Assessment culture

Assessment culture is a subset of organizational culture[1] defined by the values, beliefs, and assumptions held by its members. In higher education, a positive assessment culture is characterized by trusting relationships, data-informed decision-making, a respect for the profession of teaching, and an internally-driven thirst for discovery about student learning.[2][3] Positive assessment culture generally connotes the existence of conditions for collaboration among practitioners, reward structures, professional development opportunities for faculty and staff,[4] student involvement, and a shared commitment among leaders to making institutional improvements that are sustainable.[5][6][7]

Assessment culture may be revealed behaviorally through factors such as: celebration of successes, comprehensive program review, shared use of common terminology and language,[8] provision of technical support, and use of affirmative messaging to effectively convey meaning.[9] The culture of assessment has been measured by scholars of perceptions among faculty[10] to determine motivations, sense of support, and levels of fear related to assessment.

References
  1. Schein, E. (1990). "Organizational Culture". American Psychologist. 45 (2): 109–119. doi:10.1037/0003-066x.45.2.109.
  2. Lakos, A.; Phipps, P. (2004). "Creating a culture of assessment: a catalyst for organizational change". Libraries and the Academy. 4 (3): 345–361. doi:10.1353/pla.2004.0052.
  3. Farkas, M. (2013). "Building and sustaining a culture of assessment: best practices for change leadership". Reference Services Review. 41 (1): 13–21. doi:10.1108/00907321311300857.
  4. Banta & Associates (2002). Building a scholarship of assessment. San Francisco: Jossey-bass.
  5. Ndoye, A.; Parker, M. "Creating and sustaining a culture of assessment". Planning for Higher Education: 28–39.
  6. Suskie, Linda (2009). Assessing Student Learning: A Common Sense Guide (2nd ed.). San Francisco: Wiley.
  7. Maki, P.L. (2010). Assessing for Learning: Building a Sustainable Commitment Across the Institution. Sterling: Stylus.
  8. Bresciani, M.; Zelna, C.; Anderson, J. (2006). Assessing student learning and development: A handbook for practitioners. Washington, D.C.
  9. Weiner, Wendy F. "Establishing a culture of assessment: fifteen elements of assessment success". American Association of University Professors. Retrieved 12 February 2017.
  10. Fuller, M.; Skidmore, S.; Bustamante, R. (2016). "Empirically Exploring higher Education Cultures of Assessment". The Review of Higher Education. 39 (3): 395–429. doi:10.1353/rhe.2016.0022.
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