Purpose

The purpose of the Assessment Grant is to promote the evaluation of student learning outcomes toward the goal of improving student learning.

Examples of funded projects include, but are not limited to:

  • Development and administration of instruments (i.e., tests) that directly assess students? skills and competencies,
  • Construction and use of rubrics (e.g., to evaluate capstone projects, portfolios, artistic performances, or term papers), and similar criterion-referenced metrics,
  • Department learning initiatives (e.g., general education assessment, alternatives to developmental education, internship opportunities), and
  • Use of national or external benchmark comparisons.

​Use of Grant Funding

The grant must be used to:

  • Evaluate STUDENT LEARNING, and
  • Demonstrate that assessment results can be used to improve student learning outcomes.

Eligibility

All Penn State Berks faculty and staff are eligible to apply for the Assessment Grant. Priority will be given to department and unit heads, program coordinators, and coordinators of special projects.

Please note: Program coordinators are encouraged to apply for funding to involve program faculty in the assessment process (e.g., as readers, graders, etc...).  However, program coordinators cannot apply to receive extra compensation themselves for program assessment for which they already receive compensation (e.g., release time).

All Assessment Grant recipients agree to publicly discuss the development of instrument(s), use of results, and changes or planned changes made to existing programs to the to the Berks campus community. This can be accomplished via:

  • Faculty workshops, retreats, or special events, 
  • Division and department meetings, 
  • Other appropriate campus and University venues.

Application Guidelines

Guidelines

Funds for the Assessment Grant is limited. Proposals will be evaluated on the following criteria:

  • The extent the proposed assessment instrument(s) evaluate student learning outcomes,
  • Proposed use of results to improve student learning outcomes,
  • Scope and number of students/programs impacted,
  • Validity (i.e., does the instrument really measure what it is supposed to measure),
  • Practicality in development and administration of assessment instrument(s),
  • Originality and creativity of the proposed assessment instrument(s).

Grant recipients agree to sit on the review committee for the subsequent year.

Application Timeline

February 8, 2018

  • Call for proposals emailed to Berks faculty and staff.

Before March 1, 2018

  • Consult with Jayné Park-Martinez from Planning, Research & Assessment by email ([email protected]) or phone 610-396-6386, or in-person (JCC 9) on the applicability and feasibility of the assessment proposal.

By March 26, 2018

April 2- April 16, 2018

  • Grant Committee evaluates proposals.

April 30, 2018

  • Grant recipients announced.

Implementation Deadlines

  • Assessment Grant funding will be available for 2018-2019.
  • Assessment(s) instruments and plans to administer must be developed by fall 2018.
  • Implementation of assessment proposal must take place by summer 2019.

Please Note: Disbursement of funds to grant recipients will be made following the completion of grant contracts as verified by the Office of Planning, Research & Assessment.

Previous Grant Recipients

Assessment Grant Recipient Projects.
Read a brief description (2013-2017) »

Questions should be directed to Jayné Park-Martinez, Planning Research & Assessment, ([email protected]) or 610-396-6386.