program quality review manual
Post on 01-Mar-2022
4 Views
Preview:
TRANSCRIPT
Program Quality Review Manual Single Campus Program
Academic Year 2021-2022
Algonquin College is located on the unceded and unsurrendered territory of the Algonquin
Nation. We acknowledge our shared obligation to respect, honour, and sustain these lands and
the natural resources contained within.
2
Table of Contents
Program Quality Review .............................................................................................................5
Program Lifecycle ....................................................................................................................5
Program Quality Assurance Team ...........................................................................................6
PQR Set Up.............................................................................................................................6
PQR Phases............................................................................................................................7
Program Quality Review: Timeline ..............................................................................................9
Program Quality Review: A Team Effort ....................................................................................10
PQR Roles ............................................................................................................................10
Program Quality Review: Algonquin College Entrepreneurial Mindset Context .........................11
PQR Team Lead Tips for Success ............................................................................................12
Take time to plan ...................................................................................................................12
Review key documents before you start ................................................................................12
Think about the audience of your PQR report ........................................................................12
Phase 1: Program Current State ...............................................................................................14
Program Advisory Committee (PAC) Meeting (Planning) .......................................................15
Program Current State Meeting (1 hour) ................................................................................15
Faculty Reflection Meeting (2 hours) .....................................................................................16
Document Review .................................................................................................................18
Previous PQR and PQR Follow-up Reports ...................................................................18
Program Advisory Committee (PAC) and Program Council (PC) Documents .............18
Governing Bodies and External Accreditations ............................................................20
Phase 2: Human, Financial, and Physical Resources Workbook...............................................22
Human, Physical, and Financial Resources Report Section ..................................................23
Phase 3: Program Data .............................................................................................................24
Student Feedback .................................................................................................................25
PQR Program Data Package .................................................................................................25
Environmental Scan ........................................................................................................25
Enrolment and Progression Reports ..............................................................................26
Student Satisfaction and Engagement ...........................................................................27
Phase 4: Stakeholder Engagement ...........................................................................................28
PQR Feedback – Program Advisory Committee (PAC) Meeting ............................................29
3
PQR Student Feedback Survey .............................................................................................31
Phase 5A and 5B: Curriculum Familiarization and Guided Reflection .......................................32
Curriculum Familiarization .....................................................................................................32
Phase 5A: Curriculum Familiarization ...............................................................................33
Program Webpage ...........................................................................................................33
Program of Study Table ...................................................................................................34
Curriculum and Related Resources ................................................................................35
Curriculum Guided Reflection ................................................................................................36
Phase 5B: Curriculum Guided Reflection ...............................................................................37
Curriculum Action Items .................................................................................................38
Examples of Curriculum Action Items ............................................................................40
Curriculum Report Section .....................................................................................................40
Phase 6: Program Delivery .......................................................................................................41
Second Faculty Meeting (Planning) .......................................................................................42
Learning Activities and Assessments.....................................................................................43
Experiential and Work-Integrated Learning ............................................................................44
Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR) .............................................................46
Program Pathways ................................................................................................................47
External Pathways ...........................................................................................................47
Internal Pathways ............................................................................................................48
Phase 7: Faculty Engagement ..................................................................................................50
Faculty Engagement ..............................................................................................................51
Planning the Meeting .......................................................................................................51
Best Practices for Engaging the Faculty ........................................................................52
Leading the Meeting ........................................................................................................52
Phase 8: PQR Action Items and Implementation .......................................................................55
Review the Draft Report ........................................................................................................56
Drafting PQR Action Items .....................................................................................................56
Curriculum Action Items .................................................................................................57
Other Action Items ...........................................................................................................57
PQR Action Item Review Meeting ..........................................................................................59
Writing the PQR Executive Summary ....................................................................................60
Phase 9: PQAC Review and Report Sign-off ............................................................................62
4
PQAC Review Process ..........................................................................................................62
PQAC Sub-Committee Review Process ................................................................................63
PQR Sign-off .........................................................................................................................63
PQR Complete! .........................................................................................................................64
5
Program Quality Review
A Program Quality Review (PQR) is a comprehensive review of a
program, scheduled every five to seven years. It’s an opportunity for the
faculty to conduct an in-depth exploration of the program to confirm what’s
working well and to identify opportunities to improve.
The PQR is a key element of the program lifecycle. When a new program
launches, curriculum changes should be minimal. Five years after launch,
the program has its first opportunity to take a deep dive and examine all
aspects of the curriculum and delivery.
The findings of the PQR support the continuous improvement of the
program over the next two years, and ACR and/or a program modification
are the vehicles for implementing the curriculum enhancements.
Program Lifecycle
The purpose of the PQR is to identify opportunities and issues – not to
immediately act on them. No actions are to be taken during the PQR. The
outcome of a PQR is a set of action items to support the renewal of
the program over the next two years.
Learn more about
Quality Assurance
at Ontario
Colleges
6
Program Quality Assurance Team
The Program Quality Assurance (PQA) Team supports the PQR process
from planning through to implementation. The team consists of:
• Manager, Program Quality and Renewal
• Program Quality Review Specialists (x2)
A member of the team will be assigned to your PQR and will support
you throughout the review process.
Your PQA Team member will:
• Check in and meet with you regularly
• Answer your questions and provide guidance
• Review and provide feedback on your completed work
• Track the progress of your review
This manual will lead you through all the activities and documentation
step-by-step. Your Academic Administrator and the Program Quality
Assurance (PQA) Team are here to support you. If anything is unclear or
your are not sure how to proceed please reach out for assistance.
PQR Set Up
Prior to the launch of the PQR, the following set up and data collection
activities are completed by the PQA Team. All of this information can be
found in the Files tab of your Teams site.
✓ Set up Microsoft Teams PQR site
✓ Collect previous PQR and PQR Follow-up Report(s), if applicable
✓ Collect PAC and PC minutes from the last three years
✓ Collect PLAR data
✓ Collect Pathways information
✓ Collect Course Outlines
✓ Populate Curriculum Workbook
✓ Prepare the PQR Data Package
✓ Create collaborative document for Faculty Reflection Meeting
✓ Prepare PQR Student Feedback Survey
✓ Prepare faculty credentials and professional development survey
Take a moment
to find all the
documents in
your Teams site
7
Parallel Phases
PQR Phases
PQR Orientation
Attend a group orientation session with other faculty who are leading a
PQR. Review key documents and learn how to use Microsoft Teams.
Phase 1 – Program Current State
A review of program documents and meetings with the program leadership
and with the faculty to get a sense of the program.
Phase 2 – Human, Physical, and Financial Resources
An analysis of the program’s resources (completed by the Academic
Administrator, in parallel with Phase 3).
Phase 3 – Program Data
A review of institutional enrolment reports and survey data to identify
program strengths and areas for improvement (completed by the PQR
Team Lead, in parallel with Phase 2).
Phase 4 – Stakeholder Engagement
A meeting with the Program Advisory Committee (PAC) and distribution of
the PQR Student Feedback survey.
Program Current State
Human, Physical, and Financial
ResourcesProgram Data
Stakeholder Engagement
Curriculum Familiarization (A)
and Guided Reflection (B)
Program Delivery
Faculty Engagement
Draft Action ItemsPeer Review
(PQAC)
Final Report
Note: all writing is
completed directly
in the report
template, apart
from Phase 2
which includes a
separate
workbook
8
Phase 5 – Curriculum Familiarization (A) and Guided Reflection (B)
A reflection on all elements of the program’s curriculum, supported by a
Curriculum Consultant.
Phase 6 – Program Delivery
A review of learning activities and assessments, experiential and work-
integrated learning opportunities, prior learning assessment and recognition
(PLAR), and program pathways.
Phase 7 – Faculty Engagement.
A second meeting with the faculty to playback key findings and solicit
feedback and ideas.
Phase 8 – Draft Action Items and Implementation Plan
The development of draft action items, in collaboration with the Academic
Administrator and Program Coordinator.
Phase 9 – PQAC Review and Sign-off
Peer review and feedback from Program Quality Assurance Committee
(PQAC) and sign-off/distribution of the final report.
9
Program Quality Review: Timeline
Fall PQR Launch
Winter PQR Launch
•OrientationMonth 1: September
•Program Current StateMonth 2: October
•Human, Physical, and Financial Resources + Program DataMonth 3: November
•Stakeholder EngagementMonth 4: December
•Curriculum FamiliarizationMonth 5: January
•Program DeliveryMonth 6: February
•Faculty Engagement*Month 7: March
•Curriculum Guided Reflection* / Faculty Engagement*Month 8: April
•Curriculum Guided Reflection* / Draft RecommendationsMonth 9: May
•Annual LeaveBreak
•PQAC Review and Sign-offFall Term
•OrientationMonth 1: January
•Program Current StateMonth 2: February
•Human, Physical, and Financial Resources + Program DataMonth 3: March
•Stakeholder EngagementMonth 4: April
•Curriculum FamiliarizationMonth 5: May
•Program DeliveryMonth 6: June
•Annual LeaveBreak
•Curriculum Guided Reflection*Month 7: September
•Curriculum Guided Reflection* & Faculty EngagementMonth 8: October
•Draft RecommendationsMonth 9: November
•PQAC Review and Sign-offWinter Term
*The timing of the Curriculum Guided Reflection Meeting and the second Faculty Meeting will depend on the availability of all stakeholders.
*The timing of the Curriculum Guided Reflection Meeting will depend on the availability of all stakeholders.
10
Program Quality Review: A Team Effort
PQR Roles
PQR Team Lead: Leads the PQR research project and all activities,
analyzes data and information, and writes the final report.
Academic Administrator: Provides ongoing support to the PQR Team
Lead and engages the faculty in the PQR process. Plans for the
implementation of the recommendations.
PQA Support: Provides guidance and feedback to PQR Team Lead and
Academic Administrator.
Program Coordinator: Shares program history, context, and information to
support the PQR process. Attends the Curriculum Guided Reflection
Meeting. Supports final recommendations.
Curriculum Consultant: Leads a guided reflection of the curriculum with
the PQR Team Lead and Program Coordinator and supports identification
of curriculum recommendations.
Departmental Note-taker: Provides note-taking support at the two faculty
meetings (assigned by the Academic Administrator).
Dean: Provides endorsement for final recommendations and is accountable
for the implementation of the recommendations.
Program Quality Assurance Committee (PQAC): Reviews and provides
constructive feedback on the draft PQR reports. Identifies program quality
trends and issues in an annual report to Deans and Directors’ Council.
PQR Team LeadAcademic
AdministratorPQA Support
Program Coordinator Curriculum ConsultantDepartment Note-
taker
Learn more about
PQAC
Look for this
colour coding in
the manual
11
Program Quality Review: Algonquin College
Entrepreneurial Mindset Context
The PQR Process and the Program Lifecycle can also be considered
through the lens of Algonquin College’s Innovation and
Entrepreneurship Mindset Competencies Framework.
The PQR process signals a new beginning for the program. Through
analysis and collaboration, the faculty will develop recommendations and
implement changes to ensure the program continues to meet the needs of
learners and stakeholders.
Learn more about
the Innovation
and
Entrepreneurship
Mindset
Competencies
Framework
12
PQR Team Lead Tips for Success
You are the lead on this major research project. You’ll need to be very
organized, keep track of timelines, and ask questions if you aren’t sure how
to proceed.
Take time to plan
✓ Schedule time each week to complete your PQR activities
✓ Plan when and how you’ll provide updates to your Academic
Administrator (regularly scheduled meetings, email, etc.)
✓ Familiarize yourself with Microsoft Teams
o Try to avoid downloading and uploading different versions
of the report and documents
o When you open a document in Teams, use the “Open in
Desktop App” feature for the best experience (remember
to save the document often!)
Review key documents before you start
✓ PQR Manual
o Scan this manual from start to finish so you have a good
understanding of the work and timelines
o Make sure you understand the tasks in each Phase
▪ Most tasks are completed by you (PQR Team Lead)
▪ If another role is responsible for a task, you are still
responsible for communicating and confirming
completion
▪ If you need help or something is confusing please let
your PQA Support or Academic Administrator know
✓ PQR Report Template
o Review the template to familiarize yourself with the format of
each section.
Think about the audience of your PQR report
✓ You’ll need to write the report for someone who does not know
anything about your program
✓ Use complete sentences, provide important context, and avoid
acronyms, overly technical language, or industry specific jargon
Welcome to
Microsoft Teams
(2 min)
Would you like a
printed copy of
the manual
mailed to you?
Ask your PQA
Support.
13
✓ Try to avoid personal bias and use of first-person language (I
think, I believe)
✓ Use third-person language to connect your observations and
analysis to the evidence:
o The data suggests…
o The stakeholder feedback highlighted…
o The faculty contend…
o Students reported…
o The PAC supported the idea of…
14
Phase 1: Program Current State
The first step in the PQR process is to understand the current state of the
program. This involves the following activities:
1. Program Current State Meeting
2. Faulty Reflection Meeting
3. Documentation Review
Additionally, you need to confirm the date and time of the next Program
Advisory Committee (PAC) meeting. This meeting may occur at any time
during the PQR process.
PQR Team Lead Tasks:
✓ Read Phase 1 section of the manual
✓ Review Faculty Reflection Document
✓ Attend Program Current State Meeting
✓ Lead Faculty Reflection Meeting
✓ Review previous PQR / follow up report, PAC and PC minutes, and
any other documents provided
✓ Confirm attendance at/hold date and time for next PAC meeting
✓ Write PQR Report section 1
Academic Administrator Tasks:
✓ Attend Program Current State Meeting
✓ Identify date for next PAC meeting and add time on agenda for PQR
questions
✓ Schedule Faculty Reflection Meeting, invite all faculty, and confirm
compensation for part-time faculty
✓ Assign a note-taker for the Faculty Reflection Meeting
✓ Provide updates on implementation of previous PQR
recommendations, if needed
PQA Support Tasks:
✓ Schedule and attend Program Current State Meeting
✓ Create zoom link and attend Faculty Reflection Meeting (assist with
facilitation)
✓ Prepare Faculty Reflection Meeting Document and make it available
to all program faculty (shared link)
Department Note-Taker:
✓ Attend and document the Faculty Reflection Meeting
✓ Share meeting minutes within five business days
PQR Launch to
end of Month 2
(~ 5 weeks)
15
Program Advisory Committee (PAC) Meeting (Planning)
Program Advisory Committees meet twice per year. You will attend the next
meeting and seek feedback from the PAC to inform the PQR.
PQR Team Lead
Ask your Academic Administrator to identify the date of the next Program
Advisory Committee (PAC) meeting. Meeting schedules are dependent
on the PAC’s availability; therefore, this meeting may happen at any
time during the PQR process.
Refer to Phase 4 in this manual for instructions on how to prepare for
the meeting and how to solicit feedback from the PAC.
Program Current State Meeting (1 hour)
The goal of this meeting is for the PQR Team Lead to better understand the
program’s history, purpose, and strengths / opportunities to improve by
meeting with the program’s leaders.
PQA Support
Schedule Program Current State Meeting. Attendees:
• PQR Team Lead
• Program Coordinator / Lead Subject Matter Expert (in some cases,
this individual is also the PQR Team Lead)
• Academic Administrator
• PQA Support
PQR Team Lead
Lead Program Current State Meeting.
Meeting Agenda:
1. Approximately how long has this program been offered by the
College?
2. What labour market need does it fulfill? What jobs / types of careers
does it prepare students for?
3. Are there any major changes that have happened or that are
expected in the industry?
4. Does this program have any external accreditations or governing
bodies?
5. What are the greatest strengths of this program?
Refer to Phase 4
for PAC meeting
prep info
16
6. When thinking about areas where the program could improve, what
comes to mind?
Write PQR Report Section 1.2 Program Current State Meeting (2-3 paragraphs)
• Write a summary of the Current State Meeting.
• Include information related to each of the questions above, as well
as any other comments or information that was shared.
Faculty Reflection Meeting (2 hours)
The goal of this meeting is for the PQR Team Lead to better understand the
program’s history, purpose, and strengths / opportunities to improve by
meeting with the program’s faculty. Feedback from the faculty will be
captured in two ways:
1. Discussion during the meeting
2. Comments and information shared in a collaborative document
(during the meeting and/or after the meeting)
Academic Administrator (with PQR Team Lead)
Schedule Faculty Reflection Meeting.
• Invite all faculty who teach in the program
• Confirm compensation for part-time faculty
• Assign a note-taker for this meeting
PQR Team Lead (with PQA Support)
Lead Faculty Reflection Meeting.
Meeting Agenda:
1. Opening
a. Overview of the PQR purpose, process, timeline (5 min)
b. Ensure everyone has access to Faculty Reflection document
(10 min)
2. Faculty Discussion
a. Tab 1: Program and Industry (30 minutes)
b. Tab 2: Curriculum and Delivery (30 minutes)
c. Tab 3: Algonquin Experience (30 minutes)
d. Open discussion (20 minutes)
3. Closing
a. Thank you + reminder to add any additional feedback in the
document (5 min)
17
b. Share that a second meeting with the faculty will occur next
term to help inform the recommendations (5 min)
Possible Probing Questions:
1. What labour market need does it fulfill? What jobs / types of careers
does it prepare students for?
2. Have there been any major curriculum changes in the last five years
(ACR and/or program modification)?
a. How did the move to remote delivery in 2020-2021 affect this
program?
3. Are there any major changes that have happened or that are
expected in the industry?
4. What kind of work-integrated learning activities are included in this
program?
a. Are students prepared for these activities?
b. Are they effective?
c. What kind of feedback are students and partners providing?
5. What do students and graduates say about the program?
6. What are the greatest strengths of this program?
7. When thinking about areas where the program could improve, what
comes to mind?
Write PQR Report Section 1.3 Faculty Reflection Meeting Review the completed Faculty Reflection document and the Faculty
Reflection meeting minutes.
Program and Industry (3-4 paragraphs)
• Write a summary of the information shared by the faculty related to
Program and Industry.
• Identify any key themes or priorities.
Curriculum and Delivery (3-4 paragraphs)
• Write a summary of the information shared by the faculty related to
Curriculum and Delivery.
• Identify any key themes or priorities.
Algonquin Experience (1-2 examples for each characteristic)
• Complete the Program Information / Activities column of the
Algonquin Experience table.
18
Document Review
PQR Team Lead
Complete document review.
Previous PQR and PQR Follow-up Reports
If this is the first PQR for the program, please write “This is the first
PQR for the program” in the report template and skip to the next
section.
Review the previous PQR and PQR Follow-up Report(s).
Use the questions below to guide your analysis.
• What were the main themes/ findings addressed by the
recommendations from the previous PQR?
• Were all actions completed? Are any uncompleted actions still
relevant and need to be carried forward?
Write PQR Report Section 1.4 Previous Program Quality Review Recommendations
• Record the previous PQR recommendations and action items.
• Provide a current status for each action (ex. completed, in-progress,
cancelled) and include any relevant updates.
• Identify any action items that will be carried forward (Notes column).
Program Advisory Committee (PAC) and Program Council (PC) Documents
Active Program Advisory Committees and Program Councils help ensure
programs are meeting the needs of employers and students. Industry
representatives and employers form the Program Advisory Committees,
while student class representatives form Program Councils.
1. Program Advisory Committees (PAC)
Read the PAC minutes.
a) Confirm that the following criteria are met:
✓ Meeting Frequency: The PAC is active and meets 2x per year
✓ Membership:
i. The PAC has at least 8 members (and generally not
more than 15).
Seek updates
from your
Academic
Administrator as
needed and
reach out to your
PQA Support if
you need help
Review College
Policies AA01
and AA03
19
ii. The PAC membership reflects the diversity of the
vocation and industry.
iii. PAC members are not employed in any way by the
College; staff and faculty may serve as resource persons
but have no voting rights and are not included in the
membership count.
If any of these criteria are not met, the specific issue must be noted
and the need for PAC renewal must be added to the PQR
recommendations.
b) Main topics: Identify the main topics of discussion at the PAC
meetings and any key issues.
2. Program Council (PC)
Read the Program Council minutes.
a) Confirm that the following criteria are met:
✓ Meeting Frequency: The Program Council is active and
meets within the first six weeks of each term.
✓ Membership:
i. Membership of Program Councils consists of class
representatives who are elected by their peers (from
each level and section of the program).
ii. Other members include: the Academic Administrator
responsible for the program, the Program
Coordinator, and faculty representatives.
✓ Actions and Communication:
i. Action items are recorded and followed up on.
ii. Meeting minutes are circulated by the end of Week 8.
If any of these criteria are not met, the specific issue must be noted and the
need for PC renewal must be added to the PQR recommendations.
b) Main topics: Identify the main topics of discussion at the PC
meetings and any key issues.
Complete PQR Report Section Appendix A:
• Record the PAC Membership and PAC / PC recent meeting dates in
Appendix A.
Write PQR Report Section 1.5 Program Governance – Program Advisory Committee (4-5 paragraphs)
• Confirm the health of the PAC by commenting on the meeting
frequency and membership. Does the PAC comply with the policy?
20
• Identify if PAC renewal is needed (ex. expanded membership,
members with different backgrounds/perspectives).
• Describe the main topics of discussion at the PAC meetings and
any key issues. Main topics may include curriculum, work-integrated
learning, industry trends, space/equipment/technology, etc. Provide
enough detail so that the reader understands the topics and issues
being discussed.
Write PQR Report Section 1.5 Program Governance – Program Council (4-5 paragraphs)
• Confirm the health of the PC by commenting on the meeting
frequency and membership.
• Identify if PC renewal is needed.
• Describe the main topics of discussion at the PC meetings and any
key issues. Main topics may include workload, faculty feedback,
curriculum, work-integrated learning, space/equipment/technology,
etc. Provide enough detail so that the reader understands the topics
and issues being discussed.
Governing Bodies and External Accreditations
Programs may have legal requirements for graduates to be certified,
registered, and/or licensed by a regulatory authority. Programs may also be
accredited by a voluntary external body. Not all programs will have an
additional governing bodies or external accreditation.
Write PQR Report Section 1.6 Governing Bodies and External Accreditations: (1-3 paragraphs OR 1 paragraph per accreditation)
• If the program does have accreditations: Describe any governing
bodies or external accreditations currently associated with the
program. Comment on the last accreditation review, any changes
implemented as a result, and the next scheduled review. Reference
accreditation documentation where relevant.
• If the program does NOT have accreditations: Write “This program
has no accreditations”, and identify any possible new opportunities
to align with an external body or accreditation, if applicable. This
could include preparing students for optional industry certifications
post-graduation.
21
PQR Report – Section 1 Complete
Please let your PQA Support know that your first draft is complete so they
can review and provide you with feedback.
PQA Team
review
22
Phase 2: Human, Financial, and Physical Resources
Workbook
Phase 2 and 3 of the PQR process will happen in parallel.
In Phase 2, the Academic Administrator will complete the following
activities:
1. Distribute the Faculty Credentials and Professional Development
survey
2. Complete a workbook reflecting on the human, physical, and
financial resources required to maintain and renew the program
Please review the Human, Physical, and Financial Resources
Workbook for all instructions related to this phase of the PQR.
Academic Administrator Tasks:
✓ Distribute Faculty Credentials and Professional Development survey
✓ Write all sections in Phase 2 workbook
PQR Team Lead Tasks:
✓ Confirm Faculty Credentials and Professional Development survey
has been sent by the Academic Administrator
✓ Confirm deadline for Academic Administrator to complete workbook
✓ Provide the Academic Administrator with any relevant feedback
from initial PQR stages (ex. related to resources, space,
professional development)
✓ Review completed workbook
✓ Complete PQR Report section 2 (copy and paste information
from workbook into appropriate PQR report sections)
PQA Support Tasks:
✓ Prepare survey and workbook
✓ Provide assistance as needed
Month 3
(~4 weeks)
23
Human, Physical, and Financial Resources Report Section
PQR Team Lead
Review the completed workbook.
Complete PQR Report Section 2.1 Faculty Credentials (complete both tables) Complete PQR Report Section 2.2 Human Resources
• Copy and paste the information from the workbook for the following three sections:
o Program Faculty o Program Support Roles o Professional Development
Complete PQR Report Section 2.3 Physical Resources
• Copy and paste the information from the workbook
Complete PQR Report Section 2.4 Financial Resources
• Copy and paste the information from the workbook
PQR Report – Section 2 Complete
Please let your PQA Support know that your first draft is complete so they
can review and provide you and with feedback. PQA Team
review
24
Phase 3: Program Data
Phase 2 and 3 of the PQR process will happen in parallel.
Phase 3 consists of two activities:
1. Distributing the PQR Student Feedback Survey to current students
2. Analyzing program data
PQR Team Lead Tasks:
✓ Distribute and promote PQR Student Feedback Survey
✓ Review all reports in the PQR data package
✓ Analyze the data
✓ Seek context from the Academic Administrator and Program
Coordinator as needed
✓ Write and complete PQR Report section 3
Academic Administrator Tasks:
✓ Provide context and support to PQR Team Lead as needed
PQA Support Tasks:
✓ Set-up PQR Student Feedback Survey
✓ Provide assistance with data analysis as needed
Month 3
(~4 weeks)
25
Student Feedback
Students provide continual program feedback through annual or semester-
based surveys, Program Council, and/or informal faculty interaction.
In this phase of the PQR, you’ll analyze past student survey results.
You’ll also distribute a short PQR survey in order to collect feedback from
students currently studying in the program. You’ll analyze these survey
results in Phase 4.
PQA Support
• Set up PQR Student Feedback survey
• Share link with PQR Team Lead
PQR Team Lead
• Request feedback from students. Best practices:
✓ Let the program faculty know that student feedback will be
collected and ask for their help promoting the survey
✓ Engage the class reps and ask for their help promoting the
survey
✓ Attend classes to explain what a PQR is and why the
program is asking for feedback
✓ Add the link to Brightspace so all students have easy access
✓ Set a deadline for feedback and send 1-2 reminders by
email or using Brightspace announcements
PQR Program Data Package
The PQR Program Data Package includes the following components:
• Environmental scan
• Enrolment and progression reports
• Student Satisfaction and Engagement Survey results
• Student Experience survey results
PQR Team Lead
Analyse the program data.
Environmental Scan
This information gives a snapshot of the demand for this type of program
and the careers that it leads to.
Reach out to
your PQA
Support if you
need help
analyzing the
data
Students
26
Consider if this data connects with any of the information reviewed in
Phase 1.
Use the questions below to guide your analysis.
• Is this program widely available in the Ontario college system or is it
more of a niche program?
• Is enrolment at other colleges increasing, decreasing, or relatively
consistent?
• Are Ontario employment rates for graduates of this program above
or below the All Colleges, All programs rate?
• Is the job outlook trending up or down? How might this impact the
program?
Write PQR Report Section 3.1 Environmental Scan: (2-3 paragraphs)
• Describe any provincial labour market / employment trends and
comment on their potential to impact the program.
• Include information related to each of the questions above.
Enrolment and Progression Reports
These reports provide information related to registration,
progression/withdrawals, and course failure rates.
Consider if this data connects with any of the information reviewed in
Phase 1.
Use the questions below to guide your analysis.
• What do these reports tell you about the health of the program?
• How has student enrolment (total, domestic, and international)
changed over time?
• How does student enrolment compare to market demand as
described by the environmental scan?
• What proportion of international students make up the student
population in this program? How has the proportion of international
students changed over time? Is there a substantial difference in
international student proportion between semesters?
• In which level(s) of the program are students most likely to
withdraw? What reasons are attributed to this?
• What are the most common reasons for withdrawal in the program?
• Are there any trends in withdrawals over time?
Look for
connections to
data and
information
previously
reviewed
Reach out to
your PQA
Support if you
need help
analyzing the
data
Look for
connections to
data and
information
previously
reviewed
27
• Are there any other patterns in withdrawals to note?
• Are there any courses with consistently higher failure rates (greater
than 18%)? If yes, which ones?
• Do the levels with higher withdrawal rates include courses with
higher failure rates?
Write PQR Report Section 3.2 Enrolment and Progression Reports (2-3 paragraphs)
• Describe any positive or negative trends in the enrolment and progression data.
• Include information related to each of the questions above.
• Comment on possible causes and considerations.
• Identify any areas of concern requiring further investigation.
Student Satisfaction and Engagement
Review the student satisfaction and engagement data, including the guiding
questions, found in your Teams site (Phase 3 folder).
Write PQR Report Section 3.3 Student Satisfaction and Engagement: (2-3 paragraphs)
✓ Provide a summary of the survey results, highlighting particular
strengths and areas of concern.
✓ Comment on possible causes and considerations.
PQR Report – Section 3 Complete
Please let your PQA Support know that your first draft is complete so they
can review and provide you with feedback PQA Team
review
28
Phase 4: Stakeholder Engagement
In this phase of the PQR process, you will summarize and reflect on the
qualitative data (feedback) collected from students and external
stakeholders.
PAC meeting schedules are dependent on the PAC’s availability;
therefore, this meeting may happen at any time during the PQR
process.
Seeking additional stakeholder feedback (optional):
• If there are other stakeholders you wish to solicit feedback from (ex.
work-integrated learning partners, industry contacts, key employers,
other post-secondary institutions, graduates, etc.) you can:
o Invite them to join the PAC discussion
o Solicit feedback directly by email or ask your PQA Support to
create a short survey
PQR Team Lead Tasks:
✓ Co-lead the discussion with the PAC
✓ Review the meeting notes from the PAC discussion
✓ Summarize and comment on the PAC’s feedback
✓ Review the PQR Student Feedback survey results
✓ Summarize and comment on the students’ feedback
✓ Write PQR Report section 4
Academic Administrator Tasks:
✓ Send information about the PQR to the PAC in advance of the
meeting
✓ Co-lead the discussion with the PAC
PQA Support Tasks:
✓ Provide assistance with data analysis as needed
Month 4
(~2 weeks)
Students and
PAC
29
PQR Feedback – Program Advisory Committee (PAC) Meeting
Academic Administrator
Add item to PAC agenda.
• Plan for 45-60 minutes on the agenda
• Prepare the PAC members for the discussion in advance of the
meeting.
o Alert the PAC that the program is undergoing a Program
Quality Review (PQR).
o Ask the PAC members to review the program website in
advance of the meeting.
o Suggested language: This program is currently undergoing a
Program Quality Review (PQR). This comprehensive review
takes place every 5-7 years. The objective of the PQR is to
review and collect data to identify program strengths and
areas for improvement. The outcome is a set of
recommendations that will be implemented over the next 2-3
years. More information about this and other quality
assurance processes can be found on the Academic
Development website. At the next PAC meeting, there will be
a discussion to inform the PQR. In advance of the meeting,
please review the program website (include link).
✓ You may also wish to invite industry employers, co-op/placement
supervisors, and/or other professional contacts to attend the PQR
portion of meeting as guests. If additional members are attending
this meeting, it is good practice to inform the PAC members
beforehand that others will be joining.
PQR Team Lead
Plan and lead the discussion.
✓ Prepare questions to ask the PAC. Review the sample questions
but feel free to add or adjust as you see fit. Be sure to leave time for
the PAC to provide other comments or feedback.
✓ Sample questions:
1. What is the perspective of the group with respect to future
employment opportunities for the next 3-5 years? Next ten
years?
2. Are major changes in the field anticipated in the next 3-
5 years that would affect the program’s curriculum?
3. Are graduates you receive from this program demonstrating
the expected skills? Are there any gaps in vocational or
employability (soft) skills?
Learn more about
managing PACs
and planning
meeting agendas
30
▪ OR (if the PAC does not have direct experience with
graduates): What are the most important vocational
and employability (soft) skills are in this industry?
4. Based on the program website, does the group feel that the
program includes sufficient opportunities for hands-on
learning?
▪ OR: What types of hands-on learning would you
expect students to have experienced in this
program?
5. Based on the program website, do you see any gaps or
content that needs to be refreshed in the courses?
Review the meeting minutes. Use the questions below to guide your
analysis.
• What were the key themes that emerged from the discussion?
• Does the PAC feedback align with the meeting minutes from past
meetings? Were past topics of discussion reinforced? Did new
topics emerge?
• Did the PAC have any clear recommendations for changes to the
program?
• Was there agreement on the most important issues or top priorities
to address?
• If the meeting occurred after the PQR launched, do you see any
connections with other information reviewed to-date?
Write PQR Report Section 4.1 PQR Feedback – Program Advisory Committee (PAC): (3-4 paragraphs)
• Provide a summary of the PAC feedback, including key themes and
priorities identified by the group.
• Comment on how the feedback connects to the minutes from the
previous PAC meetings.
• Identify any potential action items emerging from this feedback.
Look for
connections to
data and
information
previously
reviewed
31
PQR Student Feedback Survey
PQR Team Lead
Review the feedback that was collected. Use the questions below to guide
your analysis.
• What were the key themes that emerged?
• What are students most satisfied with? Least satisfied with?
• Does the feedback align with the meeting minutes from past
Program Council meetings? Were past topics of discussion
reinforced? Did new topics emerge?
• Does the feedback align with the other student survey results (from
Phase 3)? Were topics reinforced? Did new topics emerge?
Write PQR Report Section 4.2 PQR Feedback – Students: (3-4 paragraphs)
• Provide a summary of the student feedback, including key themes
and priorities identified by the group.
• Include information related to each of the questions above.
• Identify any potential action items emerging from this feedback.
PQR Report – Section 4 Complete
Please let your PQA Support know that your first draft is complete so they
can review and provide you with feedback. PQA Team
review
Look for
connections to
data and
information
previously
reviewed
32
Phase 5A and 5B: Curriculum Familiarization and
Guided Reflection
This component of the PQR is completed in two parts: Curriculum
Familiarization and Curriculum Guided Reflection.
Curriculum Familiarization
PQR Team Lead Tasks:
✓ Collect hybrid information from Program Coordinator / program
faculty
✓ Complete the Program of Study table, including hybrid hour
calculation
✓ Review program website
✓ Review program curriculum and curriculum resources
Program Coordinator Tasks:
✓ Provide instructional settings
PQA Support Tasks:
✓ Schedule Curriculum Guided Reflection Meeting:
o PQR Team Lead o Curriculum Consultant o Program Coordinator o PQA Support
Curriculum Consultant Tasks:
✓ Review the Program Curriculum package o Review the Program of Study table o Review the Vocational Learning Outcomes (VLOs) o Review the VLOs and Essential Employability Skills (EES)
maps o Review the Course Descriptions and Course Learning
Requirements (CLRs) o Review the General Education courses (and other Electives,
if applicable) ✓ Review program description, success factors, and admission
requirements
Month 5
(~2 weeks)
Month 7 or 8
(~2 weeks)
33
Phase 5A: Curriculum Familiarization
PQR Team Lead The Curriculum Familiarization phase is meant to:
✓ Ensure all necessary information has been gathered in advance of the Guided Reflection
✓ Provide you with an opportunity to familiarize yourself with all elements of the program curriculum and with curriculum terminology to prepare for the Curriculum Guided Reflection (meeting with Curriculum Consultant)
You do not need to start identifying proposed curriculum changes during the Review phase. If you have any questions or note any observations, record them so you can refer back to them in the Guided Reflection. The Curriculum Review has three sections:
1. Program Webpage 2. Program of Study Table 3. Curriculum and Related Resources
Program Webpage
Review the program monograph:
• Program Overview
• Careers and Pathways
• Fees and Expenses
• Additional Information
• Admission requirements If any information is out-of-date or inaccurate (including spelling mistakes), make a note of this. Optional: review the program websites of similar programs at other post-secondary institutions. How does our information compare? Are there any opportunities to improve?
34
Program of Study Table
Follow these steps to complete the Program of Study table.
1. Input the course hybrid hours 2. Calculate the hybrid hours per level 3. Calculate the total hybrid program hours
o Do not include Co-op hours
Credential Type Typical Duration*
College Certificate 600 – 700 hours
Diploma 1200 – 1400 hours
Advanced Diploma 1800 – 2100 hours
Graduate Certificate 600 – 700 hours
*Most programs have 14 weeks of instruction per term and therefore total program hours may be slightly lower than what’s listed above.
Hybrid Hours Hybrid hours are the hours of a course that are delivered online (NOT related to the pandemic). For example, a 42-hour course has 3 hours of instruction per week. If the course has 2 hours scheduled in class and 1 hour of asynchronous online instruction, you would put 14 hours (1 hour x 14 weeks) in the hybrid column. Algonquin College has a hybrid target for all programs of 20%. This means that of the total program hours delivered on-campus (exclude clinical, field placement, and co-op), ideally 20% are hybrid. Hybrid Calculation:
• Total on-campus hours = Total program hours (not including co-op) minus total clinical or field placement hours
• Hybrid % = total hybrid hours ÷ total on-campus hours
Example: Program X has 1100 total program hours. The program includes a 280-hour clinical placement. The program has a total of 125 hybrid hours.
Hybrid calculation: Total on-campus hours = [1100 – 280] = 820 Hybrid % = 125 ÷ 820
= 15.24%
Reach out to the
Program
Coordinator or
course leads if
you need more
information
about hybrid
hours.
Learn more about
the Ontario
Qualifications
Framework
35
Curriculum and Related Resources
Depending on your background, you may have a great deal of experience developing and reviewing program curriculum or you may be new to this work. Regardless, we have many resources to assist you with this important component of the PQR. Explore the following resources to familiarize yourself with curriculum terminology as needed. Review the program curriculum tables in tandem with these resources to understand what information is presented in each table.
• Ontario Qualifications Framework
• Learning Outcomes o Provincial program standard vocational learning outcomes
• Program Outcome Mapping
• Course Outcome Mapping
• Course Learning Requirements (CLRs) and Embedded Knowledge and Skills (EKSs)
• General Education Courses
Reach out to
your PQA
Support if you
have any
questions
36
Curriculum Guided Reflection
PQR Team Lead Tasks:
✓ Attend Curriculum Guided Reflection meeting
✓ Share information and initial findings from the PQR to inform the
Guided Reflection
✓ Review PQR Report Section 5 (after PQA Support completes it)
Program Coordinator
✓ Attend the Curriculum Guided Reflection meeting
✓ Share program information, history, and context
Curriculum Consultant Tasks:
✓ Lead Curriculum Guided Reflection meeting
✓ Validate curriculum recommendations
PQA Support Tasks:
✓ Schedule, attend, and document Curriculum Guided Reflection
Meeting
✓ Write PQR Report Section 5
Month 7 or 8
(~2 weeks)
37
Phase 5B: Curriculum Guided Reflection
Analysis of the curriculum will be facilitated by the Curriculum Consultant
during the Guided Reflection Meeting.
These are the types of questions the Curriculum Consultant will pose
during the meeting.
• Are the VLOs reflective of current industry and expected graduate competencies?
o Note: if this program is a provincial program standard, the VLOs cannot be changed
• Are there two Culminating Performances (CPs) for each VLO and EES on the maps? Do the culminating performances across the program's final levels adequately reflect the VLOs?
o Is the weight on VLOs (Teach, Assess, Culminating Performance) appropriate given the focus of the program and current industry needs? Some VLOs may be more central to the program than others, leading to a heavier representation on the map.
• Are the course descriptions well written?
o Does the description start with a rationale statement (why this content is important)?
• Are the Course Learning Requirements (CLRs) appropriate?
o Best practice is 5-7 CLRs for a 42 hour course
o Do the CLRs follow Bloom’s Taxonomy of Measurable Verbs?
• Do students generally find the workload of the program manageable?
• Are students successfully completing the courses and the program and demonstrating achievement of the vocational learning outcomes?
• Are there any courses that need revision?
o Do students comment on duplication of material across courses or gaps in learning?
o Are there any changes in the industry that would necessitate change the to courses?
• Are there any mandated General Education Electives?
o If so, what is the rationale for mandating the course?
o Does the mandated course support the requirement of providing students with exposure to content outside of their vocation?
• Does the program narrative information accurately represent the program? Are any revisions necessary?
• Are there any concerns with the current admission requirements?
o Are students prepared when they start the program?
Think about the
program data
and the
feedback
collected from all
stakeholders to-
date
38
Curriculum Action Items
The outcome of the Curriculum Guided Reflection is a set of curriculum
action items.
Below are examples of common curriculum action items resulting from a
PQR:
Curriculum Change
Implementation Mechanism
Resources Timeline
Approvals Timeline for Implementation
Updates to VLOs
Program Modification
Academic Development
Faculty
Academic Administrator
Program Review Committee
2 years
Major changes to Program of Study (POS)
Program Modification
Academic Development
Faculty
Academic Administrator
Program Review Committee
Algonquin College Executive Team
Ministry
2 years
Minor changes to Program of Study
Annual Curriculum Review (ACR)
Program Coordinator
Faculty
Academic Administrator
Next ACR / 1 year
Monograph Editorial Changes
Annual Curriculum Review (ACR)
Program Coordinator
Academic Administrator
Next ACR / 1 year
Changes to Admission Req.
Request to Registrar’s Office
Registrar’s Office
Academic Administrator
Program Coordinator
Test Centre, if needed
Academic Administrator
Registrar’s Office
2 years
VLO and EES Maps
CLR to VLO Mapping
Mapping Updates
Academic Development
Faculty
Academic Administrator
1 year
Updates to VLOs: are only possible if the program does not have a
provincial program standard. A change to the VLOs requires updated VLO
mapping, updated CLRs, revised CLR to VLO mapping, changes to the
program monograph, and other Program of Study (POS) changes may
emerge through this process.
39
Major changes to the POS include: program title change,
adding/removing courses, significantly altering course / program hours
(changes that affect more than 25% of the program). These changes may
require updated VLO mapping, updated CLRs, revised CLR to VLO
mapping, changes to the program monograph).
Minor changes to the POS include: updates to course descriptions and
CLRs, changing the order of courses, slightly altering course / program
hours (changes that affect less than than 25% of the program). VLO and
EES maps are reviewed and updated as part of this process.
Monograph Editorial Changes: minor changes to the program
monograph (program description, success factors, additional information).
Changes to admission requirements: must be developed with and
approved by the Registrar’s Office, to ensure adherence to the provincial
Binding Policy Directive, Algonquin College Admission Policies, and
alignment with the credential type. The Registrar’s Office an also identify
potential impacts of the change. Changes take two years to implement as
admission requirements are published 18 months in advance of an intake.
VLO and EES Maps and CLR to VLO Mapping: these activities are
completed all faculty and facilitated by a Curriculum Consultant. Updated
VLO and EES maps are implemented through ACR.
Curriculum action items must include the following information:
Curriculum Change: Describe WHAT action needs to be taken and WHY
it needs to be taken.
Implementation Mechanism: Describe HOW will the action be
accomplished:
• Annual Curriculum Review
• Program Modification
• Change to Admission Requirements
• Mapping Review and Updates
Resources: Identify WHO is needed to support this action.
Approvals: Identify WHO will approve this change
Implementation Year and Timeline: Identify WHEN the action will start
(Year 1 or 2) and how long it will take.
Tracking: Describe HOW progress / completion of the action will be
measured. Progress on all PQR action items is tracked through the
Academic Administrator’s Performance Management Plan (PMP), unless
otherwise specified.
Review College
Policies AA04
and AA07
40
Examples of Curriculum Action Items
Curriculum Change: Remove course X and replace with a new course
covering (content) to respond to industry changes and PAC feedback.
Implementation Mechanism: Annual Curriculum Review
Resources: Faculty, Program Coordinator
Approvals: Academic Administrator
Implementation Year: Year 1
Timeline: 1 year
Tracking: Add goal to Academic Administrator’s Performance
Management Plan (PMP)
Curriculum Change: Update the VLOs to reflect the current industry
expectations with regards to (identified gap)
Implementation Mechanism: Program Modification
Resources: Faculty, Program Coordinator
Approvals: Academic Administrator, Program Review Committee
Implementation Year: Year 1
Timeline: 2 years
Tracking: Add goal to Academic Administrator’s Performance
Management Plan (PMP)
Curriculum Report Section
PQA Support
• Write PQR Report Section 5: Curriculum Reflection (all sections)
• Add the Curriculum Action Items to the report (Section 8.1)
PQR Team Lead
Review the completed sections written by the PQA Support. Contact your
PQA Support to confirm your acceptance of the section or to ask
questions/provide feedback.
PQR Report – Section 5 Complete
41
Phase 6: Program Delivery
In this phase you’ll review all aspects related to the delivery of the program.
This includes:
1. Learning Activities and Assessments
2. Experiential and Work-integrated Learning
3. Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR)
4. Program Pathways
You’ll also work with the Academic Administrator to confirm the date and
time for the second meeting with the faculty.
PQR Team Lead Tasks:
✓ Confirm date and time for Second Faculty Meeting
✓ Review the Program Overview report
✓ Review the experiential and work-integrated learning (WIL) activities
in the program
✓ Reach out to the Co-op office for more information (if the program
has a Co-op offering)
✓ Review all course outlines and PLAR information
✓ Review current program pathways
✓ Write PQR Report section 6
Academic Administrator Tasks:
✓ Identify date and time for Second Faculty Meeting
✓ Encourage all faculty to attend Second Faculty Meeting and
✓ Provide context and support to PQR Team Lead as needed
Program Coordinator Tasks:
✓ Provide context and support to PQR Team Lead as needed
PQA Support Tasks:
✓ Provide assistance with data analysis as needed
Month 6
(~4 weeks)
42
Second Faculty Meeting (Planning)
The Second Faculty Meeting is an opportunity to share information
collected and key themes that have emerged from the PQR activities.
The timing of this meeting should avoid peak periods in the academic year
and/or the programs’ activities.
• Fall PQRs: Second Faculty Meeting is scheduled in March or April
• Winter PQRs: Second Faculty Meeting is scheduled in October
Refer to Phase 7 in this manual for instructions on how to prepare for
the meeting.
Academic Administrator
• Schedule the Second Faculty Meeting
• Invite the faculty, and confirm compensation for part-time faculty
• Assign a note-taker for this meeting
PQR Team Lead
• Confirm the meeting has been scheduled and a note-taker has been
assigned
PQA Support
• Create the zoom link
Program Delivery Package
The PQR Program Delivery Package includes the following components:
• Program Overview Report
• Course Outlines
• PLAR information
• Pathways Information
PQR Team Lead
Analyze the Program Delivery information.
Refer to Phase 7
for Second
Faculty Meeting
prep info
43
Learning Activities and Assessments
Review the Program Overview report.
Consider the Faculty Reflection, Student Course Feedback, and student
comments when you are reviewing this information.
Use the questions below to guide your analysis.
Assessments
• Is there an appropriate variety of evaluation types across the
program?
• Does each course have an appropriate variety of evaluation types
(formative and summative assessments)?
• Do any courses have an evaluation type that is weighted more than
40%)? Courses should have a distribution of assessment types with
no type over 40%.
• How do the types and distribution of assessments allow students to
reliably demonstrate their learning?
• Are assessments relevant and related to the vocation (task-based,
reflective of real life, construction / application)?
• Do learners have multiple paths to demonstrating course learning
requirements?
• Does the workload across each level seem manageable?
• Is there any indication that constructive feedback is not always
received in a timely manner (within 10 business days)? If so, what
are the barriers (number of assessments, timing of assessments,
complexity of assessments, etc.)?
Delivery Methods and Learning Activities
• Are there an appropriate variety of learning activities across the
program?
• Does each course have an appropriate variety of learning activities?
• How do the learning activities engage students and support skill and
knowledge development? Provide 3-4 examples.
Write PQR Report Section 6.1 Learning Activities and Assessments: (2-3 paragraphs)
• Describe the learning activities and assessments in the program.
Provide examples.
• Include information related to the questions above.
• Comment on strengths and opportunities to improve.
Reach out to
your PQA
Support if you
need help
analyzing the
data
Look for
connections to
data and
information
previously
reviewed
Learn more about
Remote
Assessments
Learn more about
Learning Activities
and Techniques
Learn more about
Authentic
Assessments
44
Experiential and Work-Integrated Learning
Review and comment on the experiential learning (EL) and work-integrated
learning (WIL) in the program. All learners should have one (mandatory)
WIL experience in their program. Programs with an optional co-op should
include an additional WIL experience for the non co-op students.
Work-integrated learning is a type of experiential learning where there is
a specific experience with an employer and/or external client.
Non-WIL Experiential learning refers to applied learning through
simulated activities and projects.
Use the questions below to guide your analysis.
Work-integrated Learning
The College target is that 100% of programs have a WIL experience.
Co-op A Cooperative Education program formally integrates a student’s academic studies with scheduled hours of work experience. Usually the student alternates classroom learning with periods of experience in career-related fields.
Clinical Placement
Scheduled hours of activities intended to give students hands-on experience in a hospital or health care setting.
Field Placements
Scheduled hours of activities that take place at a workplace and are intended to give student hands on experience. Students are monitored by a workplace supervisor.
Field Projects (includes Applied Research Projects)
Scheduled or unscheduled hours of activities that may or may not take place within a workplace but allow students to work with employers in order to provide a hands-on work experience.
Community Service Learning
Scheduled or volunteer experiential learning opportunities intended to enhance students’ work and personal development by bringing them together with community partners to address local public social issues and community needs.
Learning Enterprises
Learning enterprises combine real clients with simulated workplace environments that are created on an Algonquin campus or learning environment.
• What type(s) of WIL are in the program?
• Do ALL students have an opportunity to experience WIL? (Ex. If the
program has optional co-op, what is the WIL experience for
students in the standard version of the program?). If the program
does not have WIL for all students, this must be added as an
action item.
Learn more about
Experiential and
Work-Integrated
Learning
EL vs WIL
(2 min)
Typology of WIL
Experiences
45
• How are students prepared for their WIL experience? How does the
program ensure students have the vocational and professional skills
to be successful? Are there opportunities to improve?
• Provide examples of the employers that learners have worked with.
• Are there challenges with finding partner or placements?
• Does the WIL include a learner reflection / self-assessment?
• How do these activities prepare learners for the real-life demands of
the vocation (personal and professional skills)?
• Are there any challenges with the logistics of the WIL in the
program?
For Co-op programs:
Reach out to the Co-op Office at coop@algonquincollege.com and ask the
following questions:
Suggested language: I am currently completing a Program Quality Review
for (program name). Would you please provide some information related to
its Co-op offering?
• Who are the common employers for this program?
• How many students have completed co-op work terms in this
program each year for the last 3-5 years?
• Are there sufficient placements for students?
• Are there any challenges or opportunities to improve?
Experiential Learning
Capstone Projects
Projects simulating a real-life issue, scenario, or expectation of the vocation.
Workplace Simulations
Role-playing and/or simulations of a professional environment or practice.
• What types of experiential learning (simulating vocational
environment but NOT working with/for an employer) activities are in
the program?
• What program knowledge or essentially employability skills are
demonstrated in the experiential learning activity?
• Does the experiential learning include a learner reflection / self-
assessment?
• How do these activities prepare learners for the real-life demands of
the vocation (personal and professional skills)?
Experiential
Learning
Checklist
46
Write PQR Report Section 6.2 Experiential and Work-Integrated Learning: (4-5 paragraphs)
• Describe the experiential and work-integrated learning (WIL)
experiences in the program.
• Include information related to the questions above.
• Comment on the strengths and any opportunities to improve.
o If not all students have a WIL experience for all students (ex.
non co-op students), include a recommendation to
incorporate a WIL experience into the program. There are
resources available in Learning and Teaching Services to
support programs where incorporating WIL may be a
challenge.
Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR)
Students should have the opportunity to challenge all courses through
PLAR, as per College policy. A PLAR challenge method must be identified
for every course save for exceptional circumstances such as capstone
courses, or programs/courses with regulatory requirements. Where a
course cannot be challenged through PLAR, a rationale should be provided
on the course outline.
Review the PLAR challenge method on all the course outlines.
Review the PLAR information provided for your program in your Teams
site.
Use the questions below to guide your analysis. Take note of specific
courses when answering the questions.
• Are there any courses that cannot be challenged by PLAR? If so, a
strong rationale must be provided and accepted by the PLAR
department. For all courses without a PLAR option, add the
rationale to the PQR report and add a recommendation to review
with the PLAR department.
• PLAR methods should correspond to the main assessment types or
skills in the course. Does the challenge method seem inappropriate
for/ substantially misaligned with the listed assessment types for
any of the courses?
• Courses will ideally have one or at most two PLAR methods. Do
any courses have three or more PLAR methods identified on the
course outline? If so, add a recommendation to review and revise.
Learn more about
PLAR
Review College
Policy AA06
47
• How many learners have applied for PLAR in the last five years?
Are most applications successful?
Write PQR Report Section 6.3 Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition: (2-3 paragraphs)
• Based on the above questions, identify all courses where the PLAR
challenge method needs to be reviewed.
o Identify the reason for the review (no PLAR challenge
method identified / PLAR challenge method inconsistent with
course evaluation / too many PLAR challenge methods
identified).
o Add ‘Review PLAR challenge methods’ as a
recommendation if the program includes any of these
courses. You do not need to identify the appropriate PLAR
method within the PQR. Instead, this can be implemented as
part of the recommendations.
• Provide a rationale for any courses that cannot be challenged by
PLAR and add a recommendation to review with the PLAR
department.
• Comment on learner demand and awareness of PLAR. Comment
on any opportunities for PLAR to better support student progression
and success in this program.
Program Pathways
External Pathways
Find the current pathways for your program Find Your Pathway. If your
program is not listed on the website, it is likely that the program does not
have any current pathways.
Review the Pathways information in your Teams site.
Review the Transfer from College search function of the ONTransfer
website and selection your program or discipline to explore possible new
pathways.
Use the questions below to guide your analysis.
• Do students seem to be aware of the pathways? Is more promotion
required?
• Are the pathways valuable for our graduates? Are the two programs
closely related or is the receiving program broader in scope (ex.
Learn more about
Pathways
Learn more about
ONTransfer
48
Vocational program to Bachelor of Arts). If the programs are not
closely related, perhaps it should not be renewed.
• Are there any opportunities to explore new pathways? Consider the
program offerings at the University of Ottawa and Carleton
University, as well as online Canadian institutions (ex. Athabasca)
and any pathways discovered on the ONTransfer website.
Write PQR Report Section 6.4 Program Pathways (External): (Complete table + 2-3 paragraphs)
• Complete the External Pathways Table
• Comment on the current pathways
• Comment on any opportunities to explore new pathways and/or any
ongoing efforts to formalize a pathway
Internal Pathways
In some cases, students and graduates may transfer programs internally
and seek credit recognition, after level 1 or after graduation. (Ex. Business
– Accounting to Business Administration – Accounting; Electro-mechanical
Engineering Technician to Bachelor of Automation and Robotics).
Note, there are often “invisible” pathways managed by the program
departments. Some pathways or clusters of credit exemptions between
programs exist in spreadsheets that Program Coordinator has mapped out.
but it hasn't been formalized or published. If an informal internal pathway is
uncovered, a recommendation should be added to formalize it.
Seek feedback from the Program Coordinator and/or Academic Administrator regarding any current internal pathways. Use the questions below to guide your analysis.
• Do students seem to be aware of the pathways? Is more promotion
required?
• Do students often transfer to a particular program before completing
this program (internal transfer beyond level 1)?
• Are the pathways valuable for our students and graduates?
• Are there any new internal degree completion pathways that should
be explored? Review Algonquin College’s Degree programs.
Write PQR Report Section 6.4 Program Pathways (Internal): (Complete Table + 2-3 paragraphs)
• Complete the Internal Pathways Table (if applicable)
49
• Comment on the current pathways
• Comment on any opportunities to explore new pathways and/or any
ongoing efforts to formalize a pathway
PQR Report – Section 6 Complete
Please let your PQA Support know that your first draft is complete so they
can review and provide you with feedback. PQA Team
50
Phase 7: Faculty Engagement
In this phase, you’ll come back together with the program faculty to review
the information collected to date and share key emerging themes. You’ll
seek their feedback on top priorities and possible ways to address
emerging issues and opportunities.
PQR Team Lead Tasks:
✓ Draft agenda for Second Faculty Meeting
✓ Lead Second Faculty Meeting
✓ Complete PQR Report section 7
Academic Administrator Tasks:
✓ Schedule Faculty Reflection Meeting, invite all faculty, and confirm
compensation for part-time faculty
✓ Assign note-taker for Second Faculty Meeting
PQA Support Tasks:
✓ Assist with developing agenda for Second Faculty Meeting
✓ Create zoom link
✓ Attend Second Faculty Meeting
✓ Provide assistance with data analysis as needed
Department Note-Taker
✓ Attend and document the Second Faculty Meeting
✓ Share meeting minutes within five business days
Month 7 or 8
(~2 weeks)
51
Faculty Engagement
Academic Administrator (with PQR Team Lead)
Schedule Faculty Reflection Meeting.
• Invite all faculty who teach in the program
• Confirm compensation for part-time faculty
• Assign a note-taker for this meeting
PQR Team Lead
Plan and lead Faculty Reflection Meeting.
Planning the Meeting
• Ideally plan for 90-120 minutes
• Prepare questions to ask the faculty. Review the sample agenda but
feel free to add or adjust as you see fit. Be sure to leave time for the
faculty to provide other comments or feedback.
• Share the agenda and any documentation that is relevant to the
discussion in advance of the meeting.
o Suggested language: This program is nearing the
completion of its Program Quality Review (PQR). The
upcoming meeting is an opportunity for us to review the key
findings to-date and discuss possible strategies to address
issues and opportunities. Please review the attached
agenda and documentation in advance of the meeting, if
possible.
Meeting Agenda:
1. Welcome (5 minutes)
2. Overview of PAC and Student Feedback (30 minutes)
3. Overview of key themes / issues / opportunities (5-7), including
curriculum recommendations (60 minutes)
a. For each theme / issue / opportunity
i. Does this resonate with the group?
ii. Is there any additional context that is missing?
iii. Is this a top priority issue?
iv. What are some possible strategies to address this?
4. Open discussion (20 minutes)
5. Closing and thank you (5 minutes)
52
Best Practices for Engaging the Faculty
For each theme, start by seeking the perspective of the faculty. For
example, if a theme has emerged related to student workload, start by
asking for the faculty’s perspective on the workload. As ideas are shared,
you can respond by sharing information and feedback that reinforces the
faculty’s perspective or positions it from a different perspective.
Example – positive reinforcement:
• PQR Team Lead: How do students seem to cope with the
workload?
• Faculty: Some students struggle with level 2 if their Math skills are
not strong.
• PQR Team Lead: Yes, this came through in the course failure rates
and Student Council minutes. What actions could the program take
to address this?
Example – new perspective:
• PQR Team Lead: How do students manage with the field
placement?
• Faculty: They seem to manage ok.
• PQR Team Lead: Any other perspectives? (pause) The PAC did
raise some concerns about professional etiquette. Has this been
reported back by placement supervisors? What actions could the
program take to address this? Do we need more feedback to
validate this?
Leading the Meeting
Lead the meeting and reflect on the discussion. Review the meeting
minutes. Use the questions below to guide your analysis.
• Did the faculty agree with the key themes / issues / opportunities
identified? Why or why not?
• What additional information or context did the faculty provide?
• What strategies to address these issues and opportunities did the
faculty provide?
• What did the faculty rank as the top priorities? Did the faculty
identify other issues or priorities?
Write PQR Report Section 7 Faculty Engagement: (5-7 paragraphs)
• Review the meeting notes.
• Summarize the discussion with the faculty.
53
• Include information related to the questions above.
• Identify any potential action items emerging from this feedback.
PQR Report – Section 7 Complete
Please let your PQA Support know that your first draft is complete so they
can review and provide you with feedback. PQA Team
55
Phase 8: PQR Action Items and Implementation
In this phase of the PQR, you’ll complete the following activities:
1. Re-review the report sections that have been completed and look
for themes and connections between the data
2. Develop draft action items for each category of recommendations
3. Review the draft action items with the Academic Administrator and
Program Coordinator
4. Finalize the draft action items
5. Write the PQR report Executive summary
Before you begin this phase, ask your PQA Support to schedule the
PQR Action Items Review Meeting to ensure everyone will be
available. Ideally, your draft recommendations will be finished a few days
before this meeting so your PQA Support can do a first review and provide
feedback.
Your PQA Support will also look to confirm the PQAC presentation
date for your PQR.
PQR Team Lead Tasks:
✓ Review the report sections that have been completed and look for
themes
✓ Develop draft action items
✓ Lead PQR Action Item Review Meeting
✓ Complete PQR Report section 8
✓ Complete PQR Executive Summary
Academic Administrator Tasks:
✓ Attend PQR Action Item Review Meeting
Program Coordinator Tasks:
✓ Attend PQR Action Items Review Meeting
PQA Support Tasks:
✓ Schedule and attend PQR Action Item Review Meeting
✓ Provide assistance with formulation of action items
✓ Confirm PQAC date
Curriculum Consultant Tasks:
✓ Provide additional feedback on curriculum recommendations, if
needed
Month 9
(~4 weeks)
56
Review the Draft Report
Before starting to identify potential action items, review the entire report and
look for data and information that are connected. This will identify themes
and priorities.
For example:
• Both the PAC and the students commented on the need for more
preparation for the field placement.
• Both the students and the faculty commented on the workload being
too heavy.
• The students noted dissatisfaction with a particular course, and this
course was included in the course failure rate report.
• The historical student survey data and the PQR student survey
results point to dissatisfaction with timeliness of faculty feedback
and how the program helps develop professional communication
skills.
You may even wish to have a colleague from the program or a different
program to review the report. Fresh eyes can be helpful after completing
such a lengthy process.
Drafting PQR Action Items
The outcome of a PQR is a set of measurable and actionable items to
support the renewal of the program.
As you learned at the beginning of the process, you don’t have to identify
concrete solutions for every recommendation. In some cases, the solution
to an issue may be quite clear. In other cases, the action may be to further
explore an issue in order to identify possible solutions.
PQR action items are grouped by four themes.
Theme Program Elements
Curriculum VLO and EES Maps Program of Study Course Curriculum General Education Admission Requirements Program Monograph
Human, Physical, and Financial Resources
Space Equipment and Technology Staffing and Professional Development
Program Governance Program Advisory Committee Program Council External Accreditations
Faculty
57
Program Delivery Learning Activities and Assessments Experiential and Work-Integrated Learning PLAR Pathways
Curriculum Action Items
Curriculum action items were already identified in the Curriculum Guided
Reflection. Review the draft PQR report and identify any other information
that suggests new curriculum-related actions.
• Did additional information emerge in the Second Faculty Meeting
that would require additional or altered curriculum action items?
Other Action Items
Other action items must include the following information:
Description: Describe WHAT action needs to be taken and WHY it needs
to be taken.
Task: Describe HOW will the action be accomplished.
Resources: Identify WHO is needed to support this action (individuals
and/or departments).
Implementation Year: Year 1 or Year 2.
Outcome: WHAT is the desired result?
Tracking: Identify HOW the progress on the action will be tracked.
Progress on all PQR action items is tracked through the Academic
Administrator’s Performance Management Plan (PMP), unless otherwise
specified.
Examples:
Program Delivery
Description: Review workload to address student capacity concerns.
Task: Complete a workload mapping activity with all faculty prior to the
start of each semester to ensure a well-balanced workload in each level.
Share changes and seek on-going feedback from students via Student
Council meetings.
Resources: Academic Administrator, Program Coordinator, Academic
Development
Implementation Year: Year 1
Outcome: Improved student satisfaction with workload.
Tracking: Add goal to Academic Administrator’s Performance
Management Plan (PMP)
Reach out to
your PQA
Support and/or
Curriculum
Consultant if you
want to add or
change the
curriculum action
items.
58
Program Governance
Description: Ensure the PAC is meeting twice per year in order to comply
with policy AA01.
Task: Identify and resolve barriers to PAC scheduling
Resources: Dean
Implementation Year: Year 1 or Year 2
Outcome: PAC is compliant with policy
Tracking: Add goal to Academic Administrator’s Performance
Management Plan (PMP)
Program Delivery
Description: Investigate the high failure rate in course X to improve
student success and progression
Task: Assign faculty to complete an investigation.
Resources: Academic Administrator, faculty
Implementation Year: Year 2
Outcome: Report summarizing findings and options presented to the
Academic Administrator and Dean; option selected and implemented
Tracking: Add goal to Academic Administrator’s Performance
Management Plan (PMP)
Program Delivery
Description: Review all courses requiring a PLAR challenge method
revision or validation of PLAR ineligibly in order to comply with PLAR best
practices and expectations.
Task: Meet with the PLAR department.
Resources: Academic Administrator, Program Coordinator
Implementation Year: Year 2
Outcome: All courses have an identified PLAR challenge method or
published rationale noting an exception; report summarizing PLAR changes
presented to the Dean and PLAR department.
Tracking: Add goal to Academic Administrator’s Performance
Management Plan (PMP)
Human, Physical, and Financial Resources
Description: Identify professional development opportunities related to
developing authentic assessments to respond to faculty feedback regarding
the need to renew assessments.
Task: Meet with LTS to explore options. Identify an approach.
Resources: Academic Administrator, LTS
Implementation Year: Year 1
Outcome: At least one professional development opportunity made
available to faculty in Year 1 of PQR implementation.
59
Tracking: Add goal to Academic Administrator’s Performance
Management Plan (PMP)
PQR Team Lead
Develop draft action items. Review the draft report and identify key issues
and opportunities related to:
• Curriculum
• Human, Physical, and Financial Resources
• Program Governance
• Program Delivery
Write PQR Report Section 8.2, 8.3, and 8.4 Action Items and Implementation Plan
Please let your PQA Support know that you have completed a first draft of
the PQR Actions and Implementation Plan.
PQR Action Item Review Meeting
You’ll meet with the Academic Administrator, Program Coordinator, and
PQA Support to review the draft action items. The objective of this meeting
is to:
• Receive feedback on the draft action items
• Confirm the Implementation Year
• Confirm the feasibility of the draft action items
Action Items deemed not feasible: Not all action items may be feasible
based on current human and financial capacity. If an action is deemed to
be not feasible, it can be noted in the PQR Report under the Discretionary
Action Items section. These action items will be revisited by the Academic
Administrator during implementation.
Possible reasons:
• Financial constraints
PQA Team
Reach out to
your PQA
Support and/ or
Curriculum
Consultant if you
need help
60
• Other resource constraints (ex. insufficient human resources /
competing priorities)
• Action not supported by the Academic Administrator (ex. change
credential type, change length of program, etc.)
Update PQR Report Section 8 Action Items and Implementation Plan, including identifying any action items deemed not feasible (Report Section 8.5).
Writing the PQR Executive Summary
The Executive summary should provide a succinct (no more than one-page)
overview of the program’s history, notable highlights from the data and
stakeholder feedback, and an overview of the recommendations. Below is an
example.
The Zoology program was first offered at Algonquin College in 2003 in
response to strong labour market demand in the environmental
management and biotechnology sectors. This two-year, four semester
Ontario College diploma program prepares graduates to work in a variety of
fields including small and large animal medicine, research, zoological parks
and animal shelters. The program is accredited by the Canadian Zoology
Association and following successful completion of the program, graduates
may write the Professional Zoologist Certification exam to acquire their
Registered Zoologist Technician (RZT) credential.
The program has consistently had strong enrolment, meeting or exceeding
its target each intake. Since the program launched, curriculum updates
have focused on maintaining alignment with the Canadian Zoology
Association, managing workload across levels, and expanding the work-
integrated learning opportunities in the program.
The program has an active Program Advisory Committee and receives
positive feedback from industry partners, though student professional
etiquette and written communication skills have been noted as areas of
concern.
Students are generally quite satisfied with the program; annual survey
results show that graduates very strongly agree that the program provides
students with knowledge and skills that will be useful for their future
careers. Student feedback was related to lab and equipment renewal, level
3 workload, and timely feedback on assessments, and increased practical
experience.
Program Current
State
Enrolment Data
Recent
Curriculum
Changes
PAC Feedback
Student
Feedback
Survey Data
61
Faculty note that students are generally prepared for the demands of the
program. A significant portion of students do struggle with the Biology
course in level 1 and faculty recognize that workload still seems to be an
issue in level 3. Additionally, some course content updates are required to
emphasize professional skills and ethical decision-making.
The PQR Recommendations include curriculum updates, changes to
student workload, PAC renewal, improving student professional skills,
renewing labs and equipment, and revising admission requirements.
Write PQR Report Executive Summary
PQR Draft Report – Complete!
Please let your PQA Support know the first draft of the PQR report is now is
complete so they can review and provide you with feedback.
Faculty
Feedback
PQA Team
62
Phase 9: PQAC Review and Report Sign-off
The final phase of the PQR process is a peer review of the draft report by
the Program Quality Assurance Committee (PQAC). This is a supportive
process designed to:
• Provide objective feedback to strengthen the analysis and
recommendations
• Identify themes that emerge across PQRs
It may seem intimidating to discuss your report with a large committee but
rest assured, this is simply an opportunity for your peers to ask questions
and offer suggestions. Don’t feel any pressure – this is a very supportive
process!
There is also a sub-committee of PQAC, which was struck to facilitate more
timely reviews of PQR reports. Typically, one-year programs and other
modified / specialized PQRs are reviewed by this group. This does not
require an in-person discussion. Your PQA Support will advise which group
will review your PQR report.
An outline of the process for each committee is below.
PQAC Review Process
1. PQAC Review Date
• The review date will be determined when the PQR is close to
completion.
• The PQR Team Lead and Academic Administrator will
receive an Outlook invitation for the meeting (30 minutes).
2. Dean Support
• The Dean reviews the PQR draft, provides feedback, and
confirms support to present to PQAC.
3. PQAC Meeting
• The committee will share its feedback, focusing primarily on
the recommendations.
• The PQR Team Lead and Academic Administrator can
respond to the feedback or simply listen to and consider the
feedback. This session is not meant to be a defense of the
report.
4. PQAC Feedback
• A document summarizing the committee’s feedback will be
shared approximately one week after the meeting.
5. Final Report Edits
PQAC is a large
cross-College
committee with
~17 (friendly!)
members
Learn more about
PQAC
63
• The Manager, Program Quality and Renewal will schedule a
meeting with the PQR Team Lead and Academic
Administrator to review the feedback.
• The PQR Team Lead and Academic Administrator
determine how they would like to incorporate the
committee’s suggestions.
• The Manager, Program Quality and Renewal completes any
final updates to the report.
PQAC Sub-Committee Review Process
1. PQAC Sub-Committee Review Date
• The review date will be determined when the PQR is close to
completion.
2. Dean Support
• Dean reviews the PQR draft, provides feedback, and
confirms support to present to PQAC Sub-Committee.
3. PQAC Sub-Committee Feedback
• A document summarizing the committee’s feedback will be
shared approximately one week after the meeting.
4. Final Report Edits
• The Manager, Program Quality and Renewal will schedule a
meeting with the PQR Team Lead and Academic
Administrator to review the feedback.
• The PQR Team Lead and Academic Administrator
determine how they would like to incorporate the
committee’s suggestions.
• The Manager, Program Quality and Renewal completes any
final updates to the report.
PQR Sign-off
The Manager, Program Quality and Renewal requests signatures
electronically. An email with the signed report is sent to the PQR Team
Lead, Academic Administrator, and Dean. The report should be distributed
to all program faculty.
The program now moves into Year 1 of PQR Implementation. A follow-up
report is completed by the Academic Administrator at the end of Year 1.
top related