About Us

PAER™ provides strategic guidance and methodological support to educational institutions wanting to implement learning assessment and program review processes to evaluate the performance of their academic programs and to satisfy accreditation requirements. PAER™ also  provides guidance and methodological support to co-curricular programs and service units at schools and colleges, and to social service organizations conducting outcomes-based research.

We provide training in learning assessment, survey design and administration, focus group facilitation, and secondary data analysis. We teach program managers and other administrators how to perform basic quantitative and qualitative data analysis and how to present research findings graphically. With our help, it is possible for those without research training or experience to plan and implement learning assessments and program evaluations that yield findings, which if acted upon, will lead to better achievement of program goals.

In addition to helping others conduct their own studies, we conduct program evaluations, needs-assessments, customer and employee satisfaction surveys and other applied research on behalf of others. Our clients include educational institutions, social service organizations, policy groups, government agencies and industry. Recognizing the budgetary constraints that our constituents face, we employ data collection approaches that are appropriate in type, scale, and cost for each individual project.

We do not employ a large on-site staff, instead drawing upon a small network of seasoned professionals as each study requires. Client resources are dedicated to performing research, not overhead costs.

Clientele

PAER™ researchers have been employed by Stanford University, Arizona State University, and Golden Gate University as directors of learning assessment and evaluation programs. PAER™ researchers have conducted large-scale evaluation studies for the federal government that resulted in changes to national policies and law. Other organizations that PAER™ researchers have provided consultation and research support to include Catholic Charities, the Maricopa County Department of Health, the County of San Luis Obispo Department of Probation, the County of San Luis Obispo District Attorney’s Office, the Arizona Coalition Against Domestic Violence, and Dignity House Rehabilitation Program.

Recent Assessment and Program Review Planning Project

Recently PAER™ helped a non-profit educational institution in the Bay Area plan and implement a new university-wide assessment and evaluation program in preparation for WASC accreditation. All learning assessment and program review requirements were clearly defined for all academic programs. The use of templates containing simple instructions and examples of completed work products enabled academic programs to conduct learning assessments and document findings with a moderate investment of time. Procedures were also implemented to ensure co-curricular programs and service units receive the ongoing methodological support they need to conduct research to measure achievement of their outcomes on a regular basis.

Independent research was performed for the university to measure achievement of institutional learning outcomes. The structured and somewhat standardized approach to assessment and program review planning and reporting was welcomed by program directors and faculty as it clarified minimum requirements and reduced their time commitment. The systematic approach taken to documenting learning assessment and program review findings is allowing the institution to make specific claims about the breadth, scope, and quality of its university-wide assessment and evaluation activities. PAER™ researchers helped the institution draft the assessment portion of its Educational Effectiveness report.