HIED 658 : PLAN, EVAL & INSTITUTIONAL RESEARCH

Institutional Research has become a ubiquitous function in higher education in the 21st century. Drawing on the understanding of Strategic Planning and alignment of Program evaluation will form the understanding of the role that Institutional research plays in the life of an institution of higher education. This course will examine the functions IR serves in planning, evaluation, and external accountability and will be introduced to several common techniques. The course will use case studies with actual data, such as data from CIRP, NCEE, and OPEN Doors databases to enable students to gain experience in getting data to “tell stories” that are relevant to decision-makers. Students will learn about external accreditors and accountability and will gain practice in making accreditation decisions through case studies. Students will need some basic facility with Excel spreadsheets and knowledge of basic statistical terms such as means and medians.