Criterion 4

To what extent does your college's quality assurance process ensure methods of program delivery and student evaluation are consistent with the program learning outcomes?

4.1 Program delivery, including that which takes place off-site, is consistent with the nature of the program, the learning outcomes, and the needs of the students.

For all Mohawk College programs, delivery considerations are addressed during the program development phase and at regular intervals during the annual and comprehensive program reviews. As demonstrated elsewhere in this report, the curriculum mapping activity which is fundamental to both these phases of the program life cycle ensures that linkages are drawn between program learning outcomes, course outcomes and course content. The Management Report (4.1.01a 4.1.01b) which must be submitted to secure appropriate internal and external approvals for new programs also requires market research on the target group for the program – information which helps to determine specific student needs. In the course outline, the results of these analyses and reviews are translated into content and delivery decisions that influence the student experience wherever the course is delivered. As a quality assurance strategy, only one master course outline can be loaded into CORE, another factor which contributes to consistency and the maintenance of quality delivery standards. The corporate commitment to technology-enabled learning also means that consistent delivery can be assured regardless of geographic location.

In addition, program delivery is influenced by strategic college directions and priorities. Mohawk College has long assumed a leadership role in the delivery of programs integrating academic studies with work experience in the form of co-operative education placements, clinical placements, internships and other opportunities for students to acquire real world experience. This strategy received additional reinforcement in the Academic Plan (4.1.02). About 2600 students are registered annually in co-op programming, with 91% competing successfully for co-op work term opportunities. Mandatory work placements are integrated into many programs of study. As a requirement for graduation, for example, all Health Sciences students must complete a mandatory clinical placement of at least 400 hours.

As part of the College’s quality assurance strategy, these work experiences are supported by a variety of employer guides, manuals and other resources to ensure that off-site learning remains consistent with the program outcomes. As an additional strategy, faculty, program coordinators, co-operative education consultants, and clinical and field placement coordinators work with students and employers/representatives of the work environment to ensure that work experience components meet College expectations and standards (4.1.03). This year, in the Medical Radiation Sciences Program, a new quality assurance strategy has been piloted whereby student competencies are tracked using hand-held personal electronic devices.

Mohawk College also engages in a number of educational partnerships that result in the delivery of Mohawk College courses/programs in off-site locations. In these cases, the contractual agreement signed with the other educational institution addresses Mohawk-specific quality assurance strategies. These are especially detailed if the agreement involves the awarding of dual credentials. Examples of these types of arrangements include the educational partnerships with Six Nations Polytechnic, for the delivery of Practical Nursing, Personal Support Worker, Practical Nursing to BScN Bridging, and Concurrent Disorders programs.

4.2 Academic policies and practices provide for assessments and appeals, and ensure that:

Evaluation methods are aligned with course outcomes, are valid, and are reliable;
The required standards for evaluation are clearly specified for each component of the course and the program;
Learners are provided with fair and regular feedback on progress and fair reporting of final achievement; and,
Resubmissions, supplementals, and appeals are appropriate, fair, valid, and consistent.

Promotion and grading, assessments and academic grade appeals are addressed in a suite of academic policies that include the Promotion and Graduation Requirements Policy (4.2.01), the Grading and Transcripts Policy (4.2.02), the Academic Appeals Policy (4.2.03) and the Program Information Policy (4.2.04). These are available on the college web site for easy student access (4.2.05), and are reproduced in Program Handbooks. Departmental practices related to supplemental examinations, missed examinations and other assessment issues are communicated through the individual course outlines where applicable and the Program Handbook.

Faculty are encouraged to introduce a range of assessment instruments appropriate to the type of learning addressed in the course. The curriculum mapping process (4.2.06a 4.2.06b 4.2.06c) described elsewhere in this report is a significant catalyst for ensuring quality assessment strategies. The Curriculum Mapping Matrix which is completed during new program development and reviewed and evaluated as part of the program review process provides faculty with an analysis of the nature of the learning expected, the weighting of course topics, and their contribution to the program and course learning outcomes. This information is useful in assisting faculty to select appropriate assessments and to ensure that assessment strategies are aligned with the course outcomes

The course outline is the principal document for providing students with information about how they will be assessed in a specific course. Faculty work with a consistent course outline template (4.2.07), accessed online through CORE; each course has one master outline which is approved annually by the Associate Dean responsible for the program. Loading of the course outline in CORE cannot be accomplished without full completion of the section on Assessment. The latter requires a list of assessment methods, their weight for the course, and their link to associated Course Outcomes. In addition, the new Program Information policy identifies faculty responsibility for developing the Learning Plan which supplements the Course Outline and provides students with additional information on how learning will be assessed. Students are provided with grading criteria that include rubrics and checklists for projects and assignments (4.2.08a 4.2.08b).

The new Program Information Policy, which will replace the existing Course Outline Policy and Program of Studies Procedure, and the Assessment Policy currently under development are intended to refine the process and add more consistency to the manner in which course assessment is planned and presented. The goal is to provide students with more detail about course assessment and facilitate more transparent linkages between course outcomes, teaching strategies and assessment. Learning Plans will receive more emphasis within the new Program Information Policy.

As part of current practice, early, timely and regular feedback is encouraged. Departments provide directives regarding the scheduling of early assessments. The new Assessment Policy is intended to formalize consistent application of this practice in all academic areas. Students receive evaluation results through “Grades”, the grading tool in the College’s Learning Management System – eLearn@Mohawk. Intelligence agents in ELearn@Mohawk provide an opportunity to automate communication with students who are not meeting a minimum level of engagement or performance, providing a valuable and early ‘warning’ to students of potential academic problems. In addition, as a practice mandated by senior management, each academic school is responsible for the development of retention and student success plans.

It is acknowledged that instances of student dissatisfaction do arise, in spite of a sustained emphasis on quality assessment strategies. A comprehensive appeals process has been developed to address such situations. The Academic Appeals Policy (AC709) referenced above provides a two-phase strategy, with the emphasis on informal resolution between student and faculty wherever possible. Policy provisions have proven effective in addressing appeals issues.

4.3 Academic policies and practices that provide for the development and continuous improvement of teaching and learning methods are valued, documented, and supported. This would include:

Regular experimentation with new teaching methods; and,
Systematic measuring of the results of these new methods to support currency and relevancy of teaching and learning.

With a “Commitment to Excellence” as one of the values guiding college actions and decisions, it is not surprising that the search for new learning technologies figures prominently in the corporate culture. The Academic Plan (4.3.01) acknowledges technology as the backbone of education delivered at the College and commits to a range of technology strategies to make learning mobile, personal, scalable and collaborative. One-third of Mohawk College’s lecture-based courses moved to blended learning in the 2012-2013 academic year. All mandatory Communications courses are delivered either in a hybrid model or fully online, enabling students to choose a delivery approach that aligns well with their learning style. All courses are web-enabled via ELearn@Mohawk, which means that grades, content and communications are delivered online (4.3.02a 4.3.02b 4.3.02c).

Online courses incorporate survey tools to enable students to evaluate their learning experiences. Survey data is shared and collected with faculty as a continuous improvement strategy to guide subsequent enhancements.

There are numerous examples of the innovative use of technology to enhance the learning experience. At the McKeil School of Business, faculty have been engaged in a pilot project intended to further enhance the quality of web-enabled course delivery – course lectures are captured using Camtasia technology. This approach enables faculty to ‘flesh out’ the static PowerPoint presentation that online students would normally receive with dynamic commentary, stories and examples that mirror experiences in a traditional classroom environment.

In the fall 2012 semester, in another innovative project - the iPad Pilot, first-year students enrolled in Manufacturing Engineering Technician – Automation (Industrial Millwright Mechanic) became the first students to use tablet technology in the classroom (4.3.03). The goal of the project was to assess the effectiveness of the iPAD as a teaching and learning tool, to evaluate the readiness of the College IT infrastructure for supporting mobile technologies, and to prepare students for technology use in their future workplace. The project was an excellent example of successful use of new learning approaches in a program with very traditional learning outcomes and students. In addition to enhancing students’ technological proficiency, the project offered the College and program faculty valuable best practices for developing and sharing open content. It also provided insight into the kind of IT infrastructure support necessary to ensure trouble-free operation of 60 mobile devices.

The School of Humanities and Social Sciences has integrated a variety of blended learning initiatives in both its General Education electives and program-specific courses. These have been showcased to faculty to demonstrate a broad range of innovative and student-centred best practices. In addition, they have developed three General Education courses that are delivered fully online. In Health Sciences and Community and Urban Studies programs, simulation and scenario-based training continues to receive emphasis, aided with the installation of new high fidelity simulators.

This investment in technology is complemented with a commitment to professional development for college staff. The Academic Plan identifies professional development for faculty and staff as a priority, with particular emphasis on building 21st century skills for the workplace and sharing those with students. The corporate position on professional development has been articulated in a new policy – Professional Development for Staff (4.3.04). With this policy, the College encourages and supports a multi-faceted approach to professional development, with specific reference to initiatives of particular interest to faculty: conferences and workshops; diploma, designation or degree-completion; coaching, and mentoring; development leaves; faculty secondments to industry; faculty participation in corporate training; and research projects. In compliance with requirements specified in the Collective Agreement, the College offers as many as 8 – 9 professional development leaves every year. In addition, the Centre for Teaching and Learning provides professional development activities focused on blended learning.

Assessment of Criterion #4

Does the evidence provided for each of the 3 requirements indicate the criterion is Met, Partially Met, or Not Met using the definitions provided on Page 20 of the PQAPA Orientation and Training Manual?

In the event the Criterion is rated as Partially Met or Not Met, what plans are being identified to improve on this?

Supporting evidence for each of the three requirements indicates that Criterion # 4 has been met. In its policy framework and quality assurance processes, Mohawk College has demonstrated commitment to provincial standards, and specifically program learning outcomes as essential points of reference in the design and delivery of academic programs. As discussed, the planned introduction of two new policies focused on curriculum (program information) and assessment will serve to formalize best practices in program design delivery and enhance their consistent application.

The chart below identifies initiatives currently in progress or planned to enhance quality assurance at Mohawk.

Initiative	Responsibility	Timeline	Current Status
Implement Student Assessment Policy	Program Quality	2014/15	Draft policy in development
Implement new faculty professional development strategy	Centre for Teaching & Learning	2014/15	Hiring Faculty Development Specialist