Paper Authors

Abstract

NOTE: The first page of text has been automatically extracted and included below in lieu of an abstract

Session 2149

Planning and Execution: The Key to Developing a TC2K Quality Program

David S. Cottrell Pennsylvania State University at Harrisburg

Introduction

This paper describes an ongoing process: the integration of the new ABET accreditation criteria for engineering technology (TC2K) into the School of Science, Engineering, and Technology at the Pennsylvania State University at Harrisburg. Currently three technology programs – Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, and Structural Design and Construction Engineering – are implementing outcomes based assessment processes that will lead to an atmosphere of continuous improvement and quality education. This paper documents the deliberate planning and the subsequent execution of a comprehensive plan designed to successfully transform the technology programs to a format consistent with the spirit and letter of the TC2K.

“Experience has shown that the way a change is implemented can influence the effectiveness of the transition as much as the contents of that change itself.” 6 The leadership within the School of Science, Engineering, and Technology at the Pennsylvania State University at Harrisburg recognized the importance of a road map to guide TC2K implementation as a prerequisite for success. Consequently, they developed a strategic, comprehensive plan with four distinct operational phases. The plan’s operational concept focused on systematically revising the educational framework to support outcome/objective assessment and evaluation. Further, the program footing would promote academic programs characterized by a dynamic state of continuous process improvement consistent with TC2K. Viewed essentially as sequential in nature, the phases allowed the faculty in each of the three programs to control to some extent the rate of implementation. The fours phases include (1) awareness training for senior key personnel, (2) internal organizational assessment, (3) team building for process control and TC2K implementation, and (4) an action phase designed to perpetuate the program. This paper addresses each phase in turn and then concludes with some “lessons learned” from the process.

Phase 1: Leadership Awareness

The plan envisioned the “awareness phase” as an initial step toward creating an acute sensitivity in the senior faculty from both the targeted programs as well as the other faculty within the school. Initially, this took the form of “training the trainer” sessions for

“Proceedings of the 2003 American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference & Exposition Copyright © 2003, American Society for Engineering Education”

• Citation

• Format
  • APA
  • APA - LaTeX bibitem
  • MLA
  • MLA - LaTeX bibitem
  • Bibtex
  • EndNote - RIS

Cottrell, D. (2003, June), Planning And Execution: The Key To Developing A Tc2 K Quality Program Paper presented at 2003 Annual Conference, Nashville, Tennessee. 10.18260/1-2--12098