CPE SESSION 16: SUNDAY, AUGUST 8, 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM

Best Practices in Assessment of Accounting Programs

Description/Objectives:
This half-day workshop will focus on how accounting departments and business schools are assessing the learning goals and outcomes of their programs. Results and case studies from the Teaching and Curriculum Section's Best Practices in Assessment Project will be presented and discussed. The workshop will engage participants in a discussion of the types of assessment activities that work and those that do not work. We will also present and discuss issues related to efficiency (leveraging limited resources) and effectiveness (continuous improvement) of program assessment.

Among the specific objectives of the workshop are:

1. Identify and discuss characteristics of effective assessment programs;
2. Obtain an understanding of innovative frameworks used to guide assessment activities, such as the balanced scorecard, the Baldrige Criteria, and the AACSB’s new assurance of learning framework;
3. Examine and discuss program assessment activities that work;
4. Present innovative approaches employed by accounting departments to engage faculty in using assessment for continuous improvement.

Format/Structure:
We will use a combination of case discussion presented by faculty members from best practice schools and interactive presentations by the workshop leaders. A tentative schedule appears below:

• Characteristics of best practice assessment programs (10 minutes)
• Frameworks for guiding program assessment activities—e.g., balanced scorecard, Baldrige Principles (15 minutes)
• Best practice cases and examples, including AACSB’s assurance of learning (110 minutes)
• Gaining faculty support (30 minutes)
• Reporting and using assessment data for continuous improvement (50 minutes)
• Reflection and conclusion (15 minutes)
• Mid-morning break (up to 20 minutes)

Intended Audience:

• Faculty and administrators with an interest in assessment
• Colleges and departments that are preparing for AACSB accreditation
• Persons with an interest in performance measurement and accountability

Presenters:
Thomas G. Calderon, The University of Akron
Brian Patrick Green, University of Michigan-Dearborn
Michael D. Harkness, University of Michigan-Dearborn
Paul Bayes - East Tennessee State University
Rita Czaja - Northern Kentucky University
Pat Eason - University of Texas-El Paso
John (Jack) Elfrink - Central Missouri State University
Cheryl Mitchem - Virginia State University
John Moore - Virginia State University

Sponsor:
Teaching and Curriculum Section

* Denotes special requirements or prerequisite