Jane Davidson, an internationally recognized evaluation expert and author, will discuss the best practices from the public and private sectors in moving from being data driven to improvement driven in decision making, strategic planning, and outcome assessment for teaching and learning.

The talk on May 2 will be from noon-1 p.m. on Zoom, with a moderated question and answer session. Register for the program at Data Driven to Improvement Driven: Inclusive Outcome Assessment for Student Success webinar.

The talk is made possible by the CSUSB Intellectual Life Fund and is presented in partnership between the Division of Student Affairs and the Assessment Capability Collaborative.

The purpose of Davidson’s presentation is to offer prominence to the diversity and inclusion of intellectual thought and contribution to the practice of assessment across all levels of the university; and provide legitimacy, resources, and best practices from other institutions (including but not limited to higher education) in impact assessment not just at the program level, but at the division and institutional level, using strategic planning goals, objectives and outcomes.

Davidson has made significant contributions in the areas of causal inference, mixed methods and synthesis methodologies in the field of evaluation. Davidson’s talk will be on how to gather and examine different sources of data, measures, and information and make meaning out of them to inform decision making.

With plain language and great clarity, Davidson will talk about the importance and application of involving multiple viewpoints into the synthesis of evidence.

Whether looking at outcome information in the classroom, in programs or in services, this presentation will encourage and equip attendees with tangible steps for using information to improve outcomes for students.

Davidson is an internationally recognized evaluation specialist, best known for developing evaluation guidelines as a methodology for drawing conclusions about quality and value. Davidson is sought after internationally as a speaker and workshop presenter for her signature approach of methodologically robust but refreshingly practical evaluation with breathtaking clarity.

Davidson has presented keynote speeches and invited workshops in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Sweden, Denmark, Singapore, Brazil, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand.

Davidson is the former associate director of the internationally recognized Evaluation Center at Western Michigan University, where she launched and directed the world’s first fully Interdisciplinary Ph.D. in Evaluation. She was the 2019 recipient of the American Evaluation Association’s prestigious Paul F. Lazarsfeld Evaluation Theory Award. Davidson is the author of a number of books, book chapters and textbooks. Her book, “Evaluation Methodology Basics:  The Nuts and Bolts of Sound Evaluation” has been translated into several languages.