In the day-to-day work of higher education administration, student affairs professionals know that different institutional types - whether a small liberal arts college, a doctoral intensive institution, or a large private university - require different practical approaches. Despite this, most student affairs literature emphasizes a "one size fits all" approach to practice. In this book, leading scholars Kathleen Manning, Jillian Kinzie and John Schuh advocate a new approach by presenting eleven models of student affairs practice. These models are based on a qualitative, multi-institutional case study research project involving twenty institutions of higher education varying by type, size and mission. By accessibly presenting different types of institutions that have all experienced higher than predicted levels of student engagement and graduation rates the authors set out to discover the policies, practices and programs that can contribute to student success.

In the second edition of this influential book, leading scholars Kathleen Manning, Jillian Kinzie, and John H. Schuh advocate an original approach by presenting 11 models of student affairs practice, including both traditional and innovative programs. Based on a qualitative, multi-institutional research project, One Size Does Not Fit All explores a variety of policies, practices, and programs that contribute to increased student engagement, success, and learning. This book is a must read for all higher education administrators and student affairs professionals. New to this Revised Edition: Refinement of models in light of recent NSSE data and current developments in higher education, including budget cuts and the economic crisis, Updated information throughout about model assessment and techniques to renew divisions of student affairs, A deeper analysis of how models of student affairs practice relate to institutional mission and purposes, End-of-chapter discussion questions to guide thinking about ways to incorporate models in one’s own context, An entirely new Part IV, including chapters on "Catalysts and Tools for Change" and "Redesigning Your Student Affairs Division."

Student Success in College describes policies, programs, and practices that a diverse set of institutions have used to enhance student achievement. This book clearly shows the benefits of student learning and educational effectiveness that can be realized when these conditions are present. Based on the Documenting Effective Educational Practice (DEEP) project from the Center for Postsecondary Research at Indiana University, this book provides concrete examples from twenty institutions that other colleges and universities can learn from and adapt to help create a success-oriented campus culture and learning environment.

“Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.” Many student affairs divisions are doing just that, leading the way in sustainability education by providing students with the knowledge they need to make a positive impact in their personal, civic, and professional lives. This sourcebook provides a primer on how to best organize specific programs and services as well as overall campus operations to address the critical challenge of sustainability. Presenting research, operational approaches, and personal insights, the authors enable readers to develop successful programs and services. Practical in nature, the content can be adapted into existing or developing programs for a seamless integration of sustainability into everyday campus life. This is the 137th volume of this Jossey-Bass higher education quarterly series. An indispensable resource for vice presidents of student affairs, deans of students, student counselors, and other student services professionals, New Directions for Student Services offers guidelines and programs for aiding students in their total development: emotional, social, physical, and intellectual.

Creating the conditions that foster student success in college has never been more important. As many as four-fifths of high school graduates need some form of postsecondary education to be economically self-sufficient and manage the increasingly complex social, political, and cultural issues of the 21st century. But about 40 percent of those who start college fail to earn a degree within 6 or 8 years, an unacceptably low number. This report examines the complicated array of social, economic, cultural and educational factors related to student success in college, defined as academic achievement, engagement in educationally purposeful activities, satisfaction, acquisition of desired knowledge, skills and competencies, persistence, and attainment of educational objectives. Although the trajectory for academic success in college is established long before students matriculate, most institutions can do more than they are at present to shape how students prepared for college and they they engage in productive activities after they arrive. This is the 5th issue of the 32nd volume of the Jossey-Bass series ASHE Higher Education Report. Each monograph is the definitive analysis of a tough higher education problem, based on thorough research of pertinent literature and institutional experiences. Topics are identified by a national survey. Noted practitioners and scholars are then commissioned to write the reports, with experts providing critical reviews of each manuscript before publication.

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.

American higher education needs a major reframing of student learning outcomes assessment Dynamic changes are underway in American higher education. New providers, emerging technologies, cost concerns, student debt, and nagging doubts about quality all call out the need for institutions to show evidence of student learning. From scholars at the National Institute for Learning Outcomes Assessment (NILOA), Using Evidence of Student Learning to Improve Higher Education presents a reframed conception and approach to student learning outcomes assessment. The authors explain why it is counterproductive to view collecting and using evidence of student accomplishment as primarily a compliance activity. Today's circumstances demand a fresh and more strategic approach to the processes by which evidence about student learning is obtained and used to inform efforts to improve teaching, learning, and decision-making. Whether you're in the classroom, an administrative office, or on an assessment committee, data about what students know and are able to do are critical for guiding changes that are needed in institutional policies and practices to improve student learning and success. Use this book to: Understand how and why student learning outcomes assessment can enhance student accomplishment and increase institutional effectiveness Shift the view of assessment from being externally driven to internally motivated Learn how assessment results can help inform decision-making Use assessment data to manage change and improve student success Gauging student learning is necessary if institutions are to prepare students to meet the 21st century needs of employers and live an economically independent, civically responsible life. For assessment professionals and educational leaders, Using Evidence of Student Learning to Improve Higher Education offers both a compelling rationale and practical advice for making student learning outcomes assessment more effective and efficient.

A comprehensive expansion to the essential higher education assessment text This second edition of Assessment Essentials updates the bestselling first edition, the go-to resource on outcomes assessment in higher education. In this thoroughly revised edition, you will find, in a familiar framework, nearly all new material, examples from more than 100 campuses, and indispensable descriptions of direct and indirect assessment methods that have helped to educate faculty, staff, and students about assessment. Outcomes assessment is of increasing importance in higher education, especially as new technologies and policy proposals spotlight performance-based success measures. Leading authorities Trudy Banta and Catherine Palomba draw on research, standards, and best practices to address the timeless and timeliest issues in higher education accountability. New topics include: Using electronic portfolios in assessment Rubrics and course-embedded assessment Assessment in student affairs Assessing institutional effectiveness As always, the step-by-step approach of Assessment Essentials will guide you through the process of developing an assessment program, from the research and planning phase to implementation and beyond, with more than 100 examples along the way. Assessment data are increasingly being used to guide everything from funding to hiring to curriculum decisions, and all faculty and staff will need to know how to use them effectively. Perfect for anyone new to the assessment process, as well as for the growing number of assessment professionals, this expanded edition of Assessment Essentials will be an essential resource on every college campus.

This report reviews the literature on learning theories and frameworks applicable to instruction of undergraduate college students. An introductory section provides an overview and discusses the importance of learning frameworks. The first half of the volume addresses various theoretical frameworks in detail. These include: motivation theories, including performance attribution and self-efficacy; and theories offering a social perspective, such as social constructivism and conscientization. Each theory is presented in terms of a case study which examines elements of the theoretical construct, reviews relevant research on young adult and college student populations, discusses the relationship of the framework to college students' learning, and identifies possible educational applications. A separate section focuses on other theories which challenge assumptions about learning. The second part of the monograph discusses the usefulness of these frameworks for studying and fostering academic learning. One section addresses the need for more classroom-based research on college student learning. The final section applies the various theoretical frameworks to the classroom, emphasizing the importance of diverse methods for presenting academic material, activities to facilitate learning, and multiple ways for students to demonstrate their learning. (Contains approximately 375 references.) (DB).

This paper uses time series data from a widely used assessment to identify colleges and universities that demonstrate positive trends on a range of educational effectiveness measures, describe observed patterns of improvement, and examine informants' accounts of factors that contributed to the improvements. This study informs broad questions about organizational learning and improvement in education by identifying the circumstances that enable intentional change to take root and thrive. Findings indicate positive trends at a wide range of institutions, with more positive trends among first-year students. Analysis of informants' comments suggests three key themes of successful change efforts. A Description of Measures is appended. (Contains 3 tables and 2 footnotes.).