ABET Accreditation: Basic Information

BySalih Duffuaa: Professor of Industrial & Systems

EngineeringFebruary 28th, 2011.

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ABET History Process and Criteria Abet criteria Program educational objectives: guidelines &

examples Program learning outcomes: guidelines &

examples Performance Indicators Assessment Tools / Methods Difference Between PEO and Outcomes

Assessment Available Resources Preparation for Accreditation. Closing Remarks

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Outline

ABET was established in 1932 as the Engineers' Council for Professional Development (ECPD) by seven engineering societies.

ECPD was originally founded to provide a "joint program for upbuilding engineering as a profession". However, it almost immediately began developing as an accreditation agency, evaluating its first engineering program in 1936 and its first engineering technology program in 1946.

ECPD changed its name to Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) in 1980, and changed it again to ABET, Inc. in 2005.

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ABET History

ABET is a federation of 30 professional and technical societies (ABET member societies) representing the fields of applied science, computing, engineering, and technology.

These societies own and operate the organization.

ABET Federations members include IEEE, ASCE, … and many societies.

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ABET Composition

There are several type of accreditation. Institution , program.

Meets the criteria set by accrediting body.

Quality assurance

Yard stick for improvement.

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What is and Why Accreditation

Accreditation is a non-governmental, peer-review process that assures the quality of the postsecondary education students receive.

Types of accreditation: Institutional accreditation evaluates overall institutional

quality. One form of institutional accreditation is regional accreditation of colleges and universities.

Specialized accreditation examines specific programs of study, rather than an institution as a whole. Specific programs (e.g. Engineering) are often evaluated through specialized accreditation such as ABET.

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Accreditation Assures Quality

Accreditation gives colleges and universities a structured mechanism to assess, evaluate, and improve the quality of their programs.

Accreditation helps students and their parents choose quality college programs.

Accreditation enables employers to recruit graduates they know are well-prepared.

Accreditation is used by registration, licensure, and certification boards to screen applicants.

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Why ABET Accreditation Important?

Accreditation of engineering programs is voluntary.

Programs without previous accreditation can apply for accreditation as long as they have produced at least one program graduate.

The request for accreditation is initiated by the institution seeking accreditation.

Accreditation is given to individual programs within an institution rather than to the institution as a whole.

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ABET Accreditation Process

Accredited programs must request re-evaluation every six years to retain accreditation;.

If the accreditation criteria are not satisfied, additional evaluations may be required within the six-year interval.

The first step in securing or retaining ABET accreditation is for an institution to request an evaluation of its program(s) by January 31 of the year in which accreditation is being sought.

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ABET Accreditation Process

Applied Science Accreditation Commission (ASAC) .

Computing Accreditation Commission (CAC) .

Engineering Accreditation Commission (EAC) .

Technology Accreditation Commission (TAC)

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ABET Commissions

“The ABET Criteria for Accrediting Engineering Programs is based upon what students learn in the course of their program of studies as opposed to what they are presented in a curriculum. Consequently, institutions are required to have educational objectives and to make use of outcomes assessment techniques to determine the degree to which program objectives and outcomes are being attained. The assessment, in turn, is used in an ongoing process of improving student learning through enhancements to the program.”

The ABET Guiding Principle

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The Teaching-Improvement Loop

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“The ultimate goal of outcomes assessment is the improvement of teaching and learning”

1. Teaching

2. Learning

3. Assessing

4. Improvement

Criterion 1. Students Criterion 2. Program Educational ObjectivesCriterion 3. Program OutcomesCriterion 4. Continuous ImprovementCriterion 5. CurriculumCriterion 6. FacultyCriterion 7. FacilitiesCriterion 8. SupportCriterion 9. Program Criteria

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ABET GENERAL CRITERIA

The institution must evaluate, advise, and monitor students.

The institution must have and enforce policies for

transfer students validation of courses taken for credit elsewhere

The institution must have and enforce procedures to assure that all students meet program requirements

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Students Criterion 1 –

statements that describe the expected accomplishments of graduates during the first few years following graduation

Unique to the program and institution Consistent in all publications

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Program Educational Objectives - Criterion 2

Each program must have Detailed published educational objectives Process based on needs of constituencies in which

objectives are determined and periodically evaluated A curriculum and processes that prepare students

for achievement of the objectives A system of on-going evaluation that demonstrates

achievement and uses results to improve the effectiveness of the program

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Criteria 2: Program Educational Objectives

Prepare graduates who will have successful careers, and become leaders, in industry and the public sector

Prepare graduates who will appropriately apply acquired knowledge, work well in team, effectively communicate ideas and technical information, and continue to gain knowledge

Prepare graduates who will continue professional development and will pursue continuing education opportunities relevant to their careers

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Examples of PEO

Graduates will be prepared to take the lead in recognizing engineering problems in their organizations and designing solutions.

Graduates will be capable of operating effectively in today's dynamic, heterogeneous organizations .

Graduates will be prepared to contribute as ethical and responsible members of society.

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Examples of PEO

Program outcomes: Statements that describe what students are

expected to know and be able to do by the time of graduation

The achievement of outcomes indicates that the student is equipped to achieve the program educational objectives

ABET designated (a-k) included in some way

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Program Outcomes &Assessment - Criterion 3

Programs must demonstrate their graduates have outcomes “a to k”

Programs must have an assessment process with documented results

Evidence that the results of the assessment process are applied to the further development and improvement of the program.

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Program Outcomes

a. The graduates of the program should be able to: b. apply knowledge of mathematics, science, and engineering;c. design and conduct experiments, as well as analyze and

interpret data;d. design and improve integrated systems of people, materials,

information, facilities, and technology;e. function as a member of a multi-disciplinary team;f. identify, formulate, and solve industrial and Systems

engineering problems;g. understand and respect professional and ethical responsibilities;h. communicate effectively both orally and in writing;i. understand the impact of engineering solutions in a global and

societal contexts;j. recognize the need for life-long learning, and an ability to

engage in it;k. have a knowledge of contemporary issues; l. use up to dated techniques, skills and tools of Industrial and

Systems Engineering throughout their professional careers

Outcomes

Each program must show evidence of action to improve the program.

The action should based on information such as results of criteria 1 and 2.

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Continuous Improvement: Criteria 4

Faculty must assure that the curriculum devotes adequate attention and time to each component, consistent with objectives of the program and institution

One year of math and sciences. One and half year of engineering topics. Preparation for engineering practice Major design experience Subject areas appropriate to engineering

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Curriculum : Criteria 5

Demonstrate that the faculty: Have the competencies to cover all of the

curricular areas of the program Is of sufficient number to accommodate

student-faculty interaction, advising and counseling, service activities, professional development, and interaction with practitioners and employers, as required by Criterion 5

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Faculty: Criteria 6

Classrooms, laboratories, and associated equipment must be adequate to accomplish program objectives and provide an atmosphere conducive to learning

Opportunities to learn the use of modern engineering tools

Computing/information infrastructure to support scholarly activities of the students and faculty and the educational objectives of the institution

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Facilities: Criteria 7

Institutional support, financial resources, and constructive leadership must be adequate to assure quality and continuity of the program

Attract, retain, and provide for professional development of a well-qualified faculty

Resources to acquire, maintain, and operate equipment and facilities

Adequate support personnel Support of quality-improvement efforts

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Institutional Support andFinancial Resources - Criterion 8

Each program must satisfy applicable Program Criteria

Curricular topics Faculty qualifications Current Program Criteria are on the ABET

server (www.abet.org) Must satisfy all Program Criteria implied

by title of program

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Program Criteria –Criterion 9

Deficiency: assigned to any criterion that is totally or largely unmet

Weakness: criterion is met to some meaningful extent, but compliance is insufficient to fully satisfy requirements

Concern: criterion is fully met, but there is potential for non-compliance in the near future

Observation: general commentary possibly related to criteria.

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Terminology

Create the right organization for ABET Develop program Objectives and outcomes. Develop process for outcome assessment. Prepare Self-Study Report (SER). Prepare demonstration material. Internal checks Call for a mock visit. Prepare for ABET team visit. Develop the infrastructure to support the

accreditation through out.

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Preparation for Accredidation

1. All constituents should be involved in identifying PEO

2. Numbers of PEO should be manageable (4-5)3. PEO should be aligned with mission of university4. PEO should be measurable5. PEO should be assessed periodically using

constituents6. PEO should be evaluated periodically to

continuously improve the program

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Guidelines for developing PEO

Prepare graduates who will be successful in electrical engineering-related careers and other diverse career paths

Prepare graduates to be leadersPrepare graduates to be good citizens of the

societyPrepare graduates to pursue advanced degree, if

so desiredPrepare graduates to be life long learnersPrepare graduates to be entrepreneurs

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Program Educational Objectives: Examples

Program Learning Outcomes – The following questions should be answered when developing outcomes:

Are outcomes clearly defined?Does each learning outcome have few performance

indicators?Did we develop rubrics using performance

indicators?Are outcomes aligned with objectives?Are outcomes numbers manageable?Are ABET outcomes a through k included?

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PROGRAM LEARNING OUTCOMES

(a) an ability to apply knowledge of mathematics, science, and engineering

(b) an ability to design and conduct experiments, as well as to analyze and interpret data

(c) an ability to design a system, component, or process to meet desired needs within realistic constraints such as economic, environmental, social, political, ethical, health and safety, manufacturability, and sustainability

(d) an ability to function on multidisciplinary teams(e) an ability to identify, formulate, and solve engineering problems(f) an understanding of professional and ethical responsibility(g) an ability to communicate effectively(h) the broad education necessary to understand the impact of

engineering solutions in a global, economic, environmental, and societal context

(i) a recognition of the need for, and an ability to engage in life-long learning

(j) a knowledge of contemporary issues(k) an ability to use the techniques, skills, and modern engineering tools

necessary for engineering practice (l-n) Outcome based on Program CriteriaProgram outcomes are outcomes (a) through (k) plus any additional

outcomes that may be articulated by the program. Program outcomes must foster attainment of program educational objectives.

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Engineering programs must demonstrate that their students attain the following outcomes:

Task 1: Review Program Educational Objectives (PEO)Task 2: Review Program Learning OutcomesTask 3: Align Learning outcomes with PEOTask 4: Present to ConstituentsTask 5: Get Approval & PublishTask 6: Mapping Course Outcomes to Program

OutcomesTask 7: Develop Performance Indicators Task 8: Identify Assessment Tools/MethodsTask 9: Develop Assessment PlanTask 10: Data Collection and EvaluationTask 11: Closing the Loop

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Important Tasks to be done

TASK 3: Align Learning outcomes with Program Objectives.

Program outcomes must foster attainment of program educational objectives

Link outcomes with PEO All Learning Outcomes may or may not link to all/any PEO

Program Learning Outcomes

PEO

(a) (b) (c) (d) (e) (f) (g) (h) (i) (j) (k)

1 X X X

2 X X X

3 X X X

4 X X X

5 X X X35

Main Stakeholders/ConstituentsFaculty through Department CouncilEmployers through Industrial Advisory CommitteeStudents through various Professional Groups or

Student Societies etc.Others:AdministrationAlumniOther Graduate SchoolsRecruitersEmployers

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TASK 4: Present to Constituents

Get ApprovalFinal form of the Program Educational

Objectives and Learning Outcomes should be approved by the Department Council

Keep record in “ABET File”

Publish at: Department Website General Catalog Bulletin Boards etc

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TASK 5: Get Approval & Publish

Keep minutes of meeting of constituent’s involvement and Council approval as evidence in record.

Mapping: Core Courses & Program Outcomes

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a b c d e f g h i j k l mEE 200 Digital Logic Circuit Design P P P P P PEE 201 Electrical Circuits I P P P P PEE 203 Electronics I P P P P PEE 205 Electrical Circuits II P P P PEE 207 Signals & Systems P P PEE 303 Electronics II P P P P P P P

EE 315Probabilistic Methods in Electrical Eng. P P P P P

EE 340 Electromagnetics P P P P P P PEE 360 Electric Energy Engineering P P P P P P PEE 370 Communication Engineering I P P P P P P P PEE 380 Control Engineerng1 P P P P P P PEE 390 Digital System Engineering P P P P P P P PEE 399 Summer Training Program P P P P P P P PEE 411 Senior Design Project P P P P P P P P P P P P

Course Number Course Title

Program Outcome

Outcome (a): Ability to apply knowledge of mathematics………

1. Applies mathematics principles to obtain solutions.2. Uses principles of sciences and engineering in

solving engineering problems.3. Combines scientific and engineering principles to

formulate models of processes and systems.4. Combines mathematics principles to formulate

models of processes and systems.

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Examples of Performance Indicators

Example of Rubric on TeamworkPerformanc

e Criteria

Unsatisfactory1

Developing2

Satisfactory3

Exemplary4

Score

Contribute

Research & gather information.

Does not collect any

information that relates to the topic.

Collects very little

information – some

relates to the topic.

Collects some basic

information – most

relates to the topic

Collects a great deal of

information – all relates to the topic

Take Responsibility

Fulfill team role’s duties.

Does not perform any

duties of assigned

team role.

Perform very little duties.

Perform nearly all duties.

Perform all duties of assigned

team role.

Shear equally

Always relies on others to do

the work.

Rarely does the assigned

work – often needs

reminding.

Usually does the assigned work –

rarely needs reminding.

Always does the assigned work – without

having to be reminded.

Value Other’s Viewpoints

Listen to other

teammates.

Is always talking – never allows

anyone else to speak.

Usually doing most of the

talking – rarely allows

others to speak.

Listens, but sometimes

talk too much.

Listen and speaks a

fair amount

Average

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Questionnaires and written surveys (Alumni and employer surveys)

Senior exit surveys and interviews Student course evaluations Grades ** Focus groups conducted by trained

moderator Students internship evaluations (if based on

opinion)

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Task 8: Identify Assessment Tools (cont.)

Examples of Indirect measures

Selection of Courses Data Collection Cycle Identify Data To be Collected

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TASK 9: Development Assessment Plan

Mapping: Core Courses & Program Outcomes

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a b c d e f g h i j k l mEE 200 Digital Logic Circuit Design P P P P P PEE 201 Electrical Circuits I P P P P PEE 203 Electronics I P P P P PEE 205 Electrical Circuits II P P P PEE 207 Signals & Systems P P PEE 303 Electronics II P P P P P P P

EE 315Probabilistic Methods in Electrical Eng. P P P P P

EE 340 Electromagnetics P P P P P P PEE 360 Electric Energy Engineering P P P P P P PEE 370 Communication Engineering I P P P P P P P PEE 380 Control Engineerng1 P P P P P P PEE 390 Digital System Engineering P P P P P P P PEE 399 Summer Training Program P P P P P P P PEE 411 Senior Design Project P P P P P P P P P P P P

Course Number Course Title

Program Outcome

a b c d e f g h i j k l mEE 200 Digital Logic Circuit Design P P P P P PEE 201 Electrical Circuits I P P P P PEE 203 Electronics I P P P P PEE 205 Electrical Circuits II P P P PEE 207 Signals & Systems P P PEE 303 Electronics II P P P P P P P

EE 315Probabilistic Methods in Electrical Eng. P P P P P

EE 340 Electromagnetics P P P P P P PEE 360 Electric Energy Engineering P P P P P P PEE 370 Communication Engineering I P P P P P P P PEE 380 Control Engineerng1 P P P P P P PEE 390 Digital System Engineering P P P P P P P PEE 399 Summer Training Program P P P P P P P PEE 411 Senior Design Project P P P P P P P P P P P P

Course Number Course Title

Program Outcome

Selection of Courses for Outcome Assessment

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For Program Learning Outcomes Students Course Evaluation using rubric Student Course Portfolios Grades Performance Appraisal Senior exit surveys and interviews Locally developed exams

For Program Educational Objectives Alumni Survey Employers Survey Industrial Advisory Board’s Feedback Placement Data

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Data to be collected

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TASK 10: Collection of Data & Evaluation

Activities During ABET Visit

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Evaluation centers on the evidence provided that supports achievement of each of the criterion◦ Self-Study◦ Transcripts◦ Display materials◦ Facility tour◦ Interviews◦ Additional materials provided by program

Context for Evaluation

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Examine course materials Examine assessment materials Interview program head, faculty members,

staff, and students Tour facilities Visit supporting areas Verify/clarify/remove strengths and

shortcomings from initial evaluation Identify additional strengths and

shortcomings Work with Team to finalize evaluation and

recommend preliminary accreditation action

Activities During ABET Visit

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Strength – stands above the norm Concern – program currently satisfies

criterion, policy, or procedure, however potential exists for the situation to change such that the criterion, policy, procedure may not be satisfied

Weakness – program lacks strength of compliance with criterion, policy, or procedure

Deficiency – program does not satisfy criterion, policy, or procedure

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Strengths and Shortcomings

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THANK YOUAny Questions