The Role of Discipline Associations in Program Assessment

Abstract

As calls for accountability in higher education continue to grow, it is increasingly important that administrators promote academic assessment programs that capture student development. At the same time, there are inherent limitations on university resources that tend to prevent expansive assessment regimes. As a means of reconciling these two realities, I propose the integration of undergraduate research into program curricula as an assessment metric. Research has consistently showed the benefits of undergraduate research on student development, and multiple national disciplinary associations now suggest undergraduate research projects as an assessment tool. In addition, assessment experts still regard faculty involvement as one of the keys to successful assessment programs. By integrating undergraduate research as an assessment tool, programs will enhance their educational impact on students; receive meaningful feedback on student mastery of methodologies and research skills; and engage faculty in the process of assessment within the confines of standard teaching responsibilities. In addition to this proposal, I present a new small-scale finding in support of the benefits of undergraduate research based on assessment data from Truman State University.