Drs. Butler and Maddali attend SEF Student Learning Outcomes Institute
Drs. Butler and Maddali attend SEF Student Learning Outcomes Institute
Dr. Malinda Butler, chairperson/assistant professor in the Department of Education and Psychology, and Dr. Ramesh Maddali, director of the Institutional Research and Assessment, among several prominent scholars and key academic leaders from across the country attended the Southern Education Foundation’s (SEF) Student Learning Outcomes Institute: Connecting Institutional Effectiveness and Student Learning at Minority-Serving Institutions (Student Learning Outcomes Institute) that was held on February 2-4, 2012, in Atlanta, Georgia.
“We were exposed to a lot of valuable information at this event that was focused on improving institutional capacity through the measurement, assessment, and articulation of student learning at colleges and universities that serve high percentages of low-income and minority students-otherwise known as Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs),” shared Dr. Butler.
The Student Learning Outcomes Institute was structured as a three-day event bringing together “institutional teams,” which consisted of the chief academic officer and the institutional effectiveness/research officer along with a key faculty member. Other attendees included nationally recognized higher education experts, researchers, and postsecondary stakeholders. The event also featured a series of intense workshops, interactive sessions, and campus demonstrations that allowed participants to discuss pressing issues related to student learning.
“It was a great opportunity to convene with the nation’s top education leaders, share information and exchange ideas,” stated Dr. Maddali. “In addition, during IPEDS data and benchmarking workshop, co-hosted by the Association for Institutional Research and the National Center for Educational Statistics, we found out how to improve the usage of student data and measurements for institutional effectiveness.”
