Overcoming Barriers to Actionable Change: Building Collaboration between Educational Development and Assessment

Abstract

This article emphasizes the need for a stronger alliance between educational development and academic assessment in higher education, building on Kinzie et al.’s 2019 insights into their shared goals. It focuses on identifying and overcoming barriers to effective collaboration, aiming to enhance student learning. The barriers are classified into three types: structural, arising from organizational history and setup; agency, rooted in institutional policies affecting faculty engagement; and political, linked to internal power dynamics and cultural norms. A comprehensive framework to tackle these barriers is outlined, highlighting the need for effective communication, shared goals, mutual respect, and continuous improvement. The study proposes strategies to forge these conditions that include restructuring for enhanced collaboration, policy reform advocacy, development of faculty support programs, and fostering a culture of collaboration through shared governance. Emphasizing reflective practice, the study advocates for a transformative approach in educational institutions, establishing strong communication channels, and creating shared training and dialogue platforms. By implementing framework strategies to identify and de-energize barriers to collaboration, the study suggests that connecting educational development and assessment can evolve higher education into a more cohesive, innovative, and student-focused system, realizing its full potential.