ELPS 431: Evaluation in Higher Education

"Without proper self-evaluation, failure is inevitable."

-John Wooden

Assessment Plan: Cristo Rey Scholars Program

          I developed this assessment plan for the Cristo Rey Scholars Program with a team of three other people, Allen, Ester, and Cydney. We were given the assignment of identifying a program that could use a new assessment plan, and Allen was currently working on the Cristo Rey Scholars Program at Loyola University Chicago. He mentioned that they only performed a basic quantitative assessment and had done little to change the program in many years. Because this program serves a marginalized population and has some strict requirements for students to maintain their scholarship status our team felt it was time to try to identify what the students felt was working for them in the program and what was not working. Additionally, we asked them to reflect on the ways that COVID-19 were affecting their abilities to maintain scholarship status and tried to identify what ways the program could be more flexible regarding scholarship funds and disbursements. For example, do students feel they need to be able to use some scholarship funds for books and supplies for class. 

Reflective leadership

          For this assignment, I often found myself in the role of organizer, organizing our notes and meetings. It is something that I often at least participate in because I like to know that we have a plan to meet and accomplish our goals to complete the assignment on time. I have a lot of schedules to manage in my household and prefer to schedule things in advance if possible, so do not mind filling the organizing role. In my previous work history, I oversaw scheduling all kinds of meetings and large interview days, so I enjoy scheduling and making sure meetings are organized. 

          Assessment of this project requires a leader that wants to understand the retention rates of the students in their program on a deeper level than GPA performance. Allen reflected that desire and communicated his leadership was seeking to better understand student needs to improve the program for future students. One of the concerns that our group raised was the idea of requiring students to attend on campus events post COVID-19 and what that will look like. The leader of this program and the mentor will need to work with students to continue to make this program accessible to students that may have off-campus responsibilities, such as family and work. 

Research and Assessment Competence

          This assessment proposal allowed our team to use an approach that combines quantitative and qualitative research methods to improve the assessment practices of the Cristo Rey Scholars program. In the data reliability and validity section I discuss the ways that we plan to expand on the current quantitative data collection methods and provide additional reliability and validity through our qualitative data collection methods-specifically through the use of data triangulation. I discuss the benefits and disadvantages of collecting data via survey and interviews. For example, using semi-structured interviews during already scheduled student meetings allows for more controlled data collection at the same time as incorporating the new assessment practice into already established routines. Not only are we asking the program coordinator to be a part of the assessment process and collecting data, but we will be asking students to evaluate the relationships they have with their program coordinator. 

Reviewing the ethical and special considerations that the assessment team must take into consideration demonstrates our team’s commitment to performing an assessment that not only improves the student experience but protects their privacy.

Communication Skills

          I was tasked with writing the literature review, data reliability and validity, and partnered with Ester to complete the ethical issues and special considerations section, and partnered with Ester and Allen to complete the interview questions in Appendix B. This group project was overall successful and collaborative however, I wish we had more time to polish the final document to make our different writings styles sound more fluid and to remove any repetitive statements. 

          If I reflect on my communication style-I am open and forward. I like to share what my understanding of the meeting notes, tasks, and assignments are to be completed before the next meeting. This could be a bit too micro-managerial for some so I have tried to allow for others to step in and take a planning role, until I feel that time is running out and we need to complete things. I think some people might consider my communication style as “over-sharing” or “over-communicating” and as opposed to text messages I try to make my emails formal and include all necessary information to reduce the number of emails I send when communicating about a project.