Group Assessment
Group self-assessment is necessary to understand how effectively your club is operating, as well as providing feedback on how your club is working toward its goals. Furthermore, leaders who ask for followers' opinions are likely to gain more respect and confidence. All active clubs are encouraged to coordinate some type of evaluation/reflection activity (usually during officer transition or at the end of a semester/academic year).
Before you get started in coordinating your assessment tool, you should take the time to adequately plan and address the following issues:
- Who will create the instrument?
- The officers of the group typically create assessment instruments.
- You should include your advisor/Rector in some capacity; he/she may be able to ensure you have created a functional instrument.
- What type of tool will we use?
- Essay, multiple choice, fill in the blank, scale, oral interview?
- Who will the results be shared with?
- President, officers, committee chairs, entire group?
- What items should we include?
- Should you focus on group management, committee effectiveness, event suggestions, perception?
- When should we conduct the survey?
- Fall or spring? At a meeting or at a retreat?
A Comparison of Different Types of Assessment Items
TRUE/FALSE
- Advantages: Easiest to tabulate.
- Disadvantages: Does not allow for detailed answers and/or insight into accuracy of actual club member perceptions.
- Sample Item: I believe the group adheres to its constitution. True/False
RATING SCALE
- Advantages: Easy to tabulate. Provide strong statistical analysis.
- Disadvantages: It may be difficult for people to express their feelings and opinions with a number. Does not allow for detailed answers.
- Sample Item: Effectiveness of Social Committee (1 represents least effective and 5 for most effective) 1 2 3 4 5
MULTIPLE CHOICE
- Advantages: Easy to tabulate. You can guide members to answers you want.
- Disadvantages: Does not allow for detailed answers.
- Sample Item: How can meetings be more effective? a.) do not allow talking out of turn, b.) follow Parliamentary Procedure, c.) set a time limit, d.) reduce reports to officers only.
- Advantages: Allows for individuality of answers.
- Disadvantages: Requires a bit of time to tabulate and assess the results.
- Sample Item: If I could choose to co-sponsor our annual event with any other group, it would be: ___________.
- Advantages: Provides very detailed, individualized answers.
- Disadvantages: Most difficult to record and tabulate. If questions are not framed properly, anticipated data may not be received.
- Sample Item: What can the executive board do to motivate members of the group?
- Advantages: Obtain firsthand, accurate feelings of group members.
- Disadvantages: Most difficult and time consuming to tabulate. Some data may be confidential, and not to be shared with entire group.
- Sample Item: How do you think the group could operate more efficiently?
So, which of these will work best for your situation? Based on the size of your club, the time you have to tabulate and report on the results, and what type of information you are looking for, that is up to you and your group.
Here are some sample assessment tools which may give you some guidance in creating your own assessment tools.
