Interim Follow-up Report to the Program Quality Assurance Process Audit. Ontario College Quality Assurance Service

Transcription

1 Interim Follow-up Report to the Program Quality Assurance Process Audit Submitted to: Submitted by: Ontario College Quality Assurance Service Northern College Date: January 28, 2010

2 Office of the President Mail: Courier: P.O. Box Hwy 101 East Timmins, ON South Porcupine, ON Canada, P4N 8R6 Canada, P0N 1H0 Tel Fax January 28, 2011 Ms. Joy Warkentin, Chair OCQAS Management Board Ontario College Quality Assurance Service 20 Bay Street, Suite 1600 Toronto, ON M51 2N8 Dear Ms. Warkentin: On behalf of Northern College, I am pleased to submit an Interim Report to the OCQAS Management Board as a follow-up to our Program Quality Assurance Audit held in May The Interim Report provides an update on our progress with regard to the two recommendations submitted by the Audit Team as well as updates on the affirmations on Program Quality Assurance Process Audit Gap Identification Resolution Strategy 2009 identifying certain areas that require additional work. Our experience with the PQAPA process was rewarding. Sincerely, Fred Gibbons, President PQAPA Follow-up Report January 2011 [2]

3 PQAPA INTERIM FOLLOW UP REPORT The Program Quality Assurance Process Audit for Northern College May 2009 made the following recommendarions: Expected Recommendations (pp 24-25) I. While the College has provided two charts outlining its proposed PQAPA Annual Audit and Five- Year Audit, the processes oultlined require further refinement. II. While the College is to be commended for continuing its funding for a PQAPA Project leader, the position is part time with the incumbent continuing to be responsible for a number of other functions; consideration should be given to strengthening the PQAPA function by providing additional resources to support this function. Affirmation on PQAPA Gap Identification and Resolution Strategy Northern College also prepared a Program Quality Assurance Process Audit Gap Identification and Resolution Strategy 2009 identifying seven areas that required further work. The gaps to be addressed included: a. Need for standardization and central control of program maps. b. Necessity for consistent provision of general education courses to conform to MTCU requirements. c. Need for uniform application of Prior Learning Assessment Recognition (PLAR) across the College. d. Requirement to Improve the measuring tools to support the choice of teaching methods. e. Necessity for modification of processes to ensure that evaluation of faculty takes place on a consistent basis across the institution. f. Requirement to advance professional development and opportunies related to and derived from evaluations of part-time faculty and staff. g. Need for development of a college-wide process for program revisions. PQAPA Follow-up Report January 2011 [3]

4 Actions Taken I. Northern College has developed a revised Academic Program Review Procedure with the guidelines that: a. Academic Program Review (APR) is mandatory for all programs. b. All programs and services are required to perform an ongoing or annual (formative) review. c. A full, formal summative review will be conducted at 5-7 year intervals (to align with provincial standard revisions) or as needed (consistent with evidence based practice i.e. significantly decreased enrollments, or lower scores on KPI reports). d. The comprehensiveness of program review for certificate, diploma and degree programs will vary based on relevant Program Quality Assurance (PQAPA) requirements. e. When appropriate, an external accreditation process may be used in lieu of the College s summative review process. Expected Program Review Outcomes: Northern s quality assurance process will demonstrate that all college programs are: a. Engaged in a continuous cycle of curriculum review, validation and maintenance. b. Aligned with the Northern College Vision, Mission, and the strategic direction of the college. c. Aligned with the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities (MTCU) credentials framework (levels of learning, program hours, etc). d. Delivered in an optimally efficient and effective way. e. Meet specific college-wide baseline program standards that: i. Ensure all programs have current vocational outcomes developed through industry/community consultation and aligned with MTCU vocational (where they exist) and general education standards. ii. Demonstrate that course content is aligned with program outcomes. iii. Integrate essential Employability skills across the curriculum. iv. Ensure that delivery mode, learning activities and assessment activities align and complement intended program and course outcomes. PQAPA Follow-up Report January 2011 [4]

5 v. Ensure that program and course outcomes are reviewed and revised annually and curriculum adjusted accordingly. The Policy and Procedure outlines a formative review step-by-step process and a summative review step-by-step process as well as data template worksheets for both. Actions Taken: II. PQAPA project leadership has been assigned to an Academic Director (Dean). The Director s Job Fact Sheet reads (in part) that: The Director is responsible for leading College-wide academic qualtiy assurance initiatives, to ensure that the college is in compliance with PQAB standards, directions and recommendations. a. The relocation of the PQAPA project leadership has been assigned to an Academic Director (Dean). A single template for program maps has been established. Program maps now exist for all programs and this position houses the central data base for all program maps. This position has had additional administrative assistance assigned to assist with these responsibilities. b. Northern College has a new College wide General Education Policy that provides a mechanism for complying with the Government of Ontario s Credentials framework for Ontario college programs, which requires each program of study to provide students with vocational, essential employability and general education skills. c. Northern College has developed a new Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition Policy with a new Resource Guide to ensure that the process is applied uniformly across the college. The Resource Guide provides a definition for PLAR. It explains the process and how it is to be documented and assessed, and how to develop a portfolio. The Resource Guide contains information for faculty assessments, work sheets, checklists, and assessment forms. d. New and improved program and course evaluation tools have been developed that touch on the utilization of a measuring tool to support the choice of teaching methods, however, the college recognizes that additional work must be done in this area. e. The hiring of additional administrative position(s) cross campuses, has faciliated the consistent and regular evauation of both faculty and support staff across the college. f. Professional development activities are now available to part time faculty and part time staff at the beginning of each semester and as well during the academic year when available. Our Leadership Excellence and Innovation Department (LEID) has developed on-line professional development assistance for faculty such as Survival Skills for the Northern College Professor, Classroom Management Skills as well as Assessment and Evaluation Skills. These professional development tools are available to full and part time staff on an on-going basis. PQAPA Follow-up Report January 2011 [5]

6 g. The development of a college-wide process for program review has been dealt with above. (see item #I a-e under actions taken pp.1) h. Schedule for program review on target. (see attached Appendix I) i. A college wide Academic/Operations Working Group (AOWG) has been established to provide regular review of academic policies and procedures. PQAPA Follow-up Report January 2011 [6]

7 APPENDIX I Program Summative Review Schedule PQAPA Follow-up Report January 2011 [7]

8 Program Summative Review Schedule Program Name Last Reviewed Next Review Addictions Counselor New program-reviewed 2010 Summative-2015 Agriculture In abeyance Animal Grooming Information not available Summative 2012 Bachelor of Science in Nursing Interim accreditation report to CASN completed December 2010 Next accreditation process Building Inspection Technician Program established 2005 Program review currently in process Business Administration 3 Year Accounting - B002 PC Reviewed in 2003 Next summative review Business 2 Year Accounting B006 - PC Reviewed in 2003 Next summative review Business 2 Year General B005 - PC Reviewed in 2003 Next summative review Business 2Year Marketing Reviewed 2005 with release of Next summative review B007- PC new provincial standards Business Information Systems Formally reviewed in 2003 Next summative review-2012 Child & Youth Worker -Reviewed in 2010 Next summative review-2015 Civil Engineering Technology -Reviewed in 2005 Program review- currently in process College Vocational Reviewed in 2005 Next summative review 2012 Community Economic and Social Reviewed in Next summative review Development Administration Computer Engineering Technician Reviewed in 2009 Next summative review Computer Programmer Program suspended Construction Building Reviewed in 2005 Program summative review Management Construction and Maintenance Electrician, Level I Apprenticeship- Construction and Maintenance Electrician, Level II Apprenticeship- Construction and Maintenance Electrician, Level III Apprenticeship- Reviewed in 2005 Reviewed in 2005 Reviewed in 2005 currently in process Program summative review currently in process Program summative review currently in process Program summative review currently in process Developmental Services Worker -reviewed in 2005 Apprenticeship delivery on hold- Program review now scheduled for 2011 Early Childhood Education Reviewed in Next review 2015 PQAPA Follow-up Report January 2011 [8]

9 Educational Assistant Reviewed in 2007 Next review 2012 Electrical Engineering Reviewed in 2008 Next review 2013 Technician/Technology Environmental Technician Reviewed in Next review 2013 Water, Wastewater General Arts & Science No information available Next review scheduled for 2012 Heavy Equipment Techniques Reviewed in 2010 Next review 2016 T093-PC Industrial Mechanical Millwright Techniques Reviewed in 2010 Next review 2016 Instrumentation Co-op Reviewed in Next review 2014 Apprenticeship Technician Law Clerk Reviewed in Next review 2014 Management Reviewed in 2003 Next review Mining Engineering Technician Next review Motive Power Fundamentals Reviewed in 2006 Next review MP2008 Natural Resources Technician No information available Next review scheduled for 2014 Office Administration Executive Reviewed in 2003 Next review Office Administration General Reviewed in 2003 Next review Paramedic Bridging Reviewed in 2008 Next review 2013 Paramedic Program Reviewed in 2008 with new Next review 2013 vocational standards Personal Support Worker Reviewed in 2010 Next review in 2015 Police Foundations Reviewed in 2009 Next review in 2014 Practical Nursing Reviewed in 2010 through Next review in 2015 external program approval process with College of Nurses Pre-Health Sciences Reviewed in 2007 Next review in 2012 Pre-Service Firefighter External endorsement with Next endorsement in 2012 Office of Fire Marshal Pre Technology New program validation in 2008 Next review 2013 Public Administration Reviewed in Next review 2013 Social Service Worker Program Reviewed in 2010 Next review 2015 Veterinary Assistant Reviewed in 2005 Next review Veterinary Technology Wildlife Rehabilitation No information available Next review scheduled for Veterinary Technology Companion Animal No information available Next review scheduled for Rehabilitation Welding Design Reviewed Next review 2012 Welding Engineering Technology W009, W010, W138, W139 Reviewed Next review 2012 PQAPA Follow-up Report January 2011 [9]