Program review

1. Program review Experiences from within and without Char Mehrtens UVM Geology

2. Within • UVM: • Prior to a 10yr program review our • Department revised its curriculum • around goals-based learning approach • for an individual course: • student learning outcomes • content topics • assignments • pedagogy • assessment

3. We applied the same approach to curricular • revision: Geology degrees (B.A. B.S. M.S.) • What do we want students to be able to do when they graduate? • What are the content (=courses) that will help them get there? • What kinds of activites/projects do we do in our courses? • How will we assess outcomes (student learning achievement) from these activities?

4. Writing the narrative to the self-study portion of the review was “easy,” in part because I could discuss all that we had done to begin the assessment process (mission statement, goals-based learning for courses, learning outcomes for the three degrees). Even if we didn’t have much data I could demonstrate a plan. So, don’t panic if your program review is coming and you’re just starting the process.

5. 10 year program review at UVM: • Fixed format - based on the university’s strategic plan • Institutional data set: ex: SCH, F:S ratios, numbers of graduates, numbers of incoming first year student majors • We added to this: • Our data sets • Data to place our dept in an institutional context; challenge is our small size and need to document quality (vs quantity) • Data to compare our dept to peer institutions (I got to choose these)

6. Example: • Section Three. Standards and Criteria • Standard I: The program has a clear and publicly • stated purpose that contributes to the mission of • the University • Criterion 1: Program contributes to the mission of the • University and the College • Preparing students for productive, responsible, and creative lives • Supporting research and creative activities that generate new knowledge and understanding, and enrich the intellectual environment • Promoting examination of diverse perspectives and experiences • d) Applying knowledge to contemporary problems • Encouraging students to use knowledge to benefit society and to develop qualities of good citizenship and leadership.

7. Data sets to support the narrative: • Examples of annual data and trends: • Number of student theses, internships • Number of students going on to grad school (and where) • Graduate acceptance rates (compared to Bio and Chem) • Number of NSF fellowship recipients • Number of refereed publications/public presentations • Percentage of respondents employed in the field within 3 years • Faculty productivity (publications, external funding, journals/grant agencies reviewing ) • Many of these are proxies

8. Without: External reviews Reviewers are provided with a written document, 1 or 2 volumes - narrative and data set The narrative and data set are so important for placing the department in context of the institution and also nationally (peer institutions) The narrative may address specific departmental concerns (ex, resource issues or to provide an outsider’s view of a particular problem); sometimes clearly articulated or sometimes present between the lines

9. The importance of the data set!! If you want your audience to understand your program you need to present departmental and institutional data You want to build a case for what you perceive are your needs It provides the external reviewers with the information they need to craft questions for their site visit

10. Summarize the results of assessment of student learning outcomes: how you know that you are being effective or you have a strategy to improve assessment