Assessment Workshop Draws Colleagues in Education to East Hartford

“Closing the Loop,” an assessment workshop sponsored by a grant from the Hartford Consortium, was held on March 18 at Goodwin College. The outline of the event included identifying effective assessment projects; improving data-mining processes; acquiring techniques for data-driven decision making; collecting and analyzing meaningful data; and focusing on long-term assessment cycles. More than 35 participants from various institutions throughout Connecticut attended the workshop.

Curtis R. Naser, president of New England Educational Assessment Network, offered the keynote address, speaking about student-driven assessment and highlighting the importance of accountability and improvement of student learning. Two breakout sessions focused on the curricular and co-curricular side of the institutions and broke down the process of assessment for both sides.

“The engagement and synergy of the participants in both breakout sessions were very powerful,” said Lisa Manley, Director of Online Studies and the Center for Teaching Excellence at Goodwin College. “The educators and co-curricular participants found the workshop beneficial in bringing the assessment process full circle and were eager to bring the knowledge back to their institutions and work environments to share.”

The event was a great success thanks to the partnerships of Goodwin College, Charter Oak State College, Central Connecticut State University, and the University of Connecticut.