The Office of Institutional Research, Assessment and Planning (IRAP) has available academic development funds to assist faculty interested in conducting assessment of student learning.The assessment of student learning is essential to fulfilling the mission of Appalachian State University.With the new academic assessment program and reporting assessment activities in the Annual Report, Appendix F, faculty assessment development funds are being made available to support departments with their assessment efforts.

Purpose
 

The purpose of the development funds is to encourage faculty members to submit proposals for initiatives that support the continued development of and recommendations for improving and enhancing student learning according to the department's goals and learning outcomes.

Application Process

• Submit a letter of application.
• Include a short statement of support from the Chair indicating how the proposal fits into the department's assessment program.
• Include three copies of the proposal.
• Send all application materials to the Office of Institutional Research, Assessment, and Planning, John Thomas Building, Room 382. 
• You may fill out the application on-line and then print it for the required signatures (choose a format):
• HTML Format (complete the form on-line, print it and obtain signatures)
• PDF Format (print the form first, then complete it and obtain signatures)

• Proposals should clearly indicate the purpose of the project, the specific intended outcomes of the project, the intended use of results and plans for program improvement, the assessment method(s) that will be used in the project, and a detailed request for funds.
• Proposals should be no more than three typed pages.
• Individuals or group projects involving a team of faculty may submit projects that will assess student learning and other student outcomes at the department level.
• All projects will have a maximum one-year lifespan. Within this time, assessment investigators should (1) implement the proposed assessment plan/activity, (2) collect/compile and examine the resulting data, (3) draft explicitly, detailed recommendations for improving the programs, and (4) present the drafted recommendations to the Chair and IRAP Office.
• A final report must be submitted within a year of the notification of the funding to the IRAP Office.
• Proposals must include an approval statement ("Request for Review" form) from the Office of Graduate Studies & Research in order to comply with the human subjects process on campus.
• Individuals/teams receiving development funds will be asked to share information about the project in assessment workshops, presentations, and /or in the assessment newsletter.
• Please forward any published articles or conference papers resulting from the assessment project to the IRAP Office.

The Academic Assessment Committee will review all proposals and evaluate the applications.Funding will be contingent on (1) receipt of approval of the human subjects review, (2) availability of resources, and (3) proposal's approved itemized budget.

IRAP, 7-2001