In well-run major programs, gen ed areas, and other curricular areas (such as minor programs), faculty constantly talk to one another about what is or isn't working in the classroom or in the area as a whole.
A well-run assessment process pulls this existing vibrant discussion into more formal reflection on the area while generating additional discussion based on the data gathered each assessment cycle. Reflection may lead to action that closes the assessment loop.
One reason for moving Geneseo's assessment process to a wiki interface is to get beyond a reporting model of assessment oversight to one that is itself a form of vibrant discussion.
The wiki interface has the power to facilitate vibrant discussion because
- it dispenses with forms in favor of user-editable pages.
- it contains a built-in mechanism - Comments - for discussion about the content of pages.