For Academic Advising, assessment is the process through which we gather evidence about the claims we are making with regard to student learning and the process/delivery of academic advising in order to inform and support enhancement and improvement (Campbell, 2008).

Academic advising has three components*: 

1. Curriculum (what advising deals with) 

2. Pedagogy (how advising does what it does)

3. Student learning outcomes (the result of academic advising)

*NACADA 2006  

At Texas A&M University, all three of these components are addressed in the development and assessment of advising programs.

Program level assessment of academic advising looks at the curriculum and process for delivering academic advising services.  The assessment material included in this area was developed from recommendations of the Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education (8th Edition). 

Student learning in academic advising is assessed by measuring student learning outcomes.  Student learning outcomes for academic advising were developed by a team of academic advisors representing nine colleges at Texas A&M University main campus, Galveston campus, and Transition Academic Programs.  The student learning outcomes were approved by the Academic Operations Committee Deans and are published in the Undergraduate Catalog.

Texas A&M University’s assessment of academic advising follows the recommendations issued by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board in the Report on Methods for Increasing Student Success and Degree Completion at Public Institutions of Higher Education.

A list of academic advising terms can be found on our common language page. 

This diagram shows the continuous process of assessment.  The elements of this process are common but sometimes named differently depending on the resources and use.  The table below compares the elements in this diagram to the common language of assessment used at Texas A&M and the assessment categories in AEFIS, which is the assessment data management system used by Texas A&M to collect and report annual assessment.

 

The Assessment Process	Common Language	AEFIS
Develop Program Mission and Outcomes	Mission Statement Student Learning Outcomes Program Outcomes	Mission/Purpose Outcomes/Objectives
Design an Assessment Plan	Assessment Plan Assessment Method Achievement Target Rubrics	Measures Targets
Implement the Plan and Gather Information	Direct Methods Indirect Methods Curriculum Map Findings	Findings
Interpret/Evaluate Information	Analysis of Findings Assessment Report	Achievement Summary/Analysis
Modify and Improve	Action Plan	Action Plan Tracking