2026 Assessment Institute Sponsor Sessions
The Assessment Institute in Indianapolis will offer the following educational and product-based sponsor sessions on various topics from Monday, October 19, through Tuesday, October 20, 2026.
A Drop of Perfect or an Ocean of Okay: A Discussion on Approaches to Assessment
Assessment is far more than a tool for accreditation—it is the cornerstone of meaningful change and continuous growth. In an evolving landscape shaped by AI, emerging technologies, updated standards, and shifting faculty dynamics, choosing between "good enough" and excellence in assessment can feel complex. This conversational session invites participants to engage in the candid discussions happening across campuses: What does sustainable, high-impact assessment truly look like? What is “good enough” in assessment, and when should we push for perfection? How do you get excellence in non-accreditation years? While no institution has a flawless or ubiquitously applicable model, establishing a strong, manageable baseline is the first step toward long-term success. Together, we will explore how to build a solid assessment foundation, align it with changing accreditation expectations, and dare to be both compliant and outstanding.
Glenn Phillips, Watermark Insights
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Sponsor Session
Audience Level: Beginner
Primary Topic: Assessment Methods
Date: Monday, October 19, 2026
Time: 4:30–5:30 p.m.
Sponsor: Watermark Insights
Course-Level vs. Program-Level Assessment: Implications for Faculty Engagement and Assessment Culture
As institutions refine their assessment strategies, a persistent tension remains between course-level and program-level approaches. While both are essential for demonstrating student learning, they differ in purpose, implementation, and perceived value among faculty. This session presents a focused comparison of course-level and program-level assessment, examining how each approach influences faculty engagement, assessment culture, and institutional buy-in. Participants will explore key distinctions between course-level assessment, which centers on instructor-driven practices and timely feedback, and program-level assessment, which emphasizes longitudinal outcomes, curricular alignment, and accountability. The session will highlight strengths and limitations of each approach, including scalability, faculty ownership, usability of results, and long-term sustainability. Drawing on practical examples and a developing case study, this presentation will examine how assessment design shapes faculty perceptions of relevance, workload, and autonomy. These factors often determine whether assessment is experienced as meaningful or compliance-driven. Strategies for bridging gaps between course- and program-level efforts will be shared, with an emphasis on improving alignment and strengthening faculty participation. Participants will leave with actionable approaches to integrate assessment across levels and foster a more engaged and sustainable assessment culture. Participants will also be able to differentiate between course-level and program-level assessment in purpose, structure, and use of results, identify advantages and limitations of each approach related to faculty engagement and sustainability, recognize how assessment design influences faculty buy-in and institutional culture, and apply at least two strategies to better align course- and program-level assessment efforts.
Jayme Kerr, SPOL; and Stephanie Peek, Jefferson State Community College
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Sponsor Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Faculty and Professional Development
Date: Tuesday, October 20, 2026
Time: 9:30–10:30 a.m.
Sponsor: SPOL
Empowering Transparency: Crafting Sustainable Curriculum and Assessment Plans for Student Success
Join eLumen as we unveil actionable strategies and cutting-edge tools for unlocking transparency in student learning and achievement. Discover how you can craft a curriculum and assessment plan that supports scaffolded learning, multiple assessments for mastery across all levels, meaningful microcredentials, and guides students through their learning journey with clarity. Participants will gain the ability to (1) know what is happening in Canvas at-a-glance and what to plan next, (2) learn how curriculum mapping helps you know what is covered in which courses, where it is being assessed, and what it means on multiple dimensions—including the development of attainment rules for badges and CLR records, and (3) see sustainable tools for planning, assessing, and reporting on both curriculum performance that brings what happens in Canvas into a clear view of what Provosts and Deans need to understand—and brings critical academic context to courses faculty are teaching so that overall quality is easy.
Erin Bentrim and Jerry Anderson, eLumen
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Sponsor Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Assessment Methods
Date: Monday, October 19, 2026
Time: 3:15–4:15 p.m.
Sponsor: eLumen
Enhancing Assessment with AI: Using Nuventive's AI Feedback Assistant to Strengthen Continuous Improvement
Artificial intelligence is transforming assessment by providing timely, actionable feedback that supports meaningful continuous improvement. This session will demonstrate how Palm Beach State College is using Nuventive's AI Feedback Assistant to enhance annual Program Learning Outcomes (PLO) assessment and program review processes. Participants will see practical examples of how AI-generated feedback helps faculty and administrators refine assessment narratives, strengthen action plans, improve alignment among learning outcomes, and promote more consistent documentation across academic programs. The session will also discuss strategies for integrating AI into existing assessment workflows while maintaining faculty ownership, institutional standards, and accreditation expectations. Attendees will leave with practical ideas for leveraging AI as a collaborative tool to improve the quality, efficiency, and impact of institutional assessment rather than replacing the critical role of faculty judgment.
Ayleen Martínez, Palm Beach State College
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Sponsor Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Artificial Intelligence
Date: Monday, October 19, 2026
Time: 12:30–1:30 p.m.
Sponsor: Nuventive
From Evidence to Action: Connecting Student Outcomes to Institutional Effectiveness and Accreditation
Institutional effectiveness is more than compliance—it's a commitment to continuous improvement grounded in meaningful evidence. But too often, outcome data lives in silos, disconnected from the planning and accreditation processes where it matters most. In this session, we will explore how institutions are using technology to close the loop between student learning outcomes, strategic planning, and accreditation readiness. We will demonstrate how Blackboard's Institutional Effectiveness solutions help institutions move from data collection to demonstrated improvement. Participants will also see how these tools support institutions at any stage of their effectiveness journey, through the assessment cycle—and how Blackboard's commitment to a culture of assessment extends into the Learning Management System (LMS) itself, engaging faculty and learners to support a culture of assessment.
Summer Jackson, Blackboard T&L, LLC
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Sponsor Session
Audience Level: Beginner
Primary Topic: Institution-Wide Data Collection/Use
Date: Monday, October 19, 2026
Time: 1:45–2:45 p.m.
Sponsor: Blackboard T&L, LLC
From Scattered to Strategic: Reimagining Your Assessment Process
Assessment work too often lives in scattered spreadsheets, inconsistent templates, and inboxes across dozens of academic units, making it hard to collect plans, track submissions, promote accountability, and reference past findings. Meanwhile the pressure is rising. Accreditors expect stronger evidence of educational value, standards keep shifting, and teams need disaggregated data to ensure equitable outcomes. This session explores how institutions can move from a fragmented, reactive approach to a standardized, strategic one. We'll examine the real costs of fragmentation, then turn to the harder question of how to actually drive the change. Drawing on change-management principles and lessons learned from rolling out course evaluations, we'll cover how to secure faculty and program-leader buy-in, involve stakeholders early to reduce resistance, and close the loop so data is collected, reviewed, and used for improvement. Attendees will leave with a practical framework for turning scattered assessment work into action and building lasting stakeholder support.
Melissa Helvey and Luke Silvester, Coursedog
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Sponsor Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Strategy and Planning
Date: Tuesday, October 20, 2026
Time: 10:45–11:45 a.m.
Sponsor: Coursedog
Resources to Level Up Your Assessment Skills
Whether you're brand new to assessment, oversee assessment at your institution, or are looking for new ways to improve student learning, this session has something for you. We'll explore a variety of resources to help you grow your assessment skills, from free videos and practical books to immersive weeklong workshops. You'll receive an overview of resources that fit different experience levels, interests, and professional goals, so you can find the ones that are right for you. Whether you're looking for a quick introduction or a deeper dive, you'll leave with ideas and resources you can start using right away to strengthen your assessment practice.
Keston Fulcher, James Madison University
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Sponsor Session
Audience Level: Beginner
Primary Topic: Learning Improvement
Date: Monday, October 19, 2026
Time: 12:30–1:30 p.m.
Sponsor: Center for Assessment and Research Studies (CARS) at James Madison University
Xitracs™: Using Artificial Intelligence (AI), Learning Management Systems (LMS), and Student Information Systems (SIS) Integrations to Streamline Accreditation, Assessment, and Planning
This presentation will provide an overview of how Xitracs supports success and continuous improvement in some of the most important areas in higher education. Xitracs is a user-friendly, cost-effective software platform that allows your Institutional Research/Effectiveness (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, and more! We have added or enhanced our integrations with: artificial intelligence (AI) (analyses/summaries), student information systems (SIS) (automated imports), and learning management systems (LMS) (gradebook scores & student artifacts). We'll wrap up with an open discussion, so bring your questions and ideas!
Stephanie Allen, Xitracs™ by Concord USA
Presentation Type: Concurrent 60-Minute Sponsor Session
Audience Level: Intermediate
Primary Topic: Assessment Methods
Date: Monday, October 19, 2026
Time: 1:45–2:45 p.m.
Sponsor: Xitracs™ by Concord USA, Inc.