Joan Giesecke
Special Assistant to the Chancellor
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Yolanda Cooper
Special Assistant to the Chancellor
University of Miami
Traditionally, accrediting bodies wrote standards for libraries and computer operations that emphasized inputs such as the size of the library collection, or the number of computer labs. Today, the regional accrediting bodies and many specialized accrediting agencies have revised their standards to emphasize assessment of student learning outcomes and assessment of program outcomes. Outputs and outcomes have replaced inputs as measures of quality. For libraries and academic technology units, the standards may emphasize information and digital literacy skills, policies on ethical use of computers and computer networks, and services that support student learning. Further, two of the regional accrediting agencies, Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) and the Higher Learning Commission (HLC – North Central), require the institution to carry out a quality initiative to encourage continuous improvement and enhance student learning. The changes in accreditation provide opportunities for libraries and support service to redefine their roles on campus and to highlight how they actively support student learning.
This session will cover the changes in accreditation standards among the six regional accrediting agencies and many of the specialized agencies that most closely impact libraries and computer centers, and provide ideas for how librarians and information technology (IT) specialists can help educate programs going through accreditation about the positive impact of library and IT services on student learning. The session will also cover the Quality Enhancement Plan implemented in 2009 by the University of Miami, which proposed to enhance undergraduate learning through the creation of a program of Faculty Learning Communities (FLC).
For a five-year period the Libraries, partnering with the offices of Undergraduate Enhancement and Instructional Enhancement, implemented a five-year topic-based FLC with a focus on technology and digital literacy. Five faculty cohorts participated in a yearlong faculty learning community requiring each FLC member to incorporate some form of technology in an already existing course or a new course. Assessment strategies were implemented to determine the effectiveness of the Community in the facilitation of this type of program, and to identify student learning outcomes and experiences. The lessons learned will focus on both successes and failures in the identification and tracking of student learning outcomes, FLC operations and management, and group dynamics and interactions with faculty working with technology in teaching.
Presentation (Giesecke)
Presentation(Cooper)