Gateway Engineering Education Coalition
Building a Program Assessment Plan
Jack McGourty
Associate Dean
Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science
Columbia University
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Gateway Engineering Education Coalition
Workshop Objectives
• Discuss assessment in relation to ABET Engineering Criteria
2000
• Provide a structured process to follow to support
accreditation requirements
• Familiarize participants on how to define
departmental/program/course objectives, outcomes, and
assessment strategies
• Start defining program objectives, strategies, outcomes, and
assessment processes
• Discuss next steps
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What is Assessment?
“An ongoing process aimed at understanding and improving
student learning. It involves making our expectations
explicit and public; setting appropriate criteria and high
standards for learning quality; systematically gathering,
analyzing, and interpreting evidence to determine how well
performance matches those expectations and standards;
and using the resulting information to document, explain,
and improve performance.”
American Association for Higher Education
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Gateway Engineering Education Coalition
Accreditation Processes
• Assessment an integral component
• Criteria designed to
– promote a seamless linkage from the institution’s
mission to program objectives
– involve all relevant constituents in planning
– foster cross-institutional collaboration
– create a systemic approach to assessment
– lead to continuous improvement activities
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The Four Strategies
1. Initiate structured process leading to
comprehensive assessment & continuous
improvement programs
2. Facilitate faculty (& student)
development
3. Develop assessment "toolbox"
4. Identify/Align enabling institutional
practices
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Gateway Engineering Education Coalition
Assessment Process
Step #1
Define
Objectives,
Strategies, &
Outcomes
Step #2
Identify
Assessment Processes
Step #5
Apply Results
Continuous
Improvement
Step #4
Implement/Expand
Assessment
Processes
Step #3
Develop/Pilot
Assessment Processes
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Gateway Engineering Education Coalition
Define Objectives, Strategies
& Outcomes
• Actions:
– Facilitated work
session to establish
common language and
expectations
– Structured process
using pre-designed
workbooks to define
program plan
– Multiple sessions
optimal
– Document final results
• Problems:
– Real "Buy-in" hard to
achieve
– Momentum difficult to
sustain
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Activity
• Defining Departmental/Program Objectives
• Workbook provides a process to help identify
and define:
–
–
–
–
–
Program Objectives
Strategies and Actions
Outcomes
ABET 2000 Criterion 3. (a-k)
Assessment Methods
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Gateway Engineering Education Coalition
Program Objectives
Question:
Example:
What do you want to accomplish by the
end of this program? What will the
students know and be able to do?
Our students will have a series of
“hands-on” design experiences
throughout the curriculum so that they
will be able to effectively apply design
principles in a variety of project
situations.
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Strategies/Actions
Question:
Example:
What strategies and actions will
the department and its faculty
take in order to achieve this
program objective?
Create an industrial partner program
where practicing engineers work with
student project teams on real industrial
design problems in both our COOP
program and senior capstone course.
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Learning Outcomes
Question:
Example:
What student learning outcomes (critical
knowledge, skills, and behaviors) will
students acquire as a result of these
strategies? What will they know and be
able to do?
Students will be able to clearly
articulate the design process and apply
it to real industrial projects
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ABET Criteria 2000
Question:
Which ABET Criteria (a-k) are met if
these outcomes are achieved?
Example:
ABET Criteria: C,E,F, & K.
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Assessment Method
Question:
Example:
What are the methods to assess
the stated outcome? How will
assessment results be applied?
Competency based survey completed
by industrial partners rating students
on specific design skills. The results of
the survey will be provided to students
for developmental purposes and to
faculty for continuous improvement of
the curriculum.
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Activity
• Each group takes 10 minutes.
– Reviews objectives with strategies, outcomes, and
methods.
– Audience provides feedback after listening to the
complete plan
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Gateway Engineering Education Coalition
Review Questions?
• Are the objectives clear and the right level of
specificity (too general or specific)?
• Are the strategies realistic (Can the actions be
implemented in this institution)?
• Are the outcomes measurable (at least
documented)?
• Are ABET Criteria - student outcomes (a-k)
adequately covered in all objectives?
• How are assessment results to be used for
continuous improvement?
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Suggested Process (Early Steps)
• Charter Assessment Committee
• Establish departmental/program teams
– Define program objectives, strategies, outcomes, &
assessment methods (Departmental Workbook)
• Assessment Committee reviews workbooks for
clarification & synergy
• Program objectives, strategies, and outcomes sent
to faculty for review & comment
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Suggested Process (continued)
• Incorporate faculty input and publish final
program-level documents
• Implement program-level strategies
• Identify critical curriculum/course areas
• Begin faculty/course level definition process
(Faculty Workbook)
• Implement Course-level strategies
• Continuously evaluate & update program/course
objectives
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Next Steps
Tasks
Dates
Start Program Plan Version Zero
Complete Version Zero
and Review
Solicit Faculty Input
1/27/99
Complete Program Plan
- Version One
Identify Key Assessment
Processes
Start Course Plans
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Contact Information
Jack McGourty, Ph.D.
Associate Dean
Columbia University
[email protected]
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