Some Dates for Mark

CURRY SCHOOL PROGRAM AREA PEER REVIEWS AND SCHEDULE (rev. 9-15-09)

The Curry School of Education values continuous improvement of the quality and impacts of our academic programs and provides a number of opportunities to support program faculty in these aims. Most of our Program Areas engage in self-analysis and many are also reviewed by accrediting agencies and organizations. These activities support program refinements and strategic enhancements that can be complemented by regular peer review and formative planning efforts. Building from the recent Provost’s Review of Curry, in which all program areas engaged in taking stock of their current status and considered strategic for future efforts, this year the school will start a cycle of periodic formative reviews seeking program-specific feedback from peers. Peer reviews are intended to provide program faculty members and administrators with information useful for program improvement, strategic directions and opportunities, and planning. A critical element of peer review is the continuation of the process of planning and program improvement that began in 2008-2009 with the Provost’s review, in particular the specification of program outcomes (e.g. student outcomes) and assessments of those outcomes that can be used in program planning. Peer reviews should also help program areas prepare for accreditation and professional organization reviews.

Program Review Features Goals:

Peer reviews are formative. They are aimed to provide program faculty with the opportunity to engage external experts in their own discipline in a discussion of program vision, aims, quality, and outcomes in an effort to strengthen programs. Program areas undergoing review should use the review an as opportunity for: (1) refining and articulating its goals, priorities, special features, and vision, (2) refine degree programs, (3) think about future opportunities in terms of curriculum development and faculty development and (4) identifying information on its graduates’ growth, achievements, and job placement. As noted above, peer reviews are intended to provide program faculty members and administrators with information useful for program improvement, strategic directions and opportunities, and planning. A critical element of peer review is the continuation of the process of planning and program improvement that began in 2008-2009 with the Provost’s review, in particular the specification of program outcomes (e.g. student outcomes) and assessments of those outcomes that can be used in program planning.

The goal is for these recommendations to help Program Areas develop in ways consistent with the Commission on the Future of the University, the goals of Curry for program, faculty, and student excellence, and goals of the professions we prepare students to enter.

Process:

Each Program Area will provide the reviewers with a) background material and b) a cover letter.

The background material will consist of: A report describing mission and degree programs, building on the documentation already developed for the Provost’s Review and other organizational reviews. Thus programs should examine the report they prepared in 2008-2009 and make any additional updates. This report should be supplemented with faculty vitae, program handbooks, course syllabi, admission and course enrollment data, information on placement of graduates, and any additional materials as needed to give reviewers a useful understanding of the program. Programs should coordinate the preparation of this background information with the Associate Dean for Academic Programs, their Department Chair, and the information management database specialist.

In their cover letter to the review team, program areas should feel free to pose to the review team any specific questions or topics around which they would like the reviewers to focus the review. Again, the intent of these reviews is to gain the added information and perspectives that can be available from external peer review.

Program Areas will nominate several faculty members, from peer institutions, who are recognized as experts in their discipline and can provide the Program Area with substantive feedback and recommendations.

The Program background materials and cover will be sent to two or three of these outside experts for analysis. These reviewers will then visit Curry to meet with Program Area faculty and students, and Curry administrators, to ask questions, gather more information, and provide initial feedback. Shorty after their site visit, the reviewers will submit a follow-up report on their analysis and recommendations pertinent to the questions posed by the program in their cover letter.

Outcomes of review:

It is expected that both program faculty members and outside reviewers will provide an analysis of the Program Area tailored to questions posed by program faculty, and provide recommendations for enhancing the experiences offered to students and facilitating the work of faculty members. In particular, these recommendations should help the Program Area build on its strengths and address any weaknesses. Helpful reviews provide programs with new ideas and opportunities for strengthening and focusing program resources and quality. Program Area Review Schedule

The review schedule below was developed by the Department Chairs in early 2009 and was endorsed by the Leadership Team.

Accrediting Last Org Next Org Provost Curry Organization Review Review Review Review EDHS Adapted Physical Education NCPERID 2008 2010-11 Clinical Psychology APA 2006 2013 2008 2011-12 Communication Disorders ASHA 2006 2008 2009-10 Counselor Education CACREP 2010 2008 2009-10 Exercise Physiology 2008 2010-11 Health and Physical Education TEAC 2006 2013 2008 2010-11 School Psychology NASP 2008 2008 2011-12 Athletic Training (M.Ed.) NATA 2008 2008 2011-12 Sports Medicine (Ph.D.) 2008 2011-12

EDIS Elementary Education TED TEAC 2006 2013 2008 2010-11 Mathematics Specialist (Lic.) TEAC 2013 2010-11 Secondary Education TED TEAC 2006 2013 2008 2010-11 Special Education TED TEAC 2006 2013 2008 2010-11 Reading Education (Lic.) TEAC 2006 2013 2008 2010-11 Grad Special Education 2008 2011-12 Grad Math/Science Education 2008 2011-12 Grad C&I 2008 2011-12 Grad Language/Literature 2008 2011-12

EDLF Administration and Supervision TEAC 2006 2009 2008 2011-12 Education Policy 2011-12 Educational Psychology 2008 2010-11 Gifted Education (Lic.) TEAC 2006 2013 2010-11 Gifted Education 2008 2010-11 Higher Education 2008 2010-11 Instructional Technology 2008 2010-11 Research, Statistics, Evaluation 2008 2010-11 Foundations of Education 2008 2010-11 Program Reviews for 2009-2010

Program Areas:

1. Communication Disorders: Fall 2009/Spring 2010. 2. Counselor Education: Fall 2009/Spring 2010.

Schedule for 2009-2010 Curry Reviews:

May 15: Notify program areas of their upcoming program-specific review

June 30: Meet with programs area faculty to discuss review.

July 15: Programs submit list of recommended reviewers, with description of qualifications.

August 15: Finalize list of solicit outside reviewers

November 1: Programs submit review materials (background materials and cover letter) to Associate Dean for Academic Programs and to Dept Chair for internal review and comments.

November 15: After internal Curry review and possible revisions, review materials then sent to members of the review team.

February 1: Visit by external team

March 15: Report of team due

April 1: Program faculty and administrators review report and meet to discuss next steps and recommendations