Introduction

Minutes

Members

Those Present:
Kristin Anderson - Chair, Dental Programs, Marilyn Anderson - General Business, Geof Enroe - Architectural Drafting, Linda Garcia - Dental Hygiene, Beverly Jenkins - Accounting/Banking & Finance, Ken Johnsson - Fire Science, Anne Mason - Laboratory Assisting, Rose Pfefferbaum - Gerontology, Margaret Souders - Nursing, Cathee Tankersley - Phlebotomy

Welcome and Introductions - Kristin Anderson, Occupational Assessment Chair, opened the meeting. Each participant introduced themselves.

A Power Point presentation brought participants up to date on the progress of the committee since it began its work in 2000. Assessment is an important tool to improve the teaching and learning of each program. It is also required by the Community College Board and the HLC - Higher Learning Commission (previously NCA) for accreditation.

All the directors of every occupational program at Phoenix College are members of this committee with a steering committee of four members, Kristin Anderson, Kay Hilder, Diane Stark and Helen Houser.

Outcome Statement #1 - The first Outcome Statement was accepted by the majority of program directors in October of 2000, and is now being utilized by each department. It states:

Occupational Programs at Phoenix College will prepare students for the workforce.

There is a committee website where every department can post and update their matrix for the first Outcome Statement:

http://www.pc.maricopa.edu/departments/Administration/IAP/assessment/outcomes

It is helpful to see how other departments are measuring success in these areas. Postings for the 2002-2003 year are available on the website. Yearly updates to your matrix should be made in March or April of each year. You can download your matrix from the website, update and then e-mail to Emily Lander for posting. Emily is also a great resource for help with the posting of your matrix and in analyzing data obtained from your program. (Emily can put surveys onto a Scantron and they can be easily tallied and analyzed.)

Committee members discussed their experiences with the assessment process to date. Questions arose as to when the matrix should be updated. Many programs do not receive data to be entered until after the ending of the school year. It was suggested that the matrix could be submitted in early spring, and then updated as the data becomes available; or submitted once after all the data is in. It is important to be sure that any updates go into the correct school year, and that the feedback loop is completed.

Outcome Statement #2 - The second Outcome Statement was adopted by the steering committee in the Spring of 2003. Input is needed from the Program Directors before the statement can be put into effect. The statement reads:

Students in occupational programs at Phoenix College will exhibit professional behaviors.

The rubric draft for Outcome #2 was discussed. The directors had many suggestions for changes in the rubric. Many felt that there were too many columns for measuring the behaviors. It was suggested that maybe there should be only two columns - Needs Improvement and Satisfactory, and/or perhaps a third column between the two for Progressing. Many felt the Exemplary column was too judgmental and competitive.

Some programs voiced concern that the outcome doesn't apply to their programs. They are not looking at their students as professionals, but only as students at this point. They don't have dress codes for their classes, and some of the areas sound like they apply to employer evaluation rather than teacher evaluation. It was suggested that maybe some of the areas could be applied to externship or Capstone courses, or to program graduates.

Kristin stated that she envisioned each program using the rubric differently to meet their needs, and they could use behaviors applicable to their programs. A matrix will be developed (it was suggested by Rose P. that we use the same matrix as outcome #1) to show how the individual occupational programs will measure, utilize and make changes in their programs to meet this outcome.

All (100%) of the Program Directors present adopted Outcome Statement #2.

Adjournment - The meeting adjourned at 4:00 PM. The results of changes made to the Outcome Statement #2 matrix will be posted on the website.