Web-based quantitative analysis and reporting of program outcome coverage and student performance

1. 1 Web-based quantitative analysis and reporting of program outcome coverage and student performance Paul Van Halen vanhalen@cecs.pdx.edu

2. Paul Van Halen Quantitative Program Assessment 2 PRESENTATION GOALS Gain/improve understanding Quantitative course-to-program outcome mapping philosophy Importance of designing course assessment tools with program assessment in mind Capabilities of open-source software based program assessment framework

3. Paul Van Halen Quantitative Program Assessment 3 OUTLINE Background Motivation Implementation Course Assessment Program Assessment Results Challenges Future Development Conclusions

4. Paul Van Halen Quantitative Program Assessment 4 BACKGROUND Oregon University System 81,000 students 7 universities: PSU, UO, OSU, OIT and 3 regional schools OSU and PSU offer engineering degrees Portland State University Located in downtown Portland With 24,000 students, the largest enrollment in the state system

5. Paul Van Halen Quantitative Program Assessment 5 BACKGROUND Maseeh College of Engineering and Computer Science Electrical & Computer Engineering Mechanical & Materials Engineering Civil & Environmental Engineering Engineering & Technology Management Computer Science 70 full time faculty 1266 undergraduate, 492 graduate students

6. Paul Van Halen Quantitative Program Assessment 6 BACKGROUND Electrical & Computer Engineering 2 ABET accredited programs: Electrical Engineering and Computer Engineering 20 faculty 290 bachelor students 164 MS and MEng Students 42 PhD students

7. Paul Van Halen Quantitative Program Assessment 7 MOTIVATION ABET 2000 criteria False starts College initiatives University assessment initiative What are our program objectives? What are our program outcomes? Once we have program outcomes how do we find out how well we address them and how do we perform?

8. Paul Van Halen Quantitative Program Assessment 8 MOTIVATION How does this connect with the grades we give our students? We should be able to combine the grading data to assess our stated program outcomes both in coverage and student performance Course outcomes and course assessment are a prerequisite How do we get from course assessment to program assessment?

9. Paul Van Halen Quantitative Program Assessment 9 PROGRAM ASSESSMENT Assessment in most cases is still focused on course assessment Convincing faculty to participate in this endeavor is a challenge Good course assessment does not necessarily compile to a meaningful program assessment, unless the course assessment was planned with program assessment in mind.

10. Paul Van Halen Quantitative Program Assessment 10 IMPLEMENTATION Program objectives Program outcomes Program outcomes to objectives mapping Course outcomes Course outcomes to program outcomes mapping

11. Paul Van Halen Quantitative Program Assessment 11 PROGRAM OBJECTIVES The electrical engineering program has the following educational objectives: Knowledge. To provide our students with a broad knowledge base in the fundamentals and techniques of the engineering sciences, required for engineering careers in a changing technical environment, to prepare them for successful participation in multi-disciplinary teams. Application. To provide our students with an in-depth knowledge of the concepts, techniques and tools of the electrical engineering discipline and to impart the ability to apply their proficiency to engineering design and problem solving.

12. Paul Van Halen Quantitative Program Assessment 12 PROGRAM OBJECTIVES Innovation. To provide our students with the ability and desire to continually renew their education in a rapidly developing discipline, enabling them to participate in the research and development of the discipline and to realize their full potential throughout their career. Community. To ensure awareness of: the need for personal development, both in discipline related aspects and in terms of understanding the impact of the profession on social and environmental issues. the importance and benefits of personal involvement in professional societies and local communities.

13. Paul Van Halen Quantitative Program Assessment 13 PROGRAM OUTCOMES Added more specific EE and CpE outcomes to the existing (a) – (k) ABET outcomes. Created a mapping from the program outcomes to the program objectives. UPDATE: Detailed outcomes are TOO fragmented to guide the decision making process Automatic aggregate of details into (a) – (k) is more helpful in loop closure on program assessment

14. Paul Van Halen Quantitative Program Assessment 14