scholarly journals A Three-Level Software Support Platform for the Graduate Attribute-Curriculum Improvement Process

Author(s):  
David Taylor

Since 2014, the Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board (CEAB) has required that accredited engineering programs implement a process of Graduate Attribute Assessment and Continual Improvement (GA/CI). At the University of Ottawa, the GA/CI process has beendesigned around three levels of administration (Faculty,Program and Course) that also utilizes Vena Solution’scloud database system structured around Excel. This paperdescribes the Faculty’s three-tiered administrative structure and discusses the implementation of the Vena system at each of these levels.

Author(s):  
Nariman Sepehri ◽  
Witold Kinsner ◽  
Jean-Paul Burak ◽  
Cyrus Shafai ◽  
Udaya Annakkage ◽  
...  

This paper describes the process that has been implemented for continual improvement of the Engineering programs at the University of Manitoba. The continuous improvement process developed is founded on: (i) assessment of graduate attributes, (ii) evaluation of student success, and (iii) further improvement of the programs. Graduate attributes are assessed both directly and indirectly. The direct assessment of attributes is through course-embedded procedures, while the indirect assessment is through compilation of many activities at both the Program, Department and Faculty levels, as well as via effective feedback from the students and the external engineering community. Together these assessments provide important information for the newly- established Curriculum Management Committee (CMC) to identify/prioritize needs, make recommendations and oversee the implementation of improvements. We describe steps taken to ensure a sustainable continuous program improvement process.


Author(s):  
Aneta George ◽  
Liam Peyton

We survey the approaches taken at several universities for faculty level support of graduate attribute assessment and continuous improvement process and present the approach taken at the University of Ottawa. Our approach consists of a common process for continuous improvement across programs, supported by templates for key tasks, and a common set of performance indicators for graduate attribute assessment supported by our Graduate Attribute Information Analysis system. We demonstrate our approach across three engineering programs (electrical engineering, computer engineering and software engineering) and report on specific issues encountered and results obtained. 


2019 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 74-84
Author(s):  
Dale Lackeyram ◽  
John R Donald ◽  
Richard Gorrie ◽  
Richard G Zytner

Tracking graduate outcomes is a new requirement for engineering education in Canada.  Working closely with curriculum developers and educational technologists, the School of Engineering at the University of Guelph has shown it is possible to put in place an effective process.  The process requires engaged participants, an open-mindedness and integrated technologies to collect and report the data.  Combining people, process and technology provides a way for data analysis to satisfy accreditation requirements and internal quality education metrics.  This paper describes the approach taken and identifies strengths, challenges, and opportunities to be successful, and support the ultimate goal of curriculum improvement.


1999 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 239-242 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisbeth Tved Linde

This paper addresses the difficulties that a university has to overcome if it is to interact successfully with firms and other organizations in its region. Various means of overcoming these difficulties are described. Involving small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in university–industry cooperative activities is, however, especially problematic. The author argues that this can be achieved in a relatively simple way by the construction of networks organized around a university's core research areas. She describes and assesses the practical experiences arising from Aalborg University's implementation of a number of such networks, highlighting the benefits to SMEs and key aspects of the administrative structure that have ensured its success.


2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 63-79
Author(s):  
Norshahida Sarifuddin ◽  
Zuraida Ahmad ◽  
Ahmad Zahirani Ahmad Azhar ◽  
Hafizah Hanim Mohd Zaki ◽  
Amelia Wong Azman ◽  
...  

In line with the current global focus on sustainability and the well-being of the planet, becoming a professional engineer nowadays requires more than simple mastery of technical skills. Considering that engineers are required to have a deep sense of responsibility not only for humankind but also for the environment, engineering education and practices must be reformed substantially to prepare engineers that will contribute to sustainable development. This necessitates updating conventional engineering programs (CEE) to incorporate Humanizing Engineering Education (HEE). Although HEE is an old practice of individual engineers and other organizations outside the academic field, it is relatively new in academic engineering. While the definition of what truly merits being considered HEE remains debatable, many engineers believe that their work involves a humanitarian aspect. To streamline the development of HEE, there is a need for developing guidelines and frameworks for a comprehensive model. Ideally, that framework should integrate humanizing pedagogy in the new curriculum design. The objective of the paper is to share the experience of the authors in designing a new curriculum for a Materials Engineering Programme (MEP) that is embedded with Humanitarian Engineering (HE), which is among the main elements of HEE. Data collection was through interviews, qualitative surveys, reports from the stakeholders, accreditation bodies and benchmarking with other Higher Learning Institutions (HLI). An extensive scholarly literature review was executed to identify shortcomings in CEE and how it could be reformed by integrating it with HEE. The Sejahtera Academic Framework (SAF); a strategic framework for academic programmes developed by the university, was used as a reference to customize MEP to better meet students’ needs. Since the proposed model applies a new emerging concept, it inevitably raises challenges related to different levels of understanding among course implementers and perceptions of external stakeholders. Moreover, the developers had to consider the limitations imposed by the university's policies and structures while acknowledging the availability of finite resources (i.e. time, money, equipment, and expertise).


Author(s):  
Fang Chiong (Patrick) Pu ◽  
Su Yian Kho ◽  
Ke Khoon Low ◽  
Amy Chou

As a discipline-neutral entity, knowledge exchange, and nexus of the university, the National University of Singapore (NUS) Libraries is the ideal conduit for bringing together faculties and departments to facilitate cross-disciplinary education and research. This case study gives a detailed walkthrough on the creation and design of the Research Skills Framework (RSF), which forms the backbone for all information literacy programmes (ILPs), specifically the flagship Researcher Unbound (RU) programme and RU Symposium, and shares challenges faced and future improvement plans. The exploration, design, and continual improvement of the programme ensured that NUS Libraries provides relevant and timely research support and enhances the digital information literacy skills of the NUS community. This programme continues to be a work in progress drawn from participants' feedback, attendance, experience, and insights from seven semestral runs and cumulative total of 172 workshop sessions.


Author(s):  
Scott Sciffer ◽  
Mahsood Shah

The University of Newcastle, Australia has a long history of providing enabling education which provides access and opportunity for students to participate in undergraduate education. The enabling programs at the University allow higher school leavers, and mature aged adults to prepare for undergraduate degrees. Students who complete enabling education at the University undertake undergraduate studies in various disciplines including engineering. This paper outlines the extent to which enabling programs have played an important role in widening the participation of disadvantaged students in engineering disciplines. The different levels of academic preparedness of students in enabling programs and barriers faced in learning require effective strategies for teaching and engaging students in learning. The paper outlines the strategy used in teaching an advanced level of mathematics to the diverse groups of students to prepare them for success in first year undergraduate engineering programs. While research on undergraduate engineering education is significant, limited studies have been undertaken on enabling or university preparatory programs and their impact in various professions.


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