Abstract
Systematic program review is proposed as a semi-formal means to proactively involve higher education faculty, staff, students and administrators in analyzing and making decisions about the future of their programs. The chapter first examines issues facing higher education, issues that provide a rationale for annual program reviews. The chapter positions program review as a form of participant-oriented program evaluation, and describes features of annual program reviews. A case study illustrates how a program review was conducted. Summary benefits and implementation guidelines are provided for administrators and faculty.
TopIssues Facing Higher Institutions
Four specific issues facing higher education provide a rationale for why ongoing and systematic program review may be helpful and necessary.
Key Terms in this Chapter
Persistence: The measure of students in higher education who return term-to-term and are more likely to complete an academic program.
Logic Modeling: A process to identify a goal and supporting resources and activities to reach that goal and visually represent progress.
Strategic Planning: A general term applied to any effort to determine major directions for a group or institution.
Accreditation: A certification process that evaluates an educational institution is fulfilling its mission.
Participant-Oriented Program Evaluation: A category of program evaluation which focuses on people, as opposed to program goals.
Program Evaluation: A family of models used to determine the “success” of a program and determine what success means.
Dashboard: At-a-glance representation of key performance indicators.
Program Review: A semi-formal approach, a form of participant-oriented program evaluation, used to determining the performance of people within academic programs, including faculty, staff, and students.