Student Affairs Assessment Workshop

1
Student Affairs Assessment Workshop Day 2
Presented by Dr. Gary R. Hanson
Educational Leadership
Policy Studies
Arizona State University
Sponsored by NASPA Hawaii
2
Overview Day 2

• Disseminating Information
• Accreditation Issues
• Retention

3
Information Dissemination
How to Get Your Message Out !!!
4
Effective Dissemination . . .
means getting the right information to the
right people at the right time so they can do the
right thing. Brigman Hanson, 2000
5
Establishing the Goals

• Begin with the end in mind
• Think win-win
• Synergize

6
Begin with the end in mind

• ASK What institutional practice or policy do
  we hope to improve with our research?
• The POINT ON THE HORIZON is institutional
  improvement, not the research or the report

7
Think win-win

• Begin with a clear understanding about
• Desired results
• Guidelines
• Resources
• Accountability
• Consequences

8
Synergize

• Sell the importance of doing research
• Involve others in planning, conducting and
  reporting research
• Use research to identify starting points for
  the improvement process

9
Effective Dissemination
requires a change of attitude
10
Dissemination is a Process, not a Product

• Dissemination is an ongoing process subject to
  change and evolution
• Timing is everything!
• Create interactive systems for reporting
  information
• Involve the end-users to design the information
  sharing process

11
Dissemination is a Process, not a Product

• Less is More! Create information not data.
• Benchmark Create interesting stories and relate
  your findings to those with similar problems

12
A Seven Step Dissemination Plan
13
Step 1 Identify WHO receives the report

• Conduct a political analysis of key decision
  makers
• Who should receive the report first? Second?
  Last?
• Analyze the information processing mode of your
  decision makers
• Textual
• Graphical
• Numerical

14
(No Transcript)
15
A Comparison of Hispanic White Arizona High
School Graduates 1993-2012
Actual
Projected
16
Summary In 1993 White Arizona high school
students outnumbered Hispanic high school by a
factor of 31, but the projections indicate that
by the year 2012 there will be nearly equal
numbers of White and Hispanic students graduating
from college.
17
Summary In 1993 White Arizona high school
students outnumbered Hispanic high school by a
factor of 31, but the projections indicate that
by the year 2012 there will be nearly equal
numbers of White and Hispanic students graduating
from high school.
18
Step 2 Decide WHEN the information is needed

• Clarify when others want it done
• Build slippage into your schedule
• Double or triple the amount of time you think
  it will take and make your promises accordingly

19
Step 3 Determine the statistical
sophistication of your user audience

• Determine the statistical sophistication of your
  audience(s).
• What kind of data summary will they understand?
• How much data do they want?
• What data format will be most effective?

20
Step 4 Decide the report format

• Consider AGAIN the information processing
  preferences of your primary decision makers
• Use several short reports rather than one long
  one
• Select the Media Mode for sharing your
  information
• Print
• Web
• Multi-media
• Oral
• Interactive computer

21
Step 5 Decide the CONTENT of the report

• What information is needed to make the
  decision?
• PROVIDE IT !!!

22
Step 6 Determine the FORMALITY

• Formal report
• Briefing memo
• 10 minute oral presentation
• 5 minute phone call

23
Step 7 How do you share BAD NEWS ?

• Release preliminary findings
• Provide decision makers with time to counteract
  bad news
• Outline dissemination options for release

24
Questions?