This article presents an overview of the default Program Review template in Planning & Self Study. For information on creating or editing Program Review Templates, please see the article linked HERE.
When a Program Review template is created in Planning & Self Study, the process will not begin with a blank template that is then populated, but rather with a default template that can be edited.
The default Program Review template has been designed based on research into common practices for program review across institutions, but is intended to be customizable to meet the needs of any institution.
Upon creating a new Program Review template, it is important to consider potential changes you would like to make to the Program Review structure for your institution. Watermark Program Review is organized in a two-tier hierarchical structure of broad Categories in which there are multiple Sections for data entry. Categories cannot be changed, but there are a few options for customizing your Sections to match your institution's Program Review processes and terminology.
All Sections in this structure are included by default in your Program Review, though they can all be omitted by de-selecting the "Include" checkbox. New Sections can be added, and existing Sections can be renamed, except for Smart Connections (discussed below).
Some Sections automatically pull in data from other parts of Planning and Self-Study to help your users develop their program review narratives. These "Smart Connections" are labeled to distinguish them from other sections.
In the list below, Smart Connections are identified with a statement of “Available Data”.
While Smart Connections can be omitted like any Section, we recommend including them to maximize the functionality of this module.
The following is an explanation of the intention for each Section of the template.
Program Review Template
Category: Mission and Introduction
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Introduction
Reflection question: Provide an overview of the program and the context of where it’s housed within the institution (what department, etc.).
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Organization and Structure of Department
Reflection question: Describe the hierarchical structure of the department in which the program is housed.
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Program Mission Statement
Available Data: The Mission Statement for the program automatically populatesReflection question: What changes has the program made to the mission statement over the course of this cycle? Why were these changes made? Are any revisions planned?
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Alignment to Institution Mission
Available Data: The Institution Mission and the Mission Statement for the program automatically populate and display side by sideReflection question: How does the mission of the program align with the mission of the institution?
Category: Student Learning Outcomes Assessment and Curriculum
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Program Student Learning Outcomes
Available Data: The Program Student Learning Outcomes automatically populate. A report indicates if these outcomes were met or not met for each of the last five years.Reflection questions:1. Describe how these outcomes pertain to the program’s mission. Have any changes been made to these outcomes over the course of this cycle? Why or why not?
2. Describe the extent to which students in the program have met these outcomes.
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Curriculum Map
Available Data: The Curriculum Map for the program automatically populates
Reflection question: Describe the course pathway students take to achieve this program degree. Highlighting any key or core courses, have any changes been made to this pathway or degree requirements over the course of this cycle? Why or why not?
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Measures and Results
Available Data: A summative report of the measures and results over the last 5 years populates. The report is broken down by program outcome.
Reflection questions:1. Discuss the measures you’ve selected or developed to measure this outcome. Why were these measures chosen? Were any measures or assessment instruments changed over the course of this cycle? Why or why not? Will different measures be chosen the next time this outcome is assessed?
2. Summarize and discuss the results of the program’s measures over the course of this cycle. Have the results demonstrated improvement or mastery of this outcome? Why or why not?
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Participation in Assessment
Reflection question: How do program faculty participate in assessment? What is the process? Have any changes been made to encourage participation over the course of this cycle?
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Action Items And Use of Results
Available Data: A summative report of the action items linked to assessment results over the last 5 years populates. The report is broken down by program outcome.Reflection question: Summarize or highlight action items taken as a result of program’s assessment results. How have the results driven improvement over the course of this cycle?
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Gen Ed
Available Data: A summative report of the action items linked to assessment results over the last 5 years populates. The report is broken down by program outcome.Reflection question: What courses in your program are tied to general education requirements at the institution? How many students from outside the department are taking courses in the program to fulfill general education requirements?
Category: Faculty Qualifications, Activities, and Scholarship
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Faculty Qualifications
Reflection question: What processes are in place to ensure that faculty have the qualifications to teach in the program? Have these processes changed over the course of this cycle?
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Scholarship And Research
Reflection question: Summarize and highlight key scholarship and research activities conducted by faculty over the course of the review cycle.
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Faculty Awards and Honors
Reflection question; Discuss and highlight awards and honors received by faculty over the course of the cycle.
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Faculty Workload
Reflection question: Summarize the workload and responsibilities of faculty. What actions are you taking to avoid faculty overload?
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Teaching Support and Monitoring Teaching Quality
Reflection question: How are faculty being supported to ensure high quality teaching and learning?
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Faculty and Staff Demographics
Reflection questions: Describe recruitment efforts and the diversity of program faculty. What are the goals of these efforts and have they been successful?
Category: Program Data: Student Experience
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Enrollment & Recruitment
Reflection questions:
1. What are the trends with enrollment in this program over the course of the review cycle? How does this compare to institutional trends or similar programs on campus?
2. Describe recruitment efforts or goals such as increased enrollment or diversity. Have these initiatives been successful?
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Retention
Reflection question: Has student retention remained in an acceptable range over the course of the review cycle?
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Curriculum/Course Retention and Success Rates
Reflection questions:1. Describe enrollment trends in the courses within the program.
2. Reflect on the success of the students within the courses over the course of the cycle. Highlight some completion or DFW rates in the core courses. Were these in line with expectations?
3. Assess student performance and success in online vs. on-campus courses.
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Completion
Reflection questions:1. How many students are graduating from the program? Have the completion rates been in line with expectations?
2. Describe findings resulting from exit surveys or program alumni surveys that were conducted over the course of the cycle.
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Course Evaluation Data
Reflection question: What were some positive and negative feedback received from students who completed the courses? Highlight any trends or insights that came from course evaluations over the course of the cycle.
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Student Advising
Reflection question: What advising mechanism is in place for the student?
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Student Awards and Achievements
Reflection question: Highlight the accomplishments and external honors received by students in the program over the course of this cycle.
Category: Program Analysis
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SWOT Analysis
Reflection question: Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats
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Campus Facility and Resources
Reflection question: Provide an analysis on the adequacy of the spaces on campus most commonly used by the program (laboratories, library, classrooms, etc.).
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Cost Analysis
Reflection question: Describe how the program is being effective with its resources.
Category: Industry and Program Trends
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Analysis of the Discipline
Reflection Question: Provide context for the status of the discipline today. What are some emerging trends in this discipline across the country? What is happening in the industries related to this discipline?
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Comparison to Similar Programs at Peer Institutions
Reflection question: Identify and discuss how similar programs compare to your program in terms of size, curriculum and any relevant attributes.
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Senior Exit Surveys
Reflection questions: What were some positive and negative feedback received from students as they complete their degrees? Highlight any trends or insights that came from exit surveys over the course of the cycle.
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Graduate/Alumni Feedback on the Program
Reflection question: What were some positive and negative feedback received from alumni? Highlight any trends or insights that came from alumni feedback over the course of the cycle.
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Recommendations from Previous Program Reviews
Reflection question: Summarize recommendations from previous PRs, describe how those recommendations were applied throughout this cycle.
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Industry Relevance and Employment
Reflection question: How do your student learning outcomes align with industry needs?
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Employment Outlook
Reflection question: Describe employment outlook for the degree. Are there changes that could be made to improve employment outlook?