UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Registration is open for the Spring 2026 Assessment Workshop Series presented by the Office of Planning, Assessment, and Institutional Research (OPAIR).
This virtual series includes various assessment topics to support program learning assessment leaders and faculty across the University. Sessions on how to use Nuventive, Penn State’s online assessment management system, are also available.
The workshops are free and open to everyone in the Penn State community. Drop in for one session or join us for the full series. Feel free to eat lunch while attending on Zoom. Visit OPAIR’s Assessment Workshops webpage for full details and to register.
OPAIR’s Provost Endorsement Program, "Making the Most of Program Assessment," is open to faculty and corresponds with the live workshops being offered.
Assessment Workshops
Assessing Shared Programs
Feb. 11, noon–1 p.m.
Presented by Betty Harper, assistant vice provost for Assessment
This workshop focuses on assessment opportunities and challenges for majors and certificates offered at multiple campuses. The session will cover tactics for collaborative assessment, joint assessment reporting approaches, and development of a multi-year strategy for assessment in shared programs.
Assessing Learning in Interdisciplinary Programs: Strategies from the Liberal Arts
Feb. 18, 1–2 p.m.
Presented by Kirsten Hochstedt, assistant director of assessment, and Deborah Morton, associate teaching professor of linguistics and African studies
This workshop offers an overview of program assessment in interdisciplinary Liberal Arts contexts, with practical strategies for making assessment both meaningful and manageable.
Creating and Using Rubrics
Feb. 26, noon–1 p.m.
Presented by Kirsten Hochstedt, assistant director of assessment, and Mary Ann Tobin, associate research professor and Schreyer Institute for Teaching Excellence instructional consultant
This workshop will give an overview of rubrics and how they can be used to score assignments.
From Data to Action: A Practical Framework for Assessment-Informed Decisions
March 3, noon–1 p.m.
Presented by Kirsten Hochstedt, assistant director of assessment, and Dennis Millan, associate director of the Chaiken Center for Student Success, Penn State Abington
This workshop offers a practical framework for using assessment data to drive meaningful decisions and actions, with examples drawn from a service-oriented student support center.
Closing the Loop in Program Assessment
April 21, noon–1 p.m.
Presented by:
- Jessica Myers, associate director of assessment
- Megan Van Etten, associate professor of biology, Penn State Scranton
- Tara Wycoff, associate teaching professor, Department of Advertising/Public Relations, Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications
- Julie Evak, coordinator for undergraduate education, Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications
This workshop explores what it really means to “close the loop” in assessment — and why it matters. Participants will have the opportunity to practice drafting action plans and impact statements, as well as to discuss practical strategies for engaging program faculty in evidence-based improvement efforts. Whether your program is fine-tuning its assessment process or looking for meaningful ways to connect results to action, this session offers useful tools and a space for collaborative problem-solving.
Nuventive Workshops
30-Minute Nuventive Refresher
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March 17, noon–12:30 p.m.
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April 22, noon–12:30 p.m.
Presented by Kelsey Colwell, assessment specialist, and Richard Peng, associate professor of project and supply chain management, chair of strategic priorities and accreditation at the Black School of Business, Penn State Behrend
You’re getting ready to submit your assessment report, but it has been a while since you last used Nuventive and you can’t quite remember how to navigate the system. Join us for a quick 30-minute refresher where we will go over the Nuventive basics that you need to know to submit your assessment report.
Nuventive Training for New Assessment Leaders
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March 30, noon–1:30 pm
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April 14, noon–12:30 p.m.
Presented by Kelsey Colwell, assessment specialist
This workshop provides assessment leaders with instructions for completing their annual assessment reporting in the online assessment management system, Nuventive. We will cover the most common tasks that assessment leaders complete in Nuventive. Examples include editing and archiving program learning objectives (PLOs), entering assessment plans, impacts, and findings, including documents and other evidence, submitting plans, and producing assessment reports.
Nuventive Training for Disciplinary Community Members
April 8, noon–12:30 p.m.
Presented by Kelsey Colwell, assessment specialist
Disciplinary Communities are created in Nuventive to encourage and facilitate collaboration across locations when a degree program is offered at more than one Penn State campus. In this workshop, disciplinary community members (assessment leaders in a program that is part of a disciplinary community) will learn how to find their colleagues at other campuses who are leading assessment efforts in their programs and view the assessments at other locations.
Nuventive Training for Academic Administrators
May 7, noon–1 p.m.
Presented by Kelsey Colwell, assessment specialist
This workshop provides guidance for academic administrators (e.g., assistant/associate deans, directors of academic affairs) accessing assessment information for all relevant college or campus programs. The workshop will cover the most common tasks that academic administrators complete in the assessment management system, Nuventive. Examples include navigating Nuventive, viewing and generating status reports, saving reports, and reviewing program feedback from OPAIR.
For more information and to register for a workshop, go to the Assessment Workshops resources site or email assessment@psu.edu with questions.