Outcome-Based Instruction: Self-Study Report

1. Outcome-Based Instruction:Self-Study Report byDr. Mayez Al-Mouhamed Professor, Computer Engineering Department King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals

2. Contents • Motivation to ABET EC 2K • Objectives • Steering to EC 2K • Awareness of EC 2K • Steering classroom teaching and exams • Steering Lab instruction and organization • Supporting material • Status of Self-Study Report • Conclusion

3. Motivation to ABET EC 2K • Cost of education (mid 90’s): More than 15% of median family income • Industry mutation: Engineers should be educated in a way to facilitate their adaptation to important industry mutation (Bio, Nano, Health, Comp. Technology, change in products, etc) (not to be tight to one original area of formation) • Demographic issues, population aging, etc. • Shift in Engineering Education • Teacher-Centered Focus • Traditional classroom • Distance learning using synchronous video-conferencing • Learner-Centered Focus (outcome-based) • Interactive multimedia • Educational solutions designed by multi-skilled academic teams • Asynchronous learning (any time and anywhere) • Since 1995 a shift in ABET criterion: “A meaningful, major engineering design experience …” • Pilote ABET visits in 96-98, required to meet EC 2K by 2001

4. Objectives • Preparing the writing of the Self-Study Report (SSR) for the COE department according the ABET EC 2K criterion (COE ABET Committee) • EC 2K refers to an Outcome-Based Instruction Standard • The COE department is still using conventional Teacher-Centered (Lecture-Exam) instruction! • Appears to be contradictory • First ABET visit is based on the minimum condition rule: a convincing self-assessment system (in-place) that is capable of producing improvements according the EC 2K standards • EC 2K quantifies education using measurable outcomes ranging from the acquisition of knowledge, the learning of skills, and the development of some attitude or behavior • The self-study report is to document a program having consistent educational objectives and outcomes, carry out direct (student evaluation) and indirect (surveys) self-assessment, and feedback the results in terms of program improvements.

5. Objectives • Self-Study Report progress in T061 • Data-independent: • Set up the objectives (PEO-061), outcomes (PO-051-2), course outcomes (051 and 061), course evaluation (051), surveys, evaluation forms, etc. • Advisory board, Alumni and Employer DB, • Background, student, objectives, outcomes, faculty, facility, curriculum, program criteria • Data-dependent (!): • Assessment committee (AC): Control the direct and indirect assessment processes, data collection and presentation, and delivery to the undergraduate committee • Undergraduate Committee (UC): analysis of assessment data, carry out revision of objectives, outcomes, curriculum, etc. • Need to document above 2 tasks, data, and revision in SSR

6. Objectives • Requirements from KFUPM ABET Committee for T062 • Plan for a progress Self-Study Report by March 19 after documenting: • The assessment process carried out by AC (T061 and start of T062) • The analysis carried out by the UC and its decisions • Submit a complete SSR to KFUPM Committee by April 15, 2007 • Submit a revised SSR to KFUPM Committee at end of T062 (likely) • Pre-requisite for success • Faculty and students need to be prepared to carry out the assessment tasks • Promote the culture of outcome-based instruction • The invested time is not wasted: • Outcome-based education and assessment at KFUPM is a continuous process, • Next accreditation cycle (+4y) • Education is outcome-based, • Graduates meet minimum acceptable scores for each program outcome • ABET Committee proposed this ABET Workshop • Some guidelines and resource are set up to facilitate this task

7. Steering to EC 2K • This is not implementing outcome-based instruction! • Faculty are somewhat aware of ABET Engineering Criterion 2000 (EC 2K) • Faculty have the desire to moderately change their lectures and lab organization to reasonably address the course outcomes • Faculty are willing to design exams and other assignments in an outcomes-based fashion • The students are cooperative and receptive of new instruction style • Supporting material is available for faculty and students • EC 2K evaluation forms and surveys are available (pervasively)

8. Awareness of EC 2K criterion • Being convinced of the need to • Having time to learn about EC 2K • Assessing based on EC 2K requires outcome-based exposure at the instruction level • Use of the developed guidelines • Dedicate time for reading • Ask the student to read and summarize outcome-based knowledge • Design surveys and evaluation forms based on outcome description • Use the selected papers on engineering education • Read and encourage reading of outcome-based education papers • Ask students, in lecture or lab, to summarize (for bonus) some selected papers on engineering education, use of math and science, life-long learning, professional ethics, global impacts of engineering solution, etc.

9. Steering classroom teaching-exams • Classroom: willingness to moderately steer the lecture to better address course outcomes • Might require shortening of the technical material • Emphasize reasonably the application of math and science (if app.) • Expose the methodology of engineering design (if app.) • Address directly or indirectly non-technical issues (life-long learning, ethical responsibility, impact of eng solutions, etc.) • Course coordinator may minimize overhead by planning: • The best way to assess an outcome is to teach problem-model for that outcome • Lecture: “Which part of the material should address specific outcomes and how” • Exam: “student can be asked to solve different instances • How to apply desired knowledge to solving a problem (3A): define the principle, appropriateness to problem, adapt to solution. Ex: power-of-2 calculus in computer arithmetic, probabilistic performance analysis, .. • Outcome 3C: problem-oriented instruction, gradual multiplier design, datapath solutions vs constraints on resource, case studies of different cache organization vs performance, etc. • Non-Technical outcomes: web-based education, essays study, summarizing papers, focus groups, etc.

10. Steering lab instruction and organization • Lab: Willingness to moderately re-organize the lab and its instruction to better address course outcomes • Might require shortening of the technical material • Promote team work among students • Shift the experiment/project to a problem-based eng. des. (same manual) • Explain (or point to) good engineering practices (see guidelines) • Accept grading different engineering solutions (if app.) • Use of Lab Notebook as a student dairy of instruction • Address directly or indirectly non-technical issues • Assign reading material on communication strategies, group dynamics, etc. • Course coordinator may minimize overhead by planning • Reformulate a smaller set of experiments as problem-based design to allow different solutions (if app) • Students starts a problem-based definition and move to specification, design methodology, implementation, test and evaluation, and conclusion (as per notebook) • Grade notebooks and value valid engineering methodology • Ask to read about non-technical outcomes: web-based education, essays study, summarizing papers, focus groups, etc.

11. Supporting material • Guidelines to“ABET A-K OUTCOMES: DESCRIPTION, INSTRUCTION, AND ASSESSMENT” • Outcome description, • Instructional plan • Assessment plan • Guidelines to COE Lab instruction and organization • Lab instructional aspects • Lab organizational aspects • LABORATORY NOTEBOOK • Guidelines • Sample Notebook (with section headings) http://www.ccse.kfupm.edu.sa/~mayez/mayez_message_abet.html

12. Supporting material Supporting material E -  FACULTY - STUDENT EDUCATIONAL RESOURCE http://www.ccse.kfupm.edu.sa/~mayez/mayez_message_abet.html • Overview of Self-Study Report preparation • ABET EC 2000 education • Advisory board, Employer, and Alumni Analysis • Capstone Course • Communication Skills • Contemporary Issues • Engineering Ethics • Engineering Education • Engineering Mathematics • Impact of Engineering Solutions • Life-Long Learning • Outcome-based instruction • Professional Engineering Practices • Seminar Course • Senior Design Project • Student Portfolio • Team working • A student guide to accreditation

13. Self-Study Report Status • The Background: under revision • C 1 - The Students (Criterion 1): to be prepared • C 2 - Program Educational Objectives: under revision • C 3 - Program Outcomes: partial submission • C 4 - Assessment and Evaluation: to be prepared • C 5 - Curriculum: in progress • C 6 - Faculty: missing minor faculty data • C 7 - Facilities: under revision • C 8 - Support: nearly ready • C 9 - Program Criteria: under revision • Under revision: submitted on time (thanks) and currently, under revision based on feedback, to be resubmitted no later than March 14 • Partial submission: submitted material not matching the need or incomplete • To be prepared: some pre-requisite information or data is not yet available • Missing minor faculty data • First Draft of the Self-Study Report is due to KFUPM ABET Committee by March 19, 2007

14. Conclusion • Collect assessment data and Analysis • Need for an Assessment Committee to provide an assessment plan for T062 (plan) • Need for an Undergraduate Committee to analyze all data collected in T061 and later in T062, carry out curriculum revision (if any), and write finding in SSR (plan) • Need for coordinators to plan and follow up some outcome-based instruction in their courses, exams, and laboratory instruction and organization (instructional and lab plans) • Need to ask the faculty to do their best in steering their lecture/exam to better address the course outcomes and to cooperate with the course coordinator in the instructional plan • Need to ask the Lab Supervisors to do their best to teamwork the students, steer the experiment/project to a problem-based form, value the engineering approach, enforce the use of lab Notebook, and cooperate with course coordinator