Program Quality Assurance at

Algonquin College of Applied Arts and Technology

Program Quality Review

College Certificate Supplement

2017-2018

A Guide for Reviewers

Contents

INTRODUCTION 3

DATA REVIEW – College Certificates 4

Registration and Revenue Data 4

CURRICULUM MAPPING – College Certificates 5

Program Learning Outcomes 5

Performing Curriculum Mapping 7

Reviewing the Learning Outcomes and Compiling Curriculum Maps 7

Templates 8

Vocational Learning Outcomes – (Draft or actual) 8

Vocational Learning Outcomes – Mapping by Level (Draft or actual) 9

Vocational Learning Outcomes – Mapping Summary (Draft or actual) 10

INTRODUCTION

All programs at Algonquin College are reviewed on a cyclical schedule following the Program Quality Review (PQR) process. The master Team Leader Guide directs the comprehensive review. Program review includes data and document review, conducting focus groups with key program stakeholders, and an assessment of the program against established quality criteria.

Many Locally Approved Algonquin College certificates are offered on a part-time basis, with administration, including admissions, managed through the Centre for Continuing and Online Learning (CCOL). The CCOL website houses information for continuing education programs including those delivered in a fully online learning environment.

Program-related data are collected and maintained through CCOL. Also, some programs were developed and offered before the requirement for College Certificates to have defined program outcomes was established. As such, the master team leader guide is used to conduct PQRs, with modifications to Data Review and Curriculum Review as captured in this document. Quality criteria elements that are not applicable to College Certificates are marked accordingly in the final report template accompanying this supplement.

Further guidance and support for reviews of College Certificate programs is provided by the Program Quality Assurance Administrator (PQAA).

DATA REVIEW – College Certificates

Program specific data must be reviewed by the Academic Administrator, with a summary provided to the Team Leader, to gain an understanding of the program before focus group meetings are held. This aids with evaluation against the criteria and setting the agenda for focus group meetings.

Data for College Certificate programs are limited, although if the program is offered on a full-time basis, additional data may be available. Please consult with the PQAA regarding data availability. Up to five years of following data are provided, when available, for Program Quality Reviews for College Certificates.

Registration and Revenue Data

This includes, on a term by term basis, the following information for the courses in the program:

·  Revenue

·  Students registered

·  Early withdrawal

·  Late withdrawal

·  Pass

·  Fail

These data should be reviewed in the context of specific constraints of the individual program, for example, the maximum registration allowed, or any physical (space) constraints. Items of concern may include

·  a course where large numbers of students withdraw term over term

·  a course being repeatedly cancelled due to lack of registration

·  few students completing the course compared to registrants

·  a repeatedly high failure rate on a course.

CURRICULUM MAPPING – College Certificates

For full details regarding Curriculum Review and Mapping, refer to the master team leader guide. Details specific to College Certificates are provided here.

Analyzing the mapping of a program’s curriculum to its Program Learning Outcomes is an essential part of PQR. Building on the course outline reviews conducted as part of annual curriculum review, it provides the opportunity to review cumulative effects of changes made to the program’s curriculum over the last five years, determine whether it meets the requirements of the program, and plan for updates to the program. The exercise of performing this analysis is called Curriculum Mapping.

Program Learning Outcomes

At Algonquin College, all programs, including College Certificates, are required to have defined and approved Program (Vocational) Learning Outcomes (VLOs). As many programs were developed and offered before this requirement was established, PQR is used to initiate development of the learning outcomes if they do not exist.

Figure 1 illustrates how College Certificates fit within the Credentials Framework, and the interdependency between the Program Standards or Local Vocational Learning Outcomes and the entirety of the courses within that program.

Figure 1: Aligning Curriculum - A Roadmap

Performing Curriculum Mapping

For College Certificates, course outline review and curriculum mapping proceeds as indicated in the master team leader guide if program learning outcomes exist. Note that unless the program curriculum is maintained and managed through COMMS, electronic versions of each course outline and course section information should be collected and submitted to the PQAA along with the PQR final report. Note that (1) if a course offered through a College Certificate is also offered as part of an Ontario College Credential, it will be housed and maintained within COMMS, and (2) the course outlines are not to be bound with the final report.

Reviewing the Learning Outcomes and Compiling Curriculum Maps

In order to conduct curriculum mapping for College Certificate programs, first the existence of defined Vocational Learning Outcomes must be confirmed.

If Vocational Learning Outcomes are not defined, a main activity for the faculty focus meeting and the External Stakeholders focus group is to draft the vocational learning outcomes for the program. The PQR recommendations and implementation plan will capture the go-forward plan regarding the finalizing and subsequent approval of these outcomes, and any additional curriculum modifications which need to be completed as a result. Note that course outline reviews, conducted as part of PQR, will greatly assist in the finalizing of the mapped curriculum.

When Vocational Learning Outcomes are defined, the Team Leader, with assistance from faculty members, uses the course outlines to produce curriculum maps by level and by program. These are produced ahead of the faculty focus group if possible. These same curriculum maps may be submitted as draft with the PQR report where draft VLOs are brought forward.

Templates to be included as part of the PQR report are included in this document for reference.

Note that College Certificates do not generally map to Essential Employability Skills outcomes, or have a General Education requirement.

Templates

Vocational Learning Outcomes – (Draft or actual)

The graduate has reliably demonstrated the ability to…

1.

2.

3.

<extend as appropriate>

Vocational Learning Outcomes – Mapping by Level (Draft or actual)

Program Name: Date:

Program Code:

Level 1
Course Name / Course Number / Program Outcomes
1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8
Level 2
Course Name / Course Number / Program Outcomes
1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8
Level 3
Course Name / Course Number / Program Outcomes
1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8

Vocational Learning Outcomes – Mapping Summary (Draft or actual)

Program Name: Date:

Program Code:

Program Learning Outcome / Level 1 / Level 2 / Level 3 / Totals
1. / T
A
C
2. / T
A
C
3. / T
A
C
4. / T
A
C
5. / T
A
C
6. / T
A
C
7. / T
A
C
8. / T
A
C
9. / T
A
C

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