Implementing Change: A Model For Closing The Continuous Improvement Loop The First Time And Every Time

This paper will highlight the process the Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering (ABE) is using to implement change and prepare for long-term assessment of its programs. Emphasis will be placed on continuous education of and open communication with the faculty, data collection, analysis, and interpretation, and assessment plan/process improvement. II. Assessment Process After two years of faculty and staff education, assessment process development, and data collection, the Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering (ABE) at Purdue University is closing the loop on their first round of assessment for their two ABET accredited programs: Agricultural and Biological Engineering (ABE) and Food Process Engineering (FPE). Figure 1 delineates the assessment process being adopted by the Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering (ABE) at Purdue University. The two looped educational assessment process mirrors the two loops of EC2000 [1]. In the outer 3-5 year loop, the process allows constituents to provide input to and feedback on each ABE program. The faculty integrates this information into the ABE mission and vision statements, educational objectives, program outcomes (PO), performance criteria (PC), and, ultimately, the curriculum. The inner loop of the process focuses on course level evaluations and analysis of student and graduate performance followed by an assessment of gaps between the expected and actual student achievement levels. The loop is closed with a mechanism for instituting change to improve the program.