Decision and Assessment Support
What is decision and assessment support?
Decision and assessment support provides information and data to guide planning, decision-making, and assessment. Data such as academic records, demographics, and survey responses give us insights into student experiences and opportunities to improve student outcomes. The Office of Institutional Research and Assessment supports all areas of Berklee to access information and analytics to guide their strategic initiatives.
How can my area benefit from working with OIRA's decision and assessment support services?
While the true value of decision support is a customized approach based on a department's needs and goals, components of a project may include:
- Tracking academic achievement such as retention, persistence, grades, and graduation.
- Access to survey and student outcomes data relevant to an area's priorities.
- Conducting research to inform strategic opportunities.
- Guidance for assessment planning to measure the impact of strategic initiatives.
How have others used decision and assessment support services?
First-Generation Student Fact-Finding
In the planning stage of RISE, Student Success Programming worked with OIRA to better understand the experiences and outcomes of first-generation students at Berklee. This included an analysis of previous surveys as well as admissions and academic outcomes data, culminating in a fact-finding report used to inform future programming.
Dashboard of Key Program Data
Every department going through the Academic Program Review process receives a dashboard summarizing data about their students, alumni, and courses. View a sample of the dashboard.
Academic Outcomes Assessment
The Black Scholars Initiative (BSI) works with OIRA to practice systematic evaluation and assessment of its program, which includes an annual academic outcomes report.