Documenting Outcomes for Program Accreditation

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Documenting Outcomes for Program Accreditation

• Thomas Polito
• Director of Agriculture Student Services
• Thomas Brumm
• Assistant Professor, Agricultural and Biosystems
  Engineering
• Iowa State University

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Documenting Outcomes for Program Accreditation

• SOA Philosophy
• Continuous and systematic improvement of the
  curriculum (student learning).
• Accountability is necessary but secondary
• Accreditation organizes our efforts

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Documenting Outcomes for Program Accreditation

• SOA Philosophy (cont.)
• The department (program) is where the action is
• Curriculum ownership
• Measures
• First pass at assessment
• College level assessment
• Data is derived from the departments

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Documenting Outcomes for Program Accreditation

• SOA Organization Accreditation provides the
  skeleton
• Higher Learning Commission of the North Central
  Association.
• http//www.ncahigherlearningcommission.org/resourc
  es/assessment/
• Levels of implementation SOA Committee judged
  the language threatening to faculty so they
  rewrote it.

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Documenting Outcomes for Program Accreditation

• SOA Organization Accreditation provides the
  skeleton
• Ended up with a web-based outline for college and
  department SOA activities and documentation.
• The web site used for the presentation is in
  draft form and is not ready for general public
  viewing. It should be on our website,
  http//www.ag.iastate.edu/, by January 2004.

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Documenting Outcomes for Program Accreditation

• Department example ABE

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ABE Program Assessment

• ABE Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering
• Agricultural Systems Technology (Ag)
• Agricultural Engineering (Eng)
• Roadmap
• ABE student outcomes competencies
• ePortfolios and program assessment
• OPAL?

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ABE Student Outcomes

• Weve embarked on the process of curricula
  directed by student outcomes
• Initial (but not current) impetus ABET
  accreditation
• Our program assessment is a good fit with the
  College of Ag efforts

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AE/AST Student Outcomes

• an ability to apply knowledge of mathematics,
  science, engineering and technology
• an ability to design and conduct experiments, as
  well as to analyze and interpret data
• an ability to design a system, component, or
  process to meet desired needs
• an ability to function on multi-disciplinary
  teams
• an ability to identify, formulate, and solve
  engineering problems
• an understanding of professional and ethical
  responsibility
• an ability to communicate effectively
• the broad education necessary to understand the
  impact of engineering solutions in a global and
  societal context
• a recognition of the need for, and an ability to
  engage in life-long learning
• a knowledge of contemporary issues
• an ability to use the techniques, skills, and
  modern engineering tools necessary for
  engineering and technology practice.

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Outcomes?Abilities?Competencies

• Abilities are complex combinations of
  competencies
• Competencies are the application of behavior and
  motivation to knowledge, understanding and skill.
• A complex ability cannot be observed directly
  it must be inferred from performance.
• Key actions that demonstrate competencies can be
  measured.

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ISU-ABE Competencies
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Outcomes Competencies
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ePortfolios

• Collection of artifacts, presented electronically
  (web) for certain purposes
• Three major types
• Learning (classroom)
• Professional
• Assessment
• Why?
• Students collect, reflect, and choose
• Communicate with todays technology

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Program Assessment Components

• Course assessments
• Competency assessment
• Focus groups
• Post-graduate surveys
• Feedback for continuous improvement

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ABE and ePortfolios

• Our plan all ABE students will create
  professional ePortfolios to develop and
  demonstrate competencies
• ABE Learning Community
• Freshman intro courses
• English links (105 and 313 / 314)
• R-credit seminars in soph junior years
• Final portfolio for senior seminar
• Portfolios available after graduation

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ePortfolios and Assessment

• Assess ePortfolios using OPAL?
• Numerical ranking of competencies
• Supplement assessment with qualitative rubrics,
  focus groups
• Close the loop for continuous quality improvement
• Overall program assessment
• Individual class feedback

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OPAL? for Assessment

• Online Performance and Learning
• Development Dimensions Intl, Inc.
• Web based assessment and development
• Numerical rating of competencies based on Key
  Actions
• Learning tools
• Mandatory for AE co-op and internships
• Research in AE/AST classes

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OPALTM Report
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ABE Summary

• Student outcomes a radical transformation of
  our curricula
• Student development of competencies for achieving
  desired student outcomes
• Program assessment an important part
• Good fit with College of Ag efforts
• Honestly? Many details to work out.