Crossing the Chasm: Interpretation as the Bridge Between Assessment and Action in Organizational Learning Processes

• In Event: Virtual Poster Session
  In Virtual iPresentation Only: Division J - Section 3: Organization, Management, and Leadership Virtual Poster Session

Abstract

Many higher education institutions struggle to translate data into actionable change that improves student learning. This multiple case study examines how three large public universities, each recognized for assessment excellence, navigate the space between data collection and organizational action. Drawing on Huber’s (1991) information processing framework and the Integrated Learning Systems Paradigm, the study explores how assessment leaders and centralized offices support institutional learning processes through data distribution and interpretation. Findings reveal that meaningful interpretation, critical to organizational learning, remains infrequent, informal, and largely siloed. Instances of effective interpretation were tied to collaborative sensemaking practices and tools that made thinking visible and collective. The study highlights interpretation as the vital "chasm" institutions must bridge to convert assessment into improvement.

Author

• Emily Braught, Indiana University