Showing papers on "Institutional research published in 2002"

Diversity and Higher Education: Theory and Impact on Educational Outcomes

Abstract: In the current context of legal challenges to affirmative action and race-based considerations in college admissions, educators have been challenged to articulate clearly the educational purposes and benefits of diversity. In this article, Patricia Gurin, Eric Dey, Sylvia Hurtado, and Gerald Gurin explore the relationship between students' experiences with diverse peers in the college or university setting and their educational outcomes. Rooted in theories of cognitive development and social psychology, the authors present a framework for understanding how diversity introduces the relational discontinuities critical to identity construction and its subsequent role in fostering cognitive growth. Using both single- and multi-institutional data from the University of Michigan and the Cooperative Institutional Research Program, the authors go on to examine the effects of classroom diversity and informal interaction among African American, Asian American, Latino/a, and White students on learning and democracy ...

The Effect of Institutional Culture on Change Strategies in Higher Education: Universal Principles or Culturally Responsive Concepts?.

Abstract: The array of challenges that higher education faces today is virtually unparalleled when compared to any other point in U.S. history. The litany of changes is familiar to those in the field of higher education: financial pressure, growth in technology, changing faculty roles, public scrutiny, changing demographics, competing values, and the rapid rate of change in the world both within and beyond our national boarders. The changes many institutions face have accelerated beyond tinkering; more campuses each year attempt to create comprehensive (or transformational) change. Yet, change strategies have not been exceedingly helpful in their capacity to guide institutions, and we know even less about how to facilitate major, institutionwide change. The current change literature in higher education provides mostly generalized strategies about what is effective: a willing president or strong leadership, a collaborative process, or providing rewards (Roberts, Wren, & Adam, 1993; Taylor & Koch, 1996). This broad writing may mask information helpful to advance institutional change on a specific campus. "Achieving buy-in" or "communicating effectively" can seem very empty to institutional leaders and higher education scholars. Can this strategy be used at every institution and in the same way? The assumptions behind this approach are that each strategy is enacted similarly on each campus and that nuance and context do not much matter. Broad change strategies are presented as uniform, universal, and applicable. As an alternative, some scholars of organizations suggest that meaningful insight to understand the change process comes from context-based (micro-level) data (Bergquist, 1992). Context-based data help the change agent to understand why and under what circumstances strategies work at a particular institution at a particular time. The difficulty of working at the micro-level is becoming too specific and idiosyncratic to be of much help to others. As Hearn noted, the first and fundamental proposition we can stress about change is so simple as to seem banal or deflating, "it depends" (Hearn, 1996). Idiosyncratic observations are often of little use to practitioners. The challenge is to chart a middle ground and identify findings informative at a level that can be used to guide change processes. This task is challenging, because markers that one might use to determine the level of detail or the appropriate level of abstraction are not readily apparent. One solution to charting meaningful middle ground is through a cultural perspective. Organizational research in the 1980s illustrated the impact of culture on many aspects of organizational life (Peterson & Spencer, 1991). Yet, there have been few empirical studies examining how institutional culture affects change processes and strategies. The assumption from the organizational literature is that culture will be related to the change process; specifically, change processes can be thwarted by violating cultural norms or enhanced by culturally sensitive strategies (Bergquist, 1992). This study attempts to fill the gap in the literature, moving beyond generalized principles of change, by adopting a two-tiered cultural framework to examine the effect of institutional culture on change strategies across six institutions. The two research questions addressed are: (1) is the institutional culture related to the change process, and how is it related? and (2) are change processes thwarted by violating cultural norms or enhanced by culturally sensitive strategies? The two theories adopted for exploring the relationship of culture and change are Bergquist's (1992) four academic cultures and Tierney's (1991) individual institutional culture framework. The dual level of analysis offers a multiple-lens perspective that is better suited to understand complex organizational phenomena (Birnbaum, 1988; Bolman & Deal, 1991). …

Data Mining and Its Applications in Higher Education

Abstract: This chapter examines the theoretical basis for data mining, one of the essential knowledge management processes, and uses a case study to describe its application and impact.

Overview of Knowledge Management

Abstract: This background chapter defines knowledge management, its components, processes, and outcomes. It addresses the importance of knowledge management for higher education, in general, and for institutional research, in particular.

ERIC Review: Issues in Developmental Education

Abstract: With increasing numbers of ill-prepared, first-time community college freshmen, developmental education has become an important topic within the higher education community as well as with the publi...

Knowledge management : building a competitive advantage in higher education /

Abstract: EDITORS' NOTES (Andreea M. Serban, Jing Luan). 1. Overview of Knowledge Management (Andreea M. Serban, Jing Luan).2. Data Mining and Its Applications in Higher Education (Jing Luan).3. Building Portals for Higher Education (Richard A. Pickett, William B. Hamre).4. Customer Relationship Management (Michael Fayerman).5. Organizational Learning and the Case for Knowledge Based Systems (Lisa A. Petrides).6. Technologies, Products, and Models Supporting Knowledge Management (Jing Luan, Andreea M. Serban).7. Knowledge Management: The A"Fifth FaceA" of Institutional Research (Andreea M. Serban).Index.

A research and institutional size‐based model for national university Web site interlinking

Abstract: Web links are a phenomenon of interest to bibliometricians by analogy with citations, and to others because of their use in Web navigation and search engines. It is known that very few links on university Web sites are targeted at scholarly expositions and yet, at least in the UK and Australia, a correlation has been established between link count metrics for universities and measures of institutional research. This paper operates on a finer‐grained level of detail, focussing on counts of links between pairs of universities. It provides evidence of an underlying linear relationship with the quadruple product of the size and research quality of both source and target institution. This simple model is proposed as applying generally to national university systems, subject to a series of constraints to identify cases where it is unlikely to be applicable. It is hoped that the model, if confirmed by studies of other countries, will open the door to deeper mining of academic Web link data.

What Constitutes Art Therapy Research

Abstract: Research may provide some answers regarding theoretical underpinnings of art therapy (theory building research); the efficacy of various art therapy assessments, approaches, and techniques utilized with consumers (practical research); and aspects of art therapy as a profession (institutional research). However, despite recent increases in art therapy research reported in the literature and greater emphasis on research at AATA conferences, most art therapists are reluctant to engage in research. This paper includes basic descriptions and examples of quantitative and qualitative approaches to art therapy research, and suggests ideas to bridge the gap between research and practice. Numerous research topics in four areas of art therapy are suggested: the therapeutic relationship, assessment, intervention, and art therapy as a profession.

Research and Training in Higher Education: The State of the Art.

Abstract: The author presents a tour d'horizon of the field of higher education studies, including research on higher education, citing the relevant publication series and journals dealing with the subject, the strongest institutions, worldwide, offering university level studies in the field, and the antecedents of the endeavour It is growing in importance as higher education institutions and systems expand, diversify, and become increasingly complex, requiring more and better insights regarding themselves for various purposes The field needs to more fully tap findings in parallel interdisciplinary fields and to publicize the results of private institutional endeavours such as institutional research A very glowing prognosis for higher education studies is given

Re-engineering the university

Abstract: This is a scholarly and applied paper in one of the leading international refereed journals dealing with Open and Distance Learning published in association with the Open University. Fellow authors in the same issue include internationally renowned research professors: Lockwood (UK), Latchem (Australia), Collis (The Netherlands), The paper seeks to identify critical individual, organisational and environmental drivers, barriers and enablers for organisational change in the context of a move to institutional-scale- online learning embedded within traditional practices. It syntheses the experiences of one institution in the context of growing global awareness of, and interest in, borderless higher education issues. The initiative reported here was led by the principal author who bid successfully to the JISC for significant infrastructure development funds to support it (Managed Learning Environment – JISC JCIEL-3 £250,000). At the time this was one of a very few experiments in large scale use of online learning at all levels and across all faculties within a traditional face-to-face university. It created considerable interest as evidenced by invitations to speak at international conferences (Portugal, Colombia, Germany, Australia), as well as UK universities (Sussex university, London Hertfordshire, Manchester) and the LTSN (now HE Academy) annual teaching and learning conference, and acceptance for presentation at conferences in Austria, Australia, USA, as well as this particular publication by a major journal publisher: Carfax/Taylor and Francis. Since this work was reported the notion and practice of “hybrid” or embedded online learning has become widespread and national and international interest in large scale institutional research issues has been systematised through developments such as the UK Observatory for Borderless Higher Education and the JISC e-learning programme.

Within State Transitions From 2-Year to 4-Year Public Institutions

Abstract: Within many large states there are multiple 2-year and 4-year public institutions. Our paper develops a methodology that can be used to help evaluate how well each 2-year public institution in a state is doing in preparing those of its students who transfer to 4-year public institutions to successfully complete their 4-year programs. Similarly, the methodology can be used to help evaluate how well each 4-year public institution is doing in graduating the those students from 2-year institutions who transfer to it. The methodology is illustrated using data provided by the Office of Institutional Research and Analysis of the State University of New York.

Identification and Assessment of Community College Peer Institution Selection Systems

Abstract: This paper identifies and assess the current status of community college peer institution selection systems. Five questions were posited: What are the impetuses for conducting institutional compara...

Knowledge Management: The “Fifth Face” of Institutional Research

Abstract: Building on the main themes presented in the volume, this chapter explores their implications for institutional research. Their underlying premise is that institutional research could and should play a critical role in advancing the knowledge management paradigm: transforming data into information into knowledge and ultimately gaining organizational “wisdom” and building competitive advantage. This concluding chapter looks at the advantages and challenges of knowledge management from an institutional research perspective.

Enhancing Support for Student Diversity Through Research

Abstract: Based on a longitudinal study of freshman students attending a private college in the northeast section of the Unites States, the paper demonstrates how institutional research can promote an enlightened global perspective by enhancing understanding of international students’ characteristics, values and aspirations. Results revealed that, compared with domestic students, international students had lower verbal aptitude scores; rated themselves higher on spirituality and understanding of others; put more emphasis on gaining a general education; and were more committed to developing a meaningful philosophy of life, helping others and promoting racial understanding. Policy recommendations advocated designing admission strategies to reflect international students’ values; providing language support programmes; and developing programmes for students to learn to appreciate the values and customs of international students’ countries.

Evaluating faculty performance

Abstract: EDITOR'S NOTES (Carol L. Colbeck).1. Evaluating Teaching Performance (Michael. B. Paulsen):The principles and practices that characterize the effective contemporaryapproaches to teaching evaluation include self-evaluation, studentratings, and peer review pretenure and posttenure evaluation and theroles of rewards, disciplinary perspectives, and institutional teachingcultures.2. Evaluating Scholarship Performance: Traditional and Emergent Assessment Templates (John M. Braxton, Marietta Del Favero):This chapter compares traditional and new templates for evaluatingscholarship performance. Specific information about scholarly activitiescan be used to document performance of the scholarships of discovery,integration, application, and teaching.3. Evaluating Outreach Performance (Marilyn J. Amey):Most institutions have not dealt constructively with how to acknowledge,evaluate, and reward outreach activity. This chapter describesrecent efforts to legitimize and evaluate outreach.4. Integration: Evaluating Faculty Work as a Whole (Carol L. Colbeck):This chapter explores how assessing joint production of teaching,research, and outreach may benefit faculty and institutions, and it suggestsspecific methods for evaluating the extent and nature of the integratedfaculty work.5. The Impact of Technology on Faculty Performance and Its Evaluation (Craig McInnis):Technological changes facilitate communication and decision making,but add to faculty members' workload as they struggle to stay currentwith the vast amount of new and reconfigured information. The use ofnew technologies also adds to increasing influence of professionaladministrators and technical specialists over academic work.6. A Systems Framework for Evaluation of Faculty Web-Work (Robert J. Marine):Faculty members attempting to integrate Web-based teaching, research,or service into their work roles need systematic evaluation processesthat provide concrete evidence of effectiveness.7. Faculty Evaluation and the Development of Academic Careers (Mary Taylor Huber):This chapter places debates on the scholarship of teaching and learningin promotion and tenure decisions in the context of ScholarshipReconsidered and Scholarship Assessed and reports on cases of facultywho have used the scholarship of teaching and learning to advancetheir academic careers.8. Institutional Research to Enhance Faculty Performance (Michael J. Dooris):Examples of targeted, change-oriented institutional research used toimprove use of faculty resources and understand faculty members'experiences.9. The Ultimate Faculty Evaluation: Promotion and Tenure Decisions (James S. Fairweather):This chapter summarizes the major issues raised in the volume andintegrates their application for promotion and tenure review.Index.

A Longitudinal Investigation of Emotional Health among First-Year College Students: Comparisons of Women and Men.

Abstract: This study investigated how college students change in the first year of college with respect to their emotional health and how aspects of the college environment affect students' emotional health. Data were drawn from the 200 Cooperative Institutional Research Program (CIRP) Freshman Survey completed by 269,413 students in fall 2000 and the 2001 Your First College Year survey completed by a subset of 3,680 students from the CIRP. A. Astin's (1993) Input-Environment-Outcome model provided the framework for the study. Findings show that between the time students begin college and the end of their freshman year, declines in emotional health are apparent for both men and women. Findings also show lower levels of emotional health for women than for men, a finding that may reflect lower emotional health or a greater willingness to admit feelings of depression, loneliness, and isolation. Distancing oneself from the family had a positive effect on women's emotional health, but no such effect on the emotional health of men. The study also provides evidence that academic factors contribute directly to emotional health. The study raises many questions about the emotional well-being of students and makes the need for further research clear. Two appendixes contain variable definitions and coding schemes for the study. (Contains 3 tables and 28 references.) (SLD) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. Emotional Health in the First College Year 1 A Longitudinal Investigation of Emotional Health Among First-Year College Students: Comparisons of Women and Men PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE AND DISSEMINATE THIS MATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED BY L TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) Linda J. Sax Alyssa N. Bryant Shannon K. Gilmartin U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Office of Educational Research and Improvement EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) Er.eThis document has been reproduced as received from the person or organization originating it. Minor changes have been made to improve reproduction quality. Points of view or opinions stated in this document do not necessarily represent official OERI position or policy. Higher Education Research Institute Graduate School of Education and Information Studies University of California, Los Angeles Please direct all correspondence regarding this paper to: Prof. Linda J. Sax Higher Education Research Institute University of California, Los Angeles 3005 Moore Hall, Mailbox 951521 Los Angeles, CA 90095-1521 Phone: 310-825-1925 Fax: 310-206-2228 Email: lsax @ucla.edu

Baldrige educational quality criteria as another model for accreditation in American community colleges

Abstract: approved: This is a study of how the use of Baldrige Educational Quality Criteria provides community college leaders and external evaluators with richer, more meaningful data for organizational improvement, more comprehensive information about the institution, and a better means for illustrating clear connections between campus systems and processes. This study was guided by the following research questions: How do community college leaders who use Baldrige Educational Quality Criteria address institutional planning and measurements of success based on the level of value and practice of quality principles at their institution? What are the benefits and challenges for community colleges using the Baldrige Educational Quality Criteria? The study's participants included a nationwide sample of 202 community college leaders who are currently using quality principles and processes on their campuses. A total of 106 respondents or 52.5% returned the questionnaire. The study's web-based Baldrige/Institutional Effectiveness Questionnaire comprised 50 quantitative questions on a dual scale of Value and Practice; six qualitative, openended questions; and ten demographic questions. The overall findings indicated that community college leaders highly value quality principles with slightly lower corresponding scores for the equivalent practice categories. The open-ended questions yielded overwhelmingly positive testimonials from leaders regarding the strength of the Criteria for quality assurance as compared to traditional accreditation practices and models. The vast majority of responding community college leaders considered the Baldrige Educational Quality Criteria as a viable option for accreditation, but they also clearly described the challenges of meeting and applying the Criteria. The researcher concluded that the use of the Baldrige Criteria by some community colleges for accreditation might better serve the needs of these particular colleges. By incorporating Baldrige's greatest assets such as the emphasis on data gathering/data driven decision-making, the focus on the interconnectedness of all campus systems and processes, and the necessity to align the planning processes with the campus research office into the institutional accreditation process, most community colleges will realize more continuous organizational improvement. ©Copyright by Jane B. Faulkner April 30, 2002 All Rights Reserved Baldrige Educational Quality Criteria as Another Model for Accreditation in American Community Colleges

Clinical Pastoral Education and the Value of Empirical Research: Examples from Australian and New Zealand Datum

Abstract: This article argues in favor of clinical pastoral education programs incorporating research methods as part of a standard neo-curriculum for the 21st Century. It suggests that the benefits of such a curriculum would be useful in scientifically validating and evaluating pastoral care practice at a 'micro,' 'meso' and 'macro' level. This argument is supported with the presentation of Australian and New Zealand descriptive statistical datum exploring the involvement of chaplains in patient bioethical decisions, staff bioethical decision-making and the involvement of chaplains on hospital institutional research ethics committees.

Institutional research to enhance faculty performance

Abstract: Targeted, action-oriented Institutional research can help a college or university better understand and more effectively utilize faculty resources. This chapter profiles one multicampus research university whose Institutional research portfolio has emphasized faculty issues.

Acceso y equidad en la educación a distancia: Investigación, desarrollo y criterios de calidad

Abstract: The essence of distance education, and also of open education, is to provide opportunities for learning to everyone who lacks educational possibilities or credentials, without regarding the absence of previous education, social or economic status, or the location of residence. One of the challenges of this type of education has been to convince the other societal institutions that its quality is equivalent to the education imparted by traditional institutions that provide education in face-to-face settings. The assumption of this article is that to reach the social goals of equity and access, open and distance education must be of high quality. This article presents four criteria of quality that may be applied to open and distance education to measure and demonstrate excellence: effort, performance, adequacy, efficiency and process. For each criterion there is a series of questions that an institution can ask to evaluate its degree of quality. The contribution to quality of two types of research, institutional research and mission-critical research, is also described in terms of the experience of a Canadian open university.

Exclusion and Inclusion in Student-Faculty Informal Interaction: A Critical Perspective

Abstract: Building on these two bodies of scholarship, this article explores informal studentfaculty interaction with respect to participation rates of different undergraduate student groups Using US national data collected by the Cooperative Institutional Research Program (CIRP), the study shows that different groups of students interact with faculty at different rates and in different ways 2 The study finds that, in a self-perpetuating cycle, students who are more likely to be successful in university (for example with those with high positive self-concepts), are also the students who have a high frequency of interactions with faculty, increasing their chances of academic success even further and strengthening their structural position of advantage Students with low self-concept and other groups who are more at risk, are more often non- or low-interactors This paper begins by briefly examining the ideas that were used to guide the study, and then describes its methods and findings It concludes with a discussion of the implications for institutions of higher education, faculty and students Theoretical Framework Critical theories of education, particularly those focusing on dynamics of reproduction, put forth the argument that educational institutions, through formal and informal policies and practices, tend to reinforce socio-economic structures of domination These dynamics of reproduction include situations where teachers' expectations of students are based on criteria other than real ability; situations where certain groups are treated differently in terms of attention, teaching styles and counseling; and situations where some students benefit from a structural position of advantage because of socio-economic class, having more access to books, computers and cultural activities as well as a classbased system of beliefs that facilitates taking advantage of school opportunities Critical

Red light Districts, Washing Machines, and Everything In-Between: Creating iPort (the IUPUI Electronic Institutional Portfolio)

Abstract: This essay addresses why and how IUPUI created its electronic institutional portfolio. It not only describes the process, but also highlights missteps and insights, so that lessons learned from creating this first generation of portfolios may expedite the work of other universities interested in developing their own portfolios. Finally, it focuses on how electronic institutional portfolios can become catalysts for change and institutional improvement, while also serving as multi-media self-studies for accountability and accreditation.

Next Steps for the Community College

Abstract: Next Steps for the Community College, edited by Trudy H. Bers and Harriot D. Calhoun. San Fransisco: Jossey-Bass, 2002. 155 pages, $28. Editors Trudy Bers and Harriott Calhoun have assembled a useful collection of topical papers for no. 117 of the quarterly series, New Directions for Community Colleges. As suggested by the issue's title, Next Steps for the Community College, this slender volume offers a glimpse into the most pressing issues faced by community colleges in the new millennium. With administrators as the target audience, followed by graduate students as a secondary audience, Next Steps for the Community College delivers insightful commentary as well as relevant research on eight critical challenges today. More importantly, the text provides a virtual wellspring of research ideas for students and practitioners alike. Few can deny that the new millennium has wrought vast changes in American society, evident in its shifting demographics, diverse cultures, global economics, and innovative technologies. No institution can afford to remain mired in old systems if it wants to remain viable in the new age. Indeed, Leslie and Fretwell (1996) declare that higher education's role "is now indisputably at the center of knowledge production, economic development, individual opportunity for advancement, efforts to create a just and fair society, and the preservation of important cultural traditions," in short, "society's hope for a better future" (p. 278). Another observer takes this comprehensive role and applies it directly to the two-year institution: [C]ommunity colleges must be redefined in a world that is being transformed almost daily by technology .... Our core values ... will be augmented by a broader and more sophisticated approach that reflects both the complexities of our marketplace in the 21 It century and our unique abilities to meet those demands. (Curtis, 2001, p. 2) Thus, Next Steps for the Community College responds to the challenge by thoughtfully examining those transformational forces already at work in higher education. Both editors bring considerable experience to the task of grappling with a wide array of concerns shared by today's community colleges leaders, regardless of their geographic locale. Bers, a senior director of Institutional Research, Curriculum, and Strategic Planning at Oakton College in Des Plains, Illinois, has published widely in various professional journals. Calhoun, a director of Institutional Research at Jefferson State Community College in Birmingham, Alabama, currently serves as vice president and program chair for the Southern Association for Institutional Research (SAIR). Together, their expertise in tracking topical problems within higher education manifests itself clearly in the choice of subjects presented. This particular volume includes 10 chapters, each with 8 to 10 pages of text prefaced by an abstract and ending with a substantial reference page. While including biographies of all contributors is not practical in this review, readers should know that all but two work in higher education, primarily as administrators. Chapter 1 comprises an editorial overview of research literature on community colleges while Chapter 10 consolidates additional lists of annotated resources for each chapter. The remaining chapters are arranged in a logical, almost inductive sequence, beginning with the classroom and ending with governance. (Chapter abstracts may be viewed on-line by nonsubscribers at http:// www3. interscience.. wiley. com/cgi-bin/jtoc ?ID=86011359.) Chapter 1, entitled "Literature on Community Colleges: An Overview," by editors Trudy Bers and Harriott Calhoun, was written with the practicing professional in mind but emerges as particularly useful for the beginning professional or graduate student. Not only is the literature grouped by general research categories, but it is also described by types: books, articles in refereed journals, articles in nonrefereed publications, articles in electronic journals, state agency reports, dissertation and theses, institutional reports, conference presentations, proprietary studies, and largely unpublished fugitive literature. …

Creating a Shared Understanding of Institutional Knowledge Through an Electronic Institutional Portfolio

Abstract: After nearly four years of work on developing an electronic institutional portfolio at Portland State University, the authors of this article reflect on how using the electronic medium for such a project can influence institutional self-examination. Viewing the PSU portfolio project as a continuation of the campus's long-held commitment to approaching change as scholarly work, they argue that the electronic medium can lead to new ways of knowing and understanding higher education institutions.

Training institutional research professionals

Abstract: Training institutional research (IR) professionals in the use of statistics is a complex and challenging task. It is complicated by the need to develop a functional model of institutional research that includes its various roles. In addition, the specific statistical and analytical tools used to perform necessary tasks must be better understood. This is important due to the need for IR professionals to teach others to use and interpret statistical results. IR professionals have tended to use basic tools and have limited statistical sophistication. The specific tools or statistical methodologies that are important in IR should differ based on the situation of the individual and the academic background of the audience and should not be limited by lack of training in statistics. The work done by Terenzini (1993) further indicates that IR professionals need to broaden their approach to research by operating within three types of intelligence.

The value of a computerised learner information database system to foster development and accountability through information sharing

Abstract: The diversity of learners at South African universities offers a challenge to educators to identify their development needs and to tailor the facilitation of learning experiences accordingly. The University of Port Elizabeth (UPE) has responded to this challenge by establishing an Admissions and Placement Assessment Programme (APAP) to assess the readiness levels of all incoming learners using an assessment battery. The creation of a computerised database has made it possible to provide faculties with information on the academic readiness of learners and the retention rates of high-risk learners, to track the academic progress of learners, and to stimulate institutional research and policy-making. The database has proved to be central in the success of the development-focussed APAP. This article will describe the structure and functioning of such a database within an admissions testing programme and show how this could serve as a model to foster development and accountability through information sharing. South African Journal of Higher Education Vol.16(2) 2002: 198-204

Training institutional research professionals: teaching a statistics course in six hours or fewer, the art of teaching

Abstract: Professionals in the field of Institutional Research must use data analysis and statistical skills on a daily basis. Yet, professionals come to the field of Institutional Research with diverse backgrounds and differentiated knowledge of statistics. As a result, most professionals find themselves searching for review or refresher courses in data analysis and statistics. Thus, teaching a statistics course in six hours or fewer is the challenge. This paper will focus on the difficulties that are associated with teaching statistical content and skills in professional development settings to individuals with a wide range of statistical skills and abilities. The central tenet of the paper is that the art of teaching is what makes for effective training. Various pedagogical approaches designed to increase statistical understanding are explored and defined. Suggestions for sequencing and practical examples illustrating the use of statistics in Institutional Research will be given.

The UUPP in a National Context

Abstract: The author discusses the Urban Universities Portfolio Project's implications for higher education nationally in this article. Placing the UUPP within a national agenda to focus attention on student learning, he examines how portfolio development worked from both the "inside out" and the "outside in" to renew this focus. The impact of portfolio development on participating institutions and the power of interinstitutional consortia to stimulate internal change suggest that collaborative electronic portfolio development represents a promising avenue for pursuit of educational reform.