Concurrent Sessions

Concurrent sessions are presented by AIR members. Topics range from reports of current research in higher education to examples of best practices in IR, assessment, and institutional effectiveness. A Call for Proposals is made annually to select programming for the Forum.

Formats

Sessions are available in the following formats:

Building IR Capacity

Discussion Group (40-minutes) :
These highly interactive discussions focus on a current topic or issue in the field. The session leader presents brief opening remarks to define the topic and set the context for the session. A set of predetermined questions provides the structure for the discussion that follows.

IR in Practice (40-minutes) :
IR in Practice sessions share innovative applications, creative and effective practices, and professional work products in institutional research, assessment, planning, and other data-centered functions.

Panel Session (60-minutes) :
Panels are usually composed of three to five presenters with one member serving as the moderator. Panelists usually represent multiple organizations/sectors, and always have identifiable multi-perspective points of view.

Research

Poster Presentation (Visual display with one 75-minute discussion session) :
A Poster presentation is a visual display that communicates the purpose, research approach, data sources, and outcomes of a research project. Posters are displayed in the Exhibit Hall and presenters are available for a 75-minute question and answer period.

Scholarly Paper Session (40-minutes) :
Scholarly Paper sessions are presentations of a research study, methodology, or theoretical construct accompanied by a written paper that includes research questions, description of methodologies, and outcomes.

Tracks

Sessions are organized by tracks to help you design a schedule that meets your needs and interests.

Analysis: Research Methods and Data Analysis
This track focuses on research methods, experimental design, survey techniques and response rates, and analysis methods (both qualitative and quantitative) that produce sound information for decision making. The use of national datasets or consortia data is also included. The emphasis of this track is on the tool, methods, or sources used to arrive at a result.

Assessment: Accountability, Institutional Effectiveness, and Accreditation
This track focuses on the development and measurement of student learning outcomes, general education and academic program assessment studies, assessments of co-curricular offerings, analyses undertaken for accreditation review, strategic planning assessment, and the ties between assessment results and measurement of institutional effectiveness.

Collaboration: Communicating Inside and Outside the Institution
This track focuses on strategic planning efforts, environmental scanning, and producing reports and data for external entities such as federal and state/provincial governments, fact book and web portal content and delivery, and the mission and staffing of IR offices. Ethical considerations for institutional research are part of this track.

Resources: Faculty, Finance, and Facilities
This track focuses on faculty workload studies, salary equity for faculty and staff, staffing issues, strategic planning and budgeting, campus master plan development, economic impact studies, funding sources, faculty promotion and tenure studies, and analysis of benchmarking data related to faculty, finances, or facilities.

Students: Enrollment and Experience
This track focuses on studies of enrollment management, retention/graduation, student engagement, transfer, student and alumni satisfaction, demand for majors and programs, and co-curricular activities. Studies focusing on student financial aid practices and findings are also included.

Technology: Data Management, Warehousing, Internet, and Computers
This track focuses on the technology used to achieve outcomes. Topics in this track include data management issues such as data storage and data dictionaries, data warehousing, data marts, and the technology involved in developing dashboard or scorecard sites and on-line fact books, and demonstrations of new technologies.