The
problem: Too often comparing the scores from any one organization
to "group norms" results in an apples-and-oranges problem
because of the group upon which those norms were based is not a
match for the organization.
The
solution: Insight Assessment created CORD specifically to help
our clients be able to have access for comparison purposes to aggregate
data generated from testing activity at comparable organizations.
What
is a CORD?: A CORD is a grouping of comparable organizations.
Some CORDs are maintained by Insight Assessment. Some CORDs are
identified by individual clients seeking to compare their scores
to the aggregate scores of specific organizations. And at the premium
level some CORDs are existing groupings of organizations seeking
to share data and compare results.
In
higher education many different parameters can be used to select
institutions against which one might wish to make comparisons. For
example a CORD may be based on enrollment, accreditation organization,
professional field or discipline, program level, geographic, professional
program type, Carnegie classification, US News groupings, religious
affiliation, or professional association membership, etc. Here are
some examples from higher education:
Nursing
Masters Programs using the HSRT
Schools of Business using the BCTST
Law Schools in the third US News ranking quartile
Jesuit universities using the CCTDI
CSU system universities
Midwestern regional comprehensive universities with undergraduate
enrollments between 3000 - 7000
Nationally ranked liberal arts colleges
Schools of Optometry
Service Learning Programs
Undergraduate general education natural science courses
WASC member institutions greater than 15000 enrollment
Private urban research universities
Examples
from other industries and sectors:
US
Government employers
US Military officer training programs
Hospitals using the CCTDI
Private college preparatory high schools using the TER
Law firms using the LSRP Battery with paralegal job applicants
Employers using the CCTST in HR to screen job applicants
School districts using the CM3 with middle school students
Three
levels of participation in CORD: Silver, Gold, Platinum Consortium.
CORD membership is organizational, not individual.
|
Membership Level |
Benefits by Level |
Educational
Memberships |
Retail
Memberships |
|
Silver
Membership
For Silver Members IA will compare their sample scores against
norms IA develops for comparable organizations.
For example, if your organization's sample is undergraduate
students scores on the BCTST, IA will run analyses comparing
the score of your sample against the aggregate scores of all
our other undergraduates BCTST samples.
|
Silver
Benefits
*
Basic statistical comparison to a aggregate national sample
from database maintained by Insight Assessment.
* Percentile ranking information normed to the aggregate sample.
|
Annual
Membership
Fee
|
Annual
Membership
Fee
|
Gold
Membership
Gold members select the organizations against which
they would like to have their scores compared in the aggregate.
Gold Membership is designed for organizations which have
identified comparable peers and aspirational comparision
groups.
Aggregted
analyses are prepared by IA. Reports do not specify scores
for individual organizations, only comparisons with the
aggregate scores are reported.
|
Gold
Benefits
* Basic statistical comparisons to the aggregation of scores
drawn from your selected comparison organizations.
* Percentile ranking information normed against that unique
aggregation.
|
Annual
Membership
Fee
|
Annual
Membership
Fee
|
Platinum
Consortium Membership
Platinum Consortia are ongoing CORD collaborations of like
organizations.
Platinum
level CORD service is designed for preexisting consortia,
collaborative data-sharing. Platinum service supports the
call for longitudinal assessment, analyses, and evaluation
projects.
We
will assist your consortium to generate group norms and
we can offer expert advice to your consortium regarding
research design related outcomes assessment projects.
|
Platinum
Consortium CORD Membership Benefits
*
Statistical comparisons and norms of each organization's scores
to the aggregate norms and percentiles.
* Access to aggregate test score data from comparable institutions
* Opportunity to design and ask specific questions to all
test-takers in your Platinum Consortium CORD
* Platinum Founder's Annual Membership Discount: Each
of a Platinum Consortium CORD's founding members receive a
20% discount on their annual membership renewal fees each
consecutive membership year thereafter.
|
Annual
Membership
Fee
Optional Expert Consultation fees for outcomes
research design or the development of your CORD-specific questions
billed at $150 per hour divided equally among the members
of the Platinum Consortium CORD
|
Annual
Membership
Fee
Optional Expert Consultation fees for outcomes
research design or the development of your CORD-specific questions
billed at $250 per hour divided equally among the members
of the Platinum Consortium CORD
|
Asking
your people your questions: Using
Insight Assessment's e-testing system, the members of a Platinum
Consortium CORD are able to ask specific questions of interest
to that CORD. Questions can be about any topic deemed of concern
and relevance to the Cord's members. For example, in the case
of educational institutions, a CORD might with to inquire about
the amount of effort students perceive they are putting into their
studies, the degree of satisfaction the students express about
academic advising, their perceptions about the pedagogical practices
employed by their professors, or the extent to which they have
come to appreciate and embrace the core values of the institution.
Our senior research associates are ready to assist the CORD in
framing questions which target their consortium's shared concerns.
Your
Own Group of Organizations: A Platinum Consortium CORD
may have a greater or lesser number of members. We recommend a
minimum of 7 organizations able to contribute scores on the same
testing instrument. E.g. the CCTST, HSRT, BCTST, CCTDI, CM3, etc.
CORD membership is maintained in active status through annual
renewals. Any group of organizations which wishes to share aggregate
test scores may request Insight Assessment to set the group up
as a CORD.
Contact
James Morante at Insight Assessment for more details.
Phone 650-697-5628
E-mail:
jmorante@insightassessment.com
CORD
memberships are organizational only, not individual.
Doctoral students conducting dissertation research are not eligible
apply for membership in a CORD, for example.
