Assessment Evaluation and Research

    The Assessment, Evaluation, and Research competency area (AER) focuses on the ability to use, design, conduct, and critique qualitative and quantitative AER analyses; to

manage organizations using AER processes and the results obtained from them; and to shape the political and ethical climate surrounding AER processes and uses on campus.

     At my academic advising internship at Owens Community College I created an advising survey​ that I send out to all students who I have met with during a face-to-face appointment.  The creation and use of this survey demonstrates my ability to “design ongoing and periodic data collections efforts such that they are sustainable, rigorous, as unobtrusive as possible, and technologically current” (ACPA & NASPA, 2010, p. 8).  Creation and implementation of this survey shows my ability to “construct basic surveys and other instruments with consultation” and “discern and discuss the appropriate design(s) to use in AER efforts based on critical questions, necessary dada, and intended audiences” (ACPA & NASPA, 2010, p. 8).  This survey was created to ensure I am advising, and reaching my students effectively, and is only sent to students who have met with me face-to-face to ensure I am receiving data about myself and not other academic advisors who might have met with my students.  Upon attending a NACADA conference session on assessment, I am now working to use the skills I gained to “prioritize program and learning outcomes with organization goals and values” (ACPA & NASPA, 2010, p. 9).  I am doing so by creating four advising objectives that all students should be able to do or know after their appointment and will begin assessing these objectives this summer with pre and post test.

     To demonstrate my competency in assessment, evaluation, and research I have included a presentation and paper I wrote on Learning Communities and my findings about their effects on students’ perceived social support, school satisfaction, adjustment, and sense of community.  I also believe it is equally important to include my paper on the physiological effects of homophobia I wrote in my senior year psychological lab course and a link to a survey I helped create regarding compensatory health beliefs my senior year as part of a independent study my senior year of undergrad which shows my ability to construct basic surveys and other instruments.  Lastly, I find it important to include a list of the research studies I was a part of through data collection, implementation, as well as interpretation to show my ability to “effective articulate, interpret, and use results of assessment, evaluation, and research reports and studies including professional literature” (ACPA & NASPA, 2010, p. 8)