Preparation of self-study
The self-study report is an interpretive document that uses data to assess progress since the last review, current program status, and future directions using the APR Self-Study Report template (Appendix 2).
Datasets for the self-study template are found at the Academic Program Profile data site. The dataset is tightly integrated into the template. Data should be analyzed and discussed in relation to a unit’s mission, goals, and future direction.
Although the report is compiled and written by the self-study committee, the head of the unit is responsible for the content, accuracy, and completeness of the work, and should actively oversee the report preparation.
Appendix 2: Self-study report template sections are the following:
I. Overview
II. Mission and Strategic Directions
III. Peer and Aspirational Peer Comparisons
IV. Undergraduate Education
V. Graduate Education
VI. Student Learning Outcomes Assessment (Undergraduate/Graduate)
VII. Faculty
IX. Program Resources
The following instructions are provided by the University Office of Evaluation and Educational Effectiveness (UOEEE).
In Section VI, Student Learning Outcomes Assessment, UOEEE works with programs in a two phase process to help programs prepare material for the self-study. UOEEE will, 1) assist in evaluating past data for inclusion in the Self-Study and, 2) assist the unit to prepare for future assessment of student learning outcomes by revising the current assessment plans.
PART ONE: Analyzing Past Assessment Data
- To help programs gather past data, the UOEEE assessment portal (https://uoeee.asu.edu/aportal) has developed a new feature that allows programs to access aggregated data as well as download past assessment reports. To help guide data interpretations, programs are asked to respond to the five prompts provided below as part of the analysis. These prompts should help units establish how well students are achieving the established learning outcomes. This analysis is essential to the assessment and self-study process.
Please address each Program Learning Outcomes (PLO) using these reflective questions as a guide:
Reflective Questions
a. Please discuss the results of your quantitative and qualitative assessment data for each outcome and measure.
b. Are your students achieving at the levels of performance you had expected? How well did they meet your performance criteria?
c. What plans do you have in place for students who are not achieving the desired level of performance?
d. What actions have you taken or will you take based on your assessment data?
e. How will the results be shared with program faculty and students?
Units under review should utilize UOEEE data from the various student surveys and report cards to address career placement outcomes, career preparation, and graduate placement over the period since the last academic program review. Some examples are the First Destination Survey that replaced the Recent Graduate Survey, along with various other surveys found at survey reporting.
PART TWO: Preparing for the next APR cycle
Programs will begin to prepare the self-study in the fall semester of the academic year of their actual review. Prior to the fall semester of the academic year review, UOEEE will review each program’s assessment plan and provide feedback so the plan comes into compliance with ABOR requirements. Programs will then review the feedback and make the revisions to their assessment plan as necessary to meet the requirements of their academic program. These revisions will also be in compliance with current suggested criteria established by ABOR. Each revised assessment plan must be approved by UOEEE through the portal when submitting the final APR Self-Study at the end of the fall semester of the academic review cycle.
Submission and approval of the self-study report
The dean should review the final self-study report and executive summary, and provide written approval, before it is forwarded to the UPRA Office at apr@asu.edu.
The final self-study report should be submitted to the UPRA Office along with the written approval of the dean (which may be made by an accompanying email). Should the report and appendices be too large for email, the UPRA Office will accept the documents via a shared folder in Dropbox.
The UPRA Office will review the self-study report. If necessary, suggested changes or improvements will be returned to the self-study committee for revision or clarification.
The final, dean-approved, self-study and appendices should be submitted to the UPRA Office a minimum of three weeks prior to the site visit date. In addition to the self-study and appendices, the unit should submit the final, dean-approved, Site Visit Schedule. (See Appendix 6 for an example of a two-day site visit schedule.)
Distribution of documents to site visitors
Once submitted, the UPRA Office will convey all relevant documents to the visitors at least two weeks prior to their visit. The UPRA Office will upload the documents to a shared folder and provide access for the site visit team.