SECCM Assessment Plan - Roger Williams University

Section
1
The SECCM Assessment Plan
Introduction
This document outlines the assessment processes and procedures employed in the School of Engineering,
Computing and Construction Management (SECCM) at Roger Williams University. The goal of this
assessment plan is to evaluate how well our graduates are meeting program objectives as well as
measurable outcomes. The approaches used to implement a continuous quality improvement philosophy
are described. They include periodic refinement of our objectives by incorporating feedback from our
constituencies. Section 2, 3 and 4 of this document present the detailed educational objectives, anticipated
outcomes and metrics to measure outcome achievement for each of our three programs: Engineering,
Computer Science and Construction Management.
Consistent with the design of any comprehensive assessment plan, our suite of evaluation instruments is
also discussed in this document and copies of each are included in Section 5 of this document. We use this
collective system of instruments to monitor our objectives and outcomes according to a detailed
implementation timeline.
As an introduction to our assessment plan terminology, Table 1.1 provides a summary of terms to ensure
consistency in understanding the Roger Williams University SECCM continuous process improvement
system. These definitions are periodically updated to reflect changes and modifications from our
accrediting bodies as well as to incorporate input from our various constituencies.
Table 1.1 Summary of Terminology
Term
Objectives
Outcomes
Operationalized
Outcome
Performance
Criteria
Assessment
Evaluation
Definition
Statements that describe the expected accomplishments of graduates
during the first three to five years following graduation from SECCM’s
programs.
Knowledge, skills and behavior that are we expect our graduates to possess
at the time of graduation.
A group of statements that define each outcome. These statements are
expressed in a Bloom’s taxonomy hierarchy allowing for the assignment of
performance criteria associated with each outcome.
Metrics that are used to determine the accomplishment of outcomes and
objectives.
A collective system of processes directed at students and program
constituencies that identify, collect, interpret, analyze and report data for the
purpose of determining whether objectives and outcomes have been
achieved.
A collective system of processes that facilitate the review and discussion of
assessment reports. Evaluation also includes the implementation of
improvements to the three programs by means of existing and new change
mechanisms.
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