By Erin Bentrim, Ph.D.

Systems can provide structure for assessment and planning, but they cannot create commitment. Digital tools can organize outcomes, store reflections, or support annual cycles, yet they only mirror the choices people make. A sustained practice of evidence use develops when faculty and staff explore results, ask questions, and use information to improve learning. Questions to ask:

1. How are faculty and staff expected to engage with assessment results beyond submitting required entries?
2. Where do we see evidence being used to inform decisions or improvements, rather than simply being documented?

Technology Supports the Work

Digital tools streamline processes, but they cannot replace shared values or curiosity. Many campuses hope that adopting a new assessment system will encourage stronger engagement with evidence. The technology may store information, but without active use, those findings remain untouched. Meaningful practice emerges when individuals see value in reviewing outcomes, discussing what the data suggests, and taking steps that benefit students. Questions to ask:

1. What behaviors or practices do we expect the technology to support, and are those expectations clearly communicated?
2. How do we help faculty and staff see the relevance of assessment results to their day-to-day work with students?

The Work Happens in Dialogue

Engagement grows through conversation and inquiry. Faculty and staff strengthen their assessment practices when they use the digital tool not just to enter information but to interpret it and consider next steps. Leaders reinforce these habits when they connect evidence use to institutional priorities and help campus members see that information is a tool for improvement, not compliance. Clear communication, training, and support help make the assessment system part of everyday work rather than an additional task.

Scenario

At one college, the assessment system functioned mainly as a reporting space. Faculty completed required entries each term, then moved on. A small group began revisiting the data to examine student performance in key courses. Their discussions evolved to include colleagues in other areas, prompting departments to share strategies and compare results. Over time, the digital tool shifted from a storage space to a place for inquiry. The change happened not because the technology evolved but because people chose to use the information in meaningful ways. Questions to ask:

1. Where might small, focused conversations about results lead to broader engagement across departments?
2. How do leaders signal that evidence is meant to support improvement rather than satisfy requirements?

Practical Ways to Strengthen Evidence Use on Campus

1. Revisit data with intention. Create small, regular opportunities to review outcomes or reflections. Even brief check-ins help campus teams use information to guide decisions.
2. Start conversations that connect findings to action. Encourage faculty and staff to discuss what the results suggest, what questions they raise, and what adjustments might support students.
3. Make the digital tool part of everyday work. Use the assessment system in standing meetings, program reviews, or curriculum discussions so it becomes part of the workflow rather than an extra step.

Closing Thoughts

Tools can organize information, but the impact comes from how the data is used. When people engage with their findings and apply them to decisions that support students, digital tools become more than something to maintain. They become partners in improvement.

Click here to learn how Community College of Philadelphia is creating a culture of assessment.

eLumen is an Innovations 2026 Advocate Sponsor.