CONSENT RENEWAL APPLICATION Integrated Advanced Manufacturing Technologies

Transcription

1 CONSENT RENEWAL APPLICATION Integrated Advanced Manufacturing Technologies

2 Consent Renewal Application Bachelor of Applied Technology Integrated Advanced Manufacturing Technologies 1

3 Table of Contents PART A: REPORT ON DELIVERY OF THE CURRENT CONSENT...4 SUBMISSION CHECKLIST PART A...5 Appendix 1: College and Program Information...7 Appendix 2: Abstract of Proposed Program...8 Appendix 3: Delivery of Consent Checklist...9 Achieving the Degree Level Standard: Appendix 4 Documents...9 Appendix 4.1: Achieving the Degree Level Standards - Summary...10 Appendix 5 & 6: Program Content and Admissions Policies...32 Appendix : Program Advisory Committee...35 Appendix 6.3.1: Program Level Learning Outcomes...47 Appendix 6.5.1: Program Structure...48 Appendix 6.5.3: Co-Op Report (Work Experience Outcomes)...49 Appendix 5.2.6: Admission Information...54 Appendix 5.3.1: Student Retention Information...55 Appendix 7: Program Delivery Standard...56 Appendix 8: Capacity to Deliver...57 Appendix 8.2.1: Library Resources...58 Appendix 8.2.2: Computer Access...59 Appendix 8.2.3: Improvement /Expansion of Classroom Space...60 Appendix 8.2.4: Laboratories/Equipment...61 Appendix 8.3: Resource Renewal and Upgrading...64 Appendix B: Faculty Qualifications-Discipline Related Courses...65 Appendix C: Faculty Qualification - Breadth Courses...66 Appendix 8.7: Enrolment Projections and Staffing Implications...67 Appendix 9 & 10: Credential Recognition and Credit Transfer...68 Appendix 9.1.a: Credential Recognition...69 Appendix 11: Program Evaluation...70 Appendix 11.2: Program Evaluation Measures

4 PART B: APPLICATION FOR NEW CONSENT FOR A CURRENT CONSENT PROGRAM...73 SUBMISSION CHECKLIST FOR PART B...74 Record of Proposed Changes to the Current Consent Program and Required Submission Elements...77 Appendix 4.2: Retention of Evidence ( Samples of Student Work)...82 Appendix 5.1.1: Admission Requirements Direct Entry...83 Appendix s...84 Appendix : Academic Course Schedule Appendix 6.4: Course Outlines Year One Outlines Year Two Outlines Year Three Outlines Year Four Outlines Appendix 6.5.1: Program Structure Requirements Appendix 8.7.2: Enrollment Projections and Staffing Implications Standards Adopted after the Pilot Project:

5 PART A: Report on Delivery of the Current Consent 4

6 Submission Checklist Part A Item Name and Binder Tab Submission Checklist for Part A **Appendix 1 College and Program Information *Appendix 2 Abstract of Proposed Program **Appendix 3 Delivery of Current Consent Program Checklist Degree Level Standard Appendix 4.1 Degree Level Standard Summary Program Content Appendix Program Advisory Committee Appendix Professional/Accreditation or Other Requirements Appendix Letters of Support: Professional/ Accreditation or Other Requirements Appendix Program Level Learning Outcomes (Met) Appendix Program Level Learning Outcomes (Not Met) Appendix Program Hour/Credit Conversion Justification Appendix Academic Course Schedule *Appendix 6.4.A. Explanation of Added or Dropped P Courses Appendix 6.4.A.1 Added P Course Outlines *Appendix 6.4.B. Explanation of Added O Courses Appendix 6.4.B.1 Added O Course Outlines Appendix Program Structure Requirement Appendix Support for Work Experience Appendix Work Experience Outcomes and Evaluation *Appendix 6.6, Summary of Program Changes Appendix Admission Requirements Direct Entry Appendix Admission Policies and Procedures for Mature Students Appendix Credit Transfer/Recognition Policies and Procedures Status [X] Attached [X] Attached [X] Attached [X] Attached [X] Attached [ ] Not required [X] Attached [X] Not applicable [X] Not applicable [ ] Not required [X] Attached [X] Not required [X] Not required [X] Not required [X] Not required [X] Not required [X] Not required [X] Not required [ ] Not required [X] Attached [X] Not required [X] Not required [X] Not required [X] Not required [X] Not required [X] Not required 5

7 Appendix Advanced Placement Policies Appendix Degree Completion Arrangements Appendix Gap Analysis Appendix Bridging Courses **Attach as Appendix Admissions Information Appendix 5.3, Promotion and Graduation Requirements **Attach as Appendix 5.3.1, Student Retention Information Program Delivery Standard Appendix Quality Assurance Policies Appendix Policy on Student Feedback Appendix Student Feedback Instruments Appendix On-line Learning Policies and Practices Appendix Academic Community Policies *Appendix Expansion of On-Line Leaning *Appendix Introduction of On-Line Learning Policies [X] Not required [X] Not required [X] Not required [X] Not required [X] Attached [X] Not required [X] Attached [X] Not required [X] Not required [X] Not required [X] Not required [X] Not required [X] Not required [X] Not required 6

8 Appendix 1: College and Program Information Full Legal Name of Organization: Conestoga College Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning Operating Name of Organization: Conestoga College Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning Common Acronym of Organization (if applicable): URL for Organization Homepage (if applicable): Degree program for which consent renewal is being sought: Bachelor of Applied Technology Integrated Advanced Manufacturing Technologies Location (specific address) where program is delivered: Doon Campus Date on which the program commenced: 18_ day 08 month 2003_ year Date when the initial class of students will complete the program: 18 day 08_ month 07 year Contact Information: Person Responsible for this Submission: Jal C Wadia Name/Title: Executive Director, VP Academic Office Full Mailing Address: 299 Doon Valley Drive Kitchener, ON N2G 4M4 Telephone: ext 2240 Fax: jwadia@conestogac.on.ca Site Visit Coordinator (if site visit is required and if different from above):** Name/Title: Full Mailing Address: Telephone: Fax: * The person who is the primary contact for the submission on matters pertaining to proposal content and communications from the Postsecondary Education Quality Assessment Board. ** This person will be the college s liaison for coordinating the site visit, if required. 7

9 Appendix 2: Abstract of Proposed Program The Integrated Advanced Manufacturing Technologies Program is designed to meet the critical need of advanced manufacturing firms for graduates with solid foundations in both engineering and business, and trained specifically to manage complex manufacturing processes. All components of the program focus on the knowledge, skills, and competencies required for quick assumption of leadership roles in industry. Throughout the program, classroom study is integrated with workplace experience, with the proportion of that experience growing each year. The principal learning objective of the program is to ensure that the graduates can manage processes from the initial product and process design and logistics through to integrating multiple production systems and quality control of the output. The program graduates will apply scientific and engineering information to transform ideas and concepts into a product definition that will satisfy customer requirements; they will design optimum manufacturing processes capable of realizing the designed products; and they will configure and connect control devices to achieve the optimum productivity and efficiency of the manufacturing processes. They will also be able to integrate engineering skills and knowledge with current business strategies, adhere to professional, legal and ethical codes of engineering practice, and apply concepts of human relations and organizational behavior to establish and maintain effective working teams. Employment opportunities for the graduates are many: engineering and managerial functions in product development advanced manufacturing processes, information technology applications, manufacturing systems integration, quality assurance systems, process automation, engineering software development and applications, and engineering systems design. In summary, the need for qualified systems integrators who can manage the processes and people in advanced manufacturing is real and widely recognized. The Integrated Advanced Manufacturing Technologies Program addresses creatively and responsibly this need and provides the graduates with a solid foundation upon which further studies in engineering design, manufacturing processes, robotics and automation, business applications, and human resources management can be easily undertaken. 8

10 Appendix 3: Delivery of Consent Checklist Achieving the Degree Level Standard: Appendix 4 Documents Given that your institution has not offered the program for a full fouryear cycle, is the institution confident that it is on track to meeting the intended learning and performance outcomes of the full program? If yes, attach as Appendix 4.1. Degree Level Standard Summary, a concise statement that explains how the institution is able to make this positive determination (e.g., use of internal progress assessments by the program advisory board or committee; external assessments; periodic faculty or program committee meetings examining student performance and progress; employer reports of the level of student preparedness for work placement terms; et cetera) If no, attach as Appendix 4.1., (i) a detailed explanation of how this determination has been made; (ii) the reasons why this is the case; (iii) what measures the institution has/is/will be taking to correct this situation; (iv) why these measures are expected to correct the situation; and (v) what monitoring regime will be used to ensure that these are effective. [X] Yes [ ] No [X] Attached 9

11 Appendix 4.1: Achieving the Degree Level Standards - Summary The college is confident that it is on track for attainment of the standards as outlined in the original proposal. This assertion is based on the following: The Program Faculty Committee responsible for developing and delivering of the program meets on a regular basis to assess the program outcomes and recommend improvement to the curricula. The College has established an appropriate structure for the management of the degree programs including a senior level Degree Management Committee (DMC) which provides oversight. The appended organizational chart, including committee membership, illustrates this reporting structure. The college has recruited and continues to recruit high calibre faculty members with a blend of industrial experience, teaching abilities, and qualifications. The program has an active advisory committee comprised of a properly designed membership reflecting the needs of the program. This advisory committee meets routinely and provides valuable advice. (The membership list and minutes are appended to the appropriate section) The program is reviewed annually by an external assessor. The assessor for this program is Dr. Roy Pick, retired chair and professor, University of Waterloo. This assessor is invited annually to visit the college and provide a written report based on interaction with faculty, administration, and students. (Annual reports appended). The most senior cohort of the program has been on several co-op work terms and the report from the co-op employer has been very positive. (Reports appended) Current Quality Assurance Practices Quality assurance in the delivery of academic programs is attributable to ongoing processes that result in continual improvements. These improvements result from the evaluation of evidence arising from processes which have been documented in accordance with the College quality policies that are themselves approved by the Board of Governors. Curriculum improvements occur primarily through the following processes: Course outlines are reviewed on an annual basis by individual professors in consultation with other faculty teaching in that program. These are then reviewed and approved by the Chair/Dean who ensures that proposed changes maintain the alignment of course and program outcomes. Proposed changes frequently relate to feedback received from students at the previous offering. From time to time, the Program Advisory Committee (PAC) is approached about the content of individual courses and their feedback is also incorporated into proposed changes. Program designs are reviewed on an annual basis by the professors and Chairs/Deans who are responsible for the program. Program outcomes and the design are reviewed in consultation with the PAC and feedback is incorporated into proposed changes. PAC s also initiate changes as members raise issues they 10

12 have come across in industry and that are relevant to a given program. Approval from the PAC is sought for changes to program designs. Significant changes to program designs and in particular any proposed changes to hours of delivery require the approval of the Vice-president, Academic. Professional development courses for new and continuing faculty include an introduction to the College standards on program designs and course outlines, amongst other offerings related to curriculum development. Teaching and learning improvements occur through the following processes: Formative feedback on teaching is obtained through the Student Assessment of Teaching (SAT) surveys that are administered to two sections of students each semester for every member of faculty on probation. The same occurs for full-time instructors though on a biannual basis. After the SAT results are compiled, the Chair/Dean meets with the professor to discuss the results as well as to complete a performance evaluation. The frequency of feedback, particularly during the initial years of teaching, helps ensure effectiveness in the classroom. Professors are also encouraged to seek informal feedback on teaching/learning strategies they have employed in their classrooms. All new faculty participate in a three-part professional development program that commences with a week of in-service activities delivered in August of each year. That program continues with the second part of the program delivered in May of the following year and the third part in June of the year after that. Other professional development activities relevant to improving teaching and learning are available to all faculty on a regular basis. KPI results are reviewed on an annual basis and programs address areas for improvement. In some cases, this might involve improvements to teaching and learning. Improvements in the overall delivery of academic programs and other services occur through the following processes: Program Forums bring together student representatives to meet with their Chair/Dean and program co-ordinator. The agendas for these meetings are set in consultation with the students who can initiate discussions on anything of concern or interest to them. Agenda items might require guests from other areas of the college to ensure they are addressed completely and to the satisfaction of all. Students then report back to the sections they represent to ensure wider communication. Minutes of Program Forums are widely circulated within the College so that issues that emerge across programs and/or Schools can be identified and addressed on a timely basis. Faculty and administrators review the KPI results annually and identify areas in which they would like to improve. Strategies to address these are developed and implemented and results reviewed. The College also has plans to assess the accomplishment towards identified program outcomes for Applied Degree programs on an annual basis during their first delivery. Specialists who are external to the college are being (and will continue to be) invited to review the student assessments and projects and meet with them. Their independent review should ensure the outcomes are appropriate to degree-level programs as well as consistent with what has been planned. Their feedback will be valuable for improving the delivery of these programs. 11

13 The college has well established policies regarding on going program reviews. These policies are established by the Board and the college rigorously follows them. Results of these and other similar quality policies are reflected in continuous improvement and positive KPI results. All diploma and certificate programs are reviewed in depth every three years through established procedures for Program Advisory Committees. Newer programs are reviewed more frequently on an on-going basis until a full cycle of the program is completed. In addition, faculty reviews individual courses every year during the May/June period. Students evaluate the courses taken every semester through the SAT procedure. It is an expectation that all teachers and students discuss, on an on-going basis, content issues that may arise in class from time to time. Recommendations for major changes received from students, teachers and PAC members are brought to the Academic Coordinating Committee. The changes are discussed with regard to possible impact on space utilization, capital expense and strategic direction of the College. Receiving approval for the changes to the curriculum, the Dean responsible will work with the faculty to implement the changes to the curriculum. Each applied degree program has three levels of input and quality control in the curriculum and program design, and management of the program. 1. A program champion is designated and this champion works with a multidiscipline curriculum committee. This committee is assisted by curriculum development expert, and industry and university resources. 2. A second operational level is comprised of champions from each degree program. They share mutual challenges and participate in joint events. This forum provides for the sharing of collective experiences amongst degree programs. 3. A third and senior level committee is chaired by the Vice President Academic and it includes Senior Academic Managers and Director of Strategic projects. This committee is responsible for ensuring standards, quality, policies, operations and overall program offering. This committee also works with the Program Advisory Committee. The committee additionally draws from the expertise of the internal key senior operational managers. Because applied degree programs are new to the College, and we want to be sure that we are indeed offering at the degree level, the curriculum will be reviewed as it is developed by the Program Advisory Committee and by an outside external assessor(s) drawn from universities and/or industry. Students will evaluate this program through the SAT procedure and through the provincially run KPI Student Satisfaction survey. At least for the first full cycle every course, every semester, will be evaluated. Program faculty will, as per existing procedures, evaluate student progress and success and course offerings through their on-going meetings with the Coordinator and Dean. In addition, the yearly KPI data for this program will give additional feedback on how this program is being received. The Dean of the program will report the curriculum changes to the PAC at each of their meetings. 12

14 Degree Management Committee and Structure BOG and President Degree Management Committee Academic Co-ordinating Committee Degree Co-ordinating Committee Health Sciences Degree Co-ordinating Committee Business Degree Co-ordinating Committee Engineering and IT Program Faculty Committee PFC Program Advisory Committee PAC Program Faculty Committee PFC Program Advisory Committee PAC Program Faculty Committee PFC Program Advisory Committee PAC 13

15 Degree Management Committee E. Dahlin B.A.Sc., M.A.Sc., M.B.A., P.Eng. Associate Vice President, Business Development and Applied Research M. Raasok B.Sc.N., M.Sc.N., Reg.N. Associate Vice President, Health Sciences, Community Services and Bio Technology C. Koch B.A., M.Ed., C.A. Associate Vice President, Liberal and Media Studies. M. McClements B.A.Sc., M.B.A., P.Eng. Associate Vice President Engineering and Information Technology/Trades and Apprenticeship J. Wadia Chair B.Arch, M.Arch., ARIBA. Executive Director, Office of the VP Academic F. Mensink B.Math., M.B.A., C.A., C.G.A. Associate Vice President, School of Business 14

16 External Reviewers for Bachelor of Applied Technology Degree Programs: External Reviewers M. Miller Professor and Chair, Department of Architecture (retired) Ryerson University Role: Member Program Advisory Committee External year-end program review External reviewer, Bridging Module R. Pick Professor and Chair of Mechanical Engineering, University of Waterloo (retired) Role: External year-end program review M. Zeytinouglu Professor, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering Ryerson University Role: External year end program review and ITCT Bridging Module G. Locker Professor of Civil Engineering and Dean of Engineering, Lakehead University (retired) Role: External reviewer, Bridging Module 15

17 Annual external Review Year One: EXAMINATION OF THE APPLIED DEGREE IN INTEGRATED ADVANCED MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGIES CONESTOGA COLLEGE May 31, 2004 R. J. PICK DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING UNIVERSITY OF WATERLOO 16

18 2 1.0 INTRODUCTION In September, 2003, Conestoga College initiated a program for an Applied Degree in Integrated Advanced Manufacturing Technologies. Twenty Five students were enrolled and at the time of writing were coming to the end of their second semester. Applied Degree programs are a new undertaking for Conestoga College and a new type of program within the Province of Ontario. It is believed that at some point the program will be evaluated by an external body in a similar manner to which University Engineering Programs are accredited. This evaluation may be initiated by Conestoga College to provide an external opinion of the program or may be initiated by an external organization for the purposes for certification or accreditation. Such evaluations usually occur after the first class has completed the program. In anticipation of such an evaluation Conestoga College has asked the author to review the program to identify deficiencies that may, as the program proceeds, lead to an unsatisfactory evaluation. 2.0 VISITS At the initiation of the study and during visits to the college the author was provided with the following documents: Proposal for an Applied Degree: Integrated Advanced Manufacturing Technologies, December 3, 2001, Volume 1 and 2. Integrated Advance Manufacturing Technologies, Semester 1 Syllabus for Year 1 Integrated Advance Manufacturing Technologies, Semester 2 Syllabus for Year 1 Foundation Module Notes Various student tests and assignments Three student Project Reports from semester 1 (Returned after reading) IAMT Program Design Master Fall 2003 Intake (Printed 19-Apr-04) Four visits were made to the Campus between April 14 and April 23, In the first and second visits the author met with faculty members and discussed the program. In the third and fourth visits the author met with the students in the program and viewed demonstrations of their projects. 17

19 3 3.0 PROGRAM REVIEW The program consists of 8 academic semesters, and 2 work terms in a four year program. The program has traditional Mechanical Engineering subjects and courses on manufacturing and business management. The Proposal for the Applied Degree contained a listing of the courses to be given: seven courses per term including a complementary studies course and a project course in each term (Figure 1). The courses selected for the program appear appropriate for the definition of the outcome of the program. In each semester the students are to undertake a major project (individually in Semesters 1 2, in small groups in Semesters 3, 4, 5 and 6 and in large groups in Semesters 7 and 8) as shown in Figure 1. The courses are to be presented in support of the project in a project based learning experience. Contrary to the proposal the current first year class undertook group projects rather than individual projects (5 groups of 5 students). The assigned project consisted of a Robotic Arm to be constructed by each student group according to drawings made by the student from a model. A gripper was to be designed and constructed to allow the structure to be used to pick and place metal tiles. The project required information from a number of course and this led to the presentation of part of a courses as a module. The program proposal contained a course schedule (Figure 1) implying the completion of all courses in each term. However IAMT Program Design Master dated 19-Apr-04 (Figure 2) shows that various courses have been moved to different semesters and a number of courses have and will be presented spanning two terms and in some cases 3 terms. The spreading of courses over two terms has been used at various universities but has gradually been discontinued in favour of one term courses. The major disadvantage is student loading. Current students commented that they had 13 subjects in Semester One and 14 in Semester two. Because of assignments, tests, etc., they had little time for in depth study of any of the subjects. Several courses are to be spread over 3 semesters. One expects that considerable review will be required in the third semester as it is preceded by a work term and the college should be prepared to address the inherent inefficiency of such a system. Solutions for the difficulty of examinations, etc. that cover material presented up to 16 months earlier and questions regarding promotion and failure will need to be addressed. Since the curriculum is being heavily influenced by the project in each year, documentation describing the projects, the expected goal of the project, the outcome of the project and the relationship to the curriculum must be kept. The author noted that the project for Year Two was in the discussion stage. Time appears short to design the project and the curriculum for Year Two. It is recommended that the projects for years 3 and 4 be specified so that the supporting curriculum can be designed. One also notes that the individual projects proposed for Semester 1 and 2 were changed to group projects: Are individual projects still planned and are the required additional resources available? The College-and the Faculty must be complimented in attempting a project based program. Certainly the students thought highly of the format and the relationship of the project to their courses. However the key to the success of the program is the careful selection and development of future projects. This will require considerable effort and faculty should be given time and credit for this effort. It is recommended that an investigation of projects offered at other universities and colleges be undertaken to assist faculty in searching for that perfect project. At the same time experience from other institutions will be valuable in setting expectations and justifying project choices. This will become more important for the more complex projects expected in the senior years. 18

20 4 Finally a unique set of documentation will be required showing how the project and course work combine to provide the desired learning outcomes. Program evaluations may be based on the results of the weakest student. In projects undertaken by groups one must be able to evaluate the contribution and the learning experience of the weakest student. Alternatively individual projects must be undertaken and evaluated. Of greatest concern was the process by which curriculum and project decisions are made, approved and documented. By the final year the program will be different from that in the proposal. One must be able to show a process and documentation through which the curriculum evolved. In particular it must be shown that changes were made to produce academic improvement. The curriculum was developed with the assistance of a Program Advisory Development Committee with industrial representation. Has an industrial committee been formed to approve changes to the curriculum and to review the outcome of the program? 4.0 FACILITIES The current first year students are housed in a single room, each student having a desk and computer. It was obvious that the computers were well utilized by the students and the College is to be complimented on providing these facilities. However all contact hours are held in this room. The students comment that the room arrangement is not optimum for lectures and use of the white board. Their preference would be to have their lectures in a classroom. Students also commented that the computers could be distracting during lectures and instructors need to be reminded to disable the computers during lectures. The author has been told that there will be a move to a new building. The design of the rooms in the new building should take into account the comments of the existing students. The class remains together during all activities. They appeared to be cohesive and friendly. In future classes this may not be the case and some provision should be made for greater mixing with the general college population (see comments on non technical courses). Library resources have not been examined but should be considered, particularly with respect to 3 and 4 year material. In addition since the projects form a major component of the program is their adequate technical literature, catalogues, etc? Where should technical literature reside: in the library or in the Program facilities? 5.0 FAILURE AND PROMOTION POLICY In the current program structure, a single course can be presented over 3 semesters. It was indicated that the students were warned when their performance was below expectations but failure would not occur until completion of the course. This raises questions with regard to failure and promotion in such a course: if a course is not completed at the end of a semester how is failure of the semester defined; how would one repeat a course that is spread over three semesters, etc.? There does not appear to be policy covering courses offered over more than one semester. The students also indicated that they did not understand the promotion system. Several students were told that policy would be developed when a given situation arose. It is obvious that the faculty knows the current class members very well and is attempting to correct student deficiencies as they occur. This shows the dedication of the faculty to this program but one must question if this can continue with more classes and new faculty members. It was not clear how failure or promotion will be assessed and handled for the projects. 19

21 5 6.0 NON TECHNICAL ELECTIVES Within engineering programs there is often a requirement for training in non engineering subjects often termed complementary studies or non-technical courses. Economics is often expected to be one of these courses. The remaining courses are expected to provide engineering students with experiences in the social sciences, arts, humanities and communication skills. The proposed program contains 4 non technical electives and courses in, Style in Scientific and Technical Writing, Financial Management, Visual Media in Technical Communications and Law Ethics & Professional Practice. The current students selected their first non technical elective in Semester 2. It was indicated that all students elected to take the same course. The author finds it unusual that all students have the same non engineering interests and suspects that the decision may have been a scheduling decision. One must question if this meets the spirit of complementary studies. Such a course would tend to be a course for engineers and not be presented from a non engineering perspective. In addition there would be little opportunity for students to mix socially with non engineering students. In a heavily male dominated program, working 60 hours a week, students could get the feeling and frustrations of living in a monastery. 7.0 STUDENTS Interviewing the students indicated they were generally happy with the system. It was indicated that the work load was heavy. Work in the evenings and weekends were required with an estimated work load of 60 hours per week. Those without computers at home tended to work late at the college. Several students indicated that they were struggling but admitted they had weak backgrounds. I was impressed with the maturity, cohesiveness and conscientiousness of the students. With respect to course material all agreed that Calculus should be given in the first semester. The students were very happy with the Foundations Module presented at the start of the term. However they commented that a large number of topics were covered and they felt the more depth in fewer topics would be more desirable. 8.0 FACULTY The faculty members involved in this program must be complimented for the considerable effort they have put into this program. It is obvious that it is and will continue to be a very heavy teaching load until some form of steady state is reached. It was suggested that some faculty had declined to teach in the program because of the work load. It is expected that the work load will increase in the senior years as the course material, assignments, tests, etc., and the project become more sophisticated. Recognition for the extra loading required for applied degree programs particularly for teaching in the senior years should be accorded. One notes that faculty members do all of their own marking. Some relief in this area would allow greater availability for course development and assistance to the students in their projects. It was indicated that 2 additional faculty members will be assigned to the program in September. It is unclear if this is sufficient for this program since year 2 will add 14 additional teaching tasks (7 in each semester). External examiners will undoubtedly question the staffing of the program to ensure that faculty members are not unreasonably loaded. 9.0 STUDENT PERFORMANCE While I was provided with copies of assignments and tests I noted that the marks were high and these must have been submitted by some of the better students. One must also retain copies of assignments, tests, etc. of the weakest students as these may be used to judge the quality of the program. 20

22 MANAGEMENT The current management structure appears flexible and effective in the development phase of the program. External reviewers would be interested in understanding the management structure of the program within the management of Conestoga College to ensure that the program is properly represented within the College and given access to both funding and resources. External reviewers would also be interested in understanding the collective agreement governing the faculty to ensure the program can be properly supported within the agreement PROGRAM LEVEL I have reviewed the Syllabus for Semester 1 and 2 and conclude that the topics to be covered are of a broader scope than in most first year engineering programs. This is due to the need of providing background for the project and is to be expected. in project based learning. One must question the depth of some of these courses in certain areas. For example most university programs have a full course in Chemistry in first year. Parts of this subject are covered in the Material Science and Science in Engineering courses but not to the depth of a full Chemistry course. However one must be careful in attempting to compare the Conestoga program with a conventional university program. The first three years of a university engineering program are effectively set by accreditation requirements and contain a number of basic courses, often to some depth, e. g. 6 math courses, fluid mechanics, etc. The applied nature and the project based learning of the program at Conestoga are predicated on much broader objectives and so a direct comparison to a university program is probably not appropriate. In addition as courses are given in modules over several semesters it is difficult to compare these to the structured one term courses given at universities. One comparison could be by comparing the text books used and the chapters covered. I have reviewed various student assignments and tests and the difficulty of the program appears reasonable. I did not hear student complaints about difficulty but rather work load. I note that course evaluation was often by assignments and term tests. One would expect this to yield high marks. Comparison to a university program is difficult as universities put considerable emphasis on final exams ADDITIONAL OBSERVATIONS In discussing the program with the students they did not appear to have a very good idea of what type of job they would be suitable for upon graduation. Of particular concern was providing an explanation of their program and the focus of their training to employers during work term jobs. I suggested that their training may be useful in a project engineering role, since there is a strong need for project engineers in industry; a workshop on work term interviewing would be useful CONCLUSIONS Overall I was impressed with the program and the effort and dedication of the Conestoga College staff in delivering the program. While the content of the program appears to be following the Program Proposal the method of delivery appears to be under development. This is not unexpected as project based learning is new and not widely developed. It is not known how the program will be assessed in the future for accreditation or certification. However certain aspects of the program that may be examined can be commented on: 21

23 7 Program Content Program content should be described in course descriptions and each course offered should be documented in terms of the material covered, examinations given and textbooks used. If course content changes there should be a clear method of documenting and approving changes. Such a system does not appear to have been set up. Non Technical Electives Students should be encouraged to take a variety of non technical electives to ensure that the spirit of a non technical elective program is achieved. Project Based Learning In traditional course structures it is relatively easy to assess delivery methods and the resources required. In project based learning there is more consultation with students, more time spent in project development, etc. in addition to contact hours. Resources must be shown to be available for these activities. This may be a challenge within the College s Collective Agreement with the staff. Delivery Method Success of the delivery method can be provided by student opinion, however only if the students are well informed about the objectives of the program and courses. A major problem with project based learning and the resulting spread of courses over several terms is overloading of the student. Student representation should be sought in program planning to view the program from a student workload perspective. Promotion Policy Various courses are being given over two or three semesters. Policy must be developed on promotion or failure of such courses and the remedies for failure. Students must be informed of these policies. Facilities The facilities provided the students in the program are excellent and should be a strong point of the program if future students are given equivalent facilities. However moving some courses to lecture rooms may be desirable from a teaching point of view. It will be necessary to show that library resources are available, particularly for senior subjects. Faculty Faculty members are obviously heavily loaded by this program. Will such dedication continue and will new faculty members be willing to undertake this program? This opens many questions with respect to hiring, promotion, salary, etc., all bracketed by a Collective Agreement. This will be a key area that external reviewers will assess and therefore must be well defined within the college structure. Admissions Since program is very new student admission standards have not reached a steady state. However such documentation should be accumulated. In addition student performance should be correlated to admission level to define weaknesses that the foundation module could address. Hopefully as the program becomes more recognized admission standards should increase. Student Performance Records of student performance should be kept as well of examples of projects, tests, assignments and examinations. Since it is unclear how an external assessment will proceed, 22

24 examples from both the best students and the weakest students should be retained. Performance of the weakest student may be used to assess the strength of the program. 23

25 Bachelor of Applied Technology - Integrated Advanced Manufacturing Technologies (IAMT) FIGURE 2. Program Design (6-Apr-04).xls SD Roy Pick 24

26 Annual external Review Year Two: 2005 EXAMINATION OF THE APPLIED DEGREE IN INTEGRATED ADVANCED MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGIES CONESTOGA COLLEGE July 10, 2005 R.J.PICK R. J. Pick Ltd. Box 1003 Markdale, Ontario, NOC 1HO 25

27 2 1.0 INTRODUCTION Conestoga College has begun a program for an Applied Degree in Integrated Advanced Manufacturing Technologies. The first class of students was enrolled in September, 2003, and has currently completed their second year (referred to as second year students). A second set of students enrolled in September, 2004 and have currently completed their first year (referred to as first year students). Applied Degree programs are a new undertaking for Conestoga College and a new type of program within the Province of Ontario. It is believed that at some point the program will be evaluated by an external body in a similar manner to which University Engineering Programs are accredited. Such evaluations usually occur after the first class has completed the program. In anticipation of such an evaluation Conestoga College has asked the author to review the program to identify deficiencies that may, as the program proceeds, lead to an unsatisfactory evaluation. 2.0 ISSUES IDENTIFIED IN THE FIRST VISIT In May of 2004, the author visited the college to examine the program and meet with the first class of students. The results of this visit were reported on May 31, 2004 and a number of issues were identified. During the 2005 visits these issues were reviewed and, as described below, the College responded too many of the issues. 2.1 PROGRAM CONTENT The author noted that the curriculum for the students starting in 2004 is different from that of the students starting in The change has led to fewer courses per term and no course spread over three semesters. It is not known if the curriculum will change further for the class starting in An accreditation exercise will want to view a steady state curriculum. I assume accreditation will come after the first class graduates and I assume that Years one and two will have reached steady state. Changes to Years 3 and 4 will need to document so that a steady state can be defined. The curriculum was developed with the assistance of a Program Advisory Development Committee with industrial representation. Has an industrial committee been formed to approve changes to the curriculum and to review the outcome of the program? 2.2 NON TECHNICAL ELECTIVES In the first visit report the author noted that the students should be encouraged to take non technical courses. A review of the program for students starting in August 2004 (on web site indicated the following courses that do not appear to be conventional engineering courses. Semester 1: Science in Engineering *Science, Technology, and Society Interpersonal and Group Dynamics Semester 2: Science in Engineering Style in Scientific and Technical Writing Semester 3: Financial Management Semester 4: Technical Communications and Visual Media Semester 5: Business Organizations and Operations Generic Skills *Liberal Studies Elective from a Degree Program Semester 6: *Liberal Studies Elective from a Degree Program Semester 7: *Engineering Economics *Law Ethics and Professional Practice *Liberal Studies Elective from a Degree Program Semester 8: Business Analytical Methods Environment, Health and Ergonomics 26

28 3 Few of these courses have course descriptions so it is difficult to judge if the content can be considered non technical. In accreditation of engineering programs, universities must provide the equivalent of one term of non technical courses. In the case of Conestoga College this may be 7 to 8 courses. The courses marked with * have been used for the accreditation of engineering programs and should nearly satisfy any accreditation requirements. It is probable that in the other courses there is sufficient non technical content to meet a full requirement of 7 to 8 courses. Discussions indicated that the program of Liberal Studies Electives for Degree Programs were currently under development. Issues such as the number to be available and their placement in the timetable are being addressed. The author must emphasize that these Liberal Studies Electives will be essential to show there is a spirit of providing a liberal arts component to the program. 2.3 PROJECT BASED LEARNING Previously concern was expressed for the resources available to produce and maintain effective projects and to undertake the student consultation required within a project based learning situation. While the new project developed for second year of the program is very good this concern remains for future years and for the development of new first and second year projects. I believe faculty is expecting the work load to decrease as steady state is reached. However this aspect of the program will never reach steady state since it will always be necessary to develop new and relevant projects. Two potential third year projects were discussed and are both were very good. The creation of an automation work cell would be challenging and would be an extension of the year one and two projects. The project of doing a best manufacturing practices audit of local industries would be very desirable as a new challenge for the students. However this project would require considerable consultation with the faculty and would be a heavy work load for the faculty members involved. This may make a better final year project as the students will be more mature and have greater work term experience. It was noted that the project will not be required until January, 2006 and so some time is left to select and develop the project. 2.4 DELIVERY METHOD The author noted that the curriculum has been changed with some reduction of the interaction of the courses and the project. This is a reasonable curriculum development. The author had previously expressed concern for courses spread over three semesters. This structure has been eliminated. In addition some consolidation has occurred resulting in fewer courses per term. This should help to reduce the overloading of students. However student workload should be monitored since the number of courses proposed for the complete program greatly out numbers that of a university engineering curriculum. Generally university engineering programs offer between 5 and 6 courses per semester. 2.5 PROMOTION POLICY The author was given a copy of the promotion policy. While containing some editorial errors the policy appears reasonable. It is expected that it will be modified as experience is gained. It should be adequate for any accreditation exercise. The author was also told of the possibility of several students failing their year. This is an indication that the quality of the program is being maintained, It is recommended that records be kept of failure rates, etc. 2.6 FACILITIES The College has created a home room for each class containing a computer for each student and work space for the project. The College is to be commended for such excellent facilities. In 2004, the students indicated the room was not optimum for lectures. This has been improved as 27

29 4 lectures are now given in lecture space. In general the students were very pleased with the facilities. The students joining the program in September 2005 will be given their own home room. However there was concern that a lecture room may not be available. This would be a degradation of the facilities and a return to a less than satisfactory teaching environment. Library resources have not been examined, however the students indicated that they had not found much material in the library related to their program. This may become more of a problem in senior ( and 4 year) classes. Accreditation is often concerned about library resources. Tight budgets generally prevent a rapid growth of the library. However the author notes that extensive technology libraries exist at the University of Waterloo and Guelph and, if arrangements can be made for Conestoga College students to use these libraries, this may satisfy the requirements of the students and an accreditation exercise. 2.7 FACULTY As in the previous visit, the author was impressed with dedication and hard work of the faculty members teaching in the program. Again concern must be expressed with the level of dedication required and the ability to retain such dedicated teachers. Undoubtedly some of the workload can be attributed to a start up transient. However the project component of the program will remain a heavy workload as new projects will need to be created as the program continues in steady state. Any accreditation exercise will need to be shown how the program will be staffed effectively. 2.8 ADMISSIONS The author was provided with the admission records and the College records of the current 1 and 2 year students. There was a reasonable correlation between the student s performance at Conestoga College and their high school performance. There did not appear to be any abnormalities in the College admission procedures. 2.9 STUDENT PERFORMANCE The author viewed the program content for the various classes and course description of the courses that have been given on a web site supplied by the college. The author also viewed representative examinations and project reports from some of the courses. These appear appropriate for an accreditation exercise and the College should continue to collect this data. By the time of accreditation there will be excess first and second year examples of examinations, reports, etc. This is a better situation than having too few examples. 3.0 COMMENTS FROM 2005 VISIT The author visited the College on two occasions, the first to meet with the students and the second to meet with the faculty members. In addition the author was given the following documents to review: Web Site Documents: Syllabus for Year 1 to 4 of the 2003 admissions Syllabus for Year I to 4 of the 2004 Description of Year 1 Project Robotic Arm Description of IAMT Year 2 Automation Project Samples of tests and assignments give in Year 2 Course mark averages and failure rates for Year 1 and 2 Admission qualifications for Year 1 and 2 Current Student Promotion Policy 28