18 research outputs found
Developing an Academic Library Assessment Plan: A Case Study
Purpose
– The purpose of this paper is to analyze the process of developing an academic library assessment plan and its relation to the furtherance of a culture of assessment.
Design/methodology/approach
– Qualitative study of a university library’s assessment planning process; findings based on documentary evidence as well as an employee survey; analysis framed in relationship to relevant literature.
Findings
– Planning for the future of assessment offered the Jerry Falwell Library a significant opportunity for organizational change. Evaluations of the planning process were mixed, but generally revealed evidence of conditions associated with the development of a culture of assessment. Participants saw planning as the product of both external and internal factors. The plan’s orientation toward value and impact, though clearly understood, was not universally appreciated. Implementation of the plan remains a substantial challenge.
Research limitations/implications
– Reliability is subject to the limitations inherent to qualitative methods. Single case study design limits generalizability to different contexts.
Practical implications
– The goal of developing a culture of assessment is not to be achieved easily or quickly. Library employees may be most inclined to support an assessment agenda when it is driven by internal factors such as quality improvement and the pursuit of efficiency and effectiveness.
Originality/value
– The study emphasizes the process of developing an assessment plan at a university with a strong teaching mission. Additionally, it provides insight into the relationship between assessment planning and a culture of assessment
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Effect of Technology-Enhanced Screening in Addition to Standard Targeted Clinician Education on the Duration of Untreated Psychosis
ImportanceReducing the duration of untreated psychosis (DUP) is essential to improving outcomes for people with first-episode psychosis (FEP). Current US approaches are insufficient to reduce DUP to international standards of less than 90 days.ObjectiveTo determine whether population-based electronic screening in addition to standard targeted clinician education increases early detection of psychosis and decreases DUP, compared with clinician education alone.Design, setting, and participantsThis cluster randomized clinical trial included individuals aged 12 to 30 years presenting for services between March 2015 and September 2017 at participating sites that included community mental health clinics and school support and special education services. Eligible participants were referred to the Early Diagnosis and Preventative Treatment (EDAPT) Clinic. Data analyses were performed in September and October 2019 for the primary and secondary analyses, with the exploratory subgroup analyses completed in May 2021.InterventionsAll sites in both groups received targeted education about early psychosis for health care professionals. In the active screening group, clients also completed the Prodromal Questionnaire-Brief using tablets at intake; referrals were based on those scores and clinical judgment. In the group receiving treatment as usual (TAU), referrals were based on clinical judgment alone.Main outcomes and measuresPrimary outcomes included DUP, defined as the period from full psychosis onset to the date of the EDAPT diagnostic telephone interview, and the number of individuals identified with FEP or a psychosis spectrum disorder. Exploratory analyses examined differences by site type, completion rates between conditions, and days from service entry to telephone interview.ResultsTwenty-four sites agreed to participate, and 12 sites were randomized to either the active screening or TAU group. However, only 10 community clinics and 4 school sites were able to fully implement population screening and were included in the final analysis. The total potentially eligible population size within each study group was similar, with 2432 individuals entering at active screening group sites and 2455 at TAU group sites. A total of 303 diagnostic telephone interviews were completed (178 [58.7%] female individuals; mean [SD] age, 17.09 years [4.57]). Active screening sites reported a significantly higher detection rate of psychosis spectrum disorders (136 cases [5.6%], relative to 65 [2.6%]; P < .001) and referred a higher proportion of individuals with FEP and DUP less than 90 days (13 cases, relative to 4; odds ratio, 0.30; 95% CI, 0.10-0.93; P = .03). There was no difference in mean (SD) DUP between groups (active screening group, 239.0 days [207.4]; TAU group 262.3 days [170.2]).Conclusions and relevanceIn this cluster trial, population-based technology-enhanced screening across community settings detected more than twice as many individuals with psychosis spectrum disorders compared with clinical judgment alone but did not reduce DUP. Screening could identify people undetected in US mental health services. Significant DUP reduction may require interventions to reduce time to the first mental health contact.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02841956