Progress on Defining the CEAB Graduate Attributes at Carleton University

Abstract

The Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board (CEAB) is requiring engineering programs to demonstrate that their graduating students have certain specified attributes beginning in 2014. At Carleton University we have been working on developing our approaches to meeting this requirement for some time. This paper presents some of the aspects of our efforts that appear to be unique. It was important to include in the process coverage of the Ontario government's Undergraduate Degree Level Expectations (UDLEs). After reviewing the UDLEs we created what we are describing as a thirteenth Graduate Attribute – Limits of Knowledge. With the establishment of this attribute both the CEAB and UDLE requirements are covered with a single process.Considerable effort was given to the process for defining competencies (specific and measurable criteria associated with each of the broad attributes) in a clear and functional manner.Our process separates each competency into three components: area of knowledge, expectation levels and context. The area of knowledge is a noun phrase that clearly descrives the specific aspect of the graduate attribute to the beasured. The expectation levels include both threshold and target specifications using the revised Bloom's Taxonomy as a cognitive hierarchy. The final component of each competency is contect which allows each discipline to specify a possibly unique area of application.