JMU is a national leader in making data-informed decisions and improvements across the institution, including high quality educational research. To meet this vision, data collection efforts must be intentional and embedded in structures that are helpful to students, faculty, and staff. To improve the quality and efficiency of senior data collection processes, Senior Compass is a new graduation requirement that serves as both:
- a centralized communication hub for distributing important steps in the graduation process to seniors and
- a platform for collecting key information about senior perceptions and experiences, learning and development, and graduation information.
Graduating students will be enrolled in the Senior Compass Canvas course automatically when they apply to graduate through the Registrar’s Office (in MyMadison). The course has multiple modules with information pertinent to graduation, and two required assignments. Students must complete the two requirements by the end of the semester to receive access to their diploma after graduation (students who do not complete assignments are still allowed to graduate).
The Senior Compass Canvas Modules
The five Senior Compass Canvas modules are:
- Module 1 Monitor Your Graduation Status
- Module 2 Measuring the Change Assessments (MTCAs)* Required Assignment
- Module 3 Commencement Information
- Module 4 The JMU Experience Perceptions Survey* Required Assignment
- Module 5 Preparing for Loan Repayment
*Note: Measuring the Change Assessments and The JMU Experience Survey will be renamed prior to the Senior Compass pilot in Fall 2024.
Takeaways
- Once a student applies to graduate, they are automatically enrolled in the Senior Compass Canvas course for the semester they intend to graduate.
- Students must complete two assignments (Measuring the Change Assessments, The JMU Experience Survey) by the end of the semester to receive access to their diploma.
- No matter when the student is enrolled in the course, Measuring the Change Assessments will be open. The Perceptions Survey will open mid-way through the semester.
Graduation Checklists
Please help inform graduating students about the Senior Compass requirement by adding the following information to existing graduation checklists:
Senior Compass is a non-credit Canvas course all undergraduate students must complete the semester leading up to graduation. The Senior Compass Hold will be placed on your account after you apply to graduate; the hold will be removed once the two Senior Compass requirements are completed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Senior Compass is a non-credit Canvas course all undergraduate students must complete the semester leading up to graduation. The course provides a road map of the steps needed to graduate. Additionally, there are two required assignments in Canvas that students must complete to receive their diploma.
JMU is a national leader in making data-informed decisions and improvements across the institution, including high quality educational research (i.e., learning and development data). To meet this vision, data collection efforts must be intentional and embedded in structures that are helpful to students, faculty, and staff. Current processes are de-centralized with mixed levels of response rate and data quality. To improve the quality and efficiency of senior data collection processes, Senior Compass is a new graduation requirement that serves as both:
- a centralized communication hub for distributing important steps in the graduation process to seniors and
- a platform for collecting key information about senior perceptions and experiences, learning and development, and graduation information.
Improved communication: All graduation information appears in one place next to other Canvas courses.
Better information: Streamlined data collection process should yield more timely and comprehensive data about graduates.
Strong response rates: Students must complete the assignments to receive access to their diploma after graduation (students who do not complete assignments are still allowed to graduate).
Senior Compass includes two assignments students must complete to receive their diploma:
- Measuring the Change Assessment (MTCAs)*: the MTCAs are the final assessments in a series which you may have participated in during your career as a JMU student; they capture students' mastery of JMU’s learning outcomes prior to graduation. The results are used to inform program improvements, which in turn leads to a higher quality of education for all JMU students.
- The JMU Experience Perceptions Survey*: This survey aims to capture your thoughts, feelings, and experiences regarding various aspects of your college journey. Your participation will contribute to a broader understanding of the challenges, triumphs, and transformative moments that characterize the transition from student to graduate.
There are two options for completing assignments on campus. With either option, students need to bring their JMU JACard, as many labs will require it in order to enter. Students should allow enough time to complete the assignments before the lab closes for the day.
- Check with the Assessment & Testing Center, located in the basement of Gabbin Hall for a drop-in basis within scheduled lab hours.
- Senior Compass requirements can also be completed in any general use lab on campus during scheduled lab hours when they are not reserved for a class. Headphones are not provided in these labs.
Extended time: Students can take as much time as needed when taking the assessments and survey. Estimated times are only provided to help students plan how much time it might take them to complete the requirement. We encourage students to take as much as they need.
Enlarged computer screen, alternative formats, text-to-speech or other assistive technology: For assistance with these accommodations, please contact the Office of Disability Services (ODS) by emailing disability-svcs@jmu.edu or by calling 540-568-6705. Please contact ODS at least two weeks prior to the suggested deadline to make arrangements.