Practical Assessment Strategies Series (PASS)
October's Practical Assessment Strategies Series (PASS) features virtual workshops led by industry experts, offering valuable insights and practical skills. The Professional Development Committee is excited to announce new workshops to PASS, aimed at further enhancing your professional toolkit. These workshops will guide participants in using new tools to improve efficiency and enhance assessment techniques. Don’t miss this opportunity to expand your professional capabilities and stay ahead in the field of assessment. Register now and take the next step in your professional development journey!
Each workshop will have a MAX of 25 registrants to allow for constructive discussions, questions, and opinions. There will be a waitlist if you register after we hit our cap. So register as soon as it opens!
Are you a member?
The topics will be presented twice on different dates.
Once for members and again for non-members.
- 9/17 - Taming the Chaos: Streamlining Assessment with Microsoft Planner, Loop, OneNote, and To Do
- 10/1 - Setting Up Survey Data for Analysis and Visualization in Power BI
- 10/22 - Beyond the Buzz: Creating a Custom GPT for Assessment Use Cases
NON-MEMBER DATES:
Setting Up Survey Data for Analysis and Visualization in Power BI
October 8, 2025
3pm-4:30pm ET / 2pm-3:30pm CT / 1pm-2:30pm MT / 12pm-1:30pm PT
Description: This session will guide participants through practical steps for preparing survey datasets for analysis and visualization in Power BI. Working with a sample survey data set, participants will learn how to import data from Excel into Power BI and set up tables and queries. All that’s needed is an intermediate knowledge of Excel (think of Power BI as Excel on steroids). Participants will leave with a solid foundation for visualizing and analyzing their data, along with a sample Power BI file they can replicate at work.
Bio: Ryan Smith is the Director of University Assessment Services at Illinois State University, where he leads efforts to advance meaningful assessment and data-informed decision-making in academic affairs. With over 20 years of experience in institutional research, evaluation, and assessment, Ryan specializes in using data storytelling to engage stakeholders and foster change. He frequently consults and presents nationally on data visualization and storytelling, quality improvement, and program evaluation. Ryan is also an adjunct faculty member and author, and he’s passionate about helping higher education leaders make data more human, accessible, and impactful.
Non-Member Cost: $40
Taming the Chaos: Streamlining Assessment with Microsoft Planner, Loop, OneNote, and To Do
- Will Miller, PhD
AVP for Continuous Improvement and Institutional Performance, SACSCOC Liaison at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
October 15, 2025
3pm-4:30pm ET / 2pm-3:30pm CT / 1pm-2:30pm MT / 12pm-1:30pm PT
Description: Assessment professionals often manage multiple projects at once. From tracking learning outcomes and collecting data to coordinating meetings and documenting action plans, the work can quickly become overwhelming. This session will introduce four no-cost Microsoft tools—Planner, Loop, OneNote, and To Do—and show how they can be used together to create a simple, effective system for organizing and completing assessment tasks.
Participants will learn how to:
- Create an assessment project board in Planner to track responsibilities and timelines
- Use Loop to co-edit templates, rubrics, and feedback forms in real time
- Centralize documentation and meeting notes in OneNote for easy reference and collaboration
- Manage personal task lists and reminders with Microsoft To Do
- Integrate these tools into a practical workflow that supports continuous improvement
This session is designed for institutional effectiveness staff, assessment coordinators, and faculty leaders. No special licenses are required, and participants will leave with ready-to-use strategies for managing their assessment work more efficiently.
Bio: Dr. Will Miller holds a Ph.D. in Urban Studies and Public Affairs from The University of Akron and serves as Associate Vice President for Continuous Improvement and Institutional Performance at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. A national voice in reimagining institutional effectiveness, he bridges assessment, analytics, and executive leadership to drive campus-wide improvement grounded in action—not compliance. At Embry-Riddle, he oversees over 40 disciplinary accreditations and manages authorization for more than 100 global sites, while pioneering strategies that streamline operations and reduce time-to-impact. With a background in ed tech and consulting, Dr. Miller brings sharp insight into how data is too often admired instead of applied. His work with GenAI focuses on reducing the burden on faculty and staff, consolidating university catalogs, and accelerating curricular reform. He is a frequent presenter and advisor on AI’s strategic integration in higher education, championing bold, user-centered systems that keep pace with institutional ambition.
Non-Member Cost: $40
Beyond the Buzz: Creating a Custom GPT for Assessment Use Cases
October 29, 2025
3pm-4:30pm ET / 2pm-3:30pm CT / 1pm-2:30pm MT / 12pm-1:30pm PT
Description: Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming how institutions engage with data, feedback, and continuous improvement efforts. But what does meaningful, practical AI integration look like in the world of assessment?
This interactive 90-minute workshop will guide participants through the process of designing and deploying a custom GPT (Generative Pre-trained Transformer) tailored to assessment-related work. We’ll explore use cases such as rubric interpretation, feedback generation, learning outcome tagging, and process documentation—focusing on tools that augment, not replace, human judgment.
Participants will:
- Learn the fundamentals of how GPT-based tools operate and how they can be customized for assessment workflows
- Explore real-world examples of GPTs used in institutional or program-level work
- Identify boundaries, ethical use considerations, and transparency practices in leveraging AI
- Leave with a replicable framework to begin building their own GPT to support their assessment or improvement tasks
Note: A ChatGPT Plus account (currently $20/month) will be required to access the GPT Builder during the session. Step-by-step support will be provided.
Bio: Chadd Engel serves as the AI Initiatives and Outcomes Manager at Waubonsee Community College, where he leads efforts to integrate emerging technologies in ways that enhance student learning and institutional effectiveness. He is also the Vice Chair of GAIN AHEAD (Guidance for Advancing the Integration of AI in Higher Education for Accreditation, Equity, and Data), a national collaboration group convened by the Chief Information Officer of the Higher Learning Commission to explore the role of AI in education. Chadd is a doctoral candidate in Curriculum Studies at DePaul University, with anticipated completion in Spring 2026. His research focuses on generative AI and human learning, exploring how curiosity-driven, human-centered approaches can guide ethical and practical AI use in educational settings—emphasizing the importance of co-construction, transparency, and human connection during times of transformation and disruption.
He regularly presents on topics including AI ethics, academic integrity, and reimagining educational practice, and brings a grounded, systems-aware perspective to innovation—centered on the principles of human learning, curiosity, and connection—across all types of learning spaces.
Non-Member Cost: $40
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