Bringing Theory to Practice Project

Retrieval Conference & Evaluation Workshop
June 13-14, 2011
Washington, DC

Purpose
The purpose of the conference was to share information and develop knowledge about engaged learning, civic engagement, and psychosocial well-being of students, and about what happens when colleges implement initiatives for strengthening their relationships. Participants brought empirical evidence, based upon research or evaluation, which addresses the guiding questions of the conference. AGENDA | INSTITUTIONAL SUMMARIES | MATERIALS | PODCASTS

Participants
The conference brought together campus teams of scholars, educators, and professionals from recipients of BTtoP funding.

Guiding Questions
The agenda was organized around a series of guiding questions which reflect the objectives of the national project and those who participate in the conference, for example: 

• What are the relationships among the engaged learning, civic engagement, and social well-being of students?
  
  
• What happens when college and universities try to implement institutional changes that strengthen each of these elements, and the relationships among them? What would it take to strengthen each element and their relationships?
  
  
• What empirical evidence is available from research or evaluation, and what might be learned from it?
  
  
• If we wanted to advance this work as a field of practice and subject of study at the institutional or national levels, what would be required?

Design
The conference was collegial and participatory in its design. Each session opened with a few provocative words by one or two participants, followed by vigorous small-group and whole group discussions.

Pre-Conference Evaluation Workshop
The conference was preceded by an evaluation workshop facilitated by Ashley Finley, National Evaluator of BTtoP and Senior Director of Assessment and Research at AAC&U. The interactive workshop engaged participants in creating program-based assessment maps that can be expanded to include institutional outcomes. This strategy was intended to help both to more meaningfully assess program outcomes and to bring programmatic emphases from margin to center by aligning outcomes with institutional foci. Participants worked together to develop these maps, commonly referred to as logic models, to gain greater insight into the resources, processes, and range of outcomes needed to more widely engage campus constituencies in assessment efforts. MATERIALS

If you have any questions, please contact Dylan Joyce, Project Assistant, at joyce@aacu.org.