The sound and fury of academic program reviews: What they reveal about assessment and accountability.

2021 ◽  
pp. 41-56
Author(s):  
Jane S. Halonen ◽  
Dana S. Dunn
Keyword(s):  
Academic Program ◽  
Program Reviews

scholarly journals Aligning accreditation and academic program reviews: a Canadian case study

2017 ◽  
Vol 25 (3) ◽  
pp. 287-302 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lynne Bowker
Keyword(s):  
Professional Associations ◽  
Academic Program ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Post Secondary ◽  
Study Approach ◽  
Academic Units ◽  
Potential Benefits ◽  
Set Up ◽  
Program Reviews

Purpose This paper aims to investigate the potential benefits and limitations associated with aligning accreditation and academic program reviews in post-secondary institutions, using a descriptive case study approach. Design/methodology/approach The paper describes two Canadian graduate programs that are subject to both external professional accreditation and institutional cyclical reviews, as they underwent an aligned review. The process was developed as a collaborative effort between the academic units, the professional associations and the university’s graduate-level quality assurance office. For each program, a single self-study was developed, a single review panel was constituted, and a single site visit was conducted. The merits and challenges posed by the alignment process are discussed. Findings Initial feedback from the academic units suggests that the alignment of accreditation and program reviews is perceived as reducing the burden on programs with regard to the time and effort invested by faculty, staff and other stakeholders, as well as in terms of financial expenses. Based on this feedback, along with input from reviewers and program evaluation committee members, 14 recommendations emerged for ways in which an aligned review process can be set up for success. Practical implications The results suggest that aligned reviews are not only resource-efficient but also allow reviewers to provide more holistic feedback that faculty may be more willing to engage with for program enhancement. Originality/value The present study contributes to the existing body of knowledge about conducting aligned reviews in response to external accreditation requirements or institutional needs. It summarizes the potential benefits and limitations and offers recommendations for potential best practices for carrying out aligned reviews for policymakers and practitioners.

scholarly journals Language and Quality Assurance: A Case Study Highlighting the Effects of Power, Resistance, and Countertactics in Academic Program Reviews

2018 ◽  
Vol 29 (2) ◽  
pp. 177-193
Author(s):  
Lynne Bowker
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Quality Assurance ◽  
Institutional Quality ◽  
Academic Program ◽  
Faculty Members ◽  
Quality Assurance Process ◽  
Assurance Process ◽  
Program Reviews

Quality assurance has been recognized as being important in higher education; however, there are numerous reports that it is challenging to engage faculty members in quality assurance processes in a meaningful way. A frequently cited reason for faculty members’ resistance is that they find the process to be authoritarian and non-collegial. This paper presents a case study which shows that changing the tone of the language used to communicate with academics about the institutional quality assurance process—from a bureaucratic and authoritative tone to a more collegial one—can serve as a countertactic to help mitigate the resistance of faculty members to this process. Using corpus-based techniques, we investigate the language used in documents to communicate with faculty members about quality assurance. We then demonstrate that, following a linguistic revision to introduce a more collegial tone to these communications, faculty members appear to be more willing to engage in the quality assurance process in a meaningful way.

scholarly journals Towards a more meaningful involvement of librarians in academic program reviews

2018 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 131-148 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lynne Bowker
Keyword(s):  
Best Practices ◽  
Review Process ◽  
Academic Program ◽  
Corpus Analysis ◽  
Program Review ◽  
Academic Librarians ◽  
Empirical Measures ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Program Reviews

Purpose Using a descriptive case study approach, this paper aims to validate academic librarians’ perceptions that they are marginalized by faculty during academic program reviews, and recommends ways for the two groups to collaborate more effectively to make program reviews more meaningful. Design/methodology/approach The paper describes a case study at a Canadian university where the six types of documents produced as part of the program review process for ten graduate programs were analyzed using corpus analysis tools and techniques, such as keyword generation and key word in context analysis. For each program, documents were examined to determine the volume and nature of the discussion involving libraries in the self-study, library report annex, site visit itinerary, external reviewers’ report, academic program’s response and final assessment report. Findings The empirical evidence from the corpus analysis validates the findings of previous perception-based studies and confirms that librarians currently have a minor role in program reviews. Best practices and gaps emerged, prompting five recommendations for ways in which academic librarians can play a more meaningful role in the program review process. Practical implications The results suggest that programs are not currently putting their best foot forward during program reviews, but this could be improved by including librarians more fully in the program review process. Originality/value The present study contributes to the existing body of knowledge about the role of academic librarians in the program review process by providing direct and empirical measures to triangulate previous perception-based investigations that rely on surveys and interviews. It summarizes limitations of the current institutional quality assurance process and the benefits to be gained by involving librarians more in the process. It offers recommendations for policymakers and practitioners with regard to potential best practices for facilitating librarian involvement in academic program reviews.

Ongoing and Systematic Academic Program Review

2017 ◽  
pp. 141-156 ◽  
Author(s):  
Neal Shambaugh
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Program Evaluation ◽  
Academic Program ◽  
Program Review ◽  
The Future ◽  
Academic Program Review ◽  
Implementation Guidelines ◽  
Systematic Program ◽  
Program Reviews

Systematic program review is proposed as a semi-formal means to proactively involve higher education faculty, staff, students and administrators in analyzing and making decisions about the future of their programs. The chapter first examines issues facing higher education, issues that provide a rationale for annual program reviews. The chapter positions program review as a form of participant-oriented program evaluation, and describes features of annual program reviews. A case study illustrates how a program review was conducted. Summary benefits and implementation guidelines are provided for administrators and faculty.

Supporting and Evaluating Learning Outcomes Assessment through Academic Program Reviews

2015 ◽  
Vol 27 (4) ◽  
pp. 4-16 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ingrid Novodvorsky ◽  
Debra Tomanek ◽  
Ryan M. Foor ◽  
Gail D. Burd
Keyword(s):  
Learning Outcomes ◽  
Outcomes Assessment ◽  
Academic Program ◽  
Learning Outcomes Assessment ◽  
Program Reviews

Academic Program Reviews in Psychology

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dana S. Dunn ◽  
Maureen A. McCarthy ◽  
Dana S. Dunn ◽  
Jane S. Halonen ◽  
Suzanne C. Baker
Keyword(s):  
Academic Program ◽  
Program Reviews

МЕЖДИСЦИПЛИНАРНОСТЬ В ПОДГОТОВКЕ КОНФЛИКТОЛОГОВ: СОСТОЯНИЕ И ПЕРСПЕКТИВЫ

2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 13
Author(s):  
А. И. Стребков ◽  
А. И. Мусаев
Keyword(s):  
Conflict Resolution ◽  
Comparative Analysis ◽  
Subject Matter ◽  
Academic Program ◽  
Academic Programs ◽  
Full Time ◽  
The Us ◽  
Promotional Materials ◽  
Russian Universities ◽  
Educational Methodology

The present article concerns with the modern state of things of the conflict resolution specialists’ training in the US universities. The analysis is based on the informational and promotional materials which were picked up from the 11 American universities’ websites. The aim of the analysis was the examination of the four sections, which are: the orientation of the academic program, the content of the program or the scope of the skills, the main methodology of the academic program and the educational technologies. Together with the analysis of the US universities’ academic programs the article provides the comparative analysis of these programs with the Russian academic programs. On the back of this comparative analysis the authors come to the comprehensive conclusion according to which the specialists’ training in the field of the conflict resolution and peacebuilding in the US does not have significant differences from Russian ones and is carried out within one international academic trend in regard to its main features which are: the orientation, content, educational methodology and technologies. The key distinction of the Russian training from the American one is that the Russian academic tradition does have the core subject matter around which the whole academic program is being developed and which is the conflict. This subject matter is being taken in its entirety and the conflict resolution is considered as the closing stage of the conflict studies specialists’ training whereas the academic programs of the US universities embrace the conflict resolution as the subject matter of the academic training and therefores leaves beyond the scope of the training both the theory of the conflict and the forms practice of its manifestation in a number of the programs. The letter is peculiar to both short-term academic programs and the full-time two-year academic programs as it is accepted in the educational space of the Russian Federation. Furthermore, the authors of the article make up the conclusion of the coinciding major educational methodology which guides the academic programs of the American and Russian universities and which is developed on the principles of the interdisciplinarity.

Studying Abroad in Nepal: Assessing Impact

2003 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 175-188 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patricia Farrell ◽  
Murari Suvedi
Keyword(s):  
Personal Development ◽  
Intellectual Development ◽  
Longitudinal Research ◽  
Adult Learning Theory ◽  
Academic Program ◽  
The Body ◽  
Study Abroad Programs ◽  
Studying Abroad ◽  
Perceived Impact ◽  
The Impact

The purpose of this study is to analyze the reported or perceived impact of studying in Nepal on student’s academic program, personal development and intellectual development. The study draws upon adult learning theory to analyze survey instrument data, interviews, and case studies to discern the impact of the program on college students and to contribute to the body of longitudinal research on U.S. study abroad programs.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document