Annual Program Assessment ReviewcontinuedParalegal – Assessment results for the 2011-2012 year highlighted areas in different courses where more attention may be needed in order for the students to better grasp concepts. The program will include more assignments, examples, and discussions in areas where students struggled most such as promissory estoppel, vicarious liability, drafting a counterclaim, labeling of cases, and others.

Pharmacy Technician – The Pharmacy Technician program utilized various techniques in the classroom to improve learning including dividing chapters into smaller sections and giving more quizzes on repetitive concepts. Dividing chapters into smaller sections did not improve student learning. In fact, it slowed progress. Administering more quizzes and quizzes that repeated previous concepts worked well to help students memorize more than 150 drug names.

Programming and Computer Networking – The program is focusing on improving teamwork in the program by incorporating rubrics to measure individual contributions to group projects. A group log book will also be utilized. This program identified that the current program name was confusing and even misleading to students. After carefully reviewing the current structure and possible naming schemes, the solution was to identify this program as Computer Science-Network Administration and Security and Computer Science-Programming and Application Development for the both the Associate of Applied Science and diploma programs.

Transportation Technology – The program instructors for Transportation Technology noted that it is a challenge to stay current with trends in the automotive industry. The instructors attended the Vision KS 2012 forum to learn about the newest technology in automotive diagnostics and services. In addition,the instructors also ensure that students are encouraged to participate in internships, SKILLS USA competitions, and are actively involved in advisory committee meetings.

Welding – Welding met or exceeded their program and student learning outcomes. The program will switch to Solid Works CAD programming because of industry guidelines, program availability, and cost. The change also will help with collaborative projects between WDT and the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology as it is the same software used by the School of Mines. This is an industry that is rapidly changing and therefore the curriculum needs to be revised. Discussion is currently underway in regards to shifting the machining out of welding to a stand-alone program.

IntroductionWestern Dakota Technical Institute has in place, and is continuing to develop, an assessment process designed to help WDT identify areas for improvement and to create improvement plans. During the 2011-2012 academic year, the Assessment Committee primarily focused on completing the syllabi project started in 2010-2011. All WDT syllabi will—by the start of the 2012-2013 school year—have updated student learning outcomes utilizing Bloom’s Taxonomy, an assessment statement that identifies which core abilities the course will address, and verified credit hours utilizing the Carnegie credit hour guidelines.

Student LearningWDT has identified seven core abilities as essential workplace skills that cut across occupational and academic titles. They are broad, common abilities that students must possess to be prepared for the workforce and for lifelong learning. Core abilities are not taught in lessons. Instead, they are broader skills that run through courses and lessons. WDT’s core abilities:

__________________________________________________________Life Skills—Apply the principles of physical and psychological wellness to his or her life. __________________________________________________________Analytical Skills—Apply principles and strategies of purposeful, active, and organized thinking. __________________________________________________________Communication Skills—Apply appropriate writing, speaking, and listening skills in order to precisely convey information, ideas, and opinions. __________________________________________________________Technology Skills—Possess the knowledge and skills necessary to use a computer and other technology methods utilized within his or her chosen field. __________________________________________________________Teamwork Techniques—Work with others to complete tasks, solve problems, and resolve conflict. __________________________________________________________Social Values—An individual possesses an awareness of differences in backgrounds and cultures and demonstrates respect while working with different backgrounds and cultures. __________________________________________________________Employability—Apply effective work habits and attitudes in the classroom or training situation.

WDT uses direct and indirect measures to assess these core abilities. Through surveys of WDT’s stakeholders, WDT collects and acts on responses to make informed, data-driven decisions. Through assessment activities at the program level, WDT instructors understand where to focus their attention so students graduate with the skills and experiences they need to succeed.

SurveysOther, less direct measures of institutional effectiveness are provided by surveys of our stakeholders, including students, faculty, and staff. WDT uses the survey results for program and service planning and improvement efforts.

Student Satisfaction Survey (SSI) Biannually, WDT conducts the Noel Levitz Student Satisfaction Inventory. This survey assesses student satisfaction in and out of the academic classroom. The survey was conducted in April 2012. Results have recently been received and will be reviewed by campus decision makers for future action.

Student Focus GroupsStudent focus groups are conducted annually to gather direct student input regarding a variety of issues and concerns on the WDT campus. Information gathered from these sessions is used to improve and enhance the WDT community. Results are disseminated as appropriate. Based on the information from students, WDT’s Orientation class was reorganized into an eight week class, program advising efforts are under review, and several campus policies are being reviewed and updated.

CORE Drug and Alcohol Survey In coordination with the Campus Community Wellness Coalition, WDT administers the CORE Drug and Alcohol Survey. The results of this survey assist WDT Student Services personnel in programming and identifying potential intervention programs. This survey was administered in February 2012. Results of the 2012 survey are under review. Programming for the next academic year will be determined based on survey analysis.

Graduate Placement ReportThe Graduate Placement Report is conducted on an annual basis. WDT contacts graduates six months after graduation to identify if the graduate is employed. Additional information is gathered on wage, degree-related employment, continuing education, and whether the graduate has stayed within the state. The results identify employment trends, and the data is used by programs, advisory boards, the Office of Career and Technical Education, and the Federal Department of Education to help solidify the integrity of WDT programs. For example, low placement and/or wages have caused programs to be reviewed to see if they are still viable.

Annual Program Assessment ReviewFaculty are responsible for maintaining an assessment book that includes past and current assessment activities, three-year goals, and documentation of various items such as program budgets, advisory board minutes, and curriculum changes. One day is dedicated at the end of each semester for faculty to compile and report their assessment activities for the year.

Through the annual review, instructors make changes to their program that will impact current and future students. Here are some changes made this year and others planned for next year.

Business Management & Marketing – The program offered 40-minute workshops in the areas of attendance/dependability, attitudes/respect, efficiency/teamwork, responsibility/accountability, and others in the 2011-2012 school year to address employability concerns from the 2010-2011 assessment results. Data captured this year showed employability skills at internship sites did improve. The two areas that will be focused on in 2012-2013 are written and oral communication skills.

Collision Repair Technology – The program utilized lab analysis to measure progress in analytic techniques, technology skills, and employability. The program had good results, but plans to cover items in more detail and with more hands-on practice utilizing both lab settings and customer work. This program is staying current with this changing industry by reviewing changes with advisory committee partners, taking part in professional development, and staying current with industry trends.

Computer Aided Drafting – The program will continue to work on analytical skills and technology skills to meet the student learning outcomes. The main element of concern is lack of meeting the deadline on final projects. The program will provide more structured direction

on final projects by establishing project timelines and graded checkpoints to enforce progress goals.

General Education – In the fall of 2011, a faculty survey identified student writing and speaking skills as needing significant improvement. A Writing Across the Curriculum Committee was formed to address the concern. The committee created a plan to start a portfolio project in Tech Writing that will integrate genres already taught in Tech Writing along with genres from work in the individual student’s field of study. The Composition instructor is working with various programs across the institute to launch the initiative fall 2012. First assessable results will be available at the end of the 12-13 academic year.

Health Information Management – Health records are now totally electronic and are most often completed by the health care provider while providing direct care to the patient. Furthermore, much of what was once done by a transcriptionist is now done by voice recognition software. Based upon input from the advisory committee, more emphasis will now be placed upon medical terminology and editing skills. In anticipation of the focus on voice recognition software, a new class will be added specific to this software and the skills necessary to use it effectively.

Electrical Trades – This program identified that their strengths included program longevity, industry partners, and program enrollment. Information regarding the program indicates that the regional employment for graduates remains strong with high wages. With the downturn in the economy, construction slowed. However, the demand for industrial electricians continues to climb with the growth in energy-related fields. Delineating the differences in the two fields may be helpful in educating students on their career opportunities and identifying where job opportunities exist. This may address the changing needs in meeting local, state and regional employment demands and the strategies this program needs to develop in presenting and developing curriculum.

Environmental Engineering Technician – This program made some curriculum changes to better meet the demands of industry and students. The option of taking sociology or economics was eliminated so students must take economics which is more applicable to their program. The program also added a course in records computation. This course will expose students to basic water resources record computation techniques and office procedures.

Law Enforcement Technology – The Law Enforcement Technology program used a variety of assessment tools during the 2011-2012 school year including muddiest point, minute papers, hands-on testing, and role play with discussion. Through these tools and others, the program significantly improved scores on physical fitness tests and saw improvement in the core abilities of employability, analytical skills, life skills, and teamwork techniques.

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