As presented to the Global Colloquium on Engineering Education Deborah Wolfe, P.Eng. October 2008

1. The Canadian Process for Incorporating Outcomes Assessment in the Accreditation Criteria As presented to the Global Colloquium on Engineering Education Deborah Wolfe, P.Eng. October 2008

2. Today’s Presentation • Background • Accreditation Criteria, Policies and Procedures • Outcomes Assessment • Implementation of outcomes assessment

3. Background Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board • Created by Engineers Canada in 1965 • Membership: • 15 volunteers, all ing./P.Eng. • Range of disciplines and backgrounds from across Canada • Rely on specialist volunteers during program evaluation visits • Main Responsibilities • Identify programs whose graduates are prepared to enter the profession of engineering • Develop accreditation criteria, processes, procedures • Quality assurance • Continuous improvement

4. Background Accreditation: Results • Over 250 accredited programs • 40 post-secondary institutions • Over 70 fields of study • 55,000 students • 10,500 graduates per year

5. Accreditation, Criteria, Policies and Procedures Accreditation • Identify programs whose graduates are prepared to enter the profession of engineering • Undertaken only upon invitation by the university • Undergraduate engineering programs only • Programs are accredited, not departments or faculties

6. Accreditation, Criteria, Policies and Procedures Two Components of Evaluation A. Qualitative evaluation of the program environment B. Quantitative and qualitative evaluation of the curriculum

7. Accreditation, Criteria, Policies and Procedures Licensure • Dean, Department Chair, Program Coordinators, and faculty teaching courses which are primarily engineering science and engineering design are expected to be licensed professional engineers in Canada. • Curriculum development and control should be in the hands of licensed professional engineers • All faculty teaching engineering design should be licensed professional engineers in Canada and faculty teaching engineering science should be in the process of attaining licensure

8. Outcomes Assessment Outcomes Assessment • Many accreditation systems started to move to outcomes assessment in the 1990’s • ABET led the movement with Engineering Criteria 2000 (EC2000) • Washington Accord developed model graduate attributes in 2004-2005

9. Outcomes Assessment What is ‘Outcomes Assessment’? • Outcomes: Statements that describe what students are expected to know and be able to do by the time of graduation • Assessment: Processes that identify, collect, analyze, and report data that can be used to evaluate achievement • Program Objective: (ABET and others) Broad statements which describe what is expected of graduates a couple of years after graduation

10. Outcomes Assessment Philosophy • Create a set of desired graduate attributes • Institution sets objectives in consultation with constituencies • Ensure competent faculty, facilities, etc • Measure graduate attributes • Require feedback to objectives and educational process • Ensure feedback loop is operational

11. Outcomes Assessment Observations on Outcomes Assessment • Outcomes assessment has theoretical appeal - especially if quality assurance is the objective • If each institution sets its own objectives, can outcomes assessment provide a “standard”? • Most of the evidence used to demonstrate that outcomes have been achieved is really input rather than output-related • A lot of institutional work is required to develop potential of outcome assessment • Assessment methods can and probably will improve with use • There is a lot of subjective (if expert) judgment required • Outcomes assessment is flexible

12. Outcomes Assessment Criteria Revisions • Previous criteria: • Prescriptive? • Restricts innovation, continuous improvement? • Not competency-based? • Revisions and reorganization required • Introduction of graduate attributes and outcome based assessment

13. Outcomes Assessment Criteria Revision Process • The Accreditation Board worked with stakeholders (deans, regulatory bodies) for several years to revise the criteria • Recognized need to improve the synchronization of criteria, questionnaire and decision letters • The goal is to be ready for Washington Accord monitoring in 2008-2009 ~ our international review

14. Outcomes Assessment Criteria • New criteria start with attributes that align with Washington Accord model • Reformatted to promote greater precision in decision letters • Strengthened licensing criteria at the request of the Constituent Members

15. Outcomes Assessment Graduate Attributes • Knowledge Base for Engineering • Problem Analysis • Investigation • Design • Use of Resources • Use of Engineering Tools • Individual and Teamwork • Communication • Professionalism • Impact on Society and the Environment • Ethics and Equity • Engineering Economics and Project Management • Life Long Learning

16. Outcomes Assessment Other Changes • Requirement for an articulated mission statement and strategic plan • ‘Basic Science’ changed to ‘Natural Science’ • Removed reference to a Bachelors degree (for international compatibility) • Added explicit references for the requirement for documentation on authority for program and admissions • Narrowed and tightened licensure requirements

17. Implementation of Outcomes Assessment Next Tasks • Development of outcome measurement tools, used to provide evidence that required attributes are being developed in the graduate in collaboration with Canada’s National Council of Deans of Engineering and Applied Science • Review and, if possible, simplification of all documents, policies and procedures to focus on new criteria • Development of training for accreditation visitors and institutions

18. Implementation of Outcomes Assessment Criteria Consultation Process • Major workshops in September 2006 and 2007 • Criteria proposed and consultation undertaken by the Accreditation Board (2007) • Criteria revised and approved by the Accreditation Board (February 2008) • Approved by Engineers Canada (May 2008) • Implementation (Fall 2009 visits) • Transition: deficiencies first applied on graduate attributes, feedback loop and new quantitative requirements (2014)

19. www.engineerscanada.ca ceab@engineerscanada.ca