Most institutions endeavor to use learning assessments to improve their programs. Unfortunately, after the data are collected, faculty often argue that the measurement device (test) did not cover what they value or that data collection issues diminish the meaning of results. This lecture will help institutional effectiveness professionals confront such issues. Attendees will learn how assessment and measurement experts address two important aspects of the assessment process: test selection and data collection. Attendees will receive decision tree templates related to both areas, which will also include references to guide deeper exploration. The focus will be on foundational topics though more advanced issues will be broached.

Research Design, Statistics and the Practice of Institutional Research:
Comparing Group Mean Differences ($75)
Mary Ann Coughlin
Assistant Vice-President for Academic Affairs
Springfield College

Institutional Researchers often struggle to determine the appropriate statistic to use even after successfully creating solid research designs and appropriately providing descriptive statistics. So how does one move from research designs and descriptive statistics to inferential statistics that best answer the research question? This Masters Seminars will discuss the link between research design and statistics. More specifically, the seminar will explore common research questions from IR applications about group mean differences and describe the link between these research questions and the appropriate use of inferential statistics such as t-test and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). The presenter will discuss and explore the theory behind these statistics and the appropriate link to practical applications within the field of Institutional Research. The goal of this session is to empower participants to make informed decisions about group mean comparisons.