For each major in a degree program, the institution assigns responsibility for program coordination, as well as for curriculum development and review, to persons academically qualified in the field. In those degree programs for which the institution does not identify a major, this requirement applies to a curricular area or concentration.

_X_Compliance                      ___Partial Compliance                       ___Non-Compliance

Narrative

St. Petersburg College is in compliance with this comprehensive standard because academically qualified people have been assigned responsibility for program coordination and curriculum development for all programs at the College.

Qualifications of curriculum developers

St. Petersburg College assigns responsibility for program coordination, as well as for curriculum development and review to persons academically qualified in the field.  The instructional leadership for programs and credit courses consists of Deans, Program Directors, and Instructors-in-Charge.  In addition, advisory committees for Associate of Science programs including nursing and health related programs offer current real world applications and input into curriculum review.  Each leader is assigned based on academic preparation, qualifications and expertise and has responsibility for program coordination and management of curriculum development and review.  At the College, standards for individuals responsible for program coordination are the same as the credentials for teaching in the degree program.  There is a credentialing process in place that assures qualifications are met.

The St. Petersburg College recruitment and selection processes ensure that academically qualified individuals are selected to oversee instructional programs, curricular areas of concentration and discipline areas. Selection committees are traditionally comprised of subject area and program experts.  Additional members of the College community serve on the committees and bring a special interest and focus to the selection process.  The District Board of Trustees has the authority for final approval of all new hires.  Recommendations for new hires are brought forth for approval with documentation of compliance with stated College and SACS credentialing and certification guidelines and the recommendation of the appropriate Provost, Vice President and the College President.

Responsibility for course management activities such as the development of new courses and new programs; major course modifications; course reviews; program reviews; and course or program inactivation are in the required scope of responsibility for Deans and Program Directors.  As directed in Board of Trustees rules and procedures, the process for curriculum review begins with each program’s administrative and Faculty team.  Before a proposal is forwarded to the Curriculum and Instruction (C & I) Committee as well as Provosts and Academic Vice Presidents, it requires the review by all program Faculty and administrators.  The C & I Committee is comprised primarily of Faculty representatives across disciplines and sites.  New degree program proposals and course reviews are developed by individual Faculty or collaborative Faculty groups by first researching educational needs through business and industry advisory committees and economic councils, reviewing accreditation requirements, and benchmarking similar programs at other institutions.  These proposals are then reviewed by other Faculty through the Curriculum and Instruction Committee. Although proposals are passed through Provosts and department heads as part of the approval process, the Faculty bear primary responsibility for content and for methods of instruction and the Deans, Program Directors, and Instructors-in-Charge oversee the review and coordination process within their department.  This process is documented in the Curriculum and Instruction Manual and in minutes from the Curriculum and Instruction Committee meetings.

Oversight of program quality

Deans, Program Directors, and Instructors-in-Charge also oversee the effort by which Faculty regularly evaluate both curriculum and the instructional process.  A.S. and A.A.S. programs are evaluated through an end-of-program assessment process, A.A. programs through general education outcomes assessments, B.S. and B.A.S. programs through capstone courses or projects, and all programs go through a program review process.  These processes are detailed in procedures described in Outcomes Assessment Manual, the Program Review Manual, and the General Education Outcomes Assessment Manual.  The design of these assessment activities is faculty-developed and controlled, although administrative assistance is provided.

Deans, Program Directors, and Instructors-in-Charge assess the quality of the delivery of curriculum through in-class observations and evaluation of full-time and adjunct Faculty members using the following criteria:

• Organization of course or program of study
• Explanation of course outline and objectives, student assessments, and course content
• Presentation of course or program of study (Pedagogical Methods)
• Knowledge of subject taught

Distance Learning program.  Whether converting courses that have already been developed or developing new programs that are completely online such as Veterinary Technician, the development of Distance Learning curricula begins with the C&I process described above, using full-time Faculty and Program leaders that are credentialed in the content area.

All distance learning courses go through a process known as the Flexible Access and Delivery Process to make sure that they match the same high standards as other courses offered at St. Petersburg College, meet the guidelines of accrediting agencies, meet the appropriate needs of students, and build on the unique strength and talents of instructors.  This review process does not replace the normal Curriculum and Instruction Committee process, which focuses on content, but rather complements it by focusing on the alternate delivery mechanisms.  The review process begins with a request by an individual or instructional team to offer a Flexible Access and Delivery class.  The Faculty member submits the request after it has been checked by an Educational Technologist.  The Curriculum & Instruction (C&I) Office, after consulting with the Senior Vice President of Educational and Student Services, appoints a review committee, with the following expertise:

·   A Program Director from eCampus or Instructional Computing

·   A Program Director/Upper-Division Dean of the department that submitted the proposal

·   Faculty member(s) from various campuses who has (have) taught this course or a closely related course through normal delivery techniques

·   Faculty member(s) who has (have) taught similar remote delivery courses

Distance learning Program Directors monitor the quality of instruction through mentoring, virtual observation, and the use of standardized “signature” courses for certain high enrollment courses.  To ensure the required curriculum from the course outline and research-based online instructional strategies are used in those high enrollment courses, distance learning Program Directors require adjunct instructors to use signature courses developed by full-time Faculty and instructional technologists as a basis for their online instruction. Full-time Faculty members may choose to use the signature course as an option to replace their course.  The signature course ensures a high level of quality across courses with multiple sections.  In other distance learning courses, distance learning Program Directors encourage online Faculty designers to mentor new instructors using their reproduced online course.  Faculty mentoring can include collaboration in design, teaching practices, evaluation, and continuous improvement. Finally, distance learning Program Directors monitor the quality of the delivery of curriculum through periodic visits to course Web sites to check that service standards are being met.

In addition to participating in General Education and program-specific assessments, distance learning courses also go through a cyclical online course review in which Faculty work with an Instructional Technologist to incorporate best practices.  The Faculty-instructional technologist team looks at course design, technology, assessment, learner support, and course content.  ECampus administration reviews the success and retention rates for the distance course as compared to overall college success for the course and Student Survey of Instruction results as compared to the overall college course evaluation.

References