This chapter describes a process for assessing programmatic initiatives with broad-ranging goals with the use of a mixed-methods design. Using an example of a day-long teaching development conference, this chapter provides practitioners step-by-step guidance on how to implement this assessment process.

Qualitative methods can do much to describe context and illuminate the why behind patterns encountered in institutional assessment. Alone, or in combination with quantitative methods, they should be the approach of choice for many of the most important assessment questions. (Contains 1 table.)

The future of faculty development programs will benefit most from a systematic assessment of program goals, a factor often ignored or taken for granted while program process and product are evaluated. (MSE)

Institutional change, it is suggested, can be managed through task forces that focus on a broad spectrum of institutional problems and issues including internal and external communication, institutional planning, program review and evaluation, administrative development and performance review, and faculty development. (Author/MLW)