Higher education insiders trumpet the use of results for improvement as the most important part of the assessment cycle. Yet, at the same time, we acknowledge the rarity of improvement, especially at a program level. What are some reasons the most important phase of assessment occurs so infrequently? To seek answers, we investigated the "Use…

Program assessment is now commonplace at most colleges and universities and is required for accreditation of specific degree programs. Key aspects of program assessment include program improvement, improved student learning, and adequate student preparation for the workforce. Thus, program assessment is a key ingredient to program health. Although…

There remains a lack of published empirical data on the substantive outcomes of higher learning and the establishment of quality processes for determining them. Studies that do exist are nationally focused with available rankings of institutions reflecting neither the quality of teaching and learning nor the diversity of institutions. This article…

Driven by issues of accountability, the assessment movement in higher education has gained significant momentum in recent years. However, successful implementation of assessment processes varies radically across institutions and organizational units. A key issue is faculty engagement. This qualitative case study explored factors that impact…

State support in higher education (HE) is often justified on the grounds that HE is important for the development of the country. However, little analysis is normally done in order to assess the impact of education quality initiatives. The Mexican government has been engaging in a policy of HE quality improvement that can be traced to 1989. In…

Asserts that efforts to improve student learning must be tied to ongoing evaluation and assessment, and offers tips on conducting this evaluation. (EV)

Describes an administrative operational system for internship programs leading to a justifiable return on investment in the areas of academic integrity, departmental image, and resource acquisition. (KEH)

Discusses a survey designed to assess the impact of career education on communication programs in higher education within the Central States Speech Association region. (MH)

Students (37) and graduates (108) responded to 567 questionnaires sent seeking impressions of the Lorado Taft Field campus' (Northern Illinois University) outdoor teacher education (OTE) program. The survey sought personal information, evaluations of achievement of OTE program goals and objectives, impact of program on students, and new directions…

Describes the standards and guidelines developed for learning assistance programs by the Committee for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education (CAS), and those for program components by the National Association of Developmental Education (NADE). Suggests how they can be used to identify needs and improve existing services. (VWC)

This article asks whether institutional research could help improve the quality of student engagement by researching at sub-institutional levels such as in courses bridging students from school into higher education. In answer it argues two interacting propositions: one, that student engagement provides useful indicators of quality in higher…

Given growing interest in accountability and outcomes, the North Central Association's Higher Learning Commission developed a new path for accreditation, the Academic Quality Improvement Program (AQIP). The goal is to infuse continuous improvement and quality in the culture of higher education, and to blend traditional accreditation with the…

In the first stage of a project to improve the general education offerings at Wayne State University (Michigan), the ad hoc committee on general education defined those basic academic skills that a general education program should promote. The process of defining and evaluating the basic skill of communication typified the process of defining and…

Reports on the efforts of one developmental education program to seek faculty input regarding the provision of services. Provides a look at faculty questionnaire results, and presents recommendations for expanding the use of the program, including publicity, courses and adjunct seminars, workshops, and classroom presentations, group and individual…

The search for indicators of quality for colleges and universities was initiated during the past decade and many variants of these efforts have emerged in Europe, Australia, and on the North American continent. In the financial squeeze of the 1980s and 1990s, demands for quality and excellence in the conduct of higher education have continued to…