The use of cooperative education in curricular reform: The abet feedback cycle realized

Abstract

The University of Cincinnati has been awarded a US Department of Education Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education [FIPSE] grant to be used for the Development of a Corporate Feedback System for Use in Curricular Reform. The duration of the grant is three years during which the University is scheduled to receive a total of $ 555,133 (57%). The matching contribution of the University of Cincinnati will be $421,396 (43%). Including matching funds the University of Cincinnati will be investing $ 0.976 M in industry integrated curriculum development. The objective of the grant is to build a closed loop system that measures student performance while on co-op and directs this feedback into curricular development. This project develops methodologies to use assessment data of student work term performance in curricular development, thereby continuously aligning experiential - or cooperative-education based curricula with industrial needs. The proposed threeyear project would focus on: a) identifying curricular activities exhibiting a strong correlation with student co-op work performance; b) designing and implementing processes allowing the systematic use of employer assessment in curriculum design; c) evaluating the impact of changes in curricular design upon student work performance; d) piloting and contrasting projects in both different academic fields and at different colleges; and e) developing a set of best practices to be used for further refinement and dissemination of the process. Initial collaborators include University of Cincinnati (UC) academic units as follows: the Department of Architecture (College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning); the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (College of Engineering); the Department of Civil and Construction Management (College of Applied Science); the College of Business Administration; and the Division of Professional Practice. The assessment data will be analyzed by the UC Evaluation Services Center. The Evaluation and Assessment Center for Mathematics and Science Education at Miami University will act as the external evaluator for the project. Schools accredited by, or subscribing to, the attributes of the Accreditation Council for Cooperative Education will act as a reference group, ensuring a transferable end process. The ultimate goal of the project is to move schools engaged in cooperative education to a new era of market alignment. The objective is to build feedback structures that keep the schools abreast of a rapidly-changing environment. The inclusion of a wide array of programs and a large, diverse reference group caters to building a process that can be effectively utilized in schools engaged in cooperative education within a diverse set of academic fields and educational levels. The Grant was filed by Cheryl Cates as PI and Kettil Cedercreutz as co-PI in a joint effort with the Accreditation Council for Cooperative Education. The three year pilot program will involve the Departments of Architecture (Prof. Anton Harfmann, College of Design, Art, Architecture and Planning), Civil Engineering (Prof. Richard Miller, College of Engineering), Construction Management (Prof. Benjamin Uwakweh, College of Applied Science) and the College of Business (Prof. Marianne Lewis, College of Business). Project Liaisons from the Accreditation Council for Cooperative Education (ACCE) include Professional Practice Executive Director Tom Akins from the Georgia Institute of Technology and Dr. Luther Epting from Mississippi State University. © American Society for Engineering Education, 2007.