EDAD 8144 - Assessment and Evaluation in Higher Education
Summer 2026 Syllabus, Section A01, CRN 30857,
Credit hours: 3
Course Meeting Times
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Instructor
Terrence Brown Sr
Email: tabrownsr@ysu.edu
Course Description
Course Readings
| Group | Title | Author | ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|
| Required |
Readings and Resources: Each week, scholarly articles, research studies, and policy documents will be provided to frame class discussions and guide applied analysis. Students are also expected to research and integrate supplementary materials from reputable sources such as peer-reviewed journals, professional associations (e.g., ACPA, NASPA, ACE), and government or institutional research sites. Current events, including recent legislation, regulatory actions, and policy shifts impacting higher education, will be highlighted in module presentations to encourage critical examination of how evolving frameworks influence assessment practices, institutional decision-making, and leadership strategies.
Required Textbooks:
Suskie, L. (2009). Assessing student learning: A common sense guide (3rd ed.). Jossey-Bass.
Souza, J. M., & Rose, T. A. (Eds.). (2021). Exemplars of assessment in higher education, volume two: Strategies for a changing higher education environment (1st ed). Stylus Publishing, LLC. E-book available at https://pitt.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01PITT_INST/g3767l/alma9999931811906236.
Technology:
Microsoft Office Applications -- Free to YSU Students!
Applications in the Microsoft Office Professional Plus suite are available to YSU students to download to your personal devices for free. You can also access the online versions without having to download anything. The Office suite includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and OneNote, among other applications.
- The online versions are accessible through the app launcher button in the upper left hand corner of the screen in your Outlook email. To access the online versions, just log into your YSU email through the Office365 web link.
- To download and install to your own device, follow these instructions provided by the YSU Tech Desk.
The course readings are subject to change in the event of extenuating circumstances, research developments, current events, and/or to ensure better learning.
Assignments/Assessments
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Schedule of Topics and Assignments
| Week of | Reading(s) | Proposed Topic | Due/To Prepare for Class |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6/29 | What Is Assessment? (1) The Many Settings for Student Learning and Assessment (2) What Are Effective Assessment Practices? (3) | Understanding Assessment | Graded: Discussion Weekly Assignment Reflection |
| 7/6 | Learning Goals: Articulating What You Most Want Students to Learn (4) Designing Curricula to Help Students Learn What’s Important (5) How Will Your Evidence of Student Learning be Used? (6) Planning Assessments in Academic Programs (7) Planning Assessments in General Education, Co-curricula, and Other Settings (8) | Laying a Foundation for Assessment Success | Discussion Weekly Assignment Reflection |
| 7/13 | Guiding and Coordinating Assessment Efforts (9) Helping Everyone Learn What to Do (10) Supporting Assessment Efforts (11) | Building a Pervasive, Enduring Culture of Evidence and Betterment | Discussion Weekly Assignment Reflection |
| 7/20 | Keeping Assessment Cost-Effective (12) Collaborating on Assessment (13) Valuing Assessment and the People Who Contribute (14) | Building a Pervasive, Enduring Culture of Evidence and Betterment (Cont.) | Discussion Weekly Assignment Reflection |
| 7/27 | Designing Rubrics to Plan and Assess Assignments (15) Creating Effective Assignments (16) Writing Multiple-Choice and Other Objective Tests (17) | The Assessment Toolbox | Discussion Weekly Assignment Reflection |
| 8/3 | Assembling Evidence of Student Learning into Portfolios (18) Selecting Published Instruments (19) Other Assessment Tools (20) Assessing the Hard-to-Assess (21) | The Assessment Toolbox (Cont.) | Discussion Weekly Assignment Reflection |
| 8/10 | Setting Meaningful Standards and Targets (22) Summarizing and Storing Evidence of Student Learning (23) Analyzing Evidence of Student Learning (24) Sharing Evidence of Student Learning (25) Using Evidence of Student Learning to Inform Important Decisions (26) | Understanding and Using Evidence of Student Learning | Discussion Final Paper Reflection |
The course schedule, policies, procedures, and assignments in this course are subject to change in the event of extenuating circumstances, by mutual agreement, and/or to ensure better learning.