Drafting & Design Technology Program Review/Planning Process

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1 Drafting & Design Technology Program Review/Planning Process Section I. The Program: Your Unit s Purpose and Goals 1. What is the Mission of your Program. It is the mission of the Drafting and Design Technology department to provide the student with the most current and pertinent information and learning possible. The students of Drafting and Design Technology are given an experience with as many different types of software and exposed to as many types of drafting technology as is possible in a two-year program. It is our plan to give each student an exposure to Mechanical drafting, Architectural drafting (both Commercial and Residential), Structural steel construction, and Civil drafting. We also strive to expose them to as many of the new and upcoming technologies as is possible, such as training in three dimensional solid modeling, the use of geometrical dimensioning and toleranceing, the use of coordinate measuring devices, and rapid prototyping. The students in our program are given an exposure to modern techniques in drafting and design and are better prepared to take a position in any field they may choose. 2. What is the primary purpose or goal of your program/department? Consider these questions when responding to item 1: Who are your clients? What are their expectations? How do you deliver or provide learning? How do you know how well you are doing? How do you measure quality? The drafting and Design Technology program is competency-based and is designed to meet the on-going needs of business, industry, and the students. The program is structured to develop the technical skills, general knowledge, and the critical thinking and problem-solving abilities of graduates. Broad-based technical skills and critical thinking processes assist the students in adapting to changes in the work environment and allow advancement in the field. 1

2 The program includes a core of general education classes that teach the concepts and principles of the social sciences, communication skills, and mathematics. 3. What are the intended student outcomes? What are students to learn in this program? The credit hour Associate of Applied Science degree in Drafting & Design Technology provides comprehensive instruction to prepare students for entry into a wide range of positions in the drafting & design industry. All students are required to complete a specific core of general education and technical courses. The remaining 2-3 credit hours (typically 1 course or a cooperative education internship) are determined by the student s choice, giving each an opportunity to specialize or to get a head start for employment. Upon completion of the Associate of Applied Science degree in Drafting & Design Technology, the student s technical skills would include a firm foundation in structural, civil, and architectural drafting; geometric dimensioning and tolerancing; and manufacturing processes and materials. General education skills would include college level algebra or technical mathematics, trigonometry, technical writing, social science electives and a lab science. Types of employment could include: designer/drafter in a manufacturing, civil, structural, or architectural environment. 4. What are the key quality indicators (KQI) for your program or service unit? These may center on the attributes or characteristics students should possess when they have completed the program or a significant block of program courses. In academic programs, indicators might include such things as student success in subsequent related courses, demonstration of mastery of program competencies, student success on other performance measures, or completion of certificate and degree programs. Scholastic success of students, measured through course completion; Scholastic success of students, measured by % of students who received an A, B, or C in the course; Placement of program graduates and/or program participants; Employer satisfaction; and Student satisfaction 2

3 5. What is your program s five-year plan? What external and internal factors do you see as influencing your unit s outlook for the future? How should your plan change as a result of these factors? What are the most important goals for your program for the next five years? Consider internal and external factors and review all the data as well as other sections before completing. This information should feed directly into your annual planning and actions plans. 5-Year Plan Short-range goals Increase student interaction with area professional drafting & design businesses. Increase types of software available to drafting & design technology students. Provide students with many of the new technologies that are currently available. Increase student involvement in their learning process. Long-range goals Encourage and promote excellence in teaching and scholarship by respecting the process of learning, believing in the importance of scholarly learning, and the role of the student in the process. Provide quality advisement for students. Prepare graduates with workable skills using computer literacy, technical communication, critical thinking, and problem solvingabilities. Provide students state-of-the-art computer software and meaningful activities by utilizing hardware. Continually assess, update, and revise curricula to meet current industry practices. Continually make prospective students aware of the program. Maintain strong relationships with industry and advisory committees. Increase opportunities for faculty development. 3

4 Section II. Admissions/Placement and Entry (Academic Programs) 1. Is admission to the program selective and based on criteria specified in writing? No. The Drafting and Design Technology program has an open admissions policy consistent with the admissions policy of the college. 2. Have these criteria been demonstrated to be related to student success in the program? N.A. 3. Is enrollment in any required program course dependent upon student performance on assessment/placement test? No. 4. Have results of these assessment/ placement tests been demonstrated to be related to student success in the program? N.A. 5. Have the skills necessary for entry into the program s first college-level course been identified? N.A. Section III. Enrollment Trends See trend report attached. 4

5 Section IV. Section V. Faculty/ Course Sections Information (past 5 years-fall semester only) FA-00 FA-01 FA-02 FA-03 FA-04 Total full-time faculty Total part-time faculty Percentage of student credit hours taught by full-time faculty 55% Curriculum Section 1. How are students explicitly informed of your program/department s goals/competencies for the program? Each student receives a course syllabus for each course on the first day of classes. Once students have declared a program, the student is assigned an advisor within the department to further prepare students for completion of program requirements. 2. Please outline your program s practice of advising. For example, who advises and what activities constitute an advisor s responsibility (e.g., converse about educational aspirations, give career/four-year college counseling, consult about personal problems)? How is advising coordinated within the program? What training do advisors receive? Is evening advising available? Once students have declared a program emphasis, they are assigned to a fulltime faculty member in that program for advisement. Ideally, Murl Darby or Richard Faber will advise all students actively pursuing a degree or certificate in the Drafting and Design Technology program. In practice, however, some students choose to self-advise or fail to declare a program emphasis. All full-time faculty members receive an advisor s handbook and a current college catalog to aid them in advisement. Likewise, departmental faculty have the full support of student services to answer specific questions, provide testing, or specialized career or personal counseling. 5

6 3. How do you assess advising effectiveness? What have you found? Although there is no formal assessment of advising effectiveness, reviewing degree audits with students each semester allows a good understanding of courses needed and possible scheduling conflicts that could arise. General education course advising often involves the division chair and the instructor to insure proper course selection for the student. Most post secondary students have a very good understanding of what they need to accomplish for their degree objective. 4. With respect to student progress and retention: How do you assess academic progress as students move through this program? Departmental finals? Classroom assessment techniques? Exit exams? Interviews? What coordination exists to monitor the progress of learning? Student progress is assessed throughout the duration of each course offering, academic semester, and through program completion. Exams, written, and oral assignments are given in each course, and students are provided with immediate feedback. Midterm grades are also assigned to keep students abreast of the progress. Student progress is also monitored through the personal advisement process. This provides the student and advisor to discuss any concerns and adjust the educational plan if necessary. What is happening with respect to student retention? Why do students leave? The reality is that some program students don t complete the AAS degree. Many complete technical requirements and go to work in industry. We believe there is benefit to degree completion and to four-year transfer, but this is not always consistent with the student s plans. See trend reports attached. 6

7 5. To what extent do students in your program take courses in the order prescribed by your curriculum? How long does it take for students to graduate? What serious impediments exist to prevent timely progress toward a degree? Are course prerequisites appropriate? The Drafting and design Technology courses have been arranged in a preferred course sequence. Course work has been arranged by semester with the second, third and fourth semesters building upon information concepts and theories presented in the previous semester. Courses numbered one hundred to one hundred and fifty ( ) are considered introductory classes. Courses numbered two hundred (200) and above are considered upper division. Additional sequencing is indicated by numerals I, II & III following specific course titles. We believe that ample course sections are offered in each semester to ensure that students may complete the program in two years. However, many students choose to decelerate completion due to personal or work-related demands. 6. What factors govern course scheduling decisions in this program? If scheduling is less than optimal for student progress, how serious is the problem and why is this the case? Course scheduling is partially dictated by the high-school bus schedule. The majority of the DDT classes are integrated with secondary and post-secondary students, which must be taken into consideration when setting the course schedule. This has not proven to be seriously problematic. 7. What co-curricular student/faculty opportunities (e.g. honorary organizations, journal clubs, study rooms, interest groups) exist to bind student socially to the program? What specific program efforts are made to promote them? Who leads and who participates? Students SkillsUSA and the Moonbuggy Competition 8. Do you have the facilities to achieve the academic goals listed in Section I (e.g. library, computer support and training, laboratories, offices, special equipment or rooms)? If not, what do you need and why? The Drafting and Design Technology program is currently supported by two CAD laboratories, which have proven adequate to accommodate the current student load. Likewise, the program has been fortunate to maintain the lab 7

8 hardware and software that reflects contemporary industry and current technology practices. 9. When students complete this program, do they receive certification, registry, or licenses? If so, please identify by whom these are awarded. What is your record of success? Students that complete the Drafting and Design Technology AAS degree program are not given a certification or license; but rather should be ready to test for certification with ADDA (American Design Drafting Association). We are not licensed to award this certification, but train our students to these standards. 10. How do graduates from your program fare in the job market at present? On what information is this conclusion based? See the most recent 180-day follow-up report attached. 11. What changes in program courses or structure are planned based on what you see as future occupational opportunities? Describe the opportunities, changes, and resources desired. The Drafting and Design Technology instructors encourage students to take as many related courses as possible in the fields of Machine Tool, Welding and Construction. This makes students more competent and marketable when they start looking for employment. 12. Are sufficient resources, authority, and flexibility available for both what this program is expected to accomplish and what it wishes to accomplish? Explain. Drafting and Design Technology is currently in good shape. Our budget is such that we are able to offer a progressive curriculum. Every year we are adding more and better equipment and resources to the department. 8

9 13. If you could fix any two things in your program and could use up to, say, $75K to do it, what would be your priorities? How would you begin? Are these reflected in your long range planning and action plans? Drafting and Design Technology would like to have on board a third full time teacher, and another CAD lab. This would allow more flexable scheduling to better serve the students. Three full time instructors would allow a more diverse perspective for the students. 14. Are program completion requirements specified in writing and available to students? (Attach a copy of the program completion requirements) Yes. Completion requirements are detailed in the current college catalog and reinforced through course syllabi. 15. Indicate dates of most recent revision of program completion requirements: N.A. 16. List the courses offered by this program. Give the date of first offering for each course, and indicate how many sections were offered by academic year for fall and spring semesters by day and evening sections. DDT 100 Fundamentals of Drafting 4 DDT 110 Geom Dimension/Tolerancing 4 DDT 115 Mfg Processes & Materials 4 DDT 150 Descript Geometry & 2D CAD 4 DDT 160 Residential Architect. Drafting 4 DDT 200 Production Design & Drafting 3 DDT 210 Struct Steel Detail & Drafting 3 DDT 250 Machine Design & Drafting 3 DDT 260 Commercial Architect Drafting 3 DDT 270 Civil/Architectural Drafting 3 DDT 285 Occupational Seminar 1 DDT 290 Co-op Ed/Intern/Related Elective 2-3 *Please see attached documentation regarding dates for first course offerings. 9

10 17. Is the program subject to accreditation by state, regional or national accrediting agencies? Yes. If yes, what accrediting agencies, type of accreditation and length? Date of last accreditation/ visit? The program is currently accredited through the National Association of Industrial Technology. The program was initially accredited in 2000 and is up for review later this month. Indicate recommendations of the most recent accreditation evaluation of the program and corrective actions taken or planned: Recommendation Action 1) Require oral communications Public speaking now required 2) Require a minimum of 4 credits of math NAIT standard changed 18. Is there still a demonstrated need for the program and/or a viable market for program graduates and certificate recipients? Consider need within the college tax district as well as the service region. Please explain and provide corroborative information. The best indication of need for the program is sustained employability of graduates. See attached placement data. 19. Does the program complement or assist other college programs? How do courses in this program meet needs of students in other programs or complement other programs? Explain. Core competencies in the DDT program are considered related to several technical programs on campus, including the following: Machine Tool Technology Construction Technology Electronics & Computer Repair Technology Heating, Refrigeration, & AC Welding Technology 10

11 Course Syllabi and Course Objectives 1. Are written course syllabi available for all program courses? Yes. 2. Indicate the date and nature of recent revision of course syllabi and or course objectives: Course # Date Revised Nature of Revision Only minor revisions to course syllabi have been required in recent semesters. Any substantive changes to the program or individual course offerings can be documented through the curriculum committee history. 3. How do you ensure that content of each required program-specific course is up-to-date and appropriate for the level and goals of the course? Program advisory committee Professional development and training 4. Does the content of each required, program specific course provide for necessary knowledge or competency development identified in program exit competencies? Yes. Please see attached competency matrix. 5. Does the program have an active advisory committee? Explain. The advisory committee is moderately active. Regular meeting attendance is somewhat problematic, however, full-time program faculty have an ongoing dialogue with all members of the advisory committee on an informal basis Attach an up-to-date list of advisory committee members and the companies/ institutions that they represent. A list of current advisory committee members has been included on the following page. 11

12 Drafting & Design Technology Advisory Committee Mr. Mike Bennett Mr. Karl Kulow Position: Position: Employer: Employer: Doing Steel Inc S. Main Doing Steel Nixa, MO N. Golden Phone: Springfield, MO Phone: Mr. Rives Boykin Mr. Keith McHaffie Position: Position: Employer: Employer: 1422 S. Bedford 7909 N. State Hwy AC Springfield, MO Willard, MO Phone: Phone: Mr. Tim Spangenberg Position: Employer: 81 Quail Creek Drive Marshfield, MO Phone: Ext Mr. Monte Doing Position: Employer: Doing Steel 2125 N. Golden Springfield, MO Phone: Mr. Stephen Kulan Position: Employer: 2515 S. Hillsboro Springfield, MO

13 Dates of the most recent three advisory committee meetings: The last formal meeting of the advisory committee was during the Advisory Committee Appreciation Banquet Oct. 28, Our committee has a very difficult time scheduling meetings, and when something requires their involvement an informal polling of members is done by telephone or Cite some ways the advisory committee has made an impact on the program/ and or decisions related to it. In the past the committee has advised the department to spend less time on manual drafting and concentrate on CAD, now the emphasis is going toward three dimensional solid modeling. The advice of the committee is too allow and propagate the design capability and problem solving skills of the students. 7. Course scheduling information: Are required courses scheduled in appropriate sequence to permit students to complete the program in four consecutive semesters or less (for 2 year programs)? If no, please explain. (describe the rationale for the sequence) The Drafting and design Technology courses have been arranged in a preferred course sequence. Course work has been arranged by semester with the second, third and fourth semesters building upon information concepts and theories presented in the previous semester. Courses numbered one hundred to one hundred and fifty ( ) are considered introductory classes. Courses numbered two hundred (200) and above are considered upper division. Additional sequencing is indicated by numerals I, II & III following specific course titles. We believe that ample course sections are offered in each semester to ensure that students may complete the program in two years. However, many students choose to decelerate completion due to personal or work-related demands. Are required courses available in appropriate sequence for both day and evening students? Yes; some of the courses are only offered in the evenings at odd semesters or years, due to the limit of lab space and availability of instructors. Do courses incorporate appropriate use of technology? All classes employ technology at or near the state of the art 13

14 including CAD hardware and software, and additional design software currently used by industry. The Information Technology department has maintained and supported all hardware and software utilized in the classroom and insured that it is routinely updated as upgrades become available. 9. The assessment of student achievement and development of desired competencies: Explain the methods currently being utilized to assessment student achievement at various levels, such as within individual courses, and at completion of the program. Student progress is continually monitored throughout each course through quizzes and tests, but primarily through a series of increasingly complex technical drawings. Success on each project is dependent on learning new competencies and applying competencies from the previous assignments. With this building block approach, weaknesses or forgotten skills become immediately apparent. We are then able to offer customized assistance tailored to the student s individual needs. The bulk of the three hour plus lab time per class per week is spent doing this. 14