Face to Face Workshop on Program Assessment for Curriculum Improvement

Workshop Overview

This 2 day highly interactive workshop is customized and delivered to provide participants with the necessary practical knowledge, skills and tools to effectively plan and implement program assessment that leads to quality evidence-based enhancement of educational programs. This involves a range of topics including: developing a program mission statement, articulating / evaluating program learning outcomes, developing curriculum maps, determining performance indicators, data collection methods and using results to inform program continuous improvement.

The program will begin by exposing participants to the fundamentals of program assessment, its purpose, benefits, and challenges and how to successfully develop and implement a program assessment plan including identifying the most appropriate program assessment methods and establishing criteria for success. It will also stress on the actual process of conducting assessment activities as well how to interpret and use data and closing the quality loop. Participants will be immersed with practical activities that will enable them to enhance their knowledge and skills and reflect on their current practices.

Workshop Objectives

By the end of this program participants will be able to:

Understand the program assessment process and what constitutes well-designed and sustainable assessment plans.

Articulate program mission, goals and learning outcomes which can explicitly describe the kind of skills, knowledge, and attitudes students develop as a result of a program of study.

Design and conduct effective and sustainable assessment plans and identify strategies and methods to collect data.

Choose the most appropriate assessment methods to obtain valid data to evaluate specific student and program outcomes

Comprehend the connection between general education, co-curricular experiences and campus activities and the overall student learning experience

Comprehend and use results for program revisions and continuous improvements.

Structure of Workshop

Day 1 Welcoming and Introductions

Session (1): Fundamentals of Assessment

- Assessment definition and key components
- Levels of assessment (institutional/ program/ course)
- Purpose and benefits of conducting program assessment
- Some of the key challenges with program assessment
- Stakeholders’ engagement
- Program assessment, accreditation and national qualification frameworks
- Internal quality assurance practices

Session (2): Assessment Foundation| Defining mission, goals and SMART learning outcomes

- The Program Assessment Process
- Developing a program mission statement
- Graduate attributes and transferable skills
- Program goals
- Types of learning outcomes
- The UAE National Qualification Framework
- Articulating program goals and SMART learning outcomes (Program and Course Levels)
- Constructive alignment – Developing Courses for Program Effectiveness

Session (3): Designing your Assessment Plan- Managing the Process

- Curriculum mapping
- Developing an assessment framework- Reflection on current practices
- Assessment strategies and methods
- Rubrics
- Direct and Indirect measures success

Day 2

Session (3) Cond’: Designing your Assessment Plan- Managing the Process

- Data collection and interpretation
- Assessing general education, co-curricular experiences and campus activities within the context of the program
- Practical Group Exercise

Session (4): Analyzing, Reporting and Using Results

- Understanding and analyzing results
- Using results for program revisions and continuous improvement
- Reporting results and providing feedback
- Closing the loop
- Practical Group Exercise

Target Audience

- Program administrators
- Heads of departments
- Faculty members involved with the design, development, assessment, and review of academic programs
- Managers and staff members working in institutional research, quality assurance, and institutional effectiveness offices