Under the Patronage of H. E. Dr. Mariam Bint Hassan Al-Khalifa

1. Under the Patronage of H. E. Dr. Mariam Bint Hassan Al-Khalifa The Colleges of Engineering & Information Technology Symposium on ACCREDITATION Preparation for ABET Keynote Speaker: Professor Taj Mohieldin Fulbright Scholar College of Engineering & Technology Old Dominion University Tuesday, March 8, 2005

2. OUTLINES • What is accreditation? • What is ABET? • Why is ABET accreditation important? • What are the benefits? • How does a degree program get accredited? • How is Program Evaluation Done? • ABET CRETERIA • Where we starts? • More Details • More Examples • Who does what? How can you help? • Summary

3. What is Accreditation Accreditation means : • Educational programs, services, staff, and facilities meet or exceed essential standards of educational quality. • This quality is validated by both a self-study and an onsite team of evaluators. • Reviewed by a commission of educators. • Recognized by other educational institutions.

4. What is ABET ? • Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology • Accreditor for degree programs in applied science, engineering, and technology

5. Why is ABET accreditation important? The process of accreditation serves the programs to • Maintainhigh standards of quality in their fields of study and compete with similar private and governmental institute in the area. • Establishnational and international recognition of expected graduate qualifications. • Assurethat graduates of an accredited program are adequately prepared to enter and continue the practice of engineering • Providepotential students a quality education which will lead to a wide range of job mobility • Identifyaccredited programs to the public • Providecost effective means of impartial feedback on program assessment and development • Motivateregular comprehensive review of programs by institutions creating an expectation of continuous improvement.

6. What are the benefits? The accreditation helps concern people make important decisions about education including: • Studentchoosing an educational program • Parentsseeking assurance of a quality education • Institutionsprogram’s strengths and weaknesses and of ways to improve their education • Employers recruiting well-prepared graduates to begin professional practice • Industryseeking to voice educational needs to institutions • Government and partners and public that their funds are spend well • Consideration for admission for excellent graduate programs worldwide

7. How does a degree program get accredited? A panel of ABET experts evaluates the program courses, curriculum, people, and facilities etc… The degree program must: • meet General Criteria that apply to all degrees. • meet Program Criteria, which are specific to that program. • demonstrate that it uses a continual process of evaluating the courses and curricula. • makescurricula changes when needed • show that it examines and improves its own evaluation process.

8. How is Program Evaluation Done? • A degree program must Prepare an extensive Self-Study Document. • Submit to a three-day site visit by ABET trained assessors appointed by the accreditation commission. The Self-Study Report Should • Provide detailed information on all aspects of the program • Qualitative and Quantitative assessment of the strengths and limitations of the program The assessment should include • the achievement of institutional and program educational objectives • assessment of outcome-competencies • involve broad and appropriate groups in its preparation and process

9. Students • Program Educational Objectives • Program Outcomes and Assessment • Professional Component • Faculty • Facilities • Institutional Support & Financial Resources • Program Criteria Basic Level Accreditation Criteria

10. ABET CRITERIA Published and Consistent with Mission and ABET Criteria Process in Place to Determine and Periodically Evaluate Based on Constituencies,Curriculum, and processes to ensure achievement Evaluation to Determine Achievement Results Used to Improve Effectiveness of the Program 2.Program Educational Objective 1.Students • Admit • Advise • Evaluate • Monitor

11. apply knowledge of math, engineering, and science designand conduct experiments analyzeand interpret data design system, component or process to meet needs function on multi-disciplinary teams identify, formulate, and solve engineering problem understandprofessional and ethical responsibility communicateeffectively broaden their education Recognizeneeds and to engage in life-long learning understandcontemporary issues 3.Program Outcomes and Assessment • Assessment Process with Documented Results to Measure Outcomes • Results Applied to Improvement of the Program • Demonstration that Graduates have ability to:

12. Major Design Experience. • One year of Mathematics and Basic Science. • One and one-half Years on Engineering Topics. • General Education Component, Consistent with Program Objectives. 5.Faculty 4. Professional Component • Sufficient Number and Competencies to Cover All Curricular Areas (FTE). • Levels of Student- Faculty Interaction. • Advise and Counsel students • Actively involve in service (College & University). • Interact with Practitioners and Employers. • Professional development. • Monitor and evaluate effectively.

13. Curricular Topics Faculty Qualifications Other 7. Institutional Support & Financial Resources 6. Facilities • Sufficient to Assure Quality and Continuity of the Program • Sufficient to Attract and Retain a Well-Qualified Faculty • Sufficient to Acquire, Maintain, and Operate Facilities and Equipment • Classrooms • Laboratories • Equipment and Tools • Computing and Information • Infrastructure Certified Technicians and qualified operators • Multimedia Class Rooms 8. ProgramCriteria

14. What We Have To Do First? FormDepartmental Accreditation Committee (DAC). Develop Program ABET Web Page. Determine Program Constituencies. Form Program Industrial Advisory Committee (PIAC). Involve constituencies in formulating the Program Educational Objectives (PEO's). Ensure that PEO's are consistent with the mission of the institution. Ensure that PEO's are well-stated and measurable. Ensure that PEO's can be linked with the curriculum. Involveconstituencies in formulating the Program Outcomes (PO’s).

15. What We Have To Do First Ensure that PO’s satisfy the 11 ABET criteria Ensure that PO’s are measurable (more focus on quantitative measurement) MapPO’s into POE's MapPO’s into ABET “a – k” criteria Ensure that curriculum of each program achieves PO’s satisfies professional component (Criterion 4) meets program-specific criteria (Criterion 8)

16. What is Program Outcomes Assessment? Program Outcomes Assessment is a curriculum development process that is intended as a means to improve program success and student learning based on real evidence. • A continuous process that involves planning, assessing and feedback. • Programs must demonstrate their graduates have outcomes “a to k” • Programs must have an assessment process with documented results • Evidence that the outcomes are being measured • Evidence that the results of the assessment process are applied to the further development and improvement of the program

17. What is Assessment? Assessment: Processes that identify, collect, and prepare data to evaluate the achievement of program outcomes and program educational objectives • Assessment Tools: • Quantitative: • Examination • Senior Exit Survey • Faculty Self-Assessment Survey • Instructor ratings • Licensing Engineering in Training Exam results • Qualitative • Student portfolios • Advisory committees • Alumni Survey • Employers Survey

19. Evaluation and Assessment Process

20. Program Tasks and Responsibilities • Departmental Accreditation Committee (DAC). • Define DAC tasks and responsibilities. • DAC should include energetic faculty who are familiar with the curriculum and can do the Job • Clearly Define Program Mission. • Program Constituencies (program customers and their needs). • Define Program constituencies. • Solicit and incorporate input from your constituencies. • You must know student goals and industry/employer/graduate school needs in order to properly set your objectives.

21. Program Industrial Advisory Committee • Each program should have an advisory committee from the industry • The committee should meet at least biannually • It should be involved in the curriculum development • Develop a Program Educational Objectives • Consistent with both your mission and the constituency input PEO’s Should be: • Specific • Measurable • Attainable • Realistic • Time Bounded

22. Definestudent learning outcomes to ensure that the PEO's will be met. • Develop and deliver a curriculum that prepares all students to satisfy the learning outcomes. • Monitor/assessthe program’s performance in meeting your customers’ needs. • Institute an assessment and review process that involves a regular evaluation of the achievement of objectives and assessment of the student learning outcomes. • Continuously improve your program to meet your customers’ needs better. • Modelyour assessment/review/continuous improvement process after the best business/industry quality initiatives. • Striveto continuously improve your program and your product

23. Faculty involvement/engagement in assessment activities is absolutely necessary • Keep the process as simple as possible from a procedural standpoint • Avoid complex matrix mappings and redundant assessments • Focus on high-quality direct assessment of student work at key points in the curriculum. • Planning and course design with outcomes and assessment in mind is a key to success. • The real focus of the ABET not assessment but program and processes continuous improvement, with a vision of improving to satisfy the constituencies better.

24. DAC Tasks and Responsibilities • Guidesthe Program faculty • Develop Program Educational Objectives • Shares PEO’s with their constituencies and stakeholders • Forwards their recommendations to the program chair and the program faculty for their consideration. • Forwards the PEO’s to the JAC for review and approval. • Incorporate the approved POE's in their program.

25. Establish Student Learning Outcomes • Oversees courses and curricula to achieve POE's and student LO’s • Document linkages between courses and curricula and LO’s • Oversees the courses syllabi to ensure how they support student LO’s • Set expected performance levels for student LO’s

26. Develop plan for assessing student LO’s • Developplan for assessing POE's • Establishprogram performance objective • Develop plan for documentation of program changes & improvements • WriteProgram Summary Assessment Report

27. Faculty Tasks and Responsibilities • A syllabus following ABET format to include: • course outlines • Course Learning Objectives (LO’s) • Contribution of Course to Meeting the Professional Component • Relationship of Course to Program Outcomes • A course planning grid that shows for each LO: • Teaching methods • Assessment method • Assessment frequency • Performance criteria • Feedback methods • Relationship to the PEO's • Relationship to the ABET criteria

28. Program requires eachfaculty member collectthe following minimum documentation for each course: • Each faculty member implements his or her plan for each course in the manner he or she deems most appropriate. • Examples of student performance on homework, quizzes, examinations, projects, etc… • Evidence of operation of the feedback mechanism. Such evidence can include, but is not limited to, graded work, written comments made to students by the instructor, and written comments from students. • Results of a standard end-of-semester questionnaire that addresses overallachievement of LO’s.

29. Each faculty member submits to (DAC) the following information for each course he or she taught in the preceding semester: • The four items outlined in previous slide • An assessment of the course focusing on achievement of stated objectives. • Recommendations for course improvements • The anticipated effects of these improvements.

30. ABET 2000 Goals Review • PEO's are consistent with University mission • PO’sare consistent with PEO's and ABET criteria • Constituencies participate in selection and maintenance of Poe's and PO’s • Achievement of PEO's and PO’s are quantitatively measured • PEO's are evaluated • Achievement is measured and reported • PEO's are reviewed and adjusted • PO’s are assessed • achievement is measured and reported • PO’s are reviewed and adjusted • Program improvements are made in response to assessment • Goals are being achieved

31. Problems and Issues with Each Criterion Criterion 1: Students • Problems with student advising • Ineffective monitoring • Problems with transfer students Criterion 2: Program Educational objectives • Education objectives not published or readily accessible to the public • No or limited constituency input • No systematic process for evaluating objectives • Little or no evidence of continuous improvement Criterion 3: Program Outcomes • No evidence demonstrating one or more outcomes • Outcomes not demonstrated by assessment data or by other means • No systematic assessment process in place • No evidence that results of the assessment process are being applied to improve program

32. Problems and Issues with Each Criterion Criterion 4: Professional Components • Quality of the major design experience (ex. Less work, Inflated Grade!!!) • Engineering topics satisfied by electives, but advising doesn’t assure adequate coverage ( ex. offering of elective courses in minimum..) Criterion 5: Faculty • Insufficient number (ex. Heavy FTL, many less qualified adjunct …) • Poor faculty morale affecting program (ex. Bad inconsistent evaluation, incentive giving without regard to scholar activities etc..) Criterion 6: Facilities • Insufficient Space: Overcrowded laboratories and classrooms • Laboratories: Unsafe Conditions, Inoperable equipment • Lack of modern instrumentation • Lack of funds for upgrading • Computing/Information Infrastructure: Lack of funds for upgrading Criterion 7: Institutional Support & Financial Resources • Unstable leadership affecting programs (ex. short service time giving to Deans and Chairs) • Inadequate operating budget affecting Faculty salaries, promotions, and professional development affecting hiring and retention. • Insufficient Support Staff

33. SUMMARY • The real focus of ABET is not assessment but program and processes continuous improvement, with a vision of improving to satisfy the constituencies better. • keep in mind that the focus of the evaluators is to determine the following: • Is it a stable and well functioning program? • Does the program meet the ABET Standards? • Has the program conducted a valid self-study? • Is the college developing an appropriate program improvement plan that is focused on increasing academic performance? • Does the institution’s leadership creates and sustains a leadership system at all levels that is marked by high performance, appropriate responsibility, and accountability? • Are there variety of instructional resources, including technology, used to assist students in gaining knowledge and skills?

34. SUMMARY Important Points of Consideration • Develop High standard for students admission (good quality & less number) • Provide quality instruction, high standard for graduation and lower grade inflation, • Develop with the help of industry, licensing exam for future graduates. (EIT, PE..) • Provide adequate operating budget to support faculty professional development, hiring, and retention. • Stable qualified leadership. (Chair and Dean positions) • New faculty should never allowed to take chair and dean position before promotion. • Reduced teaching load for new faculty and faculty who are involved in good amount of research. • Certified technician to operate laboratories and train assistants. • Curriculum and Faculty evaluation should be college/program based not University. Focus on: • Senior exit interview • Alumni survey • More weight on instructor teaching evaluation for High level course(300, 400) should be given. • Evaluation questions for Low level courses(100, 200) should focus on course material rather than faculty.