Michigan s Postsecondary Programs of Study

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1 Michigan s Postsecondary Programs of Study Grand Rapids Community College Program Of Study Final Report Web Design Web Design (CIP code ) May, 2012 INTRODUCTION. The purpose of this report is to document a Program of Study that outlines what students should know, and be able to do, in a college curriculum. By doing so, Grand Rapids Community College can align curriculum, instruction, and gather meaningful information to measure student progress. The goals of this study are: 1. To give students, counselors and faculty a point of reference in terms of student readiness for a college curriculum 2. To allow appropriate placement of students in courses that are academically challenging 3. To develop a reasonable timeline for student graduations and career paths The team consists of Szymon Machajewski, Computer Applications Assistant Professor, Kristen Roberts, Computer Applications Professor, Anne Meilof, Research Analyst. Both Kristen Roberts and Szymon Machajewski teach courses in the Web Design program at Grand Rapids Community College in the one year certificate and associate degree curriculum. Gap analysis documents were originally evaluated at the post secondary level by Hilaski and Kaye Kenyon Classification of Instructional Program Title: Web Page, Digital/Multimedia and Information Resources Design. Definition: A program that prepares individuals to apply HTML, XML, Javascript, graphics applications, and other authoring tools to the design, editing, and publishing (launching) of documents, images, graphics, sound, and multimedia products on the World Wide Web. Includes instruction in Internet theory, web page standards and policies, elements of web page design, user interfaces, vector tools, special effects, interactive and multimedia components, search engines, navigation, morphing, e-commerce tools, and emerging web technologies. (NCES, 2012)

2 ONet Online (ONET 2012) provides the following details: Web Developers Design, create, and modify Web sites. Analyze user needs to implement Web site content, graphics, performance, and capacity. May integrate Web sites with other computer applications. May convert written, graphic, audio, and video components to compatible Web formats by using software designed to facilitate the creation of Web and multimedia content. Sample of reported job titles: Webmaster, Web Designer, Web Developer (ONET, 2012) Job Tasks Design, build, or maintain web sites, using authoring or scripting languages, content creation tools, management tools, and digital media. Perform or direct web site updates. Write, design, or edit web page content, or direct others producing content. Confer with management or development teams to prioritize needs, resolve conflicts, develop content criteria, or choose solutions. Back up files from web sites to local directories for instant recovery in case of problems. Identify problems uncovered by testing or customer feedback, and correct problems or refer problems to appropriate personnel for correction. Evaluate code to ensure that it is valid, is properly structured, meets industry standards and is compatible with browsers, devices, or operating systems. Maintain understanding of current web technologies or programming practices through continuing education, reading, or participation in professional conferences, workshops, or groups. Analyze user needs to determine technical requirements. Develop or validate test routines and schedules to ensure that test cases mimic external interfaces and address all browser and device types. (ONET, 2012)

3 Median wages: (2010) $36.37 hourly, $75,660 annual Employment (2008) 209,000 employees Projected growth ( ) Average (7% to 13%) Projected job openings ( ) 72,600 Top industries (2008) Government, Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services (ONET, 2012) STEP 1 INTAKE AND ASSESSMENT TO ENTER A PROGRAM. Grand Rapids Community College uses two metrics to evaluate student academic readiness. These tools are ACT scores and Accuplacer. They are used in the intake and assessment process. The GRCC intake process defines the procedure as: The Accuplacer placement test is for students who are planning on attending Grand Rapids Community College. This test is a computerized assessment designed to help to identify your basic skill level in Reading, English and Math. The Accuplacer is not a pass or fail test. The results will assist you and your Academic Advisor to develop an appropriate academic plan at GRCC and will determine what classes best fit you and your academic needs. Who needs to take the Accuplacer test? a) Individuals who have applied to GRCC and do not have a 2.0 GPA on their High School Transcripts and an 18 or higher sub score on the ACT tests in English, Math, and Reading. b) Individuals who have applied to GRCC with a College Transcript, but do not have a 2.0 overall GPA and/or 12 credits or more earned. (GRCC, 2012)

4 STEP 2 ACADEMIC STANDARDS. There are no special academic standards enforced by the college nor by the program itself. Textbook report for HTML and CSS3 Chapter One Readability Evaluation The readability assessment for this chapter is written at an elementary level. The evaluations used showed this chapter to be written somewhere between fourth and fifth grade level. This chapter has no extensive vocabulary that would hinder lower level readers. The range of grade levels in this chapter varied from second grade to fifth grade comprehension and vocabulary level, which will give a fluency level of 4.4 for the entire chapter. Chapter evaluation done by Vikki Cooper, February 9, STEP 3 OCCUPATIONAL/TECHNICAL STANDARDS. There is a number of industry occupational standards pertaining to web design. They range from well established and industry recognized certifications like CIW (CIW Web Foundations Associate, CIW Web Design Professional), and International Webmasters Association (Certified Web Professional). Some certifications are vendor specific, like the Adobe Certified Associate. Finally, there are new certifications based on well established training sites like the W3Schools HTML Certificate or CSS Certificate. At this point in time occupational and technical standards are not required for entry to the GRCC Web Design program.

5 STEP 4 CURRICULUM CROSSWALK. Gap analysis reports: Caledonia Community School, March 27, 2008 Program Name: Web Site Design by CTE Instructor Kaye Kenyon East Kentwood High School, March 10, 2008 Program Name: IT by CTE team: Hilaski, Michalowski, Dixon Updated by Professor Kristen Roberts in May, The curriculum crosswalk and gap analysis is attached in Appendix A. ACT scores: The gateway course selected for this study is CO 148. The CO 148 is the introductory course, while CO146 is the advanced Web Design course. In the data sample spanning Fall semester of 2009 until Fall of 2011 the following has been identified: Students who did not complete the course: 175 Students who completed the course: 344 ACT scores are available for a group of 120 students only. This is a small data sample, which makes results inconclusive. The following table shows the GRCC Grade in CO148 and average ACT score in a given category: Grade ACT ACT ACT ACT ACT ACT Composite English Math Reading Science Writing A B C D

6 E Accuplacer 797 students have received grades in CO 148 since Fall 2007 until Fall of 2011, but only 327 have Accuplacer scores. The following table shows the GRCC Grade in CO148 and average Accuplacer score in a given category: Students Grade ALGEB ARITH READ WRIT 71 A B C D E W WF WP

7 Graph of CO148 grade distribution in comparison to Accuplacer scores: 729 students have received grades in CO 146 since Fall 2007, but only 272 have Accuplacer scores. The following table shows the GRCC Grade in CO148 and average Accuplacer score in a given category: Students Grade ALGEB ARITH READ WRIT 362 A B C D E W WF WP

8 Graph of CO146 grade distribution in comparison to Accuplacer scores: STEP 5 ALIGN STANDARDS TO COLLEGE COURSEWORK. A number of local high schools have curriculums, which include sequences of classes or single courses, which fit in the Web Page, Digital/Multimedia and Information Resources Design program. Not all the programs are state approved. Allegan Tech Center - Information Technology Program Caledonia HS - Web page design class Calvin Christian HS - Computer Education Careerline Tech Center - Information Technology East Kentwood HS - Web Development, Computer Programming and Computer Networking Forest Hills Central HS - Intro to Computer Programming Forest Hills Eastern HS - Computer Science Programming Forest Hills Northern HS - Computer Science Programming and CIS

9 Godwin Heights HS - Basic Programming Grandville HS - Internet Computer Core Certification Jenison HS - Java Programming and Information Tech Kelloggsville HS - Graphic and Web Page Design Kent Career and Tech Center - Info Tech Program and Graphic Communication Program Muskegon Area Career and Tech Center - Internet, Networking and Security Tech Program Rogers HS - Programming I Wyoming Park - Programming I Articulation agreements are in place as a result of the Kent Metropolitan Articulation Project of High schools include: Allegan High School Allegan Counte Technical Education Center Cedar Springs High School Comstock Park High School Covenant Christian High School East Grand Rapids High School East Kentwood High School Forest Hills Central High School Forest Hills Eastern High School Godwin Heights High School Grand Rapids Public Schools (GRPS) Central High School Grand Rapids Public Schools (GRPS) Creston High School Grandville High School Heartlands Institute of Technology Holland High School Houghton Lake Community Schools / COOR Area Career Tech Center

10 Hudsonville High School Jenison High School Kelloggsville High School Kenowa Hills High School Kent Career Tech Center Kent City High School Lee High School Muskegon Area Career Tech Center Newaygo County Career Tech Center Northview High School OAISD Careerline Tech Center Rockford High School Saugatuck High School Sparta High School Tassell MTEC Tri County Area High School Wayland High School Wyoming Park High School Opportunities exist for high school students for dual enrollment. Articulation and articulation process exists for CO 146 course. Details are available at The Early College program at GRCC is an enrichment program open to qualified high school students each semester. All credits earned through this program will be part of the official GRCC transcript. To be an Early College student at GRCC a high school student must be:

11 at least 16 years of age and a high school junior or senior maintaining a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher approved by your high school counselor and/or principal currently pursuing your high school diploma desiring to take classes that are not available through your high school There appears to be a good course alignment in the curriculum crosswalk and marginal duplications or few gaps. STEP 6 PROGRAM OF STUDY. Program of Study attached as Appendix B. STEP 7- EXTERNAL CERTIFICATIONS EARNED. At this point in time, the Web Design program at GRCC is being modified to align course material to prepare students for the CIW Web Foundations Associate or CIW Web Design Professional certifications. After completing the program students will be able to take examinations to earn the certification credential. CIW certifications improve employability as well as comply with the Perkins program requirements for external verification of the GRCC academic program. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS. Students who would like to pursue the Web Design certificate program or the associate degree at Grand Rapids Community College should focus on academic fields of Mathematics and English. The Accuplacer data shows a

12 correlation between ARITH, ALGEB, READING scores and measurable success in the gateway course. The Web Design program also includes a number of design/visual courses, which call for an artistic and creative capacity. The recommended ARITH and ALBEG score range is 50. The Accuplacer READING score should be at least 75. In addition to skills measured by Accuplacer in ARITH, ALBEG, and READING sections, students should posses basic computer skills. This includes typing, word processing, and operating system use. Both CO148 and CO146 require the use of computer software on a PC workstation, therefore computer literacy is required. The numerical sequence of courses in the GRCC certificate and degree program should be updated in order for the lower level course to have a lower numerical value. Currently CO148 HTML Essentials is a foundation for CO146 Web Design Fundamentals. This may be the reason why High School articulation process includes only the CO146 course. The GRCC web site on High School articulation agreements posts only Kent and Allegan county districts. Agreements exist also for other schools and they should be included on the web site. The Computer Applications department at GRCC is considering a department name change, which will lead to a new course code. At that time it will be a great opportunity to re-sequence courses including CO 148 and CO 146. Grand Rapids Community College should pursue the SARP process to create an articulation path for CO 148 HTML Essentials in addition to CO146 Web Design Fundamentals.

13 The curriculum of the GRCC Web Design program should include objectives tested on the CIW Web Foundations Associate and CIW Web Design Professional exams. Opportunities exist for GRCC to become a testing center for CIW to streamline the examination and certification process. This will ensure external verification of the industry recognized learning outcomes. This report will be shared through Grand Rapids Community College Programs of Study website ( ) and at the upcoming TRENDS conference. The program of study will continue to be reviewed through future phases of the process.

14 References National Center for Education Statistics U.S. Department of Education. CIP user site. Retrieved January 27, 2012 from ONet Online Web Developers. Retrived January 27, 2012 from Grand Rapids Community College. Accuplacer Test. Retrieved January 20, 2012 from