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Instructional Program Review

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Austin Community College’s (ACC) Program Review process for instructional units is a 3-year cycle that provides a framework to guide the reflective evaluation of the content, quality, and effectiveness of program curriculum – an essential part of academic stewardship. Program review enhances and ensures the quality of teaching we provide and learning we expect from our students. It provides instructional departments the opportunity to engage in a comprehensive self-review of all aspects of their department (including structural, operational, and administrative functioning) to ensure the continuous improvement of its programs and services.

ACC’s Program Review process is based on the principles:

• • That faculty has primary responsibility for the content, quality, and effectiveness of the curriculum.
  • That the information resulting from the review of instructional programs should be used to guide program planning.
  • That the review process should not be overly burdensome to faculty.

The purpose of the Program Review process at ACC is to:

• • Conduct an authentic and critically reflective assessment of every certificate and degree program that the College offers, including a review of student learning outcomes and the program’s contribution to the College’s mission.
  • Create a three‐year plan that facilitates continuous improvement of each program and that is incorporated into the College’s larger Institutional Planning process.
  • Ensure that external accreditation requirements are met.

Objectives:

• • To encourage a thorough review that is useful, but not overly burdensome to faculty or administration.
  • To facilitate critical reflection on program data and information.
  • To use the findings of the review to enhance program excellence.
  • To support program participation in the College’s Institutional Planning process.
  • Instructional programs are divided into three cohorts (A, B, & C) to facilitate timely planning, organization, and communication throughout the program review process. Deans and Department Chairs are responsible for ensuring the timely completion of the program review.

 

Program Review Working Group

The program review process is supported by the Program Review Working Group (PRWG). The PRWG serves as a quality assurance mechanism for the program review process, helping guide reflective evaluation of the content, quality, and effectiveness of instructional program curriculum and operations. The Program Review Working Group is overseen by the Associate Dean of Planning and Accreditation and co-chaired by the Director of Institutional Planning and Evaluation and one full-time faculty member. It comprises two dean-appointed faculty members, assistant deans from each of the College’s areas of study, the Associate Dean of Assessment and Evaluation, and the Coordinator for Accreditation, Assessment, and Planning.

Program Review Working Group Functions:

1. 1. Support implementation of the College’s program review process for instructional units.
   2. Review and provide feedback to instructional departments for improving the assessment of the goals and objectives for their disciplines, programs, and departments;
   3. Review and provide feedback to instructional departments regarding the improvement plans resulting from analyses of assessment data
   4. Review the extent to which units achieve identified objectives
   5. Review and provide feedback to appropriate entities for improving the documentation of objectives for instructional departments
   6. Develop rubrics and standards for reviewing program review information.
   7. Provide recommendations to the Instructional Services Planning Subcommittee regarding program review processes and templates.

 

Instructional Assessment

Assessment is key to understanding and improving the College’s effectiveness in all areas. Gathering and analyzing data helps the college to make informed decisions that ensure ACC is meeting its intended outcomes. The faculty control the process just as they control the curriculum taught in their courses. The Office of Institutional Effectiveness and Grant Development Division facilitates the collection of data. Faculty, department chairs, deans, associate vice chancellors, the Vice Chancellor of Instruction, and the Provost all help to ensure the meaningful assessments are conducted and documented. The TRACDAT (Nuventive Improve) system is the repository for instructional assessment data collected as part of the Discipline Assessment Cycle (DAC).

The results of any given assessment should never be used in faculty evaluation. Faculty are responsible, however, for participating in the assessment efforts implemented by their respective departments.

Further descriptions of the DAC process,  a glossary of terms, and a wealth of other information related to assessment can be found at the Academic Outcomes Assessment website.