This book discusses recent trends in outcomes assessment, examines how state governments are reshaping the national discussion with higher education, and explains how libraries must respond to these changes.
Higher Education Outcomes Assessment for the Twenty-first Century focuses on recent developments in outcomes assessment, especially from the perspectives of the federal government and state governments, as well as foundations concerned about the state of higher education. The authors identify the significant changes that these stakeholders call for—information that academic librarians and anyone following outcomes assessment need to be aware of—and interpret the discussions to identify implications for libraries.
Building upon the foundation of knowledge presented in the previous two Libraries Unlimited Outcomes Assessment in Higher Education titles, this book provides readers with up-to-date coverage of topics such as the emerging metrics used to define student and institutional success; the increased importance of accountability and the need to compare and assess the performance of programs and institutions rather than individual courses; and the shift in prioritizing student outcomes over student learning outcomes. The authors also spotlight the critical need for libraries to fit their role within the national discussion and suggest ways in which library managers and directors can play a role in redirecting the discussion to their benefit.
Features
- Provides current, informed coverage of outcomes assessment in higher education, the shift away from student retention, and the role of the library in these new directions
- Includes an appendix that supplies the most complete list of higher education stakeholders and individuals with whom library directors need to interact
Peter Hernon, PhD, is professor in the Graduate School of Library and Information Science at Simmons College, Boston, MA. He is the author or coauthor of 53 books, including Libraries Unlimited's Viewing Library Metrics from Different Perspectives: Inputs, Outputs, and Outcomes, recipient of the 2010 Greenwood Publishing Group Award for Best Book in Library Literature; Making a Difference: Leadership and Academic Libraries; and Praeger's Federal Information Policies in the 1990s: Views and Perspectives. In 2008, he received the Association of College and Research Libraries' (ACRL) award for Academic/Research Librarian of the Year.
Robert E. Dugan is dean of libraries at University of West Florida, Pensacola, FL. His published works include Libraries Unlimited's Viewing Library Metrics from Different Perspectives: Inputs, Outputs, and Outcomes, recipient of the 2010 Greenwood Publishing Group Award for Best Book in Library Literature. He has written extensively on the application of information technologies outcomes assessment, financial management, and planning.
Candy Schwartz, PhD, is professor at Simmons College, Boston, MA, in the Graduate School of Library and Information Science, where she teaches courses in the organization of information resources, including subject analysis, classification, Web development, information architecture, and digital libraries. She is the coeditor of Library & Information Science Research, has published articles in journals such as The Journal of Academic Librarianship and Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology, and is author or coauthor of several monographs.
Reviews
"Offering practical and theory-based ideas and insights for implementation, activities, and advocating for the place of information literacy and libraries in outcomes assessment for the 21st-century, this title is recommended for academic library professionals."—ARBA, July 1, 2013