Adding Results to the Assessment Plan
Once Measures have been added to the Plan, the next step is to enter the Results of those Measures. To begin, click the Add Results button for the Measure.
This will present a page from which the Results format can be selected. Please note that you may not see all of the following options, based on the type of Outcome assessed, and details associated with the Measure.
I want to send emails and collect scores from faculty: This option is only available for Measures associated with Courses. Additionally, the Courses themselves must have associated Course Sections that fall within the Reporting Year connected to the Plan itself. If this option is chosen, Planning & Self Study will send an email to the faculty members that lead those specific course sections, prompting them to enter their students’ scores. If the option to Send Emails and Collect Scores from Faculty is not present, please check to ensure that that the Measure Data Request email notification is enabled. (Managing Email Notifications)
I want to upload the assessment results files: This will allow the user to upload a data file as evidence.
I want to enter the count of students who meet/do not meet the criteria: This option allows the users to enter the number of students who met or did not meet criteria for outcome achievement, and those results will display as a data graphic. A single record of Counts can be added, or an individual Count can be documented per Course Section.
I want to align results from another system: This option allows adding Results that were collected in the institution's LMS OR from additional Watermark products (Student Learning & Licensure; Outcomes Assessment Projects, Course Evaluations & Surveys).
Please visit the product/LMS specific section of the help center for more information about collecting results.
Please note that, while you cannot change the Results method without deleting the data that has already been collected, the Results that were entered for the chosen method can be edited at a later point. In other words, if the option to enter Counts is selected, the actual Counts themselves can be edited later on.
Once the Results are added, select Save & Close in the top-right.
Uploading Assessment Results Files
After selecting "I want to upload the assessment results files", click the Upload New File button. This will produce the computer's file directory, from which a single or multiple files can be selected for upload.
After the file(s) is uploaded, it will appear with options to download or remove it.
There is also the option of the Summary tab, where additional Narrative information relevant to the Results can be added.
Entering Count of Students who Meet / Do Not Meet Criteria
Selecting "I want to enter the count of students who meet/do not meet the criteria" will present the option to enter Count data for students who Exceeded, Met, Approached, or did not meet the outcome connected to the Measure.
Please Note: The category titles may vary based on the institution’s settings in Planning & Self-Study.
After the Counts are entered, select "View Results".
The data will now display as a bar graph.
Selecting "Edit Results" in the bottom-right will allow the Count data to be edited as needed.
There is also the option to enter student Counts broken down by Course Section, if your Measure is associated with a Course that has Course Sections offered during your Plan year.
To begin, select "Counts for each section" and click "Enter Counts". Planning & Self-Study will automatically aggregate totals across all Course Sections.
In addition to entering Count data, users can also upload supporting documentation as well as a Narrative Summary. Start by expanding the "Toggle Summary" setting, which presents both the file uploader and Summary entry box.
Remove and Change Results
It may be the case that after a user begins entering Results, they decide that they would prefer to start over using a different Results collection method. In this case, they can easily delete the Results that have already been entered and start over by selecting "Change Collection Method", which appears in the top-right of the Results entry area.
This will open a pop-up window which will prompt the user to confirm their decision. Selecting "Yes, Delete Results" will delete all data already entered and allow for a new Results collection method to be selected.
Analyzing Results with Findings
Once the Results have been documented, the next step is to enter the Findings.
To begin, select "Analyze Results" under the Measure title.
Next, scroll down to the Findings category.
The first option in this category is to document the Measure Status for this Measure. From the dropdown menu a user can select whether the criteria for this Measure was Met or Not Met, based on the Results.
After selecting the Measure Status, there is the option to enter a narrative Analysis, as shown in the screenshot above.
View Past Findings
If the same Measure was used in one or more previous Assessment Plans, the user will have the option to view the Findings that were created against it in the previous Plan(s).
This is done by selecting "Past Findings" in the top-right of the Findings entry area.
This will present a panel that opens on the right-hand side of the screen. The panel will display all previous Plans that the Measure was assessed in, with relevant Findings data:
Adding/Editing Actions
Once Results and Findings have been documented, the user will have the opportunity to create Actions, thereby closing the loop on assessment planning. Selecting "Add Actions" under the Measure title will begin the process.
Next, scroll down to the Findings entry area and select "Add New Action".
This will open the Actions panel on the right-hand side of the page, in which the user would select the type of Action they would like to document:
Once the Type is selected, the Action Status, Description, file attachments and optional Due Date can be entered.
There is also the option to enter an optional Budget component, should the Action require budgetary approval. This can be done by selecting "Add Budget Request".
Once the Action is created, it will appear below the Findings entry area. Actions can be edited or deleted at any time by selecting either the Edit or Delete options to the right of the Action Name.
Analyze Outcome
After all of an Outcome's Measures have been created, and their Results, Findings, and Actions have been documented, an overall Analysis of the Outcome itself may be desired.
To begin, select "Analyze Outcome", located beneath the list of Measures.
This will present an Outcome Analysis text entry area, as well as an Outcome Status drop-down.
The Outcome Analysis area allows for relevant Narrative to be added, while the Outcome Status drop-down is where users would select whether the institution met or did not meet the criteria called for by the Outcome.
Lastly, there will also be the opportunity to document any Actions that are not specifically tied to a Measure.