II. Chapters in the Self-Study Report
13. Data Source
Program Overview and Context
Program Description Calendar descriptions
Course outlines
Program/department website
Program proposal
Brief History of Program Archived and current calendar descriptions
Program proposal
Program/department website
Curriculum Profile Academic Plan
Calendar descriptions
Consultations with faculty
Course outlines
Faculty Plan
Program/department website
Program proposal
Vision 2018 Scope of Review
Program Review History Program review documents External Accreditation External accreditation documents Program-Specific Issues Review of data to identify issues
Assessment by Program Review Team
Consultations with faculty
Consultations with Dean/Associate Dean Program Currency and Relevance
Discipline/Sector Context Consultations with members of discipline/sector
Scholarship/reports/reporting/publications related to discipline/sector
Competitive Context Websites of similar programs
Academic calendars
Student Demand Enrolment, utilization, waitlist, demographic profile data (included in Administrative Data provided by IAP)
12. Review Topic 13. Data Source Quality of Curriculum Design
Curriculum Profile Academic Plan
Calendar descriptions
Consultations with faculty
Course outlines
Faculty Plan
Program/department website
Program proposal
Vision 2018
Degree-Level Standards DQAB degree standards
Discipline/Sector Competency Survey Discipline/sector survey data (provided by IAP)
Career Pathways Map Consultations with members of discipline/sector
Discipline/sector survey data (provided by IAP)
Scholarship/reports/reporting/publications related to discipline/sector
Curriculum Development and Review Processes
Consultations with faculty
Quality of Instructional Design
Delivery Modes Consultations with faculty
Course outlines
Faculty survey data (provided by IAP)
Program/department website Instructional Excellence Consultations with faculty
Faculty survey data (provided by IAP) Experiential Learning Consultations with faculty
Course outlines
Discipline/sector representatives survey (conducted by IAP)
Faculty survey data (provided by IAP)
Program/department website
Student survey data (provided by IAP) Assessment Methods Consultations with faculty
Course outlines
Faculty survey data (provided by IAP)
Student survey data (provided by IAP)
12. Review Topic 13. Data Source Faculty Qualification and Currency Faculty bios
Faculty survey data (provided by IAP) Quality of Student and Instructor Experience
Student Success Grade distribution, retention and graduation data (included in Administrative Data
provided by IAP)
Alumni Outcome Analysis Alumni survey data (provided by IAP)
AVED alumni outcome data (included in Administrative Data provided by IAP) Student Satisfaction Student survey data (provided by IAP) Faculty Satisfaction Faculty consultations
Faculty survey data (provided by IAP) Quality of Services, Resources and Facilities
Program Resources Faculty survey data (provided by IAP)
Student survey data (provided by IAP) Learning Resources Faculty survey data (provided by IAP)
Student survey data (provided by IAP)
Faculty consultations
Student consultations Administrative and Support Services for
Students
Faculty survey data (provided by IAP)
Student survey data (provided by IAP)
Faculty consultations
Student consultations
Specialized Equipment and software Faculty survey data (provided by IAP)
Student survey data (provided by IAP)
Faculty consultations
Student consultations
Facilities Faculty survey data (provided by IAP)
Student survey data (provided by IAP)
Faculty consultations
Student consultations Quality of Program Relationships and Connections
Relationship with other KPU Programs/Departments
Faculty consultations
Faculty survey data provided by IAP Articulation and Credential Recognition BCCAT
12. Review Topic 13. Data Source Connection with Profession/Industry/
Field
Faculty consultations
Faculty survey data provided by IAP Public Information and Communication Alumni survey data provided by IAP
Discipline/sector survey data provided by IAP
Faculty survey data provided by IAP
Program information materials, website, etc.
Appendix B: Degree Quality Assessment Board Bachelor Degree Level Standards
11. Depth and Breadth of Knowledge
(a) Knowledge and critical understanding in a field of study that builds upon their secondary education and includes the key assumptions, methodologies and applications of the discipline and/or field of practice;
(b) Basic understanding of the range of fields within the discipline/field of practice and of how the discipline may intersect with fields in related disciplines;
(c) The ability to gather, review, evaluate and interpret information, including new information relevant to the discipline; and to compare the merits of alternate hypotheses or creative options relevant to one or more of the major fields in a discipline;
(d) The capacity to engage in independent research or practice in a supervised context;
(e) Critical thinking and analytical skills inside and outside the discipline;
(f) The ability to apply learning from one or more areas outside the discipline.
2. Knowledge of Methodologies and Research
(a) An understanding of methods of enquiry or creative activity, or both, in their primary area of study that enables the student to:
(i) evaluate the appropriateness of different approaches to solving problems using well established ideas and techniques;
(ii) devise and sustain arguments or solve problems using these methods; and
(iii) describe and comment upon particular aspects of current research or equivalent advanced scholarship in the discipline and how these are relevant to the evolution of the discipline.
3. Application of Knowledge
(a) The ability to review, present and critically evaluate qualitative and quantitative information to:
(i) develop lines of argument;
(ii) make sound judgments in accordance with the major theories, concepts and methods of the subject(s) of study;
(iii) apply underlying concepts, principles, and techniques of analysis, both within and outside the discipline; and,
(iv) where appropriate, use this knowledge in the creative process.
(b) The ability to use a range of established techniques to:
(i) initiate and undertake critical evaluation of arguments, assumptions, abstract concepts and information;
(ii) propose solutions;
(iii) frame appropriate questions for the purpose of solving a problem; and
1 Degree program review: Criteria and Guidelines, Degree Quality Assessment Board, 2008. Error! Bookmark not defined.
(iv) solve a problem or create a new work.
(c) The ability to make critical use of scholarly reviews and primary sources.
4. Communication Skills
The ability to communicate information, arguments, and analyses accurately and reliably, orally and in writing, to a range of audiences, to specialist and non-specialist audiences, using structured and coherent arguments, and, where appropriate, informed by key concepts and techniques of the discipline.
5. Awareness of Limits of Knowledge
An understanding of the limits to their own knowledge and ability, and an appreciation of the uncertainty, ambiguity and limits to knowledge and how this might influence analyses and interpretations.
6. Professional Capacity/ Autonomy
Qualities and transferable skills necessary for further study, employment, community involvement and other activities requiring:
(i) the exercise of initiative, personal responsibility and accountability in both personal and group contexts;
(ii) working effectively with others; and
(iii) behaviour consistent with academic integrity.
Appendix C: Questions for Dean/Associate Dean
Appendix C contains a set of questions to be answered by either the Dean or Associate Dean (at the Dean’s discretion), and included in the Appendices to the self-study report.
Provide the Dean with the draft Self-Study report, with the questions that he or she needs to answer. Ensure these answers are included in the appendix when the Self-Study Report is submitted to the Senate Standing Committee on Program Review.
Program Overview
12. What do you see as the program’s greatest accomplishments over the last 5 years?
How have you used these successes to direct the future of the program?
13. Does the program adequately fulfill the purpose for which it was intended? If not, how can it be improved?
14. How does the program’s curriculum support the following:
graduates’ pursuit of meaningful employment and further education
the viability and continued development of the program
15. Based on your knowledge of the discipline/sector, what challenges to and/or opportunities for program growth do the following present:
student demand (past, present and future)
comparable programs at competing institutions
trends and changing contexts in the discipline/sector
16. With reference to the challenges and/or opportunities you identified in the previous question, what plans are in place for program growth and development?
17. What resources, institutional support, and/or external support would help address the program’s plans for growth and development?
18. Collectively, what qualifications and other human resources are required so the program will be able to make the changes required to improve and remain current?
19. What areas should the program focus on for the short range (less than 6 months), mid-range (6 mo. – 2 years), and long mid-range (over 2 years) program directions and improvement?
Institutional Considerations
20. In what ways does this program align with Vision 2018, the Academic Plan and the Faculty plan? What could be done, if anything, to strengthen the alignment?
21. How does, or could, this program interface with other programs at KPU?
External Connections and Support
22. What does the program do to ensure that it is regarded by those in the field or industry as a leader in relevant education and training?
23. How could the program improve its connections with the field or industry?
24. What does the program do to engage the community?
25. What additional steps could be taken to enhance connections with external groups such as professional associations, industry, agencies, institutions, alumni, high schools, etc.?
Role of Dean / Associate Dean
26. With respect to this program, what are your most significant (a) successes and (b) challenges in your role as Dean / Associate Dean?
27. In what ways can the institution better support you in your role as Dean / Associate Dean to achieve the desired program improvements?
Final Comments
28. What else do you think is important to add about the program that is not covered in the previous questions?
A Guide to Curriculum Review:
Tuning the Curriculum
This guide describes “tuning the curriculum” – a process faculty can use to assess their curriculum as part of Program Review.
November 10, 2015
Table of Contents
Quality of Curriculum Design ... 1
About Tuning ... 2
Curriculum Design Components ... 3
1. Curriculum Profile ... 3
2. Discipline/Sector Competency Survey ... 9
3. Career Pathways Map ... 9
Works Cited ... 13
Quality of Curriculum Design
As part of program review, the academic unit (the unit responsible for delivering a program) must complete a self-study report. The self-study report includes an assessment of the quality of the program’s curriculum design (Section 3: Quality of Curriculum Design).
At the heart of any program lies its curriculum: a coherent curriculum is fundamental to meaningful learning and student success. A program review that aspires to have substance must conduct a detailed evaluation of the program’s competencies and learning outcomes. Is the program’s mandate in line with the institution’s mission? Is the program sufficiently supported by viable and relevant course competencies and learning outcomes? Are learning outcomes specific, measurable and commensurate with the level of credential students are seeking to attain? How does the curriculum reflect the needs, changing demands and anticipated trends of the sector/industry students expect to join?
How is the curriculum preparing students for employment and/or further education?
Does the curriculum make explicit the skills, knowledge and values students will be able to acquire through the program and, consequently, use to gain employment in the sector/industry of their choice?
An in-depth curriculum review provides the academic unit opportunities to link their curriculum to the realities of the world beyond the program and produce graduates who are equipped to thrive in a competitive employment market. Reinforcing the curriculum/career connection is vital, particularly to KPU students. In a recent KPU study, almost 75% of the domestic students surveyed stated that their main motivation for attending school was occupation related. Specifically, they wanted to “prepare for a specific occupation or job” (50%), “improve [their] job prospects and/or earning potential (16%) or continue professional development “relating to a job or skill [they] already have”
(7%) (KPU, 2014, p.14). Reviewing a program’s curriculum to ensure its sector/industry relevancy is therefore imperative.
To conduct a curriculum review that links sector/industry relevance to student learning, the academic unit is required to develop and analyze the following assets:
» Curriculum Profile
o Overview of the Program
o Competency Statements (specific and generic) o Measurable Student Learning Outcomes o Credential-Level Specifications
» Discipline/Sector Competency Survey
» Career Pathways Map
This document provides guidance on creating these assets.
About Tuning
Tuning the curriculum is a faculty-led curriculum review process. Through this process, faculty will clearly articulate the skills and knowledge students should demonstrate by the end of their program, and link those competencies to the requirements of the associated discipline/sector.
Tuning is faculty led because faculty are responsible for identifying, defining and assessing learning criteria within a program. Through Tuning, they will determine the competencies students should be able to achieve upon completion of each level of the program (e.g.
certificate, diploma, associate degree, degree) and create clear, coherent pathways for students to navigate their educational experience. These pathways should reflect learning that is well sequenced and integrated across the program. Tuning does not, however, mandate specific instructional strategies within a course. Instructors have the freedom to deliver content in the way which best supports student learning outcomes.
Tuning has many benefits. By establishing transparent learning outcomes, it helps to specify the aims and objectives of the program to potential students, employers, the institution, and the larger community. By providing faculty with clear points of reference around which to discuss and assess a curriculum, Tuning engenders awareness of diverse instructional and delivery methods. By establishing transparent learning outcomes and pathways to program completion, it improves student retention. By aligning the program to the demands of the workplace, Tuning ensures a program’s relevance.
While there are many different approaches to curriculum review, tuning provides an accessible, practical and cohesive way of gauging the quality of a program’s curriculum design. More importantly, it provides an intuitive system for connecting a program’s curriculum to KPU’s mission of offering “all learners opportunities to achieve success in a diverse range of programs that blend theory and practice, critical understanding, and social and ethical awareness necessary for good citizenship and rewarding careers”
(Kwantlen Polytechnic University, 2013, p.4).
Curriculum Design Components
For the purpose of program review, three assets are required: a Curriculum Profile, Discipline/Sector Competency Survey, and a Career Pathways Map. Descriptions and examples of each curriculum design component are provided below.