Assessment of Higher Education Learning Outcomes (AHELO)
Institutional Participation Logbook
This Logbook provides a place for each participating institution to record and report the activities and
dates associated with its participation in the AHELO Feasibility Study, including:
1. description of the institution’s size, mission, enrollments, and AHELO contact information;
2. types of formal, institutional assessment of student learning currently used;
3. preparations for and administration of the AHELO Generic Skills Assessment to a sample of
students (student census and sampling, test administration dates, etc.);
4. faculty sampling and survey, institutional data reporting , institution-specific adaptations or
accommodations, or other aspects of AHELO;
5. a summary of the challenges faced and results achieved.
The information requested below should be recorded in the Logbook by the Institutional Coordinator(s)
as soon as possible after the steps are taken or completed. Please also alert the AHELO state coordinator
and National Project Manager ([email protected]) as entries are made. As necessary, please provide an
electronic copy of the updated Logbook to Gloria Auer ([email protected]) to aid project recordkeeping.
A. Name and location of participating institution: Clarion University of Pennsylvania
B. Institutional Coordinator’s name, title and contact information:
Susan C Turell; Associate Provost; [email protected];
C. Other members of the institution’s AHELO implementation team: Todd Pfannestiel, Steve Selker,
Shawn Hoke.
D. Brief description of the institution’s mission, size, location, student body and faculty characteristics,
program offerings, and other pertinent characteristics:
Mission: Clarion University provides transformative, lifelong learning opportunities through
innovative, nationally recognized programs delivered in inclusive, student-centered environments.
Regional comprehensive university of approximately 7000 students, 6000 of which are
undergraduates. We offer over 50 majors. There are approx. 350 faculty, both full and part time. We
offer more than 90 programs of study- majors, minors, and certificates.
E. Overview of the institution’s on-going assessment activities, including the assessment instruments
used on a regular or periodic basis, or to meet accreditation or governing board requirements:
NSSE every other year; the General Education Council and each department assess student
learning outcomes each year; the Division of Student and University Affairs has an
assessment plan with annual assessment; PASSHE asks that each program is reviewed every
five years; Middle States accreditation every 10 years;
F.
Describe process (and outcomes) for review and approval of AHELO participation by the IRB, faculty
senate, academic and institutional leaders, governing board or other bodies: this project was
approved through the system-wide IRB policy.
G. Following guidelines provided in the International Sampling Manual
(http://www.sheeo.org/misc/ahelo/27samplingmanual.pdf), describe the steps taken and any
adaptations made in identifying the prescribed sample of:
1. Students at or as close as possible to the receiving a baccalaureate degree- we invited
student who had completed 90+ credits during the semester of the testing
2. Faculty who teach a minimum of one undergraduate course within their discipline- all
faculty were included, as all faculty teach UG courses.
Following guidelines outlined in the International Test Administration Manual
(http://www.sheeo.org/misc/ahelo/29TestAdministrationManual.pdf) for administering the AHELO
Generic Skills Assessment, outline the preparations made, dates and arrangements for test
administration, computer equipment and testing lab/room setup, incentives or other encouragement
provided, any challenges or unexpected occurrences in test administration, response rates achieved,
and other notable steps and outcomes related to test administration.
The Clarion University team prepared for administration of the AHELO exam by first meeting with
other PASSHE institutions participating in the project in order to discuss the project with both them
and with Charlie Lenth. We then worked with our IT team to schedule the necessary computing
laboratory space, as well as to prepare the machines for use. Simultaneously, we worked with the
Institutional research office at the university to obtain the student sample to be submitted to the
AHELO coordinators for approval. Students were offered incentives of gift cards to local restaurants
for participating in the project. The exam was administered in two sessions on Saturday, April 14,
2012, with a total of 59 students participating. There were minimal problems the day of the exam—
including a few technical problems relating to the examination web link; however, those were quickly
resolved by IT personnel available the day of the exam.
The AHELO testing event was held in two Clarion University computer lab facilities; Becker lab (60
systems) and the Carlson Library BI lab (40systems) on Saturday, April 14th. Approximately 200
students were targeted for testing, 40 faculty were also included by way of an e-mail request with a
direct link embedded in the message. Labs were setup with a restricted user profile and browser
settings limiting access to only the AHELO test server IP address. A restricted ‘kiosk’ account was
used by TAs so lab computers were ready for students to login to the AHELO testing site when they
arrived. The account policy (named AHELO_IE_Kiosk) was provisioned with limited privileges to only
start Internet Explorer in a kiosk mode (full screen) and configured to only access the ahelo.org
site. The policy limited the user to run only iexplorer.exe, per AHELO restrictions, if MS Office
programs, Windows calculator, dictionary, or any other program was started an error would occur. A
dedicated site monitor was assigned to administer the testing event, 2 student GA’s served as testing
assistants to handle student logins and administer testing. Computing Services supplied an onsite
support technician to monitor and support technical issues.
H. Following guidelines outlined in the Institutional Coordination Manual
http://www.sheeo.org/misc/ahelo/28InstitutionalCoordinationManual.pdf, report preparations for
distributing the AHELO Faculty Survey, steps taken to encouragement student and faculty awareness
of and participation in AHELO, response rates achieved, and other relevant steps taken and
outcomes achieved in implementing AHELO at your institution.
Students at Clarion University were made aware of the AHELO exam through e-mails targeted
directly at those students whom the AHELO statisticians approved to be part of the original
sample. They were offered gift card incentives to participate. When the original targeted e-mail
yielded a low response, additional students from the original population were invited to
participate (with the same incentives). 59 students eventually participated.
I.
For the AHELO Institutional Survey, report the procedures used, parties involved, and any other
steps taken to provide the requested data. The random sample of faculty selected were sent
emails with their links; after feedback from AHELO about which faculty had not
participated, a follow up email was sent.
J.
Describe your institution’s expectations for the assessment data to be returned by the international
project manager later in 2012, and any plans you have for the analysis and use of thesedata. We
will use it to support our assessment efforts for institutional learning outcomes that align
with the AHELO items. We will also report this as part of our assessment report to Middle
States.
K. Please provide additional comments or suggestions based on your institution’s AHELO participation
that you would like conveyed to OECD, international project managers, or other interested parties.