Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/56065
From the Editors What Do I Know? If I actually knew everything that I studied in college, I would surely be in the top ranks of Mensa. How to calculate derivatives, apply the Schrödinger equation, recite Shakespeare's sonnet "My mistress' eyes" from memory, play the first movement of Beethoven's "Moonlight Sonata" on the piano—all of it, forgotten. Much of it, especially those derivatives and equations, I never really mastered in the first place. Luckily, I retained the functional knowledge honed through my col- lege studies: organizational skills for planning, critical thinking to syn- thesize information, communication skills to conduct interviews, and composition skills to write effectively. But how would my school, my instructors, or even I know for sure that my degree was a testament that I had those crucial skills in hand? Increasingly, business educators don't want there to be any doubt about what their students can do. At a time when accreditation organizations, governmental agencies, and even the public at large are demanding stronger assurance of learning standards, schools are investing substantial resources into learning assessment. They want to ensure that a business degree isn't just a credential, but a guarantee that students possess the skills to succeed. To help schools achieve that goal, we've made assessment the focus of several articles in this issue. For instance, Carol W. DeMoranville explains how Bryant University got faculty enthusiastically involved in the assessment pro- cess. As she puts it in "Assessment Investment," the benefits to schools are abstract, while its costs are concrete. For that reason, she argues, schools have to create assessment plans that make the benefits real, measurable, and motivational for students and faculty alike. Other articles look at the link between testing and assessment. Subir Bandyopad- hyay and Anna Rominger of Indiana University Northwest debate the pros and cons of test-based assessment, while GMAC's Lawrence Rudner argues that more frequent testing could produce better learning outcomes. Not only that, but effective assessment could encourage students to take more active roles in the learning process. I know that as a college student, I was often—and unfortu- nately—more worried about my GPA than about what I had actually learned. When stu- dents have that attitude, it can only make professors sigh in resignation. On the other hand, when presented with clear and ongoing mileposts of their own progress, students might be inspired to contribute more to discussion, connect more fre- quently with professors, and take stronger action when their skills aren't measuring up. That attitude would enrich students' learning experiences and make the professor's job that much more satisfying. And years later, perhaps it would inspire former students to pull out that Shakespeare sonnet from time to time—just to refresh their memories. ■ z 6 BizEd MARCH/APRIL 2010 RAQUITA HENDERSON