Bringing Theory to Practice

Assessment Resources

BTtoP Toolkit Overview (doc)
The Toolkit instrument was created for the Project by Dr. Ashley Finley, National Evaluator for BTtoP.  Drawing from standardized instruments and original items from BTtoP consortium institutions, the intent of this assessment tool is to address multiple dimensions of engaged learning, civic engagement, and student mental health and well-being in a single instrument.  The instrument was created to guide common assessment efforts across diverse campuses.  It is not intended to be the definitive assessment resource for BTtoP work.  Please see the link below for additional resources on assessment. 

BTtoP Toolkit Instrument (doc)
This link displays the instrument as it appears in a web-based format for one institution.  Please see the Overview link above for further explanation of instrument construction and specific areas of assessment. The instrument is the property of Bringing Theory to Practice.  We ask that you do not reprint or distribute without the consent of Dr. Finley or Bringing Theory to Practice.

Additional Resources on Assessment (pdf)
This link provides an overview of various instruments used across BTtoP demonstration and intensive site institutions that have been used to assess engaged learning, civic engagement, and student mental health and well-being.  This link also provides additional information regarding qualitative assessment strategies used across various institutions and sources of supplemental institutional data that may be helpful to evaluation efforts.

VALUE: Valid Assessment of Learning in Undergraduate Education
Through AAC&U’s VALUE Project teams of faculty nationwide collaborated on the development of rubrics to directly assess student development in 15 critical skill and knowledge areas.  Included among these are specific rubrics that may be helpful for the assessment of BTtoP-related efforts such as: “Civic Engagement – Local and Global,” “Intercultural Knowledge and Competence,” “Ethical Reasoning,” “Foundations and Skills for Lifelong Learning,” “Integrative Learning,” and “Teamwork,” among others.

Framing Documents

Below are documents that will provide a better understanding of BTtoP's past and future and its model and vision for change in higher education.

• A Brief Introduction (Arc of Change)
• Transformational Education
• BTtoP Synopsis 2002-2010
• Looking Ahead 2010-2012

Glossary

What does BTtoP mean by...

Engaged Learning
A process in which students are active participants in learning rather than passive recipients of information. It often includes service-learning, community-based research, interdisciplinary and integrative student-involved pedagogies, that create opportunities for learning beyond lectures and seminars.

Civic Engagement & Civic Development
A process in which students participate in public work, such as (but not restricted to) issue advocacy, social and political action, or community (local to international) organizing. (The Project does not consider volunteerism, alternative spring break activities, or study abroad, by themselves, as sufficient to encourage civic development; however, they could be meaningfully linked to multiple service-learning pedagogies and/or community-based research.)

Student Mental Health, Well-Being, & Psychosocial Development
The presence of characteristics that typify aspects of positive mental health, such as a sense of direction, personal growth and fulfillment, social development, empathy, perspective-taking, and psychological flourishing.

Transformational Learning
From the College Outcomes Project (doc), transformational learning is based on the conviction that the core purposes of higher education go beyond providing useful and transferable skills contributing to students’ intellectual growth to include their full development as individuals—their well-being and sense of civic purpose. For a more detailed discussion of the concept of transformational learning, see the 2008 Strategy for Change. (doc)

Related Projects

Active Minds: Changing the Conversation about Mental Health
Active minds is the only organization working to utilize the student voice to change the conversation about mental health on college campuses. By developing and supporting chapters of a student-run mental health awareness, education, and advocacy group on campuses, the organization works to increase students’ awareness of mental health issues, provide information and resources regarding mental health and mental illness, encourage students to seek help as soon as it is needed, and serve as liaison between students and the mental health community.

Campus Compact
"Campus Compact is a national coalition of more than 1,100 college and university presidents - representing some 6 million students - dedicated to promoting community service, civic engagement, and service-learning in higher education."