An in-depth look at one of a valuable tools for assessing student learning outcomes Longitudinal assessments, in which researchers track the experiences of individual students over a predetermined period of time, are powerful tools for measuring college student learning outcomes and for institutional planning, policy, and program design. This volume in the critically acclaimed New Directions for Institutional Research comprises contributions from leading experts in the field from institutions of higher learning nationwide who focus on three key aspects of longitudinal assessment, namely, methodology, data collection, and the application of findings in the crafting of institutional improvement initiatives.

"Universities and colleges often operate between two worlds: higher education and economic systems. It is impossible to understand how current developments are affecting colleges without attending to the changes in both the higher education system and in the economic communities in which they exist. W. Richard Scott, Michael W. Kirst, and colleagues focus on the changing relations between colleges and companies in one vibrant economic region: the San Francisco Bay Area. Colleges and tech companies, they argue, have a common interest in knowledge generation and human capital, but they operate in social worlds that substantially differ, making them uneasy partners. Colleges are a part of a long tradition that stresses the importance of precedent, academic values, and liberal education. High-tech companies, by contrast, value innovation and know-how, and they operate under conditions that reward rapid response to changing opportunities. The economy is changing faster than the postsecondary education system."--The cover.

Improving Postsecondary Choice and Pathways explores the influences and experiences throughout a student’s transition from secondary to postsecondary education, with an emphasis on the fit between academic readiness and institutional selectivity. Designed to consider the variegated experiences and factors contributing to student-college match, chapters in this volume explore the challenges associated with the college search, choice, and application processes and how they affect specific student groups. Additionally, this text investigates the stakeholders and programs designed to assist students in finding suitable postsecondary institutions. This book holistically explores the varied aspects within student-college match while also providing a glimpse into innovative approaches for improving outcomes via an expanded consideration of college choice and student-college match determinations.

For undergraduates following any course of study, it is essential to develop the ability to write effectively. Yet the processes by which students become more capable and ready to meet the challenges of writing for employers, the wider public, and their own purposes remain largely invisible. Developing Writers in Higher Education shows how learning to write for various purposes in multiple disciplines leads college students to new levels of competence. This volume draws on an in-depth study of the writing and experiences of 169 University of Michigan undergraduates, using statistical analysis of 322 surveys, qualitative analysis of 131 interviews, use of corpus linguistics on 94 electronic portfolios and 2,406 pieces of student writing, and case studies of individual students to trace the multiple paths taken by student writers. Topics include student writers’ interaction with feedback; perceptions of genre; the role of disciplinary writing; generality and certainty in student writing; students’ concepts of voice and style; students’ understanding of multimodal and digital writing; high school’s influence on college writers; and writing development after college. The digital edition offers samples of student writing, electronic portfolios produced by student writers, transcripts of interviews with students, and explanations of some of the analysis conducted by the contributors. This is an important book for researchers and graduate students in multiple fields. Those in writing studies get an overview of other longitudinal studies as well as key questions currently circulating. For linguists, it demonstrates how corpus linguistics can inform writing studies. Scholars in higher education will gain a new perspective on college student development. The book also adds to current understandings of sociocultural theories of literacy and offers prospective teachers insights into how students learn to write. Finally, for high school teachers, this volume will answer questions about college writing. Companion Website Click here to access the Developing Writers project and its findings at the interactive companion website. Project Data Access the data from the project through this tutorial.