Highland Community College Academic Program Review Template

Overview and Basic Assumptions: The process of assessment, program review, and the consideration of available resources should be aligned with the college’s Strategic Plan and response to external accrediting agencies. Review of all programs and degrees affects positive change; this proactive thinking is critical to the improvement of quality.

The Academic Program Review has been designed as a component of this process.

Template 1. Name of the program : HISTORY 2. Contact information of the person completing the review a. Name: William N. Noll b. Email address: [email protected] c. Phone extension: 785-442-6093 3. Names of faculty member(s) who contributed during the review process (include both full-time and adjunct faculty): William N. Noll 4. Indicate the program delivery formats (underline all that apply) a. On-campus traditional lecture or lecture/lab b. On-campus hybrid c. Online d. Based at a regional site

Criterion One: Program outcomes are congruent with the goals of the program. yes no X 1.1 Faculty has met to discuss course outcomes and course competencies. X Faculty works as a team toward mutually identified goals and program 1.2 outcomes Stated outcomes are consistent with the statewide Core Outcomes or external X 1.3 certification requirements Program and course outcomes are aligned with applicable Common Learning X 1.4 Outcomes Please describe any progress toward addressing “no” responses: There is only one full time faculty member that teaches the History courses on campus.

5. Program description a. Provide a brief history of the program, emphasizing the past 5 years (e.g. changes in leadership, changes in program direction, new certificates (if applicable), new and/or purged courses. Over the last five years, the number of students that have majored in history has been few. However, the history courses that are taught are General Education courses and serve a much wider audience. There have been additions to the courses taught on a regular basis, for the most part in off campus courses. (a readings course in Western Civilization taught at our Perry site).

b. Number of students served (including current enrollment)—3-5 year trends: The number of students that have chosen a History major has varied from year to year. The actual number is currently is unknown as we do not currently offer scholarships in history.

1 Criterion Two: Enrollment planning leads to student success. yes no Changes have occurred in the number of course sections offered each semester in X 2.1 response to student demand. Changes to schedule patterns (times, sequencing, etc.) are made to optimize student X 2.2 enrollment, course completion, and program completion. X 2.3 Program course retention rate is in line with total college (within-term) retention. The transfer patterns of students in the program courses are in line with statewide X 2.4 seamless transfer where applicable. Please describe any progress toward addressing “no” responses:

c. List the full-time and adjunct faculty teaching courses within the program, highest degree earned, HCC assigned committee responsibilities, and professional development activities: Full-time at Highland: William N. Noll, Master of Arts in History (Kansas State University); Curriculum and Instruction Committee; Strategic Planning Committee. d. Describe how faculty participation in professional organizations and conference attendance contributes to program outcomes. Include faculty innovative practices, and their benefit on student learning: The one full-time faculty member is a long time member of the Kansas Association of Historians and meets once a year for a two-three day meeting with other historians in Kansas. These meetings are not only helpful in keeping current on the latest trends in history, but also on the sharing of ideas of the teaching of history in the college classroom.

Criterion Three: Faculty members are qualified by academic background, experience, and continuing professional staff development. Yes No X 3.1 Faculty are involved in selection, evaluation and/or retention of adjunct faculty. Full-time and part-time faculty credit-hour ratio meets or exceeds 75% full-time/25% ? 3.2 part-time. Faculty members are involved in professional organizations and/or other scholarly X 3.3 activities. Faculty members are sufficient in number and diverse preparation to provide X 3.4 effective instruction. Please describe any progress toward addressing “no” responses:

Criterion Fpur: Program is responsive to changing conditions within the field. Yes No 4. Program changes are consistent with technological and scientific advances, and X 1 program coursework incorporates new developments in the field. 4. Faculty works with library personnel to ensure that adequate and current resources X 2 are available in the Library. 4. Faculty works with Academic Resource Center and/or Student Support Services X 3 learning specialists to ensure adequate and current resources. 4. Faculty/staff works with transfer institutions to ensure course transferability if X 4 applicable. 4. Faculty works with professionals in the field and/or advisory committees to ensure X 5 appropriateness of course content and standards.

2 Yes No

4. Courses include issues relating to diversity and/or global awareness within students as X 6 applicable Please describe any progress toward addressing “no” responses:

Reflective Narrative Questions d.i.1. Describe how critical thinking, reading and writing skills, and information literacy are being integrated into the curriculum: Whenever possible, research papers and outside reading assignments are injected into the courses. d.i.2. Describe technology resources and services and how they are integrated into curriculum and instruction (100 words or less): The classrooms are equipped with internet, overhead projectors, computers, and DVD/VCR players. These resources are used on a daily basis in the classroom. Most of these items are also available at the off campus sites of the college. d.i.3. What impact would modifications (increase or decrease) on your program budget have on program outcomes?: Additional funds would be used to increase the professional development of the Faculty, primarily in attending seminars. d.i.4. Describe how faculty in-service is being used to enhance professional development and benefit the program.: In-services are used to help improve the teaching of all faculty at Highland Community College. Since most of the instructors are adjunct instructors in off campus locations, it is difficult to gather them at any one location.

Criterion Five: yes no X 5.1 Courses are assessed on a regular basis The faculty, including adjunct faculty, use appropriate strategies/assessment tools to X 5.2 measure student success of stated course competencies. X 5.3 The faculty, including adjunct faculty, have discussed learning results. Please describe any progress toward addressing “no” responses 5.3. This continues to be a problem. Almost all adjunct faculty teaches at locations other than the Main campus and times to gather all of the instructors is difficult.

SWOT—What conclusions can be drawn as a result of this review?

SWOT worksheet

Identified Internal Strengths:  What advantages does this Program offer at present? The courses taught in History are valuable as General Education courses that help students meet the requirement in humanities for their degrees. It is also an excellent program for students desiring to continue their educations as a history major at a four-year institution of higher education.  What does this Program do well? Provides quality instruction in all history courses taught.  What do those who are connected to this Program see as its strengths? Identified Internal Weaknesses:  What area needs to improve? In-service for adjunct instructors.  What does this Program do now that isn’t working or is outside the strategic plan for the institution?

3  Identified External Opportunities:  What are future opportunities for this Program?  What are the positive trends in social patterns, population, and resources that give this Program opportunity for growth in the future? Identified External Threats: What obstacles does this Program face in the future?

a. Identified Internal Strengths: Regular, large classes in both United States History I and United Stated History II. These are both general education courses and many students choose them to fulfill their humanities requirement. b. Identified Internal Weaknesses: Small class size for Western Civilization I and Western Civilization II. These courses are also general education humanities courses, however there is not the same level of interest on students to take these courses to fulfill this requirement. c. Identified External Opportunities: There are other courses that identify closely with the History program at HCC and the enrollment in these courses could be increased. These courses are World and Regional Geography (GEO 212) and United States Government (POL 100). These courses are also valuable as they are required courses at many colleges in elementary and secondary education students. d. Identified External Threats: Apathy on the part of the incoming students on the value of history on helping to make them a more knowledgeable person.

Professional and Terminal Programs Only (AAS degrees and Certificates) a. Number of graduates annually (include college rates—may use a rolling average): b. Placement of graduates (e.g. employment, transfer/continued studies):

Proposed Action Plan—

Summarize the action(s) that will be taken in response to the findings of this program review: Several actions could be taken to try to increase the number of students desiring to take history classes in both American History and Western Civilization. The current rotation of classes Has United States History I taught in both the Fall (two classes) and Spring Semester (one class); United States History II is taught only in the Spring semester; Western Civilization I is taught in the Fall Semester; and Western Civilization II is taught in the Spring Semester. Consideration might be given in the future on changing the times and frequencies of the courses taught, especially the United Stated History courses.

Provide estimated costs and a timeline that indicates how these changes will be implemented and assessed over the next 3-year period: The costs for the History program should not increase dramatically over the next three years. The primary costs may be in keeping the technology current in the classroom.