Applications and outcomes of continuous improvement protocols in civil engineering programs: a perspective of the processes, practices, and pitfalls

Graduation Date

2012

Document Type

Thesis

Program

Other

Program

Thesis (M.A.)--Humboldt State University, Education, 2012

Committee Chair Name

Eric Van Duzer

Committee Chair Affiliation

HSU Faculty or Staff

Keywords

Outcome-based program improvement, Assessment, ABET, NCEES, Criteria, EC2000, Program improvement, Accreditation, Assessment-based program improvement engineering, Humboldt State University -- Theses -- Education, Continuous improvement, Faculty buy-in, Education

Abstract

In 2000, the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) instituted a set of accreditation standards known as Engineering Criteria 2000 (EC2000). Embedded in this set of criteria was the mandate that engineering institutions implement continuous improvement protocols in planning and curriculum development. The directive required educators to employ student learning data as a primary means of improving student learning outcomes. In the years since ABET adopted EC2000, little has appeared in the literature regarding the value and utility of the assessment-based program-improvement process from the perspective of engineering educators. This study surveys the views and observations of 21 civil engineering program leaders concerning the assessment-based program-improvement practices of their home institutions. Respondents address the mechanics of the ABET process, its utility and value as a driver of program improvement, and specific applications and outcomes. Engineering programs involved in the study ranged across the United States. Respondent data was collected in semi-structured phone interviews relative to a survey instrument possessing five lines of inquiry. Major findings in the study include: Sixty-two percent of participating institutions experienced faculty climates that were less than receptive to the ABET program-improvement model. Sixty-seven percent of respondents reported that the ABET program-improvement process and/or accreditation review team members lacked clarity and consistency in the expectations of programs. Forty-three percent of respondents reported that the benefits associated with the assessment-based program-improvement process were at least as great as the costs associated with the process. The ABET program-improvement model places a larger burden on smaller programs.

https://scholarworks.calstate.edu/concern/theses/000002550

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