instructional intervention, leading to improvements in students’ metacognition, self-regulated learning, and academic achievement. Exam wrappers have been structured in many ways (which poses meta-analysis constraints) but are often reflection prompt assignments given pre- and post-testing to encourage more effective preparation methods (predominately in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math courses). Our recent review provides implications for both instruction and assessment scholarship. For example, explicit metacognitive instruction is indicated as a co-requisite to exam wrapper implementation for consistent, measurable learning gains.
Heather T. D. Maness, University of Florida; and Deborah Hutson, Kutztown University
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Beginner
Primary Topic: Grand Challenges in Assessment / STEM Education 

Visualize to Realize: Enhancing Assessment with Data Visualization Tools
Discover the power of our new Data Visualization Toolkit! This comprehensive resource equips assessment professionals with the tools and knowledge needed to create impactful data visualizations that drive data-informed decision-making. Each section of the toolkit offers an overview of key concepts and practical tips for every phase of the data visualization process. Learn how to select the right tools, customize visualizations for different stakeholders, and transform data into compelling narratives. Join us to explore best practices, avoid common pitfalls, and enhance your data storytelling skills. Unlock insights and guide innovation with our Data Visualization Toolkit!
Rebecca A. Croxton, Colorado State University; Edward Ofori, Ohio Northern University; and Ryan Smith, Illinois State University
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Beginner
Primary Topic: Grand Challenges in Assessment / Use of Technologies in Assessment

An Institutional Assessment Framework for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs)
Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) serve an essential and necessary role in the lives of Black Americans, providing an environment where Black Americans can comfortably and safely evolve physically, mentally, emotionally, and even spiritually. In order to remain sustainable, HBCUs must maintain good standing with institutional accreditors. One of the key elements of accreditation is the establishment of a culture of assessment, which is directly connected to institutional effectiveness. This session will discuss a model of assessment that HBCUs can install at each level of the organization and increase the likelihood of maintaining good standing with institutional accreditors.
Michael Self Sr., Wilberforce University; and Kendra Self, St. Cloud State University
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: HBCU Collaborative for Excellence in Educational Quality Assurance (HBCU‑CEEQA) / Leadership for Assessment 

Maximizing Impact: How Accreditation and Assessment Work Together for Institutional Success
This session explores Morehouse School of Medicine’s (MSM) approach to bridging institutional accreditation requirements with program-level assessment. Using scenarios from MSM’s ARC-PA, CEPH, LCME, and SACSCOC accreditation efforts, we demonstrate strategies for aligning assessment practices across health professions programs to drive continuous improvement. Attendees will gain insights into integrating institutional priorities with program-specific needs, fostering a data-driven culture, and leveraging assessment results for strategic planning. This session is ideal for assessment professionals, accreditation leaders, and faculty seeking practical strategies to enhance accreditation alignment and institutional effectiveness while promoting sustainable assessment practices.
Brandi N. Newkirk and Beatrice Porter, Morehouse School of Medicine
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: HBCU Collaborative for Excellence in Educational Quality Assurance (HBCU‑CEEQA) / Accreditation

Note: The HIPs in the States/High-Impact Practices topic includes the following subtopics: Capstone Courses and Projects, Collaborative Assignments and Projects, Common Intellectual Experiences, Diversity/Global Learning, ePortfolios, First-Year Seminars and Experiences, Internships, Learning Communities, Service Learning and Community-Based Learning, Undergraduate Research, and Writing-Intensive Courses.

Advice and Insights: Story of an Interdisciplinary Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) Research Team
Assessment Institute participants’ roles vary, but some things stay the same: a passion for data and improving student experiences. To help you lean into these passions, this session will share insights and practical tips for furthering your Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) research endeavors. Join us to hear about our 5-year research journey as an unlikely interdisciplinary SoTL research team made up of both faculty and staff. We’ll share our story and strategies for building a research team, co-writing, retreats, using technology, building a research pipeline, and becoming a scholarly practitioner as a staff member.
Kathryn J. Marten and Heather Kaminski, University of Wisconsin-Green Bay; and Dianne Murphy, Marquette University
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Beginner
Primary Topic: HIPs in the State/High-Impact Practices 

Applying the HIPs Spectrum: New Research Questions and Insights for Enhanced Student Success
Our research team has presented the HIPs Spectrum for the past two Assessment Institutes, and we are excited to bring you our most recent research developments. In this session, we will briefly describe the HIPs Spectrum taxonomy, which uses HIP universal elements to classify courses along a spectrum of engagement and intensity. We will then explore a variety of research questions and recent data analysis around effects of HIPs on transfer students, the ideal timing and quantity of HIPs, and course modality. We hope that these new research developments spark ideas for further research among participants.
Heather L.Kaminski and Kathryn Marten, University of Wisconsin - Green Bay; and Dianne Murphy, Marquette University
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: HIPs in the State/High-Impact Practices 

Assessing a Community College Undergraduate Research Program Using Randomized Controlled Trial
Our goal was to increase STEM persistence by supporting mentored undergraduate research as a model for institutional change in community colleges. This was measured using a randomized controlled trial, quantitative and qualitative metrics. Of those that applied, 50 students were randomly selected to participate in the program. Marketing and programmatic structure emphasized paid internships, no GPA requirement, and showcasing our own participants. Conclusions: Program participants displayed statistically significant increases in retention and credits completed and self-reported statistically significant increases in transfer confidence, scientific literacy, comfort with STEM research, and STEM career awareness.
Jackie T. Swanik, Wake Technical Community College
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: HIPs in the State/High-Impact Practices 

Assessing the Doctoral Capstone as a High-Impact Practice in Occupational Therapy Education
The purpose of this study was to assess the doctoral capstone as a high-impact practice in occupational therapy education. By analyzing the perceptions of Occupational Therapy Doctorate graduates, site mentors, and faculty mentors using the eight key indicators of a high-impact practice, the researcher sought to understand the value and impact of the doctoral capstone experience. A single case study design was used to survey graduates, faculty mentors, and site mentors who participated in the doctoral capstone from 2017-2024. Using a generic qualitative research approach to investigate the research questions, the researcher utilized both survey questionnaire data and interview data to further evaluate the doctoral capstone as a high-impact practice.
Erin Pemberton Melhorn, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
Presentation Type: Rise-and-Shine 20-Minute Session
Audience Level: Beginner
Primary Topic: HIPs in the State/High-Impact Practices 

Becoming Competitive Graduate School Applicants: Showcasing HIPs and Undergraduate Experiences
The University of Central Florida's (UCF) ePortfolio Program, launched by the Office of Academic Advancement Programs (AAP), aims to enhance students' portfolios as they prepare to apply for graduate or professional school. Whether applying for master's, doctoral, law, or medical programs, an ePortfolio showcasing engagement in High-Impact Practices (HIPs) increases students’ visibility and enhances their competitiveness. The initiative was piloted with students from various majors using the Course Networking platform, a resource that helps students identify key academic and professional areas to highlight. The platform also serves as a networking tool and offers a way to track students’ progress throughout their undergraduate journey. Join us to learn more about UCF's ePortfolio Program, its successes, and future directions!
Rocio Tonos and Heba Akbar, University of Central Florida
Presentation Type: Poster Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: HIPs in the States/High-Impact Practices

Building High-Impact Undergraduate Research through Triple Helix Partnerships
Ready to transform how your institution connects with industry and government to create undergraduate research experiences? This session introduces a framework to help Emerging Research Institutions (ERIs) and smaller universities assess their readiness and build a centralized, faculty-driven Collaboratory for Triple Helix partnerships. Developed through a National Science Foundation planning grant at Valparaiso University, this model empowers campuses to scale High-Impact Practices and drive regional growth. Discover how to break silos, streamline partnerships, and create regional impact.
Marie Foster-Bruns, Valparaiso University
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: HIPs in the State/High-Impact Practices 

Building Research Partnerships to Study High-Impact Practices
The scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL) is a dynamic field emphasizing research and evidence-based practices to improve educational outcomes. High-impact practices (HIPs), such as undergraduate research, service learning, and internships, enhance student engagement and learning. By applying SoTL principles to HIPs, educators ensure these practices are effective and grounded in research. At the 2024 Assessment Institute, we reviewed recent scholarship, identified gaps, and explored future scholarly opportunities. We continue this work in this session by engaging attendees in research designs and plans focused on the assessment of faculty/staff professional development, scaling HIPs, and student engagement at 2-year and 4-year institutions.
Jerry Daday, Indiana University Indianapolis; Jocelyn Evans, University of West Florida; Sara Evans, Kennesaw State University; and Jillian Kinzie, Indiana University Bloomington
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: HIPs in the State/High-Impact Practices 

Data-Driven Success: Optimizing the Assessment of HIPs with Artificial Intelligence (AI)
A small university evaluated the inclusion of High-Impact Practices (HIPs) in program assessment plans, revealing that most assessed internships or field experiences. To enhance the evaluation of HIPs, a pilot project explored AI applications to improve chemistry internships. The study measured HIP assessment across graduate and undergraduate programs and implemented AI-driven action items to refine the internship process. This session will share these improvements and discuss how evaluating HIP integration in program assessment generates clarity for continuous improvement initiatives. Participants will gain insights into AI’s potential to strengthen internship assessment, student engagement, and career readiness.
Ute S. Lahaie and Amy Heston, Walsh University
Presentation Type: Rise-and-Shine 20-Minute Session
Audience Level: Beginner
Primary Topic: HIPs in the State/High-Impact Practices 

Enhance, Engage, Elevate: The Value Proposition of ePortfolios for Students, Faculty, and Institutions
The integration of ePortfolios in higher education has emerged as a powerful tool for assessing student learning outcomes, fostering reflective practice, and documenting competencies across various disciplines. This presentation will share insights and outcomes from a grant-funded initiative to integrate ePortfolios in the first new undergraduate BS degree approved at IU Indianapolis (Fall 2024). Capturing learning outcomes data at three curriculum points helps track progress and improve educational strategies. For institutions, gathering student feedback on demonstrating learning outcomes ensures alignment with student needs and enhances the overall educational experience, preparing graduates effectively for their futures.
Elizabeth K. Wager, Indiana University Indianapolis
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: HIPs in the State/High-Impact Practices 

ePortfolios = Accountability: Real World Audiences Help Students Create and Curate Stronger Work; Real World Audiences Help Faculty Create Better Assignments
Eight in ten employers say ePortfolios are a window into job applicants’ career readiness (AAC&U, 2023). A subsequent Insider Higher Education article suggested that ePortfolios are the new transcript: transcripts are good, but “ePortfolios are better.” And, the value of ePortfolios [when done well] as a High-Impact Practice are well documented. Still, some faculty are reluctant to integrate ePortfolios into their courses. When students do create portfolios, professors are reluctant to require students to make them public. This session explores published ePortfolios to motivate stronger student work. Hear student voices and faculty insights on ways public-facing ePortfolios enhance learning.
Debbie Oesch-Minor, Tara Callahan, and Maddie Davila, Indiana University Indianapolis; and Olivia Bradford, Indiana University Indianapolis Alumni
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: HIPs in the State/High-Impact Practices 

Exploring the Demographics and Graduation Rates Associated with Student Participation in Multiple Experiential Learning High-Impact Courses
Presenters in this session will review data from a longitudinal study at Middle Tennessee State University exploring the relationship between the number of experiential learning (EXL) courses taken and student graduation likelihood analyzing demographic factors such as race, sex, and age. Faculty, well versed in Experiential Learning (EXL) pedagogy, will then explain how their courses contribute to student success and graduation rates at Middle Tennessee State University. Faculty members will highlight examples of high-impact teaching practices they incorporate, such as collaborative assignments, capstone projects, internships and community-based learning opportunities in their courses.
Carol Swayze, Odie Blackmon, Janet McCormick, and Jim Rost, Middle Tennessee State University
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: HIPs in the State/High-Impact Practices 

First-Year Experience Integrated Assessment: Supporting Thriving Students through Cross-Divisional Programming Assessment
California State University, Dominguez Hills has conducted an integrated assessment of its First-Year Experience, grounded in cross-divisional partnership that extended to the FYE redesign to improve engaged learning, sense of belonging and community, student success, graduation, and to close equity gaps. In this session, we will present the practices, tools, and a roadmap for adoption of the integrated assessment that can be used by any institution to assess multi-program/unit, and/or cross-divisional initiatives. We will share our assessment plan, methods, and data on the First-Year Seminar and our newest First-Year learning communities, and we’ll discuss the implications for scaling these HIPs.
Michele Dunbar and Marisol Cardenas, California State University, Dominguez Hills
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Beginner
Primary Topic: HIPs in the State/High-Impact Practices 

From Theory to Practice: Applying Propensity Score Matching in R to Evaluate the Effects of High-Impact Practices (HIPs) on Student Outcomes
This workshop provides an interactive learning environment focused on evaluating High-Impact Practices (HIPs) in higher education through advanced statistical methodologies. Given that conducting Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs) is not feasible in higher education settings due to the lack of control over who enrolls in HIPs, a quasi-experimental approach is recommended. Participants will explore the use of the Propensity Score Matching (PSM) package in R to match data based on HIP enrollment and create a control group of students who are similar to those who participated in HIPs. This process allows for studying the causal effect of HIP participation on student outcomes, such as retention, using further analysis methods like logistic regression. By utilizing R, attendees will engage in hands-on activities to analyze sample datasets, applying PSM to control for selection bias and employing logistic regression to build predictive models. The workshop aims to equip educators and researchers with practical tools to enhance their understanding of HIP effectiveness, ultimately informing data-driven decision-making to improve student success. Through a combination of theoretical discussions, guided exercises, and group collaboration, participants will gain the skills necessary to apply these methods in their own institutional contexts. Note: Participants will need to bring their own laptop to the workshop and will be required to download the free version of R and R-Studio prior to the workshop. More information and instructions will be communicated to registered participants prior to the start of the Institute.
Alaa Alsarhan, Utah Valley University
Presentation Type: Pre-Institute Workshop
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: HIPs in the State/High-Impact Practices 

HIPs Student Panel: Evolution from Intern to Behind-the-Scenes Support of an Internship Program
Hear directly about high-impact practices from our students: Learn about the Life-Health Sciences Internship (LHSI) Program at Indiana University Indianapolis. This highly regarded program connects and supports undergraduates as they complete year-long internships with faculty on campus and has recently expanded from 75 to 125 interns. This session features student ambassadors sharing their experience both as interns and working behind the scenes as ambassadors. These students have seen both sides of the intern experience and are a key component to feedback and assessment of intern learning. They provided invaluable insight and support as we expanded the program.
Daniel Keim and Brandi Gilbert, Indiana University Indianapolis
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Beginner
Primary Topic: HIPs in the State/High-Impact Practices

Incorporating Community-Engaged High-Impact Practices into Interior Architecture Curriculum: Exploring Design Theories for Transitional Needs
This in-class charette engages interior architecture students in high-impact practices by applying design theories to real-world scenarios involving individuals transitioning from challenging life circumstances. Through collaborative analysis and the application of design principles, students developed practical, sustainable, and human-centered solutions, enhancing their learning experience and societal impact.
Kristi Julian, Middle Tennessee State University
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Beginner
Primary Topic: HIPs in the State/High-Impact Practices 

Integrating ePortfolios: 2024-2025 Study of 25 Faculty as they Integrated ePortfolios into a Course
In 2024, Indiana University Indianapolis awarded 25 ePortfolio Integration Grants to faculty from eight schools and 15 departments. The grant included funding to support participation in summer workshops, attend fall/spring Community of Practice Zooms, engaged students with pre/post surveys, and document faculty successes and challenges in a grant-focused ePortfolio. Join our session as we share raw data, statistically relevant findings, student stories, and faculty voices. You will get access to the complete grant ePortfolio which includes recordings from summer workshops, access to assessment rubrics, an ePortfolio taxonomy, survey outcomes from 500+ students, and faculty reflections on their experiences.
Debbie Oesch-Minor and Sophie Carrison, Indiana University Indianapolis
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Advanced
Primary Topic: HIPs in the State/High-Impact Practices 

Intercultural Orientation and Exchange Among Global Tourism Students
By participating in the Indiana University Virtual Global Learning Fellowship, I partner with an instructor in Conception, Chile. We created a collaborative online international learning experience (COIL) between her Chilean students and my students at Indiana University-Indianapolis. Our objectives for this exchange included collaborating cross-culturally, applying tourism-related topics in synchronous online meetings, and meeting Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4 to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education throughout the experience. Meetings included introductions, exchange of information, and final presentations. Through this inclusive course design, students worked cross-culturally to produce a final infographic representing a tour package while reflecting on personal growth and cultural understanding.
Amy M. Johnson, Indiana University Indianapolis
Presentation Type: Rise-and-Shine 20-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: HIPs in the State/High-Impact Practices 

Rubrics for Virtual Global Learning: Icebreakers and Beyond
To democratize global learning, universities are leveraging virtual experiences that connect students worldwide. This session explores the presenters' newly designed rubrics for Intercultural and Global Learning, which are based on the AAC&U's VALUE rubrics. The rubrics apply to learning goals for Intercultural Knowledge, Intercultural Exchange, Global Self-Awareness, and Global Competence. These tailored rubrics are useful not just to evaluate student learning, but also to create assignments that go beyond icebreakers.  The presenters will share the results of their piloted use at IU Indianapolis by faculty participating in the Virtual Global Learning fellowship program.
Kimmaree Murday, Indiana University Bloomington; and Douglas Jerolimov, Indiana University Indianapolis
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Beginner
Primary Topic: HIPs in the State/High-Impact Practices 

Shifting Institutional Culture through Assessment: The CLAS Voyage Student Experiences and Perceptions Survey
Across higher education, institutions struggle with limited resources and siloed information. In this presentation, we will discuss our efforts in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at Grand Valley State University to foster collaboration and shift institutional culture through a student survey focused on belonging, perceptions of embedded peer support, and the eight elements of high-impact practices. We will discuss our process of collaborating with campus partners to create the survey, what we have learned from the survey, insights gained from instructor focus groups, and how these insights have shaped professional development.
Bradford M. Dykes, Rachel Campbell, and Janet Vigna, Grand Valley State University
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: HIPs in the State/High-Impact Practices 

Streamlining Assessment Practices: from ePortfolios to Accreditation Reports
Do you have trouble extracting quantitative data from ePortfolios across a cohort to populate accreditation reports? If so, then please join us as we demonstrate our solution to this problem. ePortfolios are an HIP and provide qualitative anecdotes to accreditation inspectors, but ... it can be difficult to report quantitative ePortfolio data for accreditation. In this talk we describe the use of technology at our school to automate part of the ePortfolio reporting process employing: awk, bash, Python, sed.
Clifton Morrow and Syed Neyaz Ahmed, Taylor Business Institute
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: HIPs in the State/High-Impact Practices 

The Presence (or lack thereof) of HIPs Research in Discipline-Specific Journals
Is HIPs research reaching its full intended audience? Faculty who read their discipline’s journals may be missing out on important pedagogical tools of the HIPs framework if HIPs are not represented in their field. In this session, we analyze the presence (or lack thereof) of HIPs articles in top discipline-specific journals to identify the gaps in the literature, and areas where HIPs research could add to current teaching best practices conversations.
Dianne D. Murphy, Marquette University; Heather Kaminski, and Kathryn Marten, University of Wisconsin-Green Bay
Presentation Type: Rise-and-Shine 20-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: HIPs in the State/High-Impact Practices 

The Scholar’s Academy: A Framework for Designing, Implementing, and Publishing High-Impact Practices
High-Impact Practices (HIPs) are transformative teaching strategies that have been widely recognized for their effectiveness in enhancing student learning, engagement, retention, and success across various educational settings. The HIPs in the States track invites educators, researchers, and practitioners to explore the multifaceted dimensions of HIPs, emphasizing evidence-based assessment, program quality, equitable access, and the impact on student success. This workshop is a comprehensive half-day session aimed at equipping participants with the skills and resources necessary to implement a HIP project and produce scholarship from it. Through discussion and facilitated application related to designing, implementing, assessing, and publishing on a high-impact practice, this workshop culminates in a ready-to-use "project in a box" for participants to take home from the conference. This experience is aimed at those who have some foundational knowledge of HIPs and their design and implementation. Note: There is also a morning Scholar’s Academy workshop, facilitated by Organizers of the Assessment Institute and Editors from such publications as Assessment Update, Research & Practice in Assessment, and the Journal of Student Affairs Inquiry, Improvement, and Impact.
Sara Evans, Kennesaw State University; and Jocelyn Evans, University of West Florida
Presentation Type: Pre-Institute Workshop
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: HIPs in the State/High-Impact Practices 

The Updated Indiana University Indianapolis Taxonomy for Service Learning Courses
Service learning has long been recognized as an HIP that enriches students' academic experiences while making meaningful contributions to communities. This session will introduce the updated “IU Indianapolis Taxonomy for Service Learning Courses” to demonstrate its potential to improve service learning practices across disciplines, foster better student and community outcomes, and enhance institutional research and development.  A video of a service learning project at IU Indianapolis will be shared with attendees who will then have the opportunity to apply the taxonomy to evaluate this example. Attendees will have the opportunity to plan their own service learning course using the taxonomy.
Charity Bishop, Lorrie Brown, Jerry Daday, and Tom Hahn, Indiana University Indianapolis
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: HIPs in the State/High-Impact Practices 

University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UTK) Goes Global! Strategies for Measuring Student Global Leadership Development and Sense of Belonging
This session introduces an assessment team’s approach to evaluating cultural immersion experiences at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Our strategy integrates formative and summative assessment with quantitative and qualitative methods to assess student growth across key program pillars: leadership, service, cultural competence, community engagement, and reflective practice. The model employs surveys, interactive activities, focus groups, and rubrics to measure development and self-reflection, capturing immediate learning outcomes and long-term impacts on academics, career aspirations, and a sense of belonging. Participants will gain practical strategies for designing assessment plans that align with program objectives and institutional priorities in global education.
Shiloh Lovette, Jalen Blue, Lamar Bryant, Janelle Coleman, María Martínez Weiss, and Urmila Pandey, University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: HIPs in the State/High-Impact Practices

Advancing Liberation through Assessment
Higher education is broken. The system, built almost 400 years ago to educate white, wealthy men, has continued to perpetuate oppression, resulting in inequities throughout society. Today, it is under attack and being punished for its efforts to course correct and serve those previously shut out. To address these systemic oppressive forces, higher education needs to be reimagined. Assessment provides one vehicle for doing so. Assessment can advance liberation by interrogating how educational structures preserve the status quo and identifying strategies/opportunities for systemic change. In this session, presenters will describe suggested approaches for liberation across various assessment contexts.
Divya Bheda, Santa Clara University; Gavin Henning, New England College; and Anne Lundquist, The Hope Center at Temple University
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Inclusive Environments 

Assessing Campus Environments to Support and Retain Diverse Educators
Higher education institutions prioritize student diversity but struggle to hire, support, and retain diverse educators, including faculty, student affairs professionals, and other student-facing staff. Political attacks on DEI initiatives exacerbate workplace stress, burnout, and inequities. Climate studies often focus on students or faculty, rarely addressing student-facing staff, leaving gaps in understanding needed supports. This session presents a framework for assessing institutional environments for educators broadly, drawing on a multi-institution study. Participants will discuss current institutional supports, apply the framework to their contexts, and develop strategies to foster inclusive environments. Attendees will gain practical tools to assess and improve educator environments.
Allison BrckaLorenz and Steven Feldman, Indiana University Bloomington; and Emily Braught, Indiana University Indianapolis
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Inclusive Environments 

Courageous Assessment: Centering Student and Organizational Success in Complex Times
In today’s evolving landscape, assessment professionals must navigate complex challenges while upholding integrity. Equity-minded assessment is essential, yet it now requires more courage than ever. This session explores how professionals can adopt a courageous approach that makes equitable, actionable practice a shared responsibility. It will address fostering relationships, political astuteness, and confidence to ensure assessment remains a tool for learning, improvement, and progress. Through discussion and reflection, participants will gain a deeper understanding of engaging in assessment with courage and leave with practical strategies for leading this work in their own contexts.
Erick Montenegro, Insightful Conexión; and Ciji Heiser, Co-Creating Action
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Inclusive Environments 

Data for All: Creating Effective and Accessible Visualizations for Everyone
Making informed decisions based on data is key to effective assessment. However, not all data is presented in a way that is accessible to everyone. During this session participants will learn how to develop high quality charts and graphs that are ADA compliant. Participants will learn basic principles of graphical excellence such as, distortion, chart junk, and data-to-ink ratio. Participants will also learn about principles from the US Access Board for developing PPT presentations, Excel spreadsheets, and PDFs that are in compliance with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act. Practice opportunities and question-and-answer sessions are embedded throughout the workshop.
Daniel J. Trujillo, Harrison College of Pharmacy - Auburn University; Jeff Barbee, The Ohio State University; and Ramya Kumaran, University of Illinois
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Beginner
Primary Topic: Inclusive Environments 

Designing Inclusive and Interactive Online Courses: Integrating Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) to Advance Equity for Students with Disabilities
This presentation explores the integration of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles and AI technologies to enhance online education accessibility, engagement, and equity, particularly for students with disabilities. Participants will learn how to apply flexible, inclusive instructional practices, use assistive technologies, and develop adaptive content. By utilizing AI-driven tools such as intelligent tutoring systems, adaptive learning platforms, and natural language processing, educators can create personalized learning experiences and automate accessibility features in real-time. The session will provide strategies for incorporating multimedia and interactive elements, while addressing legal compliance and designing courses that support diverse learners effectively.
Samantha Wolfe-Taylor, Christian Deck, and Virgil Gregory, Indiana University School of Social Work
Presentation Type: Rise-and-Shine 20-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Inclusive Environments 

Empowering Marginalized Communities through Restorative Justice and Social Emotional Learning
This session will emphasize the importance of Social Emotional Learning skills in helping these communities break cycles of harm and build healthier relationships. Immigrant and refugee communities often face both pre-existing trauma and new challenges when they arrive in a new country. Many lack the language and emotional tools to recognize, cope with, or disrupt harmful patterns of behavior.
Komal Chohan, Zara Consulting Group and Franklin College
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Inclusive Environments 

Engaged Collaboration: A Nonviolent Approach
Nonviolence in education is a concept that calls for relationality within oneself, with others, and with the world. Students, faculty, and staff in higher education may experience invisible violence in various forms, such as communication barriers, issues of workload, divergent ways of collaboration, or intensity of multiple assignment deadlines. The presentation will discuss the approach of nonviolence that seeks to normalize differences, promote self-cultivation and build organic relationality.
Joyce Crawford, Oklahoma State University
Presentation Type: Rise-and-Shine 20-Minute Session
Audience Level: Beginner
Primary Topic: Inclusive Environments 

Equity-Centered Data Visualization: Design Choices That Matter
Data visualization is an important part of the work of assessment professionals, yet common practices can perpetuate biases through design choices, color schemes, labeling, and accessibility barriers. This session explores strategies and provides resources for creating and identifying equity-centered visualizations that prioritize inclusivity and justice.
Laura Lambert, James Madison University; and Joanna Boeing, Bridgewater State University
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Inclusive Environments 

Examining Campus Community and Sense of Belonging for Diverse Students
How do students perceive campus community? Do students feel a sense of belonging on campus? This program shares a study that examines campus climate and sense of belonging for diverse students. The study found that minority students and international students were less satisfied with their overall academic experience and social experience. Under-represented students reported lower sense of belonging, perceived the campus community to be less inclusive, and felt less respect for their identities on campus.
Yanmei Zhang, Georgia Institute of Technology, Yiyun Jie, Virginia Commonwealth University, and Jie Zhang, Purdue University
Presentation Type: Rise-and-Shine 20-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Inclusive Environments 

From Feedback to Action: Evaluating Antiracism Diversity Equity and Inclusion (ADEI) in Social Work
The proposed presentation will provide participants with a framework for understanding assessment of antiracism diversity equity and inclusion (ADEI) at the Grand Valley School of Social Work. The presentation will include a discussion of developing an assessment model for ADEI to administer to our students through surveys and focus groups. Additionally, presenters will discuss how this process aligns with accreditation activities in social work education. The presentation will include insights about ADEI activities and efforts in the context of our current educational settings. The presentation will conclude with findings and how the social work department has made changes based on the results.
Scott J. Berlin, Alyssa Beil, and Jamie Langlois, Grand Valley State University - School of Social Work
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Inclusive Environments 

Just What is Equity and What is it Doing in a Nice Field Like Assessment
This presentation outlines a literature review on equity and assessment, drawing from the article Making a Grand Contribution: Professional Development Resources for Leveraging Assessment Data to Advance Equity. The review will explore how assessment practices can promote equity, identifying professional development strategies that support equitable data use in higher education. The findings will inform institutional leaders, faculty, and assessment professionals on embedding equity within assessment processes. This session will engage participants in discussions about the history of equity in assessment and its current uses, equipping them with tools to advance equitable assessment practices and institutional change.
Glenn Allen Phillips, Watermark Insights; Ciji Heiser, Co-Creating Actions; Julene Jones, University of Kentucky; George Sill, California State University-Fresno; Felicia Ramirez, Paradise Valley Community College; Janette Schumacher, West Chester University; and Jaena Manson, Rosalind Franklin University
Presentation Type: Rise-and-Shine 20-Minute Session
Audience Level: Beginner
Primary Topic: Inclusive Environments 

Practical Strategies and Tools to Enhance Equity in Outcomes Assessment
Diversity, equity, and inclusion are under attack in many states despite the disparate educational outcomes by ethnicity and gender. Integrating equity into the assessment process allows one to address equity gaps in a systemic way that may not trigger current state laws banning diversity, equity, and inclusion offices and initiatives. This session provides a foundation for equity-centered assessment and shares an equity-centered assessment rubric that can serve as a tool to guide and evaluate assessment plans.
Gavin Henning, New England College; Sara Finney and Riley Herr, James Madison University; and Anne Lundquist, The Hope Center at Temple University
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Inclusive Environments 

Pushing Boulders: Exploring the Barriers to Conducting Equity Informed Assessment
In the quest for equitable student success, assessment professionals from higher education and supporting organizations face a myriad of challenges. As part of the Grand Challenges in Assessment Project, twenty-four leaders in equity-informed assessment practices were interviewed to share their experiences. They revealed the internal and external barriers they navigate daily, from mental stress and isolation to structural obstacles. These professionals are on the front lines, striving to ensure all students have equal access and outcomes, despite the uphill battle against entrenched resistance and apathy. Their stories highlight the resilience and dedication required to push for meaningful change.
Beth K. Janetski and Mary Thompson, University of Wisconsin-Madison; Julene Jones, University of Kentucky; and Sarah Wu, Georgia Institute of Technology
Presentation Type: Poster Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Grand Challenges in Assessment / Inclusive Environments 

Students at the Center: Using Equity-Centered Assessment Approaches to Challenge the Status Quo
Challenging the status quo means not only interrogating and revising our own assessment practices but also ensuring that information is used to improve learning environments for all our students, faculty and staff. In this interactive workshop, participants will learn how to apply elements of Participatory Action Inquiry to engage in equity-centered assessment. We will use case studies to illustrate specific reflective and group activities we’ve designed to engage students and faculty in context-specific inquiry for the purpose of improving learning and learning environments. Bring your assessment challenges and questions, and together we’ll brainstorm about how these (and/or other) approaches can be adapted to keep students at the center.
Bethany Miller and Nancy Bostrom, Macalester College
Presentation Type: Pre-Institute Workshop
Audience Level: Beginner
Primary Topic: Inclusive Environments 

Who Counts? Crafting Inclusive Demographic Questions for Equity in Assessment
Assessment practitioners use demographic questions as a tool for disaggregating data to uncover disparities in experiences and outcomes across different groups and to support efforts to close achievement and opportunity gaps. This session will explore the impact of how we ask demographic questions. Participants will gain insights into why demographic questions matter, who they include or exclude, and how a more socially just approach can enhance understanding and promote student success. Through practical strategies and discussion, this session will empower attendees to design demographic questions that foster equity and inclusivity in assessment practices.
Joanna Z. Boeing, Bridgewater State University
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Inclusive Environments

Academic Engagement and Success: Insights from a Federally Funded Study Across Two Universities
This presentation explores academic engagement patterns, psychological factors, and definitions of success among students at two diverse public research universities. Funded by a federal grant to develop robust assessment tools, this study utilized the Student Academic Engagement and Success (SAES) survey, administered in Spring 2024. The findings highlight both commonalities and differences in students' goal management, learning support, concentration, and information-seeking behaviors. While students at both institutions reported challenges with distractions, they expressed strong confidence in locating and utilizing information effectively. These findings present opportunities for cross-campus collaboration to enhance student engagement and success.
Jung Mi Scoulas, University of Illinois Chicago
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Institution-Wide Data Collection/Use

Beyond the Numbers: Transforming Assessment Data into Compelling Stories
Assessment data is essential for institutional decision-making, but numbers alone don’t inspire action—stories do. This interactive workshop will explore how data storytelling bridges the gap between data and impact, making assessment results more accessible, engaging, and actionable. In this workshop, participants will craft evidence-based stories by framing problems, aligning evidence, building narratives, and storyboarding to engage audiences. Through real-world examples and practical strategies, attendees will develop a framework for integrating storytelling into assessment, including how to tailor narratives to different audiences, translate data into stories, incorporate narrative into visualizations, and present evidence in ways that drive engagement and decision-making. This workshop will provide participants with the confidence and tools needed to turn data into impactful stories that inform, persuade, and inspire action. Note: Participants will need to bring their own laptop/device to the workshop. More information and instructions will be communicated to registered participants prior to the start of the Institute.
Ryan Smith, Illinois State University; Becky Croxton; Colorado State University; and Kelly McCarthy, University of South Florida-Tampa Camps
Presentation Type: Pre-Institute Workshop
Audience Level: Beginner
Primary Topic: Institution-Wide Data Collection/Use 

Coordinating Mental Health Assessments Across the University of Tennessee (UT) System
This presentation outlines the coordinated mental health assessments implemented across five campuses of the University of Tennessee (UT) System under the leadership of the inaugural Chief Wellness Officer. The initiative, based on public health principles and the eight dimensions of health and wellness, aims to create a comprehensive view of student well-being. Methodologies include reviewing existing data, refining assessment tools, and engaging diverse stakeholders in decision-making. Analysis integrates qualitative and quantitative data to inform targeted interventions. The project highlights the importance of collaborative governance in enhancing mental health services, with potential to transform assessment practices and policies in higher education.
Sara E. Hall, University of Tennessee
Presentation Type: Poster Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Institution-Wide Data Collection/Use 

Engaging Stakeholders through Visual Data: A Guide to Effective Infographics
Visualizing data is a powerful tool for quickly and effectively communicating key insights to audiences. By transforming lengthy or complex information into easily digestible visuals, such as infographics, we can make data more accessible and impactful. Assessment professionals can leverage infographic design to engage stakeholders, delivering important information in a clear and consistent manner. In this presentation, we share our process for creating impactful infographics that help us connect with key campus partners, increase accessibility to data findings, and strengthen cross-campus relationships.
Denisse Avila, Dallas College
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Institution-Wide Data Collection/Use 

Enhancing Institutional Effectiveness with National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) Data: A Tailored Approach at Austin Peay State University
This poster session presents Austin Peay State University's innovative approach to leveraging NSSE data for institutional improvement. By aligning NSSE results with the university president’s strategic priorities and using AI to analyze open-ended comments, APSU is able to create targeted, actionable insights. This poster will demonstrate how this tailored approach enhances institutional effectiveness, guides strategic initiatives, and promotes continuous improvement in higher education.
Brandi L. Stroecker, Austin Peay State University
Presentation Type: Poster Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Institution-Wide Data Collection/Use 

From Collection to Connection: Leveraging First Destination Data through Collaborative Efforts
Auburn University assessment staff will share how the creation of a data working group helped enhance efforts with First-Destination Survey data collection, which has ultimately led to informed decision-making among the de-centralized college units around AU’s campus. This newly created group facilitates data sharing, fosters stakeholder engagement, and models the way for future university partnerships. Attend to learn how collaborative approaches to leveraging data can support student excellence and learn more about how a data working group like this can impact your campus.
Stuart A. Miller and Yvette Stone, Auburn University
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Beginner
Primary Topic: Institution-Wide Data Collection/Use 

Getting to the Data You Really Want: Engaging in Multi-Modal Data Collection
Combining varying forms of data collection can result in a more nuanced understanding of a population by engaging different audiences and avoiding fatigue often caused by repeated single-modal assessment. This session explores incorporating creative forms of assessment with conventional techniques to enhance participant engagement and increase the reliability of findings. We will discuss our recently developed tool that helps guide the selection of varied assessment activities, created through combining professional experience with extensive literature and educational resource searches. Attendees are invited to reflect on their current engagement with assessment and consider areas where their work could integrate unique assessment activities.
Ankita Gumaste, Meghan Bathgate, and Jennifer Claydon, Yale University, Poorvu Center for Teaching and Learning
Presentation Type: Rise-and-Shine 20-Minute Session
Audience Level: Beginner
Primary Topic: Institution-Wide Data Collection/Use 

Improving Data Consistency and Outcomes Assessment through Standardization
This presentation explores how data standardization can dramatically improve the efficiency of assessment processes. Using the example of transforming Handshake data in Tableau Prep, this session highlights the challenges of inconsistent data and the benefits of standardizing formats, field names, and calculations. The results of this initiative include significant time savings, reduced complexity, and increased reliability in outcomes assessment. This aligns with Wang and Strong’s (1996) Data Quality Framework, which emphasizes accuracy, consistency, completeness, and timeliness as critical dimensions for effective decision-making in assessment.
Serhan Ali Al-Serhan, Miami University - Nellie Craig Walker Hall
Presentation Type: Poster Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Institution-Wide Data Collection/Use 

Less Work, More Impact: Streamlining Assessment of Student Learning Practices
Adler University is undertaking a major initiative to enhance assessment practices, improve data quality, and reduce faculty workload. This session will explore the Advancing Excellence in Assessment initiative, which aims to work smarter, not harder, to foster data-informed continuous improvement of student learning.  Phase 1 was building the infrastructure for scalable data collection, aggregation, and visualization of assessment data leveraging existing technology.  Phase 2 is improving the quality of data being collected.  Participants will learn how revised assessment plans, faculty collaboration through an Institutional Effectiveness Committee, and strategic alignment with accreditation and program review can create meaningful improvements.
Katy Selinko, Adler University
Presentation Type: Rise-and-Shine 20-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Institution-Wide Data Collection/Use 

Navigating Challenges in Assessing the Engagement of Students in Prison: The Role of College-in-Prison Survey of Student Engagement (CIPSSE)
The recent approval of Pell Grant funding for students who are incarcerated has catalyzed the growth of college-in-prison (CIP) programs across the US. In response, the College-in-Prison Survey of Student Engagement (CIPSSE) was developed to collect valuable data, generate insightful reports, and assist program leaders with improvement efforts—especially in programs that face limited resources, administrative obstacles, and restrictive environments. Piloted in 2025 at six institutions across three states, CIPSSE aims to support these critical programs. In this session, we’ll discuss the challenges and opportunities in assessing the learning experiences of students in prison.
Ronald J. Davis, Allison BrckaLorenz, Robert Gonyea, Indiana University Bloomington; and Alesha Seroczynski, Holy Cross College at Norte Dame-Indiana
Presentation Type: Rise-and-Shine 20-Minute Session
Audience Level: Beginner
Primary Topic: Institution-Wide Data Collection/Use 

Ready, Set, Grow: Building a Robust Institutional Assessment Infrastructure
Pratt Institute has long embraced a strong culture of assessment, but like many institutions, these efforts were often confined to individual departments or programs. Now, we're taking the next step—building a cohesive, institution-wide assessment infrastructure that seamlessly bridges policy and practice. Join us as we share our journey and provide actionable strategies for implementing a comprehensive assessment process across the entire institution. Participants will leave with practical tools to cultivate a unified approach to assessment that drives continuous improvement, including training on and the effective use of a digital assessment platform.
Denise Shaver, Pratt Institute
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Institution-Wide Data Collection/Use 

Student Voice in Action: Engaging Stakeholders with the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) Quantitative and Qualitative Data
The National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) provides critical data on student academic and campus experiences and high-impact practices such as research, study abroad, internships, and service learning. However, institutions often struggle to translate rich data—particularly student comments—into actionable insights. This session explores a mixed-methods approach to NSSE data, integrating quantitative trends with qualitative insights from 4,939 student comments analyzed using ATLAS.ti. We will discuss the methodological rigor behind qualitative coding, data disaggregation, and strategies for mobilizing findings for institutional decision-making. Attendees will gain practical takeaways for leveraging NSSE data for student success initiatives and enhanced stakeholder engagement.
Elisa Sperandio and Kendra Thompson-Dyck, University of Arizona
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Institution-Wide Data Collection/Use 

The Even Bigger Picture: Meta-Assessment of Annual Learning Outcomes Assessment (LOA) Reporting Data
In this session, we will review the meta-assessment process employed by our office to evaluate annual learning outcomes assessment reporting results. Participants will be invited to discuss how our reporting and reviewing process compares with their own and what currently existing documentation they may be able to use to inform their own meta-analysis. We will share findings from our meta-analysis of two years of reporting data and how we plan to use this data to inform upcoming work to support the 500+ programs on our campus.
Wynonna Deenene Brewer, Katie Burr, and Juyoung Kim, University of Georgia
Presentation Type: Poster Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Institution-Wide Data Collection/Use 

Unlocking Insights: Leveraging Natural Language Processing (NLP) in Course Evaluations
Course evaluations are essential for improving teaching and learning, yet analyzing open-ended responses remains a challenge. This project leverages Natural Language Processing (NLP) to analyze 800,000+ longitudinal course evaluation comments at NJIT, transforming qualitative feedback into actionable insights. By automating analysis, the project enhances faculty development, improves student learning experiences, and establishes a new standard for qualitative data use in institutional decision-making. This innovative approach reinforces NJIT’s commitment to faculty excellence and continuous improvement, demonstrating how AI-driven analytics can maximize the impact of student feedback on teaching effectiveness and curriculum enhancement.
Yi Meng and Shivam Sarang, New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT)
Presentation Type: Rise-and-Shine 20-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Institution-Wide Data Collection/Use 

Utilizing Institutional Survey Data for Program Assessment
Attendees will gain comprehensive insights into the Illinois Chancellor's Senior Survey (CSS) and its alignment with the Illinois Campus-wide Student Learning Outcomes (ISLOs). The presentation will cover the characteristics of the CSS, the ISLOs, and their connection. Participants will learn about the program-level student learning outcomes assessment process at Illinois, distinguishing between direct and indirect evidence of student learning. The session will highlight how CSS data is utilized to evaluate student learning at the program level and discuss the applicability of this approach for other institutions. Attendees will reflect on adapting these practices to enhance their own assessment processes.
Linell Edwards, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Beginner
Primary Topic: Institution-Wide Data Collection/Use

An Institutional Assessment Framework for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs)
Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) serve an essential and necessary role in the lives of Black Americans, providing an environment where Black Americans can comfortably and safely evolve physically, mentally, emotionally, and even spiritually. In order to remain sustainable, HBCUs must maintain good standing with institutional accreditors. One of the key elements of accreditation is the establishment of a culture of assessment, which is directly connected to institutional effectiveness. This session will discuss a model of assessment that HBCUs can install at each level of the organization and increase the likelihood of maintaining good standing with institutional accreditors.
Michael Self Sr., Wilberforce University; and Kendra Self, St. Cloud State University
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: HBCU Collaborative for Excellence in Educational Quality Assurance (HBCU‑CEEQA) / Leadership for Assessment 

Assessment Alchemy: Turning Vision into Reality through Strategic Leadership
This session will explore the critical role of leadership in driving effective assessment practices. Participants will engage in interactive discussions and case studies to develop a deeper understanding of leadership strategies that enhance assessment processes. Theoretical foundations will be drawn from educational leadership and assessment theories, with a focus on practical application. The session will conclude with actionable insights and strategies for participants to implement in their institutions, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and accountability.
Brandy M. Barksdale, The University of Texas at San Antonio
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Leadership for Assessment 

Collaborative Inquiry into Teaching: A Journal Club Approach to Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL)
This panel highlights a faculty journal club centered on the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL). Participants with varying levels of SoTL expertise were engaged in reading and discussing research on teaching across disciplines. A diverse group of panelists will share how these readings have influenced their approach to course and program-level assessment, as well as their paths to promotion/tenure. While there is limited literature on journal clubs for SoTL educational development, they are offered as SoTL programming through teaching centers. This session will also explore emerging trends in SoTL and offer practical guidance for adopting similar professional learning models to support evidence-based teaching and assessment in diverse academic settings.
Carol Hostetter, Anusha S. Rao, and Richard Turner, Indiana University Indianapolis
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Leadership for Assessment 

Creating and Implementing a Sustainable Assessment Process: Practical Approaches for Harmonizing Accountability and Improvement
The fundamental purpose of assessment is to continually enhance student learning. However, in most educational institutions, the design and execution of assessments are predominantly tied to meeting external demands, such as regional and discipline-specific accreditations and state mandates. Unfortunately, this approach often relegates systematic improvements in student learning and program effectiveness to mere byproducts of the assessment process. In this workshop, we offer practical strategies for creating, implementing, and sustaining a systematic institutional assessment process. These strategies are geared toward fostering a culture of continuous improvement, particularly in light of the ongoing advancements in artificial intelligence, while also addressing compliance requirements.
Felix Wao, University of Oklahoma
Presentation Type: Pre-Institute Workshop
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Leadership for Assessment 

Designing a Comprehensive Assessment Plan for Equity-Centered Student Success
Student success is typically defined by GPA, retention, persistence, and career outcomes. To foster these outcomes, colleges and universities provide myriad support services. However, critical considerations such as basic needs, belonging, and self-efficacy are missing from this success equation, especially for minoritized students. In this workshop, presenters will share a framework conceptualizing the connection between prerequisites for success and outcomes that will guide participants through a process to develop a comprehensive assessment plan for equity-centered student success. Participants will leave with actionable strategies for assessing student success and its antecedents.
Gavin Henning, New England College; and Anne Lundquist, Temple University
Presentation Type: Pre-Institute Workshop
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Leadership for Assessment 

Examining Assessment Culture: A Leadership Framework for All
Engaging an organization in meaningful program learning outcomes assessment (PLO) requires expertise, vision, resources, etc., but often requires leadership to coordinate them. So, we ask: In what ways does leadership theory offer a lens by which we can examine our assessment cultures? This study applies the Four Frames of Leadership (Bolman and Deal, 2015) to the literature in a scoping review of peer-reviewed PLO assessment articles. The goal of this study is to establish a framework by which to engage multiple stakeholders productively. We suggest this novel approach could help identify the kinds of leadership needed in assessment.
Ben M. Schaap and Sharon Comstock, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign School of Information Sciences
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Beginner
Primary Topic: Leadership for Assessmen

From Compliance to Innovation: How Leadership, Collaboration and Culture Drive Effective Assurance of Learning
The focus of this presentation is to describe the importance of dynamic relationship between leadership, collaboration and culture when creating the assurance of learning (AoL). Providing a real-world example of revising an assessment plan, presenters will discuss how leadership and collaboration enhanced the design of an assessment plan aimed at improving student success. The session will include a role-play to demonstrate how assessments can transform into dynamic tools that not only measure learning but also foster deeper comprehension and continuous progress with effective leadership, collaboration, and culture.
Tamara Merseli and Jennifer Laubenthal, Central Michigan University
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Advanced
Primary Topic: Leadership for Assessment 

From Data to Action: Leading Assessment in Polarizing Times
In an era of increasing political and social polarization, assessment professionals must navigate complex landscapes to ensure data is used to drive meaningful change. This session features professionals exploring how to move from data collection to organizational change while leading assessment efforts with integrity and impact. Participants will engage with an equity-centered framework for translating assessment results into action, learn strategies for fostering inclusive dialogue, and develop skills for navigating resistance. Through strategy sharing, open discussion, and guided reflection, attendees will leave with a concrete action plan for leading assessment efforts in polarizing times.
Ciji A. Heiser, Co-Creating Action; Renée Delgado-Riley, University of Oregon; Julene Jones, University of Kentucky; Erick Montenegro, Opportunity Finance Network; Heather Strine-Patterson, Virginia Tech; Mary Thompson, University of Wisconsin-Madison; and Kevin Wright, The Center Consultancy
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Leadership for Assessment 

From Practice to Scholarship: Demystifying Writing and Publishing Your Assessment Work
Have you ever read an assessment article and thought, "I should submit something for publication," but weren't sure where to start? Transitioning from practice to scholarship is easier than it seems. This session will help you identify recent projects that can be transformed from your office practice into published articles. We will explore the writing process, how to find potential outlets for your work, and the article submission and review process. To demystify the publication journey, we will reveal how the journal Research and Practice in Assessment (RPA) handles articles through the various review and publication stages.
Robin D. Anderson, James Madison University; and Nicholas Curtis, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Leadership for Assessment 

Gendered Leadership in Assessment: Demographics and Implications
Assessment, especially as a measure of compliance and accountability, is predominantly viewed as service work, a component of academic life that has been shown to be disproportionately taken on by women. This presentation examines survey data about assessment professionals with a lens toward gender and power. Looking at demographics of gender, positions, office scopes, and other indicators of institutional authority, the audience will examine their own institutional practices and compare them to larger national trends.
Chris Blankenship, Salt Lake Community College
Presentation Type: Rise-and-Shine 20-Minute Session
Audience Level: Beginner
Primary Topic: Leadership for Assessment 

Get in Touch! A Case Study in Leading Implementation of a New Assessment Management System
Assessment Management Systems (AMS) are a commonly implemented tool in streamlining the formal assessment process. Despite the various benefits an AMS can promise, implementation is not guaranteed to be free of resistance or unexpected challenges. Therefore, this session walks through a case study of rolling out an AMS at the presenters’ home institution. Best practices for AMS implementation will be highlighted through various phases of the case study. Principles from theories of leadership and change management will also be derived for attendees’ consideration.
Terrance Cao and Seta Khajarian, Pepperdine University
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Beginner
Primary Topic: Leadership for Assessment 

Key Ingredients of Program Review in Higher Education: Insights from a Collaborative Study in the United States, United Kingdom, and Japan
While enhancing internal quality assurance (QA) remains a pressing global issue, empirical research on the topic is limited. To address this gap, researchers from the United States, the United Kingdom, and Japan have conducted an international collaborative project to investigate global QA trends in higher education and examine the interaction between internal QA and accreditation, focusing on program review and assessment. By presenting the results of ongoing comparative research on program review practices and their interaction with accreditation, the authors will engage participants in a discussion on enhancing educational quality in higher education from a global perspective.
Toru Hayashi, Kanazawa University; Andrea Beach, Western Michigan University; Masayuki Fukano, Osaka Metropolitan University; and Satoshi Ozeki, University of Miyazaki
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Beginner
Primary Topic: Leadership for Assessment 

Leading from Within: A Study of Assessment Practitioners’ Experiences
Assessment work is a lot of things—challenging, enlightening, frustrating, inspiring, and fraught. The presenters will describe the results of a qualitative study of assessment practitioners conducted at the 2024 Assessment Institute (AI). Participants shared a wealth and range of experiences that speak to the complexities of engaging in continuous improvement in higher education. The presenters will identify common themes and experiences, implications and recommendations for practice, and ask session attendees to reflect on the results. We will also briefly provide updates on the two other research projects conducted at AI 2024 and describe the research project at AI 2025.
Erica Eckert, Kent State University; and Andy Sokolich, Cuyahoga Community College
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Leadership for Assessment 

Rejuvenating Assessment Using Leadership Processes to Achieve Academic Success
This presentation will address the prior processes used at Colorado Technical University and the evolution of our assessment process. We will be discussing our assessment journey from the year 2020 to present. Some of the aspects of the process we will discuss include: review of the prior year’s assessment data, establishing goals for the coming year, and identifying curriculum revision needs, as well as  solidifying our college’s assessment team, training needs, and developing training materials. We will finish our presentation by showcasing successful results and tips for continual improvement.
Clarence Moore, Rhonda Johnson, and Christina Opoien, Colorado Technical University
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Beginner
Primary Topic: Leadership for Assessment 

So You Want to Write an Assessment Book….Steps and Tips
The assessment literature has been growing in recent years, but there continue to be gaps in the research and scholarship that need to be filled. Many seasoned assessment practitioners have ideas for filling these gaps and have the requisite knowledge to do so but may not know how to get started. In this session, the editors of the recently published Maximizing the Impact of Assessment in Higher Education: Closing the Loop with Change Management will discuss their publication journey from ideation to publication. They’ll discuss collaboration strategies, process pitfalls and challenges, and share tips for success.
Gavin Henning, New England College; and Cindy Cogswell, New York University
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Advanced
Primary Topic: Leadership for Assessment 

Sustaining Your Well-Being: Strategies for Leading Assessment in Tumultuous Times
Assessment professionals face burnout, emotional labor, and systemic barriers that impact well-being. This interactive session explores a holistic framework for sustaining resilience—addressing physical, emotional, mental, and workplace well-being. Participants will engage in reflection, discussion, and action planning to develop personalized strategies for setting boundaries, managing stress, and advocating for institutional support. Leave with practical tools to sustain energy, motivation, and impact in assessment work during these tumultuous times.
Ciji A. Heiser, Co-Creating Action; Gina B. Polychronopoulos, The Chicago School, Emilie Clucas Leaderman, American International College; and Glenn Allen Phillips, Watermark Insights
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Beginner
Primary Topic: Leadership for Assessment 

The Scholar’s Academy: From Evidence-Informed Inquiry to Knowledge Dissemination
The purpose of the Scholar’s Academy is to: (1) promote the use of evidence-informed perspectives in teaching, learning, assessment, and improvement, (2) equip participants with the frameworks, resources, and networks to support their growth as evidence-informed professionals, and (3) encourage the dissemination of promising practices, lessons learned, and ideas for consideration, replication, or adaptation through conference presentations and articles in publication outlets. Participants will leave the workshop with a plan to conduct evidence-informed scholarly inquiry in their context—including Zoom-based follow-up support—with the goal leading to eventual knowledge dissemination. Note: There is also an afternoon Scholar’s Academy workshop, organized by the HIPs in the States Community of Practice, with an emphasis on High Impact Practices (HIPs) scholarship.
Organizers of the Assessment Institute and Editors from such publications as Assessment Update, Research & Practice in Assessment, and the Journal of Student Affairs Inquiry, Improvement, and Impact
Presentation Type: Pre-Institute Workshop
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Leadership for Assessment

Assessing Career Competencies Across the English Curriculum: Preparing Students for Professional Success
This presentation examines the impact of curricular interventions aimed at enhancing students’ career competencies in English courses at Indiana University Indianapolis. Through a mixed-methods assessment, the study evaluates how students recognize and articulate transferable skills essential for professional success. Using pre- and post-semester surveys, student interviews, and course-embedded assignments, findings demonstrate the effectiveness of embedding career readiness in humanities education. This session will provide best practices for faculty to align curricula with career competencies, inform institutional strategies for student workforce preparedness, and discuss scalable assessment approaches applicable to other disciplines.
Estela Ene, Indiana University Indianapolis
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Advanced
Primary Topic: Learning Improvement 

Assessment Tension and Academic Freedom: Aligning Methodology to Values
Despite efforts to balance assessment practices and faculty rights, tensions around workload and shared governance persist in U.S. higher education (Cain, 2014; Chan, 2022). This session uses a mixed-methods, participatory approach, applying AAUP’s criteria for academic freedom as a lens. We will compare models for faculty leadership in assessment and review our campus’s approach—faculty-designed key assignments and juried assessment. Participants will explore strategies to ease assessment tension through a practical, action-oriented framework. After a brief presentation, an interactive session and guided discussion will follow. Attendees will receive rubrics and self-study tools to support reflection and collaborative problem-solving.
Melissa Elston, John LaPete, and Tony Villanueva, Palo Alto College (Alamo Colleges District)
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Learning Improvement 

Grand Challenges in Assessment: Co-Curricular Learning and Agency
In today's rapidly evolving educational landscape, the value of higher education is increasingly scrutinized. With the rise of non-academic digital credentialing, higher education institutions must enhance traditional academic offerings to remain relevant and impactful. One critical component of this robust educational experience is the integration of co-curricular activities which encompass a wide range of experiences integral to the holistic development of students. These activities provide students with agency and structure, fostering essential skills that complement their academic learning. This session will address the themes of agency and structure in the co-curricular space and how they improve students’ metacognition and self-efficacy.
Chadia Abras, Johns Hopkins University; Chandler Harriss, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga; Colin Suchland, Lincoln Land Community College; Mary Thompson, University of Wisconsin-Madison; and Brianne Lauka, Towson University
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Grand Challenges in Assessment / Learning Improvement 

How to Get Started with Learning Improvement
This presentation explores an innovative approach to student learning assessment, called Learning Improvement, which goes beyond traditional annual assessment reporting. Focused on fostering meaningful programmatic and learning improvements, this approach allows academic programs to step back and concentrate on addressing curriculum gaps, analyzing data from multiple sources, and implementing interventions aimed at enhancing student outcomes. Through a pilot project, this presentation highlights the lessons learned, challenges faced, and successes achieved. Attendees will gain practical insights, resources, and strategies for applying a similar model at their own institutions to improve student learning.
Dory Thompson and Katie Boyd, Auburn University
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Learning Improvement 

Improving Student Learning, One Course Student Learning Outcome (CSLO) at a Time!
This session will focus on collaboration between LBCC’s faculty leadership and Office of Institutional Effectiveness to implement a user-friendly, data-driven SLO cycle where faculty focus on closing learning and equity gaps in SLO achievement. The session will include a history of LBCC’s processes, five-year effectiveness metrics, and live demonstrations of the way LBCC harnesses Canvas, Tableau, and other resources. Participants will learn about specific SLO metrics that have improved based on this process and will have the opportunity to practice navigating aspects of the processes themselves. Participants will also be given access to documents, resources, and support models utilized.
Trisha Wilging, Long Beach City College
Presentation Type: Rise-and-Shine 20-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Learning Improvement 

Learning Improvement: Promoting an Assessment Approach to Achieve Meaningful Growth in Student Learning
Evidence that assessment has led to real improvements in student learning remains elusive in higher education. Assessment professionals and educators are increasingly interested in tightening the connections between assessment activities, improvement action, and evidence of improvement in student learning. This session will present tenets outlined by the Learning Improvement Community to focus greater attention on improvement and showcase tools and approaches in enacting assessment to improve student learning. In addition, there will be a discussion of how one university has decided to tackle this area of lack at their institution.
Dan Stroud, West Texas A & M University; and Jillian Kinzie, Indiana University Bloomington
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Learning Improvement 

Reclaiming Student Learning Outcomes: Making Observable Behavior the Cornerstone of Higher Education Assessment
This workshop revisits the fundamental purpose of higher education: Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs). Participants will engage in a reflective discussion on the language used to describe learning and how shifting the focus toward observable behaviors can reshape classroom interactions, professional development initiatives, and even institutional funding models. The workshop will advocate for prioritizing knowledge creation at the beginning of a course rather than emphasizing memorization and will propose replacing traditional assessment loops with action research. Additionally, the workshop will explore the evolving landscape of higher education, including changing student expectations of degree attainment and employer demands for demonstrable skills. Practical strategies for assessing SLOs through AI-driven methods will also be shared. Participants will leave with a renewed perspective on assessment as a tool for capturing and fostering real student learning.
Jarek Janio, Santa Ana College; Marty Alvarado, SOVA Group, Nonprofit; Dominic Palazzolo and Cole Groom, Feedback Fruits
Presentation Type: Pre-Institute Workshop
Audience Level: Advanced
Primary Topic: Learning Improvement 

Rubrics/Guidelines for Self-Assessment and Improvement of Assignments
So, you’ve created an assignment with measurable learning objectives, and it’s “aligned” to ensure that its “active learning” practices and your assessments (“formative” and “summative”) are appropriate to those learning objectives. What’s next to improve your assignment’s effectiveness if it’s still not working well? This session introduces three different rubrics to help faculty consider ways to improve assignments that lead to the summative assessments: (1) objective summative assessments (quizzes, tests, assessments for which there are “best” answers), (2) “authentic” artifacts (e.g., projects, papers, professional products), and (3) reflective products (e.g., introspective products, action-plans, interpretations).
Douglas Jerolimov and Richard Turner, Indiana University Indianapolis
Presentation Type: Rise-and-Shine 20-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Learning Improvement 

Scaffolded Assessment Practices Promoting Learning for Evaluation, Accreditation, and Student Growth
This proposal examines scaffolded assessment strategies designed to enhance learning outcomes within educational institutions. Focusing on the intersection of evaluation, accreditation, and student growth, the study explores how systematic scaffolding supports comprehensive student development. By integrating formative and summative assessments aligned with learning objectives, institutions can foster continuous improvement and meet accreditation standards effectively. The session will discuss practical implementations, pedagogical frameworks, and case studies illustrating successful approaches. Participants will gain insights into leveraging assessment practices to cultivate deeper engagement, improve learning outcomes, and ensure institutional compliance with accreditation requirements.
Raymond W. Francis, Central Michigan University
Presentation Type: Rise-and-Shine 20-Minute Session
Audience Level: Beginner
Primary Topic: Learning Improvement 

The Quantified Impact of Proactive Outreach on Student Achievement
Student persistence and academic achievement remain persistent challenges in higher education, particularly in online learning environments and among at-risk students. Despite strong curriculum design, dedicated faculty, and robust student support, engagement remains a key missing factor. This quantitative, quasi-experimental study examines the impact of proactive versus reactive faculty outreach on student course completion and performance in online business courses at an open-enrollment university. Analyzing over 100,000 student experiences across 3,320 course sections from 2022–2023, findings highlight the effectiveness of proactive messaging in improving student persistence. Participants will gain insights into evidence-based outreach strategies that enhance student engagement and success.
Catherine McBride, Keya Simon, and Cindy Solari, Colorado Technical University
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Beginner
Primary Topic: Learning Improvement

Ten Years of VALUE: National Trends in Essential Learning Outcomes Assessment Across the Higher Education Landscape
Using data collected from 2014 to 2024, the American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) VALUE Scoring Collaborative has constructed a national macro-view of student learning quality in higher education based on essential learning outcomes across diverse institution types, sizes, and locations throughout the United States. Through the VALUE Scoring Collaborative (formerly the VALUE Institute), certified educators evaluate student work using AAC&U's VALUE rubrics, which represent widely accepted standards for assessing essential learning outcomes. Since 2014, a variety of higher education institutions, departments, programs, and consortia have uploaded samples of student work for assessment through the VALUE Scoring Collaborative. This session provides a comprehensive analysis of results generated over this 10-year period, offering a unique perspective on the landscape of learning in U.S. higher education across key learning outcomes. The findings we will share include trends in VALUE rubric dimension scores as well as patterns in achievement across student population groups, such as first-generation students, racial and ethnic groups, and academic class levels. Attendees will gain insights into national benchmarks for essential learning outcomes and understand how their institutional results compare to broader trends in higher education.
Kate Drezek McConnell, and Jessica Chittum, American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U)
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: National/State Initiatives

Assessment with Purpose: Indiana University Southeast’s Model for General Education
Assessing General Education remains one of the more complex and nuanced challenges institutions face, balancing state mandates, institutional mission, faculty-defined goals, and a curriculum that spans departments and disciplines. At Indiana University Southeast, the purpose of an undergraduate education is to prepare students to act as thoughtful, informed, and productive citizens and lifelong learners in a rapidly changing world. This vision of intellectual breadth and depth is supported by a set of common educational goals that crosscut all programs, developing essential skills like written and oral communication, quantitative reasoning, ethical inquiry, and critical thinking. This presentation will explore how Indiana University Southeast structured its General Education assessment process to reflect those goals meaningfully and manageably. Historically, the institution struggled with organizing and tracking assessment data across a wide array of courses and requirements. By rethinking their framework and utilizing a system that allowed for data aggregation and disaggregation across courses and programs, they created a sustainable and faculty-driven process that supports both internal improvement and external accountability. Attendees will learn the following: how to structure General Education assessment across diverse curricular paths while maintaining alignment with institutional and statewide outcomes; strategies for mapping outcomes to both major and general education courses, recognizing their shared contributions; approaches for managing and reporting data in ways that are meaningful to stakeholders; and lessons learned from moving to a clearer, more aligned model with reduced administrative overhead. Whether you're just beginning to rethink your General Education assessment process or looking for strategies to make it more actionable, this session offers a practical case study grounded in values, alignment, and continuous improvement.
Jayme Kerr, SPOL; and Amanda Scarberry, Indiana University Southeast
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Sponsor Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: General Education 

Actualizing Student Career Interests Post-Graduation in STEM
Preparing students for myriad scientific careers has been a focus of higher education programs across STEM fields. The present session will explore current job positions and career areas for 140 students who previously completed an initial assessment of career interests while in graduate school. Results revealed the most common current job position is a postdoctoral fellowship, and that graduates tended to stay in the sciences (e.g., scientist and researcher positions across various industries). Mini-interviews were conducted with graduates to ask about their career exploration post-graduation. Results and their implications for STEM graduate training in career self-efficacy will be discussed. 2024 Research & Practice in Assessment (RPA)'s Best Scholarly Presentation Award Winner.
Jennifer Claydon, Meghan Bathgate, Ankita Gumaste, and Grace Manes, Yale University
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: STEM Education 

Applying Outcomes Assessment to Support Persistence in STEM Learners
This session will demonstrate a STEM classroom-based implementation of Learning Outcomes Assessment by 1) describing a deliberate data collection method, 2) sharing initial learning data insights, 3) employing a data-informed instructional intervention, and 4) reflecting on implications for developing a STEM curriculum model that is designed to support student success. We will discuss how assessment-driven feedback can aid in developing persistence in learners by introducing an implementation of a rubric used to help students identify their strengths alongside specific gaps that can be targeted for improvement.
Natalya Voloshchuk and Karen Harris, Rutgers University
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: STEM Education 

Measuring the Impact of Introductory STEM Courses on Students' Character Skills: A Pre-Post Analysis and Its Relation to STEM Attrition
This presentation shares the results of a study designed to assess the impact of an introductory STEM course on students' character skills. By administering validated surveys both before and after the course using a proprietary assessment framework, the study aims to measure changes in character skills—such as locus of control, grit, sense of belonging, and teamwork—and determine whether these macro-level changes are associated with reduced STEM attrition. This approach will provide critical insight into the role of early STEM education in shaping essential character attributes and informing STEM retention strategies.
Shalin Shah, Character Arc; and Anthony Kapolka, Wilkes University
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: STEM Education 

'Reshaping Reality and Retention’: Meaning-Making Intervention of Under-Represented Minoritized (URM) Student-STEM Assessment Experience
Student perception is a powerful mechanism through which students not only make meaning of their academic experience, but also about themselves. One such avenue for meaning-making is classroom assessment, more specifically, grades. Meaning-making can be particularly consequential for URM students in the STEM context, where institutional performance gaps are most apparent. Given research that suggests URM students perceive grades as differential (and sometimes, more damaging) than their non-URM counterparts, how can instructors help shift perceptions of grades in STEM? This proposed session aims to engage participants in discussion of potential classroom intervention relative to STEM and meaning-making of grades, toward more equitable outcomes for all students.
Manisha Chase, California State University Northridge
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: STEM Education 

Unwrapping the Literature on the Impact of Exam Wrappers
Our literature review indicates exam wrappers (N = 30) are a promising instructional intervention, leading to improvements in students’ metacognition, self-regulated learning, and academic achievement. Exam wrappers have been structured in many ways (which poses meta-analysis constraints) but are often reflection prompt assignments given pre- and post-testing to encourage more effective preparation methods (predominately in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math courses). Our recent review provides implications for both instruction and assessment scholarship. For example, explicit metacognitive instruction is indicated as a co-requisite to exam wrapper implementation for consistent, measurable learning gains.
Heather T. D. Maness, University of Florida; and Deborah Hutson, Kutztown University
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Beginner
Primary Topic: Grand Challenges in Assessment / STEM Education

Advancement of Assessment Culture and Processes at Heartland Community College
This session will provide an in-depth exploration of the assessment processes at Heartland Community College (HCC) and how they align with the institution’s commitment to student success. By examining current assessment practices, challenges, and successes at our institution, the presentation will offer actionable strategies for improving the effectiveness of the assessment process and developing a culture of assessment. Topics will include integrating both formative and summative assessments in the courses, assessment of the college’s Essential competencies aligned with the learning objectives in the courses, using data to inform instructional decisions, and fostering a culture of continuous improvement.
Manjushri Kishore and Phil Vandiver, Heartland Community College
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Beginner
Primary Topic: Strategy and Planning 

Advancing Innovative Approaches to Institutional Excellence - A Case Study in The Establishment of Integrated Planning for a Center for Teaching Excellence
This case study examines the transformation of four distinct instructional support units into a unified Center for Teaching Excellence through systematic integrated planning. The five-phase process included website redesign, shared identity development, collaborative SWOT analysis, strategic alignment, and assessment planning. This approach exemplifies Grand Challenges in Assessment Objective 1.2 by providing a replicable methodology for integration that promotes institutional agility. Results demonstrate increased responsiveness to faculty needs, efficient resource utilization, and enhanced support capabilities. The documented framework offers a template for higher education institutions seeking to create cohesive educational support systems that are responsive to evolving pedagogical landscapes.
Karen Singer-Freeman, George Washington University
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Beginner
Primary Topic: Grand Challenges in Assessment / Strategy and Planning 

Assess, Improve, Repeat: A Strategic Approach to University-Wide Annual Program and Co-Curricular Reviews
Effective university-wide annual academic and co-curricular reviews can drive continuous quality improvement. This session provides impact examples and explores strategies to make assessment processes more relevant, leverage evidence, and sustain a culture of perseverance in ongoing improvement efforts. Participants will gain practical tools for facilitating meaningful annual assessments, analyzing year-over-year trend data effectively, and maintaining engagement across the institution.
Debi Gerger, West Coast University
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Strategy and Planning 

Assessment with Purpose: Designing Sustainable and Actionable Plans through Stakeholder Engagement
Assessment efforts often lose momentum due to unclear goals, lack of follow-through, and stakeholder disengagement. This session explores strategies for designing sustainable assessment plans that engage internal and external stakeholders to drive meaningful change. Participants will learn to establish realistic action plans, increase buy-in, and leverage data sources. Through interactive activities and institutional examples, attendees will gain practical tools to make assessment planning more engaging, relevant, and impactful.
Debi Gerger, West Coast University
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Strategy and Planning 

Bridging Academic and Co-Curricular Domains: An Integrated and Intentional Approach to Assessment
This poster session explores the intersection of assessment leadership, student affairs, and academic representation in shaping institutional assessment practices. Rather than focusing solely on compliance or isolated departmental outcomes, we examine how a cross-functional approach fosters a more holistic view of student learning outcomes, development, and success. This poster session will center on the infrastructure needed to facilitate meaningful assessment conversations across these areas, identifying how different stakeholders contribute to shaping an institution’s assessment philosophy and process. By engaging in this dialogue, we consider: 1) Who is involved in assessment conversations, and how are they structured? 2) How do these conversations shape institutional priorities and methodologies? and 3) What happens when diverse perspectives drive assessment efforts, rather than assessment being housed in a single office?
Rhonda Schaller, Gaia Scagnetti Wang, and Denise Shaver, Pratt Institute
Presentation Type: Poster Session
Audience Level: Advanced
Primary Topic: Strategy and Planning 

Developing Implementation Plans for Meaningful Assessment: Connecting Theory to Practice
This workshop is intended for those starting an assessment process or practice, wanting to review or revise existing assessment processes or practices, or those interested in examining the efficacy or embeddedness of assessment at the course, program, general education, student affairs, or institution-level. Workshop participants will explore a contextualized history of assessment, consider the theory connections behind design of assessment processes and data collection and use, and develop an action plan to inform local implementation of meaningful assessment. Whether faculty, staff, or administrators, this workshop provides guidance and resources pulling from a forthcoming textbook on the theory and implementation of assessment in higher education.
Joseph D. Levy, Excelsior University; and Natasha Jankowski, University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee
Presentation Type: Pre-Institute Workshop
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Strategy and Planning 

Ensuring the Financial Viability and Sustainability of Academic Programs: An Approach Tied into Institutional Assessment Processes
This poster examines how postsecondary Quality Assurance (QA) processes across Canada integrate financial viability and sustainability assessments. Based on preliminary research, a Financial Viability and Sustainability Framework for QA (FVSF-QA) is being developed – a full-cost accounting approach to standardize financial assessments of new program proposals and support cyclical reviews. The goal is to improve alignment between academic programs and institutional fiscal health, ensuring transparency and informed planning. The FVSF-QA tool, in support of financial considerations, will be shared for institutions to adapt and use as part of their own assessment practices.
Jovan Groen, Western University
Presentation Type: Poster Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Strategy and Planning 

Everywhere You Go University of Tennessee (UT): EMBRACE-ing Assessment to Advance Access
This session explores strategies for fostering a culture of evidence through person-centered assessment and systems thinking at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Our division’s mission is “to guide our campus and communities in the advancement of practices that promote equitable access.” To achieve this, we operate alongside and in service to Academic Affairs and Student Affairs; we serve faculty, staff, students, and the Knoxville community at large. Our approach integrates assessment methodologies from Institutional Effectiveness and Student Affairs, bridging best practices to promote inclusive, data-informed decision-making. Join us as we share lessons learned, successful outcomes, and actionable strategies for building a people-centered assessment culture that enhances engagement and impact.
Janelle Coleman, Jalen Blue, Shiloh Lovette, and Urmila Pandey, University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Presentation Type: Poster Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Strategy and Planning 

From Apprehension to Appreciation: Fostering a Culture of Assessment with a New and Growing Team
This session presents our team’s approach to fostering a culture of assessment and data literacy within a university division supporting faculty, staff, and students. We transformed some initial apprehension about assessment into engagement through innovative strategies, including a "Data and Donuts" series, an Assessment Book Club, a newsletter, office hours, consultations, and assessment guidebooks. We reframed assessment as a nurturing process of feedback and evidence gathering. This session will detail our strategies and lessons learned, discuss positive outcomes in cultivating a data-informed decision-making culture, and provide insights on how assessment can help share stories of impact more effectively.
Jalen K. Blue, Janelle Coleman, Shiloh Lovette, Urmila Pandey,  and Trinity Sandifer, University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Presentation Type: Rise-and-Shine 20-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Strategy and Planning 

From Shelf to Success: Operationalizing Departmental Strategic Plans for Continuous Improvement
This session will explore effective strategies for transforming departmental strategic plans from static documents into dynamic tools for continuous improvement. Participants will learn how to operationalize strategic planning on a quarterly basis and develop robust systems for accountability. Using the Office of Student Life at Ohio State as a case study, we will discuss the program review process, the integration of strategic and annual planning, and the use of Smartsheet for tracking progress. Emphasis will be placed on fostering partnerships and securing leadership buy-in to ensure the success of these initiatives.
Tori Rehr, The Ohio State University
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Strategy and Planning 

Introduction to the Logic Model as a Conceptual Tool for Faculty and Student Success
The development of a logic model can serve as a powerful process in the context of mapping and evaluating theories of change.  In this session, participants will be introduced to the multiple components of logic model development, including the importance of “if-then” thinking and the role of input from multiple stakeholders.  The logic model as a conceptual tool will be explored within the contexts of both faculty success and student success.  A focus will be given to the role that assessment professionals can play throughout the process of logic model development.
Aaron Zimmerman, University of Colorado Boulder
Presentation Type: Rise-and-Shine 20-Minute Session
Audience Level: Beginner
Primary Topic: Strategy and Planning 

Mapping the Way to Automated Assessment Data Collection
Programmatic mapping is time consuming. But detailed mapping can ease assessment processes from identifying artifacts to determining follow-up action. What if programmatic mapping allowed you to automate the data collection process? This presentation explains how Colorado Technical University leveraged our detailed outcome mapping to collect assessment data in any given term. We will demonstrate our outcome mapping process from individual assignments through program learning outcomes. Then we will demonstrate how we have integrated these maps into our strategic planning, allowing us to pull data on student progress toward those learning outcomes in any given term throughout the student life cycle.
Margaret Carmack and Tonya Haas, Colorado Technical University
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Beginner
Primary Topic: Strategy and Planning 

Reaching a Broad Audience: Strategies for Core Course Planning
While all courses require thoughtful planning and strategic effort to provide effective reach, thinking about a core course (often one required for hundreds or thousands of students each year) means we consider best practices for identifying objectives, tools, assessment, and a broad audience. Additionally, successful strategies must plan for management of the unforeseeable. The overview for success starts with thinking of managing an emergency room and its function for the public. There is the necessity to prepareand the necessity to complete--an educator’s version of triage.
Angela J. Sisson, Indiana University Indianapolis
Presentation Type: Rise-and-Shine 20-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Strategy and Planning 

Transforming Institutions for Student Success: Using the Institutional Transformation Assessment (ITA) / Readiness, Willingness, and Ability Survey; Sensemaking; and Strategic Prioritization
The Gardner Institute partners with education institutions and nonprofit organizations to advance higher education’s goal of achieving equity and social justice. It recently acquired the Institutional Transformation Assessment (ITA) from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. This perception survey serves as a catalyst for helping faculty and staff assess capacities necessary for equitable student success on their campuses. The assessment drives a facilitated discussion to prioritize and plan future actions to improve student success outcomes with the goal of eliminating race/ethnicity, family income, and zip code as predictors of who completes a postsecondary credential.
Jill R. Kramer and Brent Drake, The Gardner Institute
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Beginner
Primary Topic: Strategy and Planning 

Transitioning to 8-Weeks: Cause and Effect
Condensed academic terms (8-week courses) enhance student engagement, reduce burnout, and increase overall academic success. However, condensing courses from the 16-week format to the 8-week format requires a lot of effort for faculty. Course redesign requires looking at all aspects of the course including content delivery, assignments, and assessment to ensure these align with the course learning objectives. Join us as we explore our journey from pilot to full-scale implementation of 8-week courses, focusing on our processes, faculty training, assessment adaptations, and the challenges encountered along the way.
Lindsey Knapp and Amy Stahl, Marion Technical College
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Strategy and Planning 

Using Student Journey Mapping to Analyze, Plan, and Improve the Student Experience
Student journey mapping is a powerful methodology for analyzing, planning, and improving student success outcomes. This session will provide participants with insights into the student journey mapping process and its application in higher education. Attendees will explore how The College for Financial Planning implemented this approach as a holistic strategy for college-wide student success planning. Additionally, participants will have the opportunity to reflect on their own experiences and share insights into developing student success plans using this methodology. Through interactive discussion, this session will equip attendees with practical strategies to enhance student support and institutional effectiveness.
Bethany Alden-Rivers, Rebecca Henderson, and Brittany Schmelling-Woodmansee, College for Financial Planning
Presentation Type: Rise-and-Shine 20-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Strategy and Planning 

Utilizing the Five-Year Review Process as a Strategic Tool for Continuous Institutional Assessment
This presentation will explore how an institution utilizes five-year reviews to foster an institutional culture of continuous improvement. The presenters will share how reviews can be an effective data collection tool and identify ways in which academic departments and administrative units can utilize the review process for quality improvement and innovation in alignment with strategic campus priorities.
Tanisha N. Stevens and Alicia Hutchings, University of Missouri-St. Louis
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Strategy and Planning

Aligning Co-Curricular and Curricular Assessment and Reporting
Learning outcomes and assessment of co-curricular activities are areas where colleges and universities can struggle, especially in meeting accreditation requirements. Des Moines University went through a multi-step process to define co-curricular activities and develop and refine learning outcomes and assessments. Ultimately, we were able to align co-curricular assessment with our curricular learning outcome assessment to strengthen our continuous improvement process for accreditation. This presentation will guide you through our work to help you develop robust co-curricular assessment at your college/university.
Amy Morris and Alicia Lynch, Des Moines University
Presentation Type: Poster Session
Audience Level: Beginner
Primary Topic: Student Affairs and Co-Curricular Programs and Services 

Assessment at Multiple Organizational Levels for Improvement and Accountability: The Complexity of Student Affairs Assessment
Assessment in student affairs operates at multiple levels—educator, department, and division—each requiring distinct approaches to ensure meaningful planning and measurement for improvement and accountability efforts. With increasing demands for accountability in student affairs, the field has overemphasized summative assessment efforts and minimized the utility and benefits of formative assessment. This session will explore how integrating formative and summative assessment frameworks can enhance student affairs assessment practices at multiple levels of the organization for improvement and accountability.
Heather J. Strine-Patterson, Virginia Tech; Sarah LaFrance, James Madison University; and Sophie Tullier, University of Delaware
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Student Affairs and Co-Curricular Programs and Services 

Collaborative Assessment for Campus Well-Being: Strategies, Opportunities, and Student Engagement
Over the last 10 years, the conversation within colleges and universities has shifted to a more holistic approach to overall well-being. With a continuous improvement focus, assessment can support well-being and student success initiatives and provide outcome and evaluation data on students, faculty, staff, and community members. During this session, an assessment practitioner and two health and wellness professionals will discuss their collaborative efforts for assessing well-being on campus, supporting co-curricular assessment, and involving students in assessment processes. They also will invite participants to consider available well-being data and collaboration opportunities.
Jessica M. Turos, Faith DeNardo, and Ashley Hartman, Bowling Green State University
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Beginner
Primary Topic: Student Affairs and Co-Curricular Programs and Services 

Contributing to Student Success: Conducting a Major Assessment Project Across Campus
Student affairs assessment promotes the value of student affairs throughout the university and helps student affairs enhance its programs and services to better serve its students. The presenter will explain how student affairs assessment is tied to student success and provide a framework about how to successfully conduct larger student affairs assessment focused on student success at your institution. Participants will have an opportunity to apply the framework through brief activities based on a case study: the author’s Fall 2024 undergraduate survey.
Ania Peczalska, University of North Carolina Wilmington
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Beginner
Primary Topic: Student Affairs and Co-Curricular Programs and Services 

Creating a High-Impact Assessment Framework: Aligning Student and Academic Affairs for Collaborative Student Success
In today’s dynamic higher education landscape, integrating student and academic affairs is crucial to cultivating a student-centered environment that promotes academic success and holistic growth. Pratt Institute developed an evolving, collaborative assessment model to unify traditionally siloed divisions, enhance institutional learning outcomes, and improve student success. This session introduces our innovative and collaborative approach to assessing student learning.Our model treats student learning as a holistic journey, where curricular and co-curricular experiences are interconnected. A shared framework includes clearly defined student affairs learning outcomes aligned with all institute goals. This framework leverages student affairs data—from leadership to wellness initiatives—to map outcomes.
Rhonda Schaller and Denise Shaver, Pratt Institute
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Student Affairs and Co-Curricular Programs and Services 

Describing and Defining “Cocurricular” for More Robust Assessment Efforts by Non-Curricular Units
This session provides a comprehensive framework for assessing cocurricular activities, a critical yet often overlooked aspect of student development. Participants will learn to develop a decision tree to identify, classify, and define cocurricular activities for assessment purposes, while exploring a variety of qualitative and quantitative methods for measuring student learning outcomes. Grounded in scholarly research, the session will emphasize how cocurricular assessments align with institutional goals and accreditation standards. Attendees will leave with practical tools to implement evidence-based assessment strategies, foster institutional buy-in, and improve cocurricular programs, ultimately enhancing student learning and development across campus.
Kelli E. Listenbee and  Ryken Cocherell, Arkansas State University
Presentation Type: Rise-and-Shine 20-Minute Session
Audience Level: Beginner
Primary Topic: Student Affairs and Co-Curricular Programs and Services 

Does Your Co-Curricular Data Bring You Joy?
Co-curriculum programs offer students the opportunity to leverage learning outside of the classroom and develop a more complete skill set. Data for co-curricular programs may be collected for a variety of purposes and maintained in multiple datasets. This can lead to clutter and difficulty finding/effectively utilizing data. This session will describe an approach to “Marie Kondo” your data. Join us as we discuss how to declutter and tidy your data to bring joy.
Jennifer Grundey, Michelle Musser and Kelly Shields, Ohio Northern University
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Student Affairs and Co-Curricular Programs and Services 

Elevate Your Student Affairs Assessment Impact: Unlock the Power of Communities of Practice
This workshop explores how assessment organizations within the Consortium of Organizations for Student Affairs Assessment (COSAA) add value to individual and campus practice, shaping assessment culture and addressing challenges. COSAA organizations include Student Affairs Assessment Leaders, Association for the Assessment of Learning in Higher Education, ACPA’s Commission for Assessment and Evaluation, NASPA’s Assessment, Evaluation, and Research Knowledge Community, Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education, and the Journal of Student Affairs Inquiry, Improvement, and Impact. Workshop participants will learn how to use and engage with these organizations to navigate trends, employ successful practices, and empower contributions to the profession. The workshop will conclude with a call to action for professional organizations to better support higher education assessment through supportive Communities of Practice.
Renée Delgado-Riley, University of Oregon; Joseph D. Levy, Excelsior University; Shaun Boren, University of Florida; and Kim Kruchen, University of Colorado, Boulder
Presentation Type: Pre-Institute Workshop
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Student Affairs and Co-Curricular Programs and Services 

Empowering Student Development: Strengthening Student Affairs through Institutional Learning Outcomes (ILO) Alignment
At Northeast Wisconsin Technical College (NWTC), Student Affairs personnel aligned co-curricular efforts with the College’s Institutional Learning Outcomes (ILOs). This division-wide initiative engaged all departments in defining co-curricular learning, developing outcomes, and mapping them to the ILOs: Communication, Teamwork, Critical Thinking, and Equity & Inclusion. A structured assessment cycle—including rubric development, artifact collection, scoring, and reflection—ensured meaningful evaluation and continuous improvement. Lessons learned highlight collaboration, consistency, accessibility, and leveraging cross-college resources. This session will explore our approach, challenges, and strategies for embedding co-curricular learning within the broader student experience and fostering a culture of holistic student development. We will also share next steps to advance this work and demystify the process for others.
Kathryn Trulley, Jennifer Parks-Tigert, and Wayne Walker, Northeast Wisconsin Technical College (NWTC)
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Beginner
Primary Topic: Student Affairs and Co-Curricular Programs and Services

Learning Outcomes Framework for Student Affairs: The Pillars of Learning
Assessing and demonstrating student learning in Student Affairs remains a challenge across diverse programs. CSU Dominguez Hills developed the Pillars of Learning, a unified framework aligning co-curricular programs with student learning outcomes. This session explores the collaborative process of the Student Affairs Assessment Workgroup, ensuring alignment with national best practices (CAS, AAC&U, NILOA) and institutional priorities. The Pillars of Learning provide a structured approach for assessing student learning and demonstrating contributions to the university’s strategic plan. Attendees will gain insights into developing division-wide outcomes, engaging stakeholders, and leveraging this model for program design, evaluation, and strategic decision-making.
Marisol Cardenas, California State University, Dominguez Hills
Presentation Type: Rise-and-Shine 20-Minute Session
Audience Level: Beginner
Primary Topic: Student Affairs and Co-Curricular Programs and Services

Revising Institution-Wide Learning Outcomes through the Lens of a Co-Curricular Record
The Spartan Experience Record helps undergraduate Spartans articulate their learning in co-curricular experiences. To create shared language across our large, decentralized campus, we established 28 university-wide learning outcomes that display on a students’ SER, and within fall 2023, identified they needed revision. Determining the committee composition and responsibilities was done with much intention to ensure success. Colleagues that desire to review learning outcomes on any scale will benefit from our experiences. We will detail our structure process and committee tasks, and ways we ensured an open and productive space of inquiry, as well as how we implemented revisions.
Sarah Schultz and Shannon Logan, Michigan State University
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Student Affairs and Co-Curricular Programs and Services 

Segmenting Success: The Power of Cluster Analysis in Understanding and Improving Student Engagement
Unlock the secrets of student engagement with the power of cluster analysis! This presentation explores how analyzing student participation in welcome week events reveals distinct clusters, uncovering patterns and preferences that drive effective programming and targeted marketing. By understanding these clusters, we can tailor our efforts to meet student needs, enhancing their college experience and boosting retention rates. Join us to discover how this innovative approach not only celebrates our successes but also paves the way for continuous improvement, ensuring every student feels connected and supported from day one.
Emily Braught, Jennifer Grove, Mary Knarr, and Brett Watson, Indiana University Indianapolis
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Student Affairs and Co-Curricular Programs and Services 

Sharing the Vision: Combining Efforts for a Cohesive Reporting Process
The purpose of co-curricular assessment is to determine the effectiveness of units and programs that directly affect the student experience in higher education. While academic assessment is rather straightforward, assessment of units that are both faculty- and student-facing can be more complicated. In particular, these co-curricular units may have any combination of student-learning goals and program or unit goals. To meet the needs of these varied units, we began a team approach to build a singular reporting structure for assessment of Student Affairs and Co-curricular units. This presentation will explore the creation of the structure and the impact seen on units.
Dory Thompson, Katie Boyd, and Vanessa Harrison, Auburn University
Presentation Type: Rise-and-Shine 20-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Student Affairs and Co-Curricular Programs and Services 

Starting Over: Establishing the Framework for Assessment Success in Student Affairs
Get ready to transform the way your institution approaches student success assessment! Join me for an invigorating conversation where we will delve into creating an integrated student success assessment framework you can take back to your institution to see real results. This session will explore six dynamic topics: embedding co-curricular perspectives in institutional learning outcomes; designing measurable departmental learning outcomes; effective data collection and reporting for student affairs; building capacity for assessment and data-driven decision-making; using continuous improvement and evidence-based practices to enhance student success; and creating and maintaining a sustainable assessment infrastructure. The goal of this session is to foster lively discussions on how to get started as well as idea exchanges.
Rhonda Schaller, Pratt Institute
Presentation Type: Poster Session
Audience Level: Beginner
Primary Topic: Student Affairs and Co-Curricular Programs and Services

Centering Students in Program Assessment and Accreditation Processes: Considering a Continuum of Strategies for Meaningful Student Engagement
A hallmark of a mature postsecondary quality assurance (QA) or assessment process is the meaningful involvement of students. This session aims to examine student involvement along a continuum from least to most robust for various parts of a typical program assessment process. Formal strategies from scholarship as well as ideas and lessons learned from practice will be shared and discussed.
Jovan Groen and Susan Lewis, Western University
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Beginner
Primary Topic: Student Partnership and Engagement in Assessment 

Collaborating with Students as Stakeholders: Enhancing Institutional Success
Students are essential stakeholders in higher education, influencing institutional and academic success. Collaborating with Students as Stakeholders explores stakeholder theory, emphasizing student engagement in assessment and decision-making. Using Burrow’s Multiple Lenses Approach, it examines power, influence, cooperation, and challenges among stakeholders. The session will provide strategies for fostering trust, gathering student input, and integrating them into essential decision-making processes. Through practical examples, this session will highlight how student collaboration enhances institutional effectiveness. By prioritizing student voices, institutions can create comprehensive policies that align with their needs, ensuring a more vibrant and receptive educational environment.
Ashley N. Ballard, University of North Florida
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Student Partnership and Engagement in Assessment 

Considering Students’ Perceptions of the Face Validity in Formative Quizzes: A Proposal for a Mixed-Methods Process for Analyzing Opinions on Content Value
Few researchers have attempted to apply a psychometric lens to students’ appraisal of routine, formative assessments. This presentation endeavors to explore the existing literature on students’ judgements of face validity on instructor-created quizzes and proposes a mixed-methods approach for analyzing pupil opinions, to inform further teaching and testing. Through our time together, we’ll highlight the distinct, yet complementary, quantitative and qualitative analyses that can best capture students’ appreciation of knowledge and their understanding of importance in each daily/weekly assessment. This procedure will also encourage constant bidirectional feedback to potentially improve classroom communication and culture.
Quinton Quagliano, Grand Valley State University
Presentation Type: Rise-and-Shine 20-Minute Session
Audience Level: Advanced
Primary Topic: Student Partnership and Engagement in Assessment 

Engaging Latino/a Students: NSSE Indicators as Predictors of Academic Achievement at HSIs
Despite increasing enrollment trends, Latino/a students have the lowest educational attainment among all races and ethnicities in the United States. Latino/a students face persistent barriers to academic achievement. This session explores how engagement indicators from the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) predict Latino/a student success. Using a quantitative ex post facto study, we examine the relationships between engagement and academic performance. Findings provide actionable insights for institutions seeking to enhance student engagement and retention through data-informed decision-making. Attendees will leave with strategies for leveraging NSSE data to improve student outcomes, particularly among historically underrepresented groups.
Karol A. Batey, University of St. Thomas; and Shelby Vaughn, Baylor University
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Student Partnership and Engagement in Assessment 

Let’s Talk About VALUE: Student Feedback on the Revised Quantitative Literacy VALUE Rubric
This session will include research and discussion about the implementation of the American Association of Colleges and Universities’ (AAC&U) revised Quantitative Literacy VALUE Rubric, which is currently under development. In particular, we will share methods and preliminary information about student feedback on the latest iteration of the revised rubric. The session will also include tips for using the revised Quantitative Literacy VALUE Rubric in assignment design as well as its connection to student success using the Transparency in Learning and Teaching (TILT) Framework.
Bethany L. Miller and Nancy Bostrom, Macalester College, Steve Jones, American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) Senior Fellow; Sukeshini A. Grandhi, Eastern Connecticut State University; and Julia Myers, Pierce College
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Student Partnership and Engagement in Assessment

New Directions in Innovation: Creating Successful Student Partnerships in Assessment
The Grand Challenges Innovation Group explores trends in assessment and strives for opportunities leading to both student success and institutional effectiveness, particularly those resulting in institution-wide change. Through formal and informal leadership in assessment this year, this group identified significant success in student-led initiatives. This presentation shares successes with student partnerships and engagement such as a student learning analyst assessment program, an Honors project focusing on assessment with Quality Matters implementation, and strategies that led to impact at scale for campus-wide change.
Amy J. Heston, Walsh University; and Jessica Turos, Bowling Green State University
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Beginner
Primary Topic: Grand Challenges in Assessment / Student Partnership and Engagement in Assessment 

Philanthropic Theory and Analysis in Action: Student Learning Assessment Project
This presentation analyzes assessment data of interdisciplinary degrees in philanthropic studies. This includes direct and indirect measures, quantitative survey data, and qualitative interviews. Master’s program learning outcomes are assessed through qualitative analysis of interview data. Additionally, an undergraduate course facilitated students in gaining interview and analysis skills that culminated in a group presentation. Course learning objectives were mapped to PLUS profiles and Indiana Higher Education Commission college core competencies, and learning objectives are assessed via graded assignments and Time 1-Time 2 survey data. Undergraduate research assistants also participated in additional analysis and share their learnings as co-producers of this presentation.
Patricia Snell Herzog, Delaney Brown, and Kenna McAllister, Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy
Presentation Type: Poster Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Student Partnership and Engagement in Assessment 

Reimagining Assessment as Co-Creating Action WITH Students
Assessment has been about: 1) defining goals/objectives/outcomes, 2) gathering data, 3) analyzing data, and 4) reporting results as evidence/information for decision-making. Different from evaluation, assessment in higher education does not actively engage in offering evaluative recommendations. That level of decision-making and action is mostly left to the leaders who may or may not use the assessment findings/data—often making the whole assessment endeavor a pointless exercise, breaking partner trust.  Attend this session to learn about a novel approach to meaningful assessment—co-creating action with students as partners--that assured timely action, engagement, and decision-making throughout the assessment exercise leading to powerful, institutional change.
Divya Bheda, Santa Clara University
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Student Partnership and Engagement in Assessment 

Research and Programmatic Impacts of Cultivating Long-Term Alumni Relationships
Building and maintaining strong relationships with alumni is an essential component for sustaining the success and impact of educational programs. This presentation will highlight the Center for Dialogue & Pluralism (CDP) at Cornell University. CDP leverages alumni relationships to facilitate current programs and conduct mixed methods research studies. Attendees of this session will explore successful models of alumni involvement, reflect on their institutional practices, and develop action plans for enhancing their alumni networks. By the end of the session, participants will leave with practical strategies to cultivate alumni relationships and to create potential research collaborations for long-term assessment.
Marissa A. Rice, Nimot Ogunfemi, and Rachel Sumner, Cornell University
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Beginner
Primary Topic: Student Partnership and Engagement in Assessment 

Student Partnership in Assessment: Ideas for Meaningful Student Engagement
In more than three decades of work, we are yet to regularly evidence a return on the investment of student outcomes assessment. Many adjustments to the process have been made (e.g., outcomes design, motivation, instrument design, faculty buy-in). Nevertheless, the key stakeholders, students, are rarely included in the process. Instead, we must—often incorrectly—assume the student experience and build our processes accordingly. To address this issue, participants will engage in a guided redesign of a specific assessment process at their own institution; intentionally planning for student partnership.
Nicholas Curtis, University of Wisconsin–Madison; and Robin Anderson, James Madison University
Presentation Type: Pre-Institute Workshop
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Student Partnership and Engagement in Assessment 

Student’s Self-Reported Effort: A Missing Piece in Course Evaluations?
This study examines the role of student self-reported effort in end-of-term course evaluations, analyzing data from 5,222 responses across three course types. Contrary to concerns that students would uniformly rate themselves at the highest level, findings reveal variation in self-assessment scores. Correlational analysis highlights significant relationships between self-scores and course satisfaction, particularly regarding engagement and preparation. Results suggest that student self-evaluation items provide meaningful insights, reinforcing the value of active participation and preparedness in affecting course perceptions. Implications for instructional practice and course evaluation development are addressed.
Mark Urtel, Indiana University Indianapolis
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Student Partnership and Engagement in Assessment

Measuring the Effectiveness of a Student’s College Transition: Employing Time-to-Value as a Student Success Metric
How can we measure students’ successful transition to university? Traditional metrics like retention and time-to-degree take time to assess and offer an incomplete picture. “Time-to-value” provides a real-time gauge of whether students recognize the value of their education. This session explores how institutions are using this metric and offers strategies to implement it on your campus. Participants will discuss methods to identify when, why, and how students buy into their education’s value, leading to stronger academic and professional outcomes. Join us to discover innovative ways to support student success.
Jonathan D. Fuller, Virginia Commonwealth University
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Undergraduate Education

Accountability, Motivation, and Insight: A Digital App for Assessment
Goal setting and achievement can be complex constructs in higher education. Individualization and monitoring of goals is associated with goal achievement. From 2015-2025, researchers have performed multiple studies of a digital application to measure competency development, knowledge translation, and goal achievement in students in their internships and workforce development programs. Students used Goal Scaling Solutions, a digital application, to select and communicate progress weekly on individualized goals. Level of incremental goal achievement will be shared along with themes from qualitative data: accountability, motivation, insight into developing own goals and client goals. Dashboard reports providing aggregated program evaluation will be demonstrated.
Ann Chapleau, Ty Faulkner, and Jennifer Harrison, Western Michigan University
Presentation Type: Poster Session
Audience Level: Beginner
Primary Topic: Use of Technologies in Assessment 

ChatGPT and Educational Assessment: Opportunities and Challenges
Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming how assessment practitioners, test developers, and faculty design, implement, and report assessment findings. This workshop introduces participants to using ChatGPT as a collaborative partner to enhance efficiency, effectiveness, and equity in assessment practices. Through a focus on prompt engineering, participants will explore how AI can support each stage of the assessment cycle, including writing student learning outcomes, developing instruments, analyzing results, and identifying actionable improvements. Practical examples and interactive activities will be used to demonstrate AI's potential to streamline workflows and inform data-driven decision-making. Participants will leave with hands-on strategies for integrating AI into their assessment toolkit.
John Hathcoat and Yu Bao, James Madison University; and Ruth Slotnick, Bridgewater State University
Presentation Type: Pre-Institute Workshop
Audience Level: Beginner
Primary Topic: Use of Technologies in Assessment 

Constructing Intercultural Competence Assessment: Multi-Dimensional Integration of Knowledge, Skills, Attitudes, and Abilities
This ongoing study develops an intercultural competence (IC) test targeting U.S. college students learning Korean and preparing for study or work in Korea, providing the projected applicability in other languages. The test evaluates knowledge, skills, attitudes, and abilities based on the Interagency Language Roundtable (ILR)’s Intercultural Communicative Competence standards via an AI-based IC assessment portal. The AI-module in the portal provides an interactive assessment environment, an automated grading system, and expert natural-language feedback. This study contributes to the field of IC, second language (L2) testing, and L2 teaching and learning by offering a robust model for assessing IC.
Weejeong Jeong, Elijah Kim, and Joshua McGraw, Indiana University Bloomington; and Sun-Kwang Bae, Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Beginner
Primary Topic: Use of Technologies in Assessment 

Curriculum Mapping with Technology
Curriculum mapping is an important factor in strategic planning. Curriculum maps show intended directions in pedagogy, helping to ascertain congruity between desired outcomes and what is actually taught. Using curriculum mapping with assessment tools such as Anthology can help streamline data collection, processing, and reporting. Such tools can serve as storage banks for data-driven decision making. In a recent survey, we noticed that a gap exists between familiarity with assessment-related terms, including curriculum mapping, and actual engagement with the concepts. The current endeavor is intended to help institutions of higher learning engage and strengthen their curriculum mapping endeavors.
Monica Desir, Laura Carroll, Anneris Coria-Navia, and Florence Kamau, Andrews University
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Use of Technologies in Assessment 

Enhance Power BI Reports by Expanding User Experience with Power BI Service: Leveraging the Services to More Effectively Share Reports with Stakeholders
In this poster session, we will explore reporting capabilities of Power BI, focusing on the Power BI service (workspaces, apps, dashboards, interactive reports, semantic models, paginated reports), and Row-Level Security (RLS) in Power BI Desktop.  These functionalities are in place so that it is easier to control access and share data with stakeholders.  Attendees will learn: how the “workspace” is a container for dashboards, reports, apps, workbooks, semantic models, dataflows, and other content in Power BI; how to set up security in “apps” by creating audiences/data user groups; how to create groups in Power BI Desktop to filter data and restrict access at the row level; how to create a paginated/printable PDF report from Power BI Service.  This session aims to provide practical insights and best practices for leveraging Power BI to enhance data governance and reporting efforts.
Sarah Tanner, University of South Florida Health, Morsani College of Medicine
Presentation Type: Poster Session
Audience Level: Beginner
Primary Topic: Use of Technologies in Assessment 

Leveraging the Microsoft Ecosystem: Enhancing Administrative Assessment in a Remote Higher Education Environment
Streamline administrative assessment in the remote higher education environment! The shift to remote learning and operations in higher education has presented unique challenges and opportunities for administrative assessment. This session explores how the Microsoft ecosystem, with its comprehensive suite of tools and platforms, can enhance administrative assessment in a remote higher education environment. Attendees will learn to leverage Microsoft tools to streamline processes, improve efficiency, and enhance communication. This session is designed for beginners and will provide practical insights and strategies for effective remote administrative assessment.
Naima Wells, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
Presentation Type: Poster Session
Audience Level: Beginner
Primary Topic: Use of Technologies in Assessment 

Power BI Boot Camp: Dashboard Building for Assessment Professionals
Interactive dashboards are a powerful tool used to visualize data. As postsecondary campuses collect an increasing amount of data related to student learning, satisfaction, and success outcomes, dashboards are becoming a commonly used method to visualize data. Dashboards are highly adaptive and can be used to display many types of data, including data from learning management systems, student surveys, admissions data, demographic data, and student success indicators. This workshop will focus on building dashboards using Power BI for participants with little or no prior experience. The workshop will be a hands-on learning experience, and participants will leave with a newly created dashboard. The emphasis of the workshop will be learning the basic steps of Power BI dashboard building so that participants can use these skills in the future. Note: Participants will need to bring their own laptop to the workshop with the desktop version of Power BI installed on the laptop prior to the workshop. Participants should bring a laptop with the Microsoft Windows operating system, as the free desktop version of Power BI does not work with Mac (iOS) laptops. A dataset will be provided to participants. More information and instructions will be communicated to registered participants prior to the start of the Institute.  
Shane Schellpfeffer, University of North Dakota; Caitlyn Jessee, Florida State University; and Jeremy Fry, Indiana University School of Dentistry
Presentation Type: Pre-Institute Workshop
Audience Level: Beginner
Primary Topic: Use of Technologies in Assessment 

PowerBI for Program Assessment: Overcoming Constraints, Enhancing Insights
Effective analysis and reporting of program assessment data, particularly over multiple semesters, requires integration of data from multiple sources within a university’s data environment.  However, institutional constraints often provide limited pathways for accessing these sources. This session illustrates how PowerBI can be used to generate insights from multiple semesters of program-level assessment outcomes using datasets generated from existing workflows. In addition to facilitating long-term tracking of assessment outcomes, this approach facilitates dashboards that provide at-a-glance snapshots of assessment trends at the program, course, and assignment levels, providing more actionable feedback for faculty committees with responsibility for the programs being assessed.
Kristoffer M. Rees, Indiana University Online
Presentation Type: Rise-and-Shine 20-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Use of Technologies in Assessment 

Report Generation with Quarto
Creating reports is but one aspect of an assessment professional’s duties yet can often take up more time than desired. This can be compounded when reports are desired that have a similar structure and dataset, yet are disaggregated by program, school, year, etc. One way around this is by using Quarto to create a parent-child format for reproducible score reporting as well as report generation. Quarto allows integration of data, text, and a variety of statistical languages, allowing the assessment professional to create self-contained projects. This workshop will focus on building a Quarto report with basic parent-child functionality, as well as discussing some more advanced topics. While we will demonstrate using R, Python examples can be accessed as well. Participants should expect to have a hands-on experience, alternating between brief demonstrations followed by application of topics learned. At the end of this workshop, participants will have a Quarto project set up with parent-child functionality to take home to their institution. Note: Participants will need to bring their own laptop to the workshop and will be required to download R, RStudio, and Quarto prior to the workshop. All datasets will be provided to participants. More information and instructions will be communicated to registered participants prior to the start of the Institute.
Laura Lambert and Josiah Hunsberger, James Madison University
Presentation Type: Pre-Institute Workshop
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Use of Technologies in Assessment 

Transform Your Survey Skills: From Design to Impact
Master the art of creating powerful surveys that drive real change in student success and program improvement. In this hands-on workshop, you will develop practical skills to design, distribute, and analyze surveys that generate actionable insights from students, faculty, staff, and program graduates. Designed for both beginners and experienced assessment professionals, the workshop will include strategies for crafting clear and engaging questions, effective practices for survey distribution with proven techniques to boost response rates, and techniques to create compelling data visualizations. Throughout the training, you will be able to develop and refine your own survey projects, receiving immediate feedback and practical guidance. By the end of this workshop, you will be able to: 1) identify sound principles of effective survey design, 2) create and administer well-designed surveys to improve student success, and 3) develop impactful presentations to communicate your findings. Note: Participants will need to bring their own laptop to the workshop and sign up for a free Qualtrics account or use any other preferred survey software available to them prior to the workshop. More information and instructions will be communicated to registered participants prior to the start of the Institute.
Joanna Z. Boeing, Bridgewater State University
Presentation Type: Pre-Institute Workshop
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Use of Technologies in Assessment 

Using Power BI to Showcase Internal and External Data: Challenges, Successes, and Lessons Learned
The presenters created Power BI dashboards to enhance assessment reporting processes for a graduation survey, the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE), and general education data. They will discuss the development and implementation of these dashboards for internal and external data sources, moving from static summaries to dynamic reporting for self-service. While their experience centers on Power BI, the insights gained apply broadly to any dashboard platform. After engaging in this session, participants will be able to identify potential data sources for dashboards, discuss challenges for dashboard development, and identify resources for dashboard development.
Jessica M. Turos and Eric Bell, Bowling Green State University
Presentation Type: Poster Session
Audience Level: Beginner
Primary Topic: Use of Technologies in Assessment 

Utilizing Kahoot! Games As a Formative Assessment Tool
This multi-site study examines the effectiveness of Kahoot! as a formative assessment tool in pharmacy education. Conducted across three pharmacy colleges, the study evaluates student perceptions and academic impact of integrating gamification into the PharmD curriculum. Findings indicate that students perceive Kahoot! as engaging and beneficial for comprehension and exam preparation. Faculty insights reveal best practices for its classroom integration. Results suggest a positive correlation between Kahoot! participation and improved academic performance, highlighting its potential to enhance motivation and learning outcomes in professional programs. This study underscores the value of web-based gamification in modern education.
Edward Ofori and Cedric Kwarten, Ohio Northern University
Presentation Type: Rise-and-Shine 20-Minute Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Use of Technologies in Assessment 

Visualize to Realize: Enhancing Assessment with Data Visualization Tools
Discover the power of our new Data Visualization Toolkit! This comprehensive resource equips assessment professionals with the tools and knowledge needed to create impactful data visualizations that drive data-informed decision-making. Each section of the toolkit offers an overview of key concepts and practical tips for every phase of the data visualization process. Learn how to select the right tools, customize visualizations for different stakeholders, and transform data into compelling narratives. Join us to explore best practices, avoid common pitfalls, and enhance your data storytelling skills. Unlock insights and guide innovation with our Data Visualization Toolkit!
Rebecca A. Croxton, Colorado State University; Edward Ofori, Ohio Northern University; and Ryan Smith, Illinois State University
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Beginner
Primary Topic: Grand Challenges in Assessment / Use of Technologies in Assessment 

What to Expect When You’re Expecting: Vendor Advice on Preparing to Implement a New Technology
Choosing the right assessment technology is a critical decision for institutions seeking to enhance data collection, analysis, and reporting. This session brings together leading assessment technology vendors to discuss key considerations before purchase and implementation. Topics include aligning technology with institutional goals, getting your institutional house in order, anticipating challenges, and evaluating vendor reputation. Attendees will gain practical insights to make informed decisions, avoid common pitfalls, and maximize the impact of their investment in assessment technology.
Will Miller, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University; Summer Jackson, Anthology; Jayme Kerr, SPOL; Glenn Phillips, Watermark Insights, and Jenna Ralicki, HelioCampus
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Session
Audience Level: Beginner
Primary Topic: Use of Technologies in Assessment