Academic Program Assessment: A Case Study of a Pragmatic Approach

Abstract

Accreditation criteria of Information Technology programs require effective learning outcomes assessment and evaluation with rigorous processes, well documented results, broad faculty participation, and complete coverage of the assessment and evaluation cycle. This paper describes a model that theCollegeofInformation Technologyat Ajman University of Science and Technology uses to implement a complete outcome-based assessment and evaluation plan of its programs. The plan contains detailed accounts of procedures and tools used to measure the achievements of program learning outcomes. Information which is gathered from exam results, faculty, students, alumni, internship, and employers are used to measure the level of achievement of each learning outcome from a different perspective. A final decision is made with respect to each learning outcome. This decision is based on combining the results of the various relevant measurement tools for that outcome. The assessment model described in this paper was used for the successful accreditation of all programs offered by thecollegeofInformation Technologyand adopted by other colleges at the University.

Share and Cite:

Mehdi, R. and AbouNaaj, M. (2013) Academic Program Assessment: A Case Study of a Pragmatic Approach. Creative Education, 4, 71-81. doi: 10.4236/ce.2013.41010.

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

References

[1] ABET Computing Accreditation Commission (2010). Criteria for accrediting computing programs. URL (last checked 14 March 2009). http://www.abet.org.
[2] Adam, S. (2004). A consideration of the nature, role, application and implications for European education of employing learning outcomes at the local, national and international levels. Edinburgh: United Kingdom Bologna Seminar, Heriot Watt University.
[3] Angelo, T. A. (1995). Reassessing and defining assessment. American Association for Higher Education Bulletin, 48, 7-9.
[4] Ashiem, C., Gowan, A. & Reichgelt, H. (2007). Establishing an assessment process for a computing program. Information Systems Education Journal, 5, 1-12.
[5] Ashiem, C., Gowan, A., O’Malley, J., & Reichgel, H., (2007). An IT program assessment process. 8th Conference on Information Technology Education, SIGITE 2007, Destin, 18-20 October 2007.
[6] Association of Computing Machinery (ACM), & IEEE Computer Society (2008). Computer Science Curriculum 2008: An Interim Revision of CS 2001. URL (last checked 16 June 2011). http://www.acm.org/education/curricula/ComputerScience2008.pdf
[7] Bailie, F., Marion, B., & Whitfield, D. (2010). How rubrics that measure outcomes can complete the assessment loop. Journal of Computing Sciences in Colleges, 25, 15-28.
[8] Blanford, D., & Hwang, D. (2003). Five easy but effective assessment methods. SIGCSE’03 Proceedings of the 34th SIGCSE technical symposium on Computer science education, 35, 41-44.
[9] Buzzetto-More, N., & Alade, A. (2006). Best practices in e-assessment. Journal of Information Technology Education, 5, 251-269.
[10] Crouch, B., & Schwartzman, L. (2003). Computer science accreditation: the advantages of being different. ACM SIGCSE Bulletin, 35, 36-40. doi:10.1145/792548.611927
[11] Gowan, A., MacDonald, B., & Reichgelt, H. (2006). A configurable assessment information system. The 7th Conference on Information Technology Education, SIGITE 2006, Minneapolis, October 19-21.
[12] Jones, L., & Price, A. (2002). Changes in computer science accreditation. Communications of the ACM, 45, 99-103. doi:10.1145/545151.545158
[13] Kellough, R. D., & Kellough, N. G. (1999). Secondary school teaching: A guide to method and resources planning for competence. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Prentice Hall.
[14] Kohun, F., & Wood, D. (2003). The ABET CAC accreditation experience—intent and reality—the information systems perspectives. Information Systems Education Journal, 1, 1-11.
[15] Love, T., & Cooper, T. (2004). Designining online information systems for portfolio-based assessment: Design criteria and heuristics. Journal of Information Technology Education, 3, 65-81.
[16] Maxim, B. (2004). Closing the loop: Assessment and accreditation, Journal of Computing Sciences in Colleges, 20, 7-18.
[17] Sanders, K., & McCartney, R. (2003). Program assessment tools in computer science: A report from the trenches, ACM SIGCSE Bulletin, 35, 31-35. doi:10.1145/792548.611926

Copyright © 2024 by authors and Scientific Research Publishing Inc.

Creative Commons License

This work and the related PDF file are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.