Linking the Texas Core Objectives with the AACU High-Impact Educational Practices as a #LEAPTX Fellow

Since I was selected to join LEAP TX (Liberal Education and America's Promise) initiative (sponsored by the American Association of Colleges and Universities and the Lumina Foundation), I created a goal focused on learning MORE about academic and student affairs assessment practices and processes than ever before.

So, I signed to present a session about social media and to present the recap focused on the Texas LEAP initiative sustainability plan (after the grant ends). I am always excited to present about social media and higher education and this audience seemed eager to learn something new (or a new way of addressing a learning outcome through social media technologies). 

Here's the presentation from that session.

Here is one of our pictures from the LEAP working meeting. Thanks for the opportunity - Loraine! :)

We created plans, assigned action items, and determined how we would spread our messages about the Texas Core Objectives (teamwork, social responsibility, critical thinking, personal responsibility, communication, and empirical and quantitative skills) with a LEAP emphasis (infusing high impact educational practices, GEMS, signature assignments (signature work), and MUCH MORE! I must emphasize that I have a slight bias toward high impact educational practices.

So, for the next few months, follow the #LEAPTX hashtag. Engage with us by sending resources and look forward to a "Call for Submissions" focused on the Texas Core Objectives. You will be able to submit your assignments, have them peer-reviewed, and then they will serve as a resource for the rest of the state of Texas (and other states - LEAP states and non-LEAP states).

This conference served as the SPRINGBOARD for helping me work toward my assessment goals. I am PUMPED about upcoming initiatives focused on the Texas Core Objectives and the High-Impact Educational Practices!

If you would like a refresher on the High-Impacted Educational Practices, here's a graphic I made for the #LEAPTX blog.

For more information about LEAPTX, check out this site - http://leaptx.org. If you have any questions about the presentation or LEAP Texas, please let me know! I serve as a LEAPTX fellow with FIVE individuals.

Sincerely,

J. Edwards

Free Webinar for Higher Education Professionals - Easy Predictors: Quickly Explore Your Data to Find Trends, Relationships, and Predictors (Sponsored by AALHE)

If you are interested in higher education assessment, this is a great resource for you. This webinar is sponsored by Association for the Assessment of Learning in Higher Education (AAHLE).

December 11, 2015

Easy Predictors: Quickly Explore Your Data to Find Trends, Relationships, and Predictors

at 10:00 AM EST  - To register, go to:
https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/669880027553370369

Presented by David Eubanks, Ph.D. Furman University

Abstract: There are many software packages you can use to analyze data, but it can be very time consuming to master the arcane commands required, and even then it may take a while to get what you want. The intent of the webinar is to demonstrate a free online tool that can't solve all your data problems, but is very quick at letting you find out what-predicts-what within structured data. Instead of spending time looking up commands or clicking through menus, you can just ask questions and get answers. This Q&A is of a particular type that mimics the institutional effectiveness loop: first we identify something we care about, and then we find out what predicts it. If we care about student retention, what other variables predict retention and how are they related to each other? Once you master the simple interface, it is fast enough to use on the spot in committee meetings, to answer the inevitable "what if" questions.

The webinar will start with a brief overview of predictors and how we measure their effectiveness, and then use a public database of Titanic passengers to demonstrate the system by finding out what characteristics would have predicted survival of the tragedy. Then we will look at some survey data to see what elements predict student academic success.

(Information Shared from the AALHE Listserv)

Sincerely,

Dr. Jennifer T. Edwards

- Twitter/Instagram - @drjtedwards

- http://www.facebook.com/millennialprofessor/

- drjtedwards at gmail.com