Guidelines for Program Assessment: Audiences
Who are the audiences to whom the plan is to communicate?
- What kind of message statement would you give to each audience?
- What medium would you use to transmit the message?
The audience statement identifies the people you plan to communicate with about the assessment results, recognizing that
- different audiences require different assessment information
- different audiences require different forms of communication.
The message statement describes how you are going to use the assessments to improve. You may use different messages for different audiences.
The medium statement lists what kinds of verbal and visual media are available for communicating the results of your assessments. Remember:
- two-way communication is superior to one-way
- timeliness of communication is critical to improvement.
Some Examples of Messages and Media for Selected Audiences
| Audience | Accrediting association team of visitors (programmatic or regional) |
|---|---|
| Message | We regularly assess student learning and use that information for program. improvement. |
| Medium | Self-study reports, program assessment plans, data collected and analyzed, resource room of documented evidence of the process of assessment, yearly assessment report, SCSU's institutional assessment plan, SCSU's strategic plan, visitation teams from accrediting agencies, curriculum committee, Assessment Office |
| Audience | Prospective students, parents, recruiting for students, other universities |
|---|---|
| Message | We regularly measure student learning and use the information to improve student learning and to improve programs. |
| Medium | Brochures, student handbooks, reports (implies higher quality students being admitted to SCSU) |
| Audience | Current students |
|---|---|
| Message | We regularly measure student learning and use the information to improve student learning and to improve programs. |
| Medium | Advising, mentoring, focus groups, email |
| Audience | Faculty |
|---|---|
| Message | We have ongoing assessment to improve student learning, enhance program development, and contribute to teaching innovativeness. |
| Medium | Assessment Office, Faculty Center for Teaching Excellence, faculty satisfaction surveys, colloquia, faculty workshops, convocation, faculty development efforts and activities such as, grant writing, etc. |
| Audience | Prospective employers |
|---|---|
| Message | SCSU is better preparing students for the current marketplace, and it continually strives to improve programs. |
| Medium | Advisory boards and councils, mass media |
| Audience | Public |
|---|---|
| Message | SCSU continuously strives to improve programs; SCSU better prepares students for work in the current marketplace. |
| Medium | University and program brochures, Assessment Office, University Public Relations, Faculty Association |
