QCC is currently engaged in an unprecedented review of all of its curricular offerings. Employing a rigorous internally developed process of Internal Program Review , the College faculty is leading a comprehensive examination of each professional, technical, or academic discipline focusing on the program as a whole, not discrete courses. Through IPR, the faculty defines the skills, knowledge, and abilities necessary for a program graduate to be successful in a particular profession or career path in the 21st century.
Through IPR, the faculty develops or refines program goals. The next phase of this systematic inquiry is the development of a comprehensive curriculum plan that details the mission/purpose of each degree or certificate; defines overall program goals and then, the individual course objectives that support those goals. In addition, the curriculum plan includes a detailed assessment chart illustrating the relationship among the program goals, the individual courses, and the assessment strategies employed to evaluate that a learner has achieved a particular competency. This curriculum plan is the foundation for a comprehensive outcomes assessment strategy the College is currently implementing.
In October 2001, the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) invited Quinsigamond Community College to participate as one of 10 colleges in a pilot project focused on developing institutional assessment portfolios . In the first phase, Quinsigamond decided to focus on faculty-driven assessment initiatives while working to expand the institution’s capacity to evaluate its own effectiveness. Faculty from Applied Arts, Dental Hygiene, Human Services, Nurse Education, and Radiologic Technology were selected to develop program-level assessment portfolios with the intention that these portfolios would serve as a catalyst for faculty dialogue regarding assessment and the overall effectiveness of their respective programs in achieving their intended goals.
Each program was asked to integrate six key elements into their portfolios. These include:
- Executive Summary of the IPR Report (or most recent accreditation report)
- Program Goals
- Curriculum Plan
- Primary Focus for Ongoing Research Into Program Effectiveness
- Changes in Practice-A Dialogue about Assessment
- Examples of Assessment Results or Student Work
As the reader will see upon a closer look at each portfolio, the approach taken to the organization of data and the interpretation of the results is specific to the particular discipline. Please take a few moments to “come inside” each of the portfolios!
If you are interested in more information regarding this effort, please contact Kathy Rentsch, Director of Special Projects in Academic Affairs.
