An Assessment and Continuous Improvement Model for Engineering Technology Programs

Assessment and continuous improvement are essential and critical processes for higher education. Development and implementation of such processes are not only required by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) but it is also a necessary condition for the maturation and development of any engineering technology program. The assessment and continuous improvement plan discussed here was developed at Old Dominion University (ODU) and implemented during the last accreditation cycle within the Engineering Technology Department. The plan is based on two cycles of assessment and evaluation, a short cycle of one year and a long term cycle of three years. The plan includes a variety of assessment methods and tools. In addition to assessing the achievement of program outcomes, the plan allows assessment of program objectives and goals. A method for individual course assessment is also presented. Issues related to institutionalization of the assessment process are also discussed