Developing a Streamlined Approach to Manage Program Documents and Assessment Data (Work in Progress)

Jacob Allen Cress; Scott Schneider

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Conference: 2023 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition
Location: Baltimore , Maryland
Publication Date: June 25, 2023
Start Date: June 25, 2023
End Date: June 28, 2023
Conference Session: Engineering Technology Division (ETD) Technical Session 8
Tagged Division: Engineering Technology Division (ETD)
Page Count: 9
DOI: 10.18260/1-2--44651
Permanent URL: https://strategy.asee.org/44651
Download Count: 107

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Paper Authors

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Jacob Allen Cress P.E. University of Dayton orcid.org/0000-0002-1715-4634

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Dr. Jacob Cress is an assistant professor in the Mechanical Engineering Technology Program in the Department of Engineering Management, Systems, and Technology at the University of Dayton. Dr. Cress' research interests focus on developing pedagogical methods for effective engineering communication in the engineering curricula. Prior to joining the faculty at UD, Dr. Cress worked at Stress Engineering Services Inc. in Mason, Ohio, and at GE Aviation in Cincinnati, Ohio. While at SES, he specialized in mechanical test development and project management largely in the railroad and hunting equipment sectors. At GE Aviation, he led the certification effort for the LEAP-1A/1C HPC airfoil vibratory stress responses. Dr. Cress received his Ph.D and Master’s degrees from the University of Notre Dame, both in aerospace engineering; and his undergraduate Bachelors of Mechanical Engineering degree from the University of Dayton.

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Scott Schneider University of Dayton

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Scott J. Schneider is an Associate Professor and the ETHOS Professor for Leadership in Community at the University of Dayton. Schneider is currently focusing his research in the areas of engineering education and community engaged learning.

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Abstract

Management of course outline data and assessment metrics is a central tenet of the continuous quality improvement (CQI) plan for engineering and engineering technology programs accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET). This paper presents a work-in-progress description and assessment of a recent method (implemented in Fall 2020) for storing, accessing, and managing data used for course outline and assessment metrics within the engineering technology programs at the University of Dayton. Systemic shortcomings in the prior method where course outline and instructor assessment data were managed using uncontrolled Microsoft Word documents and templates on a departmental network drive was a motivating factor to implement a new data management method. These shortcomings included: 1) lack of access to the network drive by adjunct faculty members, 2) documents which were uncontrolled and were without a formal revision record, and 3) data storage methods which lacked future capability for efficient/timely data analysis and report automation. Once it was determined that an improved method was needed, a variety of options were investigated before the department settled upon a solution utilizing modern software tools in the Google Suite. Full-time faculty began using the newly developed data management tool in Fall 2020; a revised version of the tool was adopted in Fall 2022 and used by the department faculty at large. Beyond simply offering a more robust course outline data and assessment metric storage method, the presented paper demonstrates how the current method can allow for a more efficient and responsive CQI process. One of the stated goals in the development of the new tool was to provide instructor generated feedback directly to the programs CQI reports (without the need for transcription or copy/paste). This tool will allow reports to be generated directly from the source material in a timely manner, enabling more efficient and timelier CQI program meetings. Furthermore, because of the dynamic nature of the data management tool, new and refined reports for use in the CQI process and accreditation review are possible and part of an ongoing development.

Citation
Format

Cress, J. A., & Schneider, S. (2023, June), Developing a Streamlined Approach to Manage Program Documents and Assessment Data (Work in Progress) Paper presented at 2023 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Baltimore , Maryland. 10.18260/1-2--44651

TY  - CPAPER
AB  - Management of course outline data and assessment metrics is a central tenet of the continuous quality improvement (CQI) plan for engineering and engineering technology programs accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET). This paper presents a work-in-progress description and assessment of a recent method (implemented in Fall 2020) for storing, accessing, and managing data used for course outline and assessment metrics within the engineering technology programs at the University of Dayton. Systemic shortcomings in the prior method where course outline and instructor assessment data were managed using uncontrolled Microsoft Word documents and templates on a departmental network drive was a motivating factor to implement a new data management method. These shortcomings included:  1) lack of access to the network drive by adjunct faculty members, 2) documents which were uncontrolled and were without a formal revision record, and 3) data storage methods which lacked future capability for efficient/timely data analysis and report automation. Once it was determined that an improved method was needed, a variety of options were investigated before the department settled upon a solution utilizing modern software tools in the Google Suite. Full-time faculty began using the newly developed data management tool in Fall 2020; a revised version of the tool was adopted in Fall 2022 and used by the department faculty at large. Beyond simply offering a more robust course outline data and assessment metric storage method, the presented paper demonstrates how the current method can allow for a more efficient and responsive CQI process. One of the stated goals in the development of the new tool was to provide instructor generated feedback directly to the programs CQI reports (without the need for transcription or copy/paste). This tool will allow reports to be generated directly from the source material in a timely manner, enabling more efficient and timelier CQI program meetings. Furthermore, because of the dynamic nature of the data management tool, new and refined reports for use in the CQI process and accreditation review are possible and part of an ongoing development. 
AU  - Jacob Allen Cress P.E.
AU  - Scott Schneider
CY  - Baltimore , Maryland
DA  - 2023/06/25
PB  - ASEE Conferences
TI  - Developing a Streamlined Approach to Manage Program Documents and Assessment Data (Work in Progress)
UR  - https://strategy.asee.org/44651
DO  - 10.18260/1-2--44651
ER  -