Chapter 6 Living with accreditation: Realizations and frustrations of one small university

Abstract

Meeting accreditation requirements provides challenges for any size institution. One small, state-supported university found three solutions to problems associated with gaining accreditation: the creation of an accreditation “data pantry;” the use of common technological formats and technologically savvy faculty members to “work smarter, not harder” with accreditation tasks and data; and the participation of faculty members in new ways to revise curriculum, forge stronger relationships among faculty from different departments, and generate strong learning experiences for students. Two frustrations regarding the accreditation process remained: university responsibility for the performance of former education students long after they leave campus and competency testing that forces schools into reactionary leadership that may place gaining accreditation ahead of meeting students’ needs. Finally, the milieu of “teststeria” has a deleterious effect on faculty innovation, pulls faculty focus away from the students whom they desire to serve, and decreases the value of the teaching profession.

Citation

Neufeld, J.A. (2010), "Chapter 6 Living with accreditation: Realizations and frustrations of one small university", Erickson, L.B. and Wentworth, N. (Ed.) Tensions in Teacher Preparation: Accountability, Assessment, and Accreditation (Advances in Research on Teaching, Vol. 12), Emerald Group Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 87-103. https://doi.org/10.1108/S1479-3687(2010)0000012009