ABET Workshop

1
ABET Workshop

• David L. Soldan, Kansas State
• Sarah A. Rajala, Mississippi State
• March 20, 2009
• New Orleans, Louisiana

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Purpose

• Help programs prepare for ABET EAC visits in 2010
  and 2011 by sharing best practices and ideas

ABET Workshop -- March 20, 2009 New Orleans,
La.
3
Plan for the Day

• Introductions
• ABET Update
• Program Educational Objectives
• Program Outcomes
• Continuous Improvement
• Curriculum
• Issues and Solutions
• Receptions and Dinner

ABET Workshop -- March 20, 2009 New Orleans,
La.
4
Upcoming Changes

• The ABET Board of Directors has mandated that the
  General Criteria of the four Accreditation
  Commissions be restructured so that the various
  criteria sections occur in the same order.
• This restructuring includes some editorial
  revisions to improve the consistency and clarity
  of the criteria.
• Every effort was made to accomplish these
  objectives without changing the intent of any of
  the criteria.
• Effective for visits in 2009 and 2010

ABET Workshop -- March 20, 2009 New Orleans,
La.
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Summary of Changes

• Definitions all together before criteria
• Criterion 1. Students
• Responsibility changed from institution to
  program
• Criterion 2. Program Educational Objectives
• Delete (c) since curriculum is covered in
  criterion 5
• Rewording of (b) and the new (c)
• Move the continuous improvement requirements to
  criterion 4

ABET Workshop -- March 20, 2009 New Orleans,
La.
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Summary of Changes

• Criterion 3. Program Outcomes
• Move the continuous improvement requirements to
  criterion 4
• Rewording of assessment and evaluation
  requirements
• Criterion 4. Continuous Improvement
• New criterion dealing with parts of criteria 2
  and 3

ABET Workshop -- March 20, 2009 New Orleans,
La.
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Summary of Changes

• Criterion 4. Continuous Improvement
• Each program must show evidence of actions to
  improve the program.
• These actions should be based on available
  information, such as results from Criteria 2 and
  3 processes.
• Criterion 5. Curriculum
• Was Professional Component
• No changes.

ABET Workshop -- March 20, 2009 New Orleans,
La.
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Summary of Changes

• Criterion 6. Faculty
• Delete first sentence
• Criterion 7. Facilities
• No changes
• Criterion 8. Support
• New shorter name
• Criterion 9. Program Criteria
• No changes

ABET Workshop -- March 20, 2009 New Orleans,
La.
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Future changes

• The ABET Board of Directors has approved a
  two-year first reading review and comment period
  for the EAC Harmonized Criteria.
• Comments will be considered until April 1, 2010
• The ABET Board of Directors will determine, based
  on the comments received and on the advice of the
  EAC, the content of the adopted harmonized
  criteria in the fall of 2010 and will first be
  applied by the EAC for accreditation actions
  during the 2011-2012 academic year.

ABET Workshop -- March 20, 2009 New Orleans,
La.
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Impact of Proposed Changes

• Criterion 1
• The primary points are maintained in the
  harmonized version.
• The order of presentation is somewhat different.
• The following point is new
• The program must now have and enforce policies
  for awarding appropriate academic credit for work
  in lieu of courses taken at the institution
  (e.g., work experience, co-op, etc.).

ABET Workshop -- March 20, 2009 New Orleans,
La.
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Impact of Proposed Changes

• Criterion 2
• Changes will require the involvement of the
  constituents in the periodic review and revision
  of the program educational objectives.
• Part (c) of Criterion 2 (assessment and
  evaluation process(es) for documenting and
  demonstrating the degree of attainment of the
  PEOs) will be moved to Criterion 4 in the
  harmonized criteria, in which those processes are
  required by the definitions of assessment and
  evaluation.

ABET Workshop -- March 20, 2009 New Orleans,
La.
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Impact of Proposed Changes

• Criterion 3
• The final sentence (assessment and evaluation
  process(es) for documenting and demonstrating the
  degree of attainment of the student outcomes) has
  been moved to Criterion 4 in the harmonized
  criteria, in which those processes are required
  by the definitions of assessment and evaluation.

ABET Workshop -- March 20, 2009 New Orleans,
La.
13
Impact of Proposed Changes

• Criterion 4
• The harmonized version requires the use of
  assessment data, which is stronger language than
  the current criterion 4 with regards to Criteria
  2 and 3 processes.
• However, the use of other information is also
  allowed, as it is currently.

ABET Workshop -- March 20, 2009 New Orleans,
La.
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Impact of Proposed Changes

• Criterion 5
• The definition of year, has been added.
• One year is the lesser of 32 semester hours (or
  equivalent) or one-fourth of the total credits
  required for graduation.
• Criterion 6
• No changes

ABET Workshop -- March 20, 2009 New Orleans,
La.
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Impact of Proposed Changes

• Criterion 7
• The harmonized version includes offices and
  emphasizes the need for modern tools and related
  resources.
• There is also additional emphasis placed on
  providing guidance to students while learning to
  use tools, equipment, computing resources, and
  laboratories.
• Criterion 8
• Reworded but the requirements are the same as
  now.
• Criterion 9
• No changes

ABET Workshop -- March 20, 2009 New Orleans,
La.
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Criterion 2. Program Educational Objectives2009
and 2010

• Program educational objectives are broad
  statements that describe the career and
  professional accomplishments that the program is
  preparing graduates to achieve.

ABET Workshop -- March 20, 2009 New Orleans,
La.
17
Criterion 2. Program Educational Objectives2009
and 2010

• Each program for which an institution seeks
  accreditation or reaccreditation must have in
  place
• (a) published educational objectives that are
  consistent with the mission of the institution
  and these criteria

ABET Workshop -- March 20, 2009 New Orleans,
La.
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Criterion 2. Program Educational Objectives2009
and 2010

• (b) a process that periodically documents and
  demonstrates that the objectives are based on the
  needs of the program's various constituencies
• (c) an assessment and evaluation process that
  periodically documents and demonstrates the
  degree to which these objectives are attained.

ABET Workshop -- March 20, 2009 New Orleans,
La.
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Criterion 3. Program Outcomes2009 and 2010

• Engineering programs must demonstrate that their
  students attain the following outcomes
• The FAMOUS (a) (k)

ABET Workshop -- March 20, 2009 New Orleans,
La.
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Criterion 3. Program Outcomes2009 and 2010

• Program outcomes must foster attainment of
  program educational objectives.
• There must be an assessment and evaluation
  process that periodically documents and
  demonstrates the degree to which the program
  outcomes are attained.

ABET Workshop -- March 20, 2009 New Orleans,
La.
21
Criterion 4. Continuous Improvement2009 and 2010

• Each program must show evidence of actions to
  improve the program.
• These actions should be based on available
  information, such as results from Criteria 2 and
  3 processes.

ABET Workshop -- March 20, 2009 New Orleans,
La.
22
Criterion 2. Program Educational Objectives2011
- Tentative

• Program educational objectives are broad
  statements that describe what graduatesare
  expected to attain within a few years of
  graduation.
• Program educational objectives are based on the
  needs of the programs constituencies.

ABET Workshop -- March 20, 2009 New Orleans,
La.
23
Criterion 2. Program Educational Objectives2011
- Tentative

• The program must have in place published program
  educational objectives that are consistent with
  the mission of the institution, the needs of the
  programs various constituencies, and these
  criteria.
• There must be a documented and effective process,
  involving program constituencies, for the
  periodic review and revision of these program
  educational objectives.

ABET Workshop -- March 20, 2009 New Orleans,
La.
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Criterion 3. Student Outcomes2011 - Tentative

• Student outcomes describe what students are
  expected to know and be able to do by the time of
  graduation.
• These relate to the skills, knowledge, and
  behaviors that students acquire as they progress
  through the program.

ABET Workshop -- March 20, 2009 New Orleans,
La.
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Criterion 3. Student Outcomes2011 - Tentative

• The program must have documented student outcomes
  that prepare graduates to attain the program
  educational objectives.
• Student outcomes are outcomes (a) through (k)
  plus any additional outcomes that may be
  articulated by the program.
• The FAMOUS (a) (k) are unchanged.

ABET Workshop -- March 20, 2009 New Orleans,
La.
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Criterion 4. Continuous Improvement2011 -
Tentative

• The program must use assessment data for regular
  evaluations.
• The results of these evaluations must be
  systematically used to effect continuous
  improvement of the program.
• Other information may also be used in effecting
  continuous improvement.

ABET Workshop -- March 20, 2009 New Orleans,
La.
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New Definitions2011 - Tentative

• Assessment
• One or more processes that identify, collect, and
  prepare data to evaluate the attainment of
  student outcomes and program educational
  objectives.
• Effective assessment uses relevant direct,
  indirect, quantitative, and qualitative measures
  as appropriate to the outcome or objective being
  measured.
• Appropriate sampling methods may be used as part
  of an assessment process.

ABET Workshop -- March 20, 2009 New Orleans,
La.
28
New Definitions2011 - Tentative

• Evaluation
• One or more processes for interpreting the data
  and evidence accumulated through assessment
  processes.
• Determines the extent to which student outcomes
  and program educational objectives are being
  attained.
• Results in decisions and actions regarding
  program improvement.

ABET Workshop -- March 20, 2009 New Orleans,
La.
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Issues and Solutions

• Discussion and sharing

ABET Workshop -- March 20, 2009 New Orleans,
La.
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Whats Next

• Receptions
• 600 pm First time attendees
• 630 pm All ECEDHA attendees
• Dinner
• 730 pm ABET Workshop attendees and guests

ABET Workshop -- March 20, 2009 New Orleans,
La.
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Thank you!

• Dave L. Soldan, Kansas State
• soldan_at_ksu.edu
• Sarah A. Rajala, Mississippi State
• rajala_at_bagley.msstate.edu

ABET Workshop -- March 20, 2009 New Orleans,
La.