The Journal of College and University Student Housing - Volume 43, No. 3 - 23

PAR as Assessment Framework

practical implications. The CDTT made data
readily available for ongoing analysis. Meaning
making sessions based on the data that happened in small (between RAs and supervisors)
and large (department meetings) group settings integrated opportunities for RAs to direct
change in the department and have a hand in
molding their work experience and resident
experiences by adapting their programs and
interactions with residents.

Cyclical
Lastly, SHaRE's assessment process integrated
PAR's stressing of critical reflection and praxis.
The meta-assessment in the spring semester
allowed space for SHaRE to critically reflect on
the assessment process itself and incorporate
feedback to strengthen the assessment process
- better grounding their work in the social
justice aims of the department. This was demonstrated in the CDTT via the open-ended questions that encouraged RAs to reflect on their
work and the role they played in resident experiences and growth. RAs' entries often included
deep insights, not just in the development of
students, but for observing their own growth
and realizing the broader purpose of their work
within USF's and SHaRE's social justice missions as well. The focus group discussions with
RAs not only allowed feedback on the tool itself
and the processes involved in implementing the
process, but also provided space for groups of
RAs to reflect on the meaning of assessment in
their own work. This was further demonstrated
by the large group meetings where focused discussions involved not only RAs, but all housing
staff as well. This encouraged critical thinking
about assessment, the connection of it to RAs'
own work, and aims of the department and
university. RAs and other SHaRE staff imme-

diately incorporated these reflections and fostered an environment of critical inquiry, a move
that immediately strengthened the assessment
process. The use of intentional reflective space
within the meta-assessment and large group
processing also enabled a strengthened assessment process.
The assessment process enacted was notably
different than what traditional approaches may
have allowed otherwise. PAR enabled a housing
department to implement an assessment tool
that served to empower staff in the assessment
process and embodied a social justice mission.
The design of the CDTT provided a structure
in which learning was rooted in relationships
established over time between the RAs and
residents. It also situated the largest source of
power, the RAs, at the forefront of analyzing and
responding to community educational efforts
and needs. As a result, there was greater engagement and more actionable meaning made
from the results of this data collection than in
previous assessments prior to the CDTT, undoubtedly improving the housing experiences
of SHaRE's residents and staff.

THE PROMISE OF PAR FOR
SOCIAL-JUSTICE CENTERED
ASSESSMENT
This case study demonstrates how the use of
a PAR-directed assessment process addressed
common shortfalls of traditional assessment
practices. Doing so embedded social justice
within the aims of assessment. The following
implications emerged from this experience,
which we share for consideration by others in
the redesign and implementation of social-justice centered assessment practices in housing
and other areas of student affairs.
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The Journal of College and University Student Housing - Volume 43, No. 3

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