I hate surveys

I know we are not supposed to say we hate surveys. Hate is kind of a strong word, I understand they are important and we can get great data from them. Yet most of the time I feel we are not using surveys correctly on many a college campus.

Most survey's cannot tell us if it was really our program, system or conversation that made the difference.  We can assume, infer, synthesize all we want, but we know that most of the time the survey will help us make a few tweaks.  Then we will  spend a hundred hours coming up with great survey questions for next year.  To say I am burnt out on surveying students is an understatement. Talk to me in September and I might feel better.

Now, I totally use surveys all the time. They are a great tool and can be useful. When the data does not get used, I start the question the time, energy and effort.  If we spent the same amount of time using the data as we do evaluating the questions and all the different ways to ask them- I think higher education services would look really different. Maybe I am being too critical today - for reals though, we need to use the data we keep collecting. Ok off soap box  . . .

What I really want to write about is a different kind of assessment I did this year with my students.  One of the learning outcomes for the building I work in is "Each resident will be able to define their personal concept of empowerment".  At first, of course the idea was- send a survey! Ask at the end of the year "What is your personal definition of empowerment'.  Though I was less cynical last summer when creating my assessment plan, I was still not excited about more surveys.

Instead I wanted to do something different.  Considering the students who attend our University and the goals of the institution, I decided to try a mural.  Thankfully I have an awesome and supportive supervisor who thought this was a great idea, and did not look at me like I had grown another head.

The concept was fairly simple.  At the end of the year I would provide media (Paper, markers, stickers, pens, pencils - you get the idea) and ask students at events to draw, write, compose etc. their definition of empowerment.  When they were all complete I would put them all together to show the halls concept of empowerment as a mural in one of our lobby's.  I would then be able to code the language used, or images to show common themes etc.

Since I am a big fan of having students involved in pretty much every process possible, I talked about the idea a lot with the RA staff and the Hall Council. The Hall Council of the building LOVED this idea, and created an entire Women's Empowerment program.  They also set aside money so the project could be framed and kept up in the hall for eternity as their legacy.  This is one of the many reasons I love working with students, they make everything so much better.

Here are some examples of the amazing things the residents created.  I am currently in the process of putting the collage together and into the frame.

While every students did not participate, the ones that did created an amazing body of work to look at and study.  The pieces show what they as students have internalized as empowerment.  By September I may have restored faith in surveys, but I really have enjoyed looking for fun creative ways to assess learning and program outcomes.  I am able to show proof of an achieved learning outcome, and while I cannot say where students learned their personal definition, I can use these beautiful creations in many ways.  They will be a legacy for the students who participated, they will inspire conversations for future residents, and they provide a lot of qualitative data about my students. Also they are really beautiful!! Did I mention that?

What are some creative assessments you have done on campus? Are you also burnt out on surveys?