ERIC Number: EJ1293386
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2020
Pages: 20
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: EISSN-2161-4210
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Available Date: N/A
Grand Challenges for Assessment in Higher Education
Singer-Freeman, Karen E.; Robinson, Christine
Research & Practice in Assessment, v15 n2 Win 2020
A grand challenge is a problem that requires broad cooperation for successful resolution from a community of scholars. Several national and international organizations have generated lists of grand challenges to unify the efforts of scholars and practitioners in a field. However, the field of assessment has yet to identify its own set of grand challenges that could serve to organize and motivate progress toward meaningful goals. This article describes the process by which potential grand challenges were identified and subsequently evaluated by professionals in the field through a national survey. Results of the survey demonstrate broad support for the importance of four challenges: 1) Use assessment findings to increase equity; 2) Use assessment findings to direct immediate pedagogical improvements; 3) Produce visible and actionable assessment findings that drive innovation; and 4) Examine changes in institutional effectiveness (including student learning) over time. The article concludes with a discussion of the grand challenges that emerged from this work and a description of an ongoing national effort to address these challenges through strategic planning.
Descriptors: Higher Education, Educational Assessment, Equal Education, Educational Improvement, Educational Innovation, Instructional Effectiveness, Barriers, Test Construction, Measurement Techniques, College Administration, Administrator Attitudes, College Faculty, Teacher Role, Evaluation Methods, Self Evaluation (Individuals), College Students, Portfolio Assessment, Electronic Publishing, Data Analysis, Budgets, Information Dissemination
Virginia Assessment Group. Tel: 504-314-2898; Fax: 504-247-1232; e-mail: editor@rpajournal.com; Web site: http://www.rpajournal.com/
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research; Tests/Questionnaires
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
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Author Affiliations: N/A