An ACPA/NASPA Joint Publication The need for the new role of student affairs assessment coordinator has emerged in response to the increasing demand for outcomes information, the proliferation of data, and the recognition that coordinating this work within divisions is of paramount importance.For those taking on this role, this book constitutes a practical guide to leading and implementing an assessment program – whether doing so full- or part-time, as an individual or in a multi-person office, or whether reporting to or being in positional leadership. Recognizing that this function that is new to student affairs, and that those who take it on frequently find themselves in an in-between world, being both embedded with, but also distinct from, their divisional colleagues, this book first addresses the common challenges and issues related to defining and implementing the role and cultivating a culture of assessment. It then deals with the practicalities of creating systems and structures; developing assessment skills throughout the organization; and creating an integrated model for measuring progress towards strategic planning goals, and for informing decision-making and resource allocation.The book concludes with guidance on leading and maintaining ethical standards related to data collection, storage and sharing for the division, and on navigating the dynamic political environment that assessment professionals will encounter.

The first edition of Assessing Student Learning has become the standard reference for college faculty and administrators who are charged with the task of assessing student learning within their institutions. The second edition of this landmark book offers the same practical guidance and is designed to meet ever-increasing demands for improvement and accountability. This edition includes expanded coverage of vital assessment topics such as promoting an assessment culture, characteristics of good assessment, audiences for assessment, organizing and coordinating assessment, assessing attitudes and values, setting benchmarks and standards, and using results to inform and improve teaching, learning, planning, and decision making.

With the recognition of the integral role of student affairs in student education, and with stakeholders requiring increasing accountability at a time of tight resources, it has become imperative that staff be familiar with and competent in undertaking assessment. This book provides student affairs staff with the grounding they need to integrate assessment into how they design and monitor the programs, services, and activities they create to contribute to students’ development.This book is intended both as a text for student affairs and higher education master’s programs, and as a practical guide for early career staff who have had little formal preparation in assessment. It can be used for self-study or in professional development workshops. For divisions, departments, or units getting started with assessment, the discussion questions at the end of the chapters can engage staff in the process of developing an effective assessment culture. This book provides a thorough introduction to all aspects of assessment, assuming no prior knowledge, and illustrated throughout with examples of application in student affairs settings. Key elements include:• Takes into account the latest standards and competencies defined by AAC&U, ACPA, AER, CAS, NASPA, and others• Introductory and comprehensive• Provides essential background and theory• Covers preparation, planning and design• Describes the full range of assessment methods• Introduces principles and methods of qualitative and quantitative analysis• Guidance on using and sharing results• Addresses cultivating and sustaining a culture of assessment• Considers ethical and political concerns• Covers use of technology• Illustrated throughout by examples of practice in student affairs.

The bestselling student affairs text, updated for today's evolving campus Student Services is the classic comprehensive text for graduate students in student affairs, written by top scholars and practitioners in the field. Accessible and theoretically grounded, this book reflects the realities of contemporary practice in student affairs. This new sixth edition has been updated throughout to align with current scholarship, and expanded with four new chapters on student development, crisis management, programming, and applications. Twenty new authors join the roster of expert contributors, bringing new perspective on critical issues such as ethical standards, campus culture, psychosocial development, student retention, assessment and evaluation, and much more. End-of-chapter questions help reinforce the material presented, and unique coverage of critical theoretical perspectives, counseling and helping skills, advising, leadership, environmental theories, and other useful topics make this book a foundational resource for those preparing for a student affairs career. The student affairs staff has the responsibility for a vast array of services and support roles for students on every type of campus. This book provides a thorough overview of the field's many facets, with invaluable real-world insight from leading practitioners. Understand the theoretical bases of development, learning, identity, and change Delve into the organizational frameworks vital to any institution Learn the historical context of higher education and the student affairs role Master essential competencies including professionalism, supervision, crisis management, and more As colleges and universities offer more and more services to an increasingly diverse student population, the responsibility for these programs falls to student affairs educators. The role requires a broad skill set, and conceptual grounding in a number of disciplines. Student Services provides the most complete overview of the foundations, philosophies, ethics, and theories that guide today's student affairs professional.

This unique book is a valuable tool for all student affairs educators. The text opens with an exploration of the history of assessment in higher education, in general, and then student affairs more specifically. Having established a historical perspective, the reader then delves into chapters that align with the Assessment, Evaluation, and Research (AER) competency and accompanying rubric. It provides the reader with a unique approach to learning and understanding AER. It is designed in a format that describes/defines this competency at the foundational, intermediate, and advanced outcome levels; suggests ways to apply this competency in practice through case studies from student affairs; and provides tools for the assessment of competency understanding. All chapters include relevant terminology necessary for understanding, the competency applied to a case study, and an opportunity for self-assessment. While the book is designed for those who are preparing to become student affairs educators and for those who are new to this discipline, it is certainly filled with information and resources for entry-level, mid-level, and senior-level professionals. The text is not only a blueprint but also a global positioning system on assessment, evaluation, and research in student affairs to guide the reader in the process of helping and educating students. The book bridges the gap between who one is today and who one wants to become as a future student affairs educator. As a guidebook, it is a unique and valuable source to aid the student in developing real professional competency.

A practical, comprehensive manual for assessment design and implementation Assessment in Student Affairs, Second Edition offers a contemporary look at the foundational elements and practical application of assessment in student affairs. Higher education administration is increasingly called upon to demonstrate organizational effectiveness and engage in continuous improvement based on information generated through systematic inquiry. This book provides a thorough primer on all stages of the assessment process. From planning to reporting and beyond, you'll find valuable assessment strategies to help you produce meaningful information and improve your program. Combining and updating the thoroughness and practicality of Assessment in Student Affairs and Assessment Practice in Student Affairs, this new edition covers design of assessment projects, ethical practice, student learning outcomes, data collection and analysis methods, report writing, and strategies to implement change based on assessment results. Case studies demonstrate real-world application to help you clearly see how these ideas are used effectively every day, and end-of-chapter discussion questions stimulate deeper investigation and further thinking about the ideas discussed. The instructor resources will help you seamlessly integrate this new resource into existing graduate-level courses. Student affairs administrators understand the importance of assessment, but many can benefit from additional direction when it comes to designing and implementing evaluations that produce truly useful information. This book provides field-tested approaches to assessment, giving you a comprehensive how-to manual for demonstrating—and improving—the work you do every day. Build your own assessment to demonstrate organizational effectiveness Utilize quantitative and qualitative techniques and data Identify metrics and methods for measuring student learning Report and implement assessment findings effectively Accountability and effectiveness are the hallmarks of higher education administration today, and they are becoming the metrics by which programs and services are evaluated. Strong assessment skills have never been more important. Assessment in Student Affairs gives you the knowledge base and skill set you need to shine a spotlight on what you and your organization are able to achieve.

Children in today's world are inundated with information about who to be, what to do and how to live. But what if there was a way to teach children how to manage priorities, focus on goals and be a positive influence on the world around them? The Leader in Meis that programme. It's based on a hugely successful initiative carried out at the A.B. Combs Elementary School in North Carolina. To hear the parents of A. B Combs talk about the school is to be amazed. In 1999, the school debuted a programme that taught The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Peopleto a pilot group of students. The parents reported an incredible change in their children, who blossomed under the programme. By the end of the following year the average end-of-grade scores had leapt from 84 to 94. This book will launch the message onto a much larger platform. Stephen R. Covey takes the 7 Habits, that have already changed the lives of millions of people, and shows how children can use them as they develop. Those habits -- be proactive, begin with the end in mind, put first things first, think win-win, seek to understand and then to be understood, synergize, and sharpen the saw -- are critical skills to learn at a young age and bring incredible results, proving that it's never too early to teach someone how to live well.

The Journal of Student Affairs in Africa (JSAA) is an independent, peer-reviewed, multi-disciplinary, open-access academic journal that publishes scholarly research and reflective discussions about the theory and practice of student affairs in Africa. The JSAA strives to be the foremost academic journal dealing with the theory and practice of the student affairs domain in universities on the African continent, and an indispensable resource for national policy makers, the executive leadership of universities and colleges dealing with student affairs, deans of students and other senior student affairs professionals, as well as institutional researchers and academics and students focused on the field of higher education studies and student affairs.