Loyola University – Chicago 
                                                   School of Education                            
                                               Spring 2021 Course Syllabus 
                                        ELPS 431: Evaluation in Higher Education 
                                 Online Synchronous Session(s): Wednesdays 3:00 (CST) 
                  Instructor Information  
                  _______________________________________________________________________________________________ 
                  Darren Pierre, Ph.D.  (pronouns: he/him/his)                             
                  Clinical Assistant Professor of Education, Loyola University Chicago                    
                  Email: dpierre1@luc.edu 
                  Office Hours: By appointment  
                  Zoom link:  https://luc.zoom.us/j/3464201177 
                   
                  Required Text: 
                  _______________________________________________________________________________________________ 
                  Henning, G. & Roberts, D. (2016).  Student affairs assessment: Theory to practice.  
                          Sterling, VA: Stylus 
                           
                  Kuh, G., Ikenberry, S., George, K., Jankowski, N.m Cain, T., Ewell, P., Hutchings, P., &  
                          Kinzie, J. (2015). Using evidence of student learning to improve higher 
                          education. San Francisco: CA: Jossey-Bass 
                   
                   
                  Additional Resources: 
                  _______________________________________________________________________________________________ 
                  ACPA  Commission for Assessment and Evaluation 
                  http://www.myacpa.org/commae  
                  NASPA Knowledge Community – Assessment, Evaluation, and Research 
                  https://www.naspa.org/constituent-groups/kcs/assessment-evaluation-and-
                  research        
                  Online Guide for Student Affairs Professionals 
                  www.studentaffairs.com        
                  The Chronicle of Higher Education 
                  www.chronicle.com   
                  Inside Higher Education 
                  www.insidehighered.com   
                  The Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education (CAS) 
                  https://www.cas.edu 
                   
                   
                   
                  Spring 2021- Syllabus: ELPS 431 Evaluation in Higher Education                       1 
                  Darren Pierre, Ph.D. -Instructor Modified January 15, 2021 
                                                                   
                  Course Description 
                  _____________________________________________________________________________________________ 
                  This course is intended to give you a practical understanding of assessment and 
                  evaluation within higher education and student affairs. In this course, we will explore 
                  various assessment techniques, trouble how to develop a comprehensive assessment plan, 
                  and explain how qualitative, quantitative, and mix method approaches of data collection 
                  work in concert and separately to examine program effectiveness.  
                   
                  Course Objectives 
                  _____________________________________________________________________________________________ 
                     1.  Learning fundamental principles of assessment and evaluation 
                     2.  Developing the skills to create a comprehensive assessment plan  
                     3.  Explain the various data collection methods as it relates to assessment 
                     4.  Illuminate the benefits of qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-methods 
                         approaches for data collection as it relates to assessment  
                     5.  Translate findings from assessment plans into practical actions that inform 
                         practice, policy, and institutional effectiveness 
                     6.  Learning to apply course content to problem solving, program effectiveness, 
                         and the generating of interventions and services to enhance student affairs 
                         within higher education 
                  Class Gatherings 
                  This course will meet seven times throughout the semester (for optional synchronous 
                  class sessions) on Wednesdays at 3:00pm (Central Time). On the syllabus, where you see 
                  “OS” indicates the days in which we will have optional synchronous sessions. Twice 
                  during the semester, we will connect via VoiceThread – that is, there will be a 
                  VoiceThread presentation for you to view and where prompted, add our insights.  For 
                  three of the synchronous sessions, those who are not able to attend will be asked to 
                  respond to discussion prompts that are offered on the “Discussion Forum” section of 
                  Sakai.  
                  For both VoiceThread (VT) and Discussion Forum prompts, you are asked to respond 
                  within 72 hours of the VT or Discussion Forum prompt being posted. 
                   Note, for those participating in the synchronous sessions you will click on the "Class 
                  Gatherings" tab on the left-hand side of the Sakai page and click on the Zoom link 
                  associated with that week's session.  Each synchronous session will be recorded and 
                  shared via Sakai within 24 hours of the class. More information about class gatherings 
                  can be found on the Sakai page under the “Week-by-Week” tab. 
                   
                  Spring 2021- Syllabus: ELPS 431 Evaluation in Higher Education                   2 
                  Darren Pierre, Ph.D. -Instructor Modified January 15, 2021 
                    
                    
                   Class Schedule 
                   _______________________________________________________________________________________________ 
                    
                         Date                Class Topic                   Readings              Class Gathering 
                                                                                              Format/ Assignment/ 
                     January 20      Introduction of the Course                              (OS) 
                     (week one)       
                      
                     January 27      Assessment in Student Affairs  CAS (2009)               Asynchronous 
                     (week 2)                                         ACPA & NASPA           VoiceThread 
                                                                      Competencies 
                                                                      Timm, Barham, 
                                                                      McKinney & Knerr 
                                                                      (2013) 
                                                                      Schuh, Biddix, Dean 
                                                                      & Kinzie (Ch. 1) 
                                                                      Henning & Roberts 
                                                                      (Ch. 1) 
                     February 3      Assessment and Student           Maki (Ch. 3)           White Paper #1 
                     (week three)    Learning                         Barber (2015)          (OS) 
                                                                      ACPA Student 
                                                                      Learning Imperative 
                                                                      (2008) 
                                                                      Kuh et al. (Ch. 1 & 
                                                                      8) 
                                                                      Schuh, Biddix & 
                                                                      Kinzie (Ch. 4) 
                     February 10     Student Affairs                  Learning               Asynchronous  
                     (week four)     Administrators/Educators:        Reconsidered 2         VoiceThread 
                                     Champions for Student            Kuh et al. (Ch. 2) 
                                     Learning 
                     February 17     Assessment Design                Schuh, Biddix,         (OS) 
                     (week five)                                      Dean, & Kinzie (Ch.  Discussion Prompt  
                                                                      2)                     *Those not participating 
                                                                                             in the synchronous 
                                                                      Henning & Roberts      session 
                                                                      (Ch. 2, 3 & 4) 
                                                                       
                   Spring 2021- Syllabus: ELPS 431 Evaluation in Higher Education                           3 
                   Darren Pierre, Ph.D. -Instructor Modified January 15, 2021 
                     February 24       Assessing for Learning            Schuh, Biddix &          Asynchronous 
                     (week six)                                          Kinzie (5)               Panopto Recording 
                                       Quantitative Methods of           Henninng & Roberts   
                                       Assessment                        (5-7) 
                                                                         University of 
                                                                         Wisconsin (Post-
                                                                         then-pre-design) 
                                                                          
                     March 3           Questionnaire Design              Henning & Roberts        OS 
                     (week seven)                                        (Ch. 8)                  Assessment Proposal 
                                                                         BrckaLorenz,             Due 
                                                                         Zilvinskis, Haeger       (includes names of all 
                                                                         (2014)                   members within each group) 
                                                                         Ducharme                  
                                                                         (n.d.) 
                                                                          
                     March 10          Qualitative Methods of            Henning & Roberts        Interview Protocol  
                     (week 8)          Assessment                        (Ch. 9-12)                           & 
                                                                         Adams (2010)                Questionnaire Due 
                                                                         Krueger & Casey               Asynchronous 
                                                                         (2010)                     Panopto Recording 
                     March 17          Sharing Results/Closing the       Henning & Roberts        OS 
                     (week nine)       Loop                              (13 & 14)                 
                                                                         Barham & Scott           Discussion Prompt  
                                                                         (2006)                   *Those not participating 
                                                                         Kuh et al.(Ch. 3, 4)     in the synchronous 
                                                                         Engberg,                 session 
                                                                         Manderino, Dollard 
                                                                         (2014) 
                                                                         Schuh, Biddix, Dean 
                                                                         and Kinzie (Ch. 13) 
                     March 24          Ethics and Politics of            Henning (15 & 16)        White Paper #2 
                     (week 10)         Assessment                                                 Asynchronous Panopto 
                                       Assessment and Broader            Kuh et al. (Ch. 5-7) 
                                       Implications 
                     March 31          Next Steps: After Assessment  Kuh et al. (Ch. 9-11)   OS 
                     (week 11)                                                                    Discussion Prompt  
                                                                                                  *Those not participating 
                                                                                                  in the synchronous 
                                                                                                  session 
                     April 7           Culture of Assessment             Henning &                Program Assessment 
                     (week 12)                                           Roberts(Ch 17 &          Plan Due 
                                                                         18)                      Asynchronous 
                                                                         Holzweiss,               Panopto 
                                                                         Bustamante & 
                                                                         Fuller (2016) 
                    Spring 2021- Syllabus: ELPS 431 Evaluation in Higher Education                               4 
                    Darren Pierre, Ph.D. -Instructor Modified January 15, 2021