University’s Assessment & Institutional Research leadership author guide on systematic evaluation process measuring student performance against formal learning goals

“Assessment at University of Phoenix: An Illustrated Guide,” has been published by University of Phoenix Assessment and Institutional Research leadership Dean of Academic Innovation and Evaluation Eve Krahe Billings, Ph.D., Director of Academic Assessment Gretchen Meyers, Ed.D., and Assessment Manager Melinda Kulick, Ed.D., as an overview of the University’s robust, systematic evaluation process measuring student performance against learning goals at the institutional, general education, programmatic, and course levels.

“Ours is a culture that values data-informed decision-making and continuous improvement,” states Provost and Chief Academic Officer John Woods, Ph.D. “Our skills-aligned curriculum is formed through course design and then confirmed by authentic assessments that empower our students as they demonstrate those skills in real-world and work environments. We created this guide to provide transparency of the assessment process and help our community understand the extraordinary level of engagement across academic teams in assessing student learning.”

The assessment guide provides an illustrated overview of the assessment process and introduces the individual roles engaged. The guide details the process, which begins by engaging dedicated adjunct faculty, called Faculty Assessment Liaisons (FALs), to perform analysis of assessment data. The assessment team, with help from the FALs, then analyzes faculty feedback, facilitating seamless reporting to inform decision-making, and ensures continuity in the assessment process across academic leadership and faculty.

External to the University, the assessment model process and measurements are reported in institutional and programmatic accreditation documentation, as well as in the public-facing University of Phoenix Academic Annual Report. Internal to the University, assessment data and analysis are communicated systematically to stakeholders across the University, including faculty, Industry Advisory Council members, deans, and senior academic leadership.

“Authentic assessment design poses shifting scenarios for learners that challenge them, empower them to interpret the assessment in their own context, and provide them opportunity to engage with faculty and peers in understanding the assessment,” states Krahe Billings. “Our process was informed by departments and teams committed to understanding why this is important to our learners, and to designing effective measures that support learners in building skills and applying them.”

As Dean of Academic Innovation and Evaluation, Krahe Billings oversees student learning assessment across the University as well as the institution’s skills-aligned curriculum initiative from the perspective that learners benefit from socialization to the rigor, critical thinking, academic expectations, and longstanding traditions that are the hallmark of higher education. Krahe Billings earned a Ph.D. focused in Complexity Science and Innovation at Arizona State University. Krahe Billings is a 2019 Wellesley cohort HERS fellow and a past member of the Board of Directors and executive committee of the American Association of University Administrators. She served as lead author on a Fall 2023 white paper on the University’s foundational work building a career-focused skills ecosystem for adult learners. Krahe Billings and two members of AIR recently published a peer-reviewed article on assessment design using AI.

Meyers oversees academic assessment that relies on innovative practices including administering the University’s Rapid Assessment Process (RAP) and Comprehensive Assessment Process (CAP). Both processes integrate quantitative student learning data with rich qualitative insights from faculty. Meyers also serves as Associate Faculty in the College of Education and received the Faculty of the Year award in 2017. She is active on the Assessment Learning Exchange as part of the Association for the Assessment of Learning in Higher Education (AALHE). Meyers holds an Ed.D. in Administration and Educational Technology and M.A. in Curriculum and Instruction from University of Phoenix, and an M.A. in Reading and Literacy from Walden University.

Kulick oversees academic assessment for the University's College of Education and College of Nursing, where she leads the Rapid Assessment Process (RAP) and Comprehensive Assessment Process (CAP) to support continuous improvement through faculty insights and student learning data. She additionally serves the University as Associate Faculty in the College of Doctoral Studies, Research Fellow for the Center for Educational and Instructional Technology Research (CEITR), and member of an AI Curriculum working group. Kulick is a member of the Association for Educational Communications & Technology (AECT) and holds an Ed.D. in Instructional Leadership with a focus in educational technology from Argosy University, and an M.S. in Multimedia Technology from California University of Pennsylvania.

Learn more and access the assessment guide here.

About University of Phoenix

University of Phoenix innovates to help working adults enhance their careers and develop skills in a rapidly changing world. Flexible schedules, relevant courses, interactive learning, skills-mapped curriculum for our bachelor’s and master’s degree programs, and a Career Services for Life® commitment help students more effectively pursue career and personal aspirations while balancing their busy lives. For more information, visit phoenix.edu.

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