Grants
Request for Proposals - Assessment Grants 2007-08
The Assessment Steering Committee requests proposals for assessment grants for the 2007-08 academic year. The focus of this year’s grant competition is on assessment of student learning at the program level, as outlined in Assessment of Student Learning in Programs, one of SCSU’s student learning projects for the HLC Academy for the Assessment of Student Learning (see http://www.stcloudstate.edu/assessment/AssessmentofStudentLearningPrograms.asp).
Each proposal should focus on an assessment-related problem at the program level. The likelihood of funding will not depend on the level of development of a program’s assessment system. The goal of the grant competition is to improve the assessment of student learning throughout the institution. Proposals that demonstrate that the activity being funded will help the program overcome an obstacle that has hindered assessment efforts in the past will be especially likely to be funded.
Awards: The maximum grant is $2,000. A total of $30,000 is available.
Award Categories: This year’s competition will focus on three types of improvements in program level assessment: integration of assessment of online and on-campus program components, improvement and implementation of program assessment plans, and dissemination and use of assessment findings for program improvement. Proposals must focus on an assessment problem in one (or more) of these areas. (What is the current state of assessment in your program? Have any obstacles made it difficult for assessment efforts to move forward? What needs to be done next? How will the proposed project address this need?) A brief description of each area and examples of the types of problems that might fall within each are provided below.
1. Integrating assessment of program online and on-campus components
Is the program offered online as well as on campus? Are some of the program’s student learning outcomes met in courses that are taught both online and on campus? If so, how does the program coordinate online and on-campus assessment?
Example: Revising the program’s assessment plan to incorporate assessment of online learning.
Example: Comparing and coordinating how particular program student learning outcomes are assessed for online and on-campus instruction.
Example: Comparing findings from assessment of online and on-campus program components to improve these components or student learning in the program as a whole.
2. Improving and implementing program assessment plans
Assessment plans include the program’s mission statement, its student learning outcomes, a program matrix showing the courses or non-course activities in which these outcomes are met, and a timeline that specifies the semesters in which each outcome will be assessed. Programs may not have completed all of these parts of their assessment plan, they may see a need to revise parts of their plan, or they may want to add specificity to their plan by identifying new measures for student learning outcomes or revising existing measures.
Example: Revising program level student learning outcomes.
Example: Developing or revising the program matrix and timeline for assessment of the program’s student learning outcomes.
Example: Developing course-embedded measures of program student learning outcomes.
Example: Developing direct measures of program student learning outcomes to complement existing indirect measures (or vice versa).
Example: Developing or implementing rubrics for assessing program student learning outcomes.
3. Disseminating assessment findings and using findings for program improvement
Programs sometimes collect assessment data but have difficulty using the data for program improvement.
Example: Analyzing data and disseminating findings to program faculty for use in making program decisions.
Example: Developing a system to ensure that assessment findings are discussed and acted upon by program faculty.
Example: Implementing improvements suggested by past assessment findings.
Use of Funds: Assessment grant money can support faculty extra duty days, duplication of materials, partial graduate assistantships, and/or student help. Grant money cannot be used for purchasing software, computers, data processing costs, equipment, travel, or consultants.
Dates: Completed grant proposals must be received in the University Assessment Office (Miller Center 310C) by noon on Tuesday, November 27, 2007. Awards will be announced by December 7, 2007. Funded projects must be completed and reports submitted by May 15, 2008.
Proposals Form: Proposals should be submitted on the proposal form. To be considered for funding, your proposal should provide all of the information requested.
Grant Reports: Payment for duty days is contingent upon completion of the project and receipt of a report by May 15, 2008. The report must include an analysis of how well the project goals were met and how the project contributes to program assessment efforts.
If you have any questions regarding your assessment proposal, please contact Jim Sherohman, University Assessment Director (8-6590 or assessment@stcloudstate.edu).
