Academic Affairs Assessment Team (AAAT): Conferences

The Assessment Institute in Indianapolis is the nation’s oldest and largest event focused exclusively on outcomes assessment in higher education. The conference is designed to provide opportunities for (1) individuals and campus teams new to outcomes assessment to acquire fundamental knowledge about the field, (2) individuals who have worked as leaders in outcomes assessment to share and extend their knowledge and skills, and (3) those interested in outcomes assessment at any level to establish networks that serve as sources of support and expertise beyond the dates of the Institute.

The Association for the Assessment of Learning in Higher Education (AALHE) is an organization of practitioners interested in using effective assessment practice to document and improve student learning. As such, it aims to serve the needs of those in higher education for whom assessment is a tool to help them understand learning and develop processes for improving it.

The Institute on General Education and Assessment provides campus teams with opportunities to refine and advance general education programs and their assessment. During the Institute, teams explore intentional, well-defined and meaningfully assessed models of general education, processes of redesign, implementation of highly effective practices, and clarification and integration of learning outcomes and their assessment. Admission to the Institute is competitive and limited. All accredited two-year and four-year institutions are encouraged and eligible to apply.

The Institute on High-Impact Practices and Student Success is designed to help campuses and systems make institution-wide changes that benefit all students. Participant teams work on removing barriers to student success and devising integrative learning-centered plans—making intentional use of the Essential Learning Outcomes and high-impact practices.

The 2014 Institute on Integrative Learning and the Departments is intended for colleges and universities interested in building faculty and departmental leadership for advancement of Essential Learning Outcomes. The Institute on Integrative Learning and the Departments is designed for teams of faculty and administrators who are working to articulate and meaningfully link departmental, general education, and institutional-level learning goals; encourage innovative interdisciplinary teaching, learning, and assessment practices among their colleagues; and align institutional structures to reward and sustain successes in integrative learning.

The goal of the biennial Library Assessment Conference is to build and further a vibrant library assessment community by bringing together interested practitioners and researchers who have responsibility or interest in the broad field of library assessment. The conference provides a mix of invited speakers, contributed papers and posters, and workshops that stimulate discussion and provide workable ideas for effective, practical, and sustainable library assessment.

The Middle States Commission on Higher Education is a voluntary, non-governmental, membership association that is dedicated to quality assurance and improvement through accreditation via peer evaluation. Middle States accreditation instills public confidence in institutional mission, goals, performance, and resources through its rigorous accreditation standards and their enforcement.