National Commission for Academic Accreditation

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National Commission for Academic Accreditation
Assessment

• Developmental Reviews at King Saud University

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Section 1

• Self Study Reports
• 1. Institutional Self Study
• 2. Program Self Study

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General Comments

• Overall report on the quality of all aspects of
  the institution. (Including an overview of
  quality of learning and teaching)
• Background and descriptive information about the
  institution and its aspirations.
• Describes procedures for self evaluation
• Evaluates quality in relation to
• The achievement of the institutions objectives
• Consistency with general quality standards

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Form of Presentation

• Descriptive report citing evidence and referring
  to other documents as appropriate.
• Follow template, but present as formal report,
  not just filling in the forms.
• Include report on all the standards. But doesnt
  need to report on all details of all the sub
  standards.
• Self study scales are a separate working
  document. (Should be available for reference.)
• Should include statistics, information on
  indicators, comparisons with other institutions
  selected for benchmarking.

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Evidence

• Use whatever is available or can be obtained.
  (Most is likely to be statistical data and survey
  responses. But identify evidence that would be
  convincing to you and your colleagues within the
  institution.
• Whenever possible refer to statistical data or
  other reliable evidence.
• Summarize key figures from surveys and refer to
  more complete reports held elsewhere.
• Use NCAAA KPIs as much as possible, but also use
  other indicators identified internally.
• Important statistics should be included in
  tabular form and discussed. Comparative data on
  key items (Benchmarks) is necessary.

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Institutional Self Study Report

• Overall report on the quality of all aspects of
  the institution. (Including an overview of
  quality of learning and teaching (Consider data
  on indicators)
• Background and descriptive information about the
  institution and its aspirations.
• Describe procedures for self evaluation
• Evaluates quality in relation to
• The achievement of the institutions objectives
• Consistency with general quality standards
• See template

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Program Self Study Report

• Complete free standing report on program as
  required for separate program accreditation.
• Should cover all the standards from the
  perspective of the program, though Learning and
  Teaching is the most important.
• Although not stated in specification should
  include background information about the program
  comparable to the institutional profile included
  in the institutional self study report. If
  program is partly based on requirements of a
  specialized accreditor this should be referred
  and comment made on the extent to which those
  requirements are met.
• Separate document from program specification and
  self study scales, but both these documents
  should be available for reference.
• See Template

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• Section 2 Program Specifications

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Program Specification

• In future this and program and course reports
  should be already available before the self study
  is undertaken.
• Key points about the approach to program
  specifications
• Program is an integrated set of learning
  experiences covering everything done in the
  program.
• Reform strategy involves broadening of learning
  outcomes to include other domains at advanced
  levels. Most of these require attention through
  teaching strategies that faculty (and students)
  may be unfamiliar with. Consequently plans for
  the program must provide for systematic attention
  and progressive development throughout the
  program.
• See extract from Qualifications Framework

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• Key points (cont)
• Specification is like an extended handbook
  description, but goes beyond this to include
  information about expected characteristics of
  students, plans for monitoring and improving the
  program over time, requirements for delivering
  the program, plans for working with faculty, etc.
• Function of the specification is to serve as a
  detailed program design for faculty, though also
  useful for others.
• See Template, (Some examples available)

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• Section 3 Course Specifications

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Course Specification

• Faculty will identify with and focus primarily on
  the courses they teach. The course specification
  is a device to ensure the course complies with
  the total program design in which much of the
  student development occurs as a result of
  strategies used rather than subject matter
  covered.
• Course specifications should allow scope or
  individual initiative and creativity, but the
  general program objectives will only be achieved
  through planned and coordinated strategies.
• Courses do not belong to the faculty who teach
  them.
• Course specifications should include mechanisms
  for course evaluation and improvement.
• See Course Specification

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Field Experience Specification

• This includes internships, practicums, summer
  programs, cooperative programs etc.
• Field experience is one of the most important
  elements in many programs. It should be planned,
  coordinated, evaluated etc. in a way that is
  comparable to a course.
• Field experience supervisors should be considered
  as analogous to other faculty and included in
  appropriate ways in the teaching team.
• Supervisors, and students should be carefully
  prepared, and arrangements made to consolidate
  and genealize from their learning.
• See Template