New Media Technology
Academic Program Review
Spring 2008
Priorities for the Future: Next Five Years
Upon review of the New Media Technology EM/EN curriculum we find there are many
strengths and also weaknesses in the program:
The strengths of the program include the following:
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Faculty who teach in the EM/EN program have strong ties to industry and are
effective in teaching and are well-credentialed.
The program maintains state-of-the-art equipment with excellent physical
resources.
The courses offered teach the students the latest Web languages of the World
Wide Web (WWW).
Students maintain most if not all of the credits when transferring from QCC to
other related technology programs.
Students in the EM/EN program have access to effective advisement and career
counseling.
QCC continues with a commitment to fund a new fall cohort every year in EM.
Retention among EM students is excellent.
Because the EM/EN program is closely related to more highly populated
programs, the curriculum requires minimal in the way of dedicated resources and
yet it provides additional specialization for students and is an attractive program
for industry.
The weaknesses of the program include the following:
 Some elective courses should become requirements. This will reduce the
number of elective classes. This will help in the enrollment of the New Media
program,which is presently moderate and needs expansion.
 Enrollment projection/market analysis for the EM New Media program has
not been done and is advisable if additional resources are to be designated to
promote New Media.
 Some entering students are not prepared for the program – we need to provide
better advisement and support for students in the program.
 Courses
o ET-716 Java Programming is a very difficult programming class. This
class usually does not get enough enrollments to run.
 Curriculum
o ET-716 Java Programming is a very difficult compiling programming
class. Java should be split into two semesters to help students program
the Java language with better precision and understanding.
Continuous Improvement Plan Process and Summary
. Continuous improvement is accomplished and implemented in the following ways:
1. Course Directors—The chairperson appoints a course director for each course in the
curriculum. The course director meets at least once each semester with other faculty
who are teaching the same course. If only one section of a course is offered, the
course director meets with other faculty who has taught the course in prior semesters.
The course director is responsible for selecting the textbook and preparing the official
course and laboratory outlines. Course directors are also responsible for course
assessment, evaluation, and revision.
2. Assessment—Each year we conduct a number of surveys including graduate and
student surveys to collect assessment data. We also collect other college statistical
data (ie: grades, enrollment, employment success, transfers to senior colleges,
articulation data) and state and national statistical data, input from department
constituencies, etc., for evaluation. This information is distributed to the faculty and
specifically discussed during department meetings and at the annual department
assessment meeting to evaluate trends and department and course strengths and
weaknesses. Currently the college as a whole is developing its own formal
assessment process. When this process is completed, there will be another formal
mechanism for the assessment of all courses.
3. Industrial Advisory Committee—The department’s industrial advisory committee and
discussions with employers and graduates and other constituencies are major sources
of recommendations for improving the program in terms of what skills and
knowledge are desired by potential employers. The committee generally meets once
each semester and the minutes are duly recorded and distributed to every member of
the department.
4. Course Assessment Meeting—A special meeting is held each year (generally in May)
for faculty to review assessment data and consider changes. At least four courses are
reviewed each year. Generally the cycle follows the suggested course sequence so
that all courses are thoroughly assessed at least once every four years. Often however
courses are reviewed more often. A course director or faculty member may request to
review a course or concern whenever he or she feels that a problem exists.
Furthermore, some courses or changes will be discussed more frequently to monitor
the effects of previous changes. Additional assessment meetings are scheduled and
held as needed to discuss issues or changes of a larger nature. At the assessment
meeting course directors give an overview of the course to department constituencies
and present assessment data and samples of student work. Specific exam questions,
laboratory exercises and other assignments are often used to analyzed and assess
whether student outcomes are being met. The course directors make
recommendations which are discussed as part of the evaluation. Recommendations
which are presented to the faculty at the department meeting for final approval are
voted on by the faculty. In some cases, depending on the type of issue,
recommendations for course or curriculum changes, new courses, etc., may also be
presented to the faculty by the department curriculum committee at the department
meeting.
5. Curriculum Committee—The department curriculum committee is appointed by the
chairperson to consider changes to the curriculum, curriculum revisions, new courses,
deleting obsolete courses, and curriculum policies. The committee meets to discuss
issues, which often come from department meetings, the chairperson, and the
industrial advisory board. The committee obtains and considers input from many
sources (i.e., faculty, industrial advisory committee, students, educational
associations, publications, other colleges, and other department constituencies), and
after consideration and discussions, presents their findings to the chairperson, the
department personnel and budget committee and ultimately the entire faculty at a
department meeting for consideration and adoption.
6. Department Meetings—The department meets at least four times each year to
consider and discuss course issues, policies and practices, problems, and new
directions and course offerings. The minutes are recorded and distributed to all
members of the department. Often committees are established to investigate issues
and report back to the department with findings and recommendations. Decisions are
generally made by a simple majority vote and the approval of the chairperson.
7. Department Personnel and Budgets Committee—Chaired by the department
chairperson and staffed by four additional department faculty who are elected for
three-year terms, this committee meets monthly to consider issues related to faculty,
faculty promotion, faculty hiring, faculty enhancement, course offerings, and
scheduling and prioritizing purchases and expenditures within the department’s
allocated budget.
8. Membership in Professional Societies—The department encourages faculty to join,
attend, and actively participate in professional societies. Furthermore, we make every
effort to be represented and give presentations at annual conferences for
organizations, which we feel contribute to our discipline. We are active members in
NSPE, NYSPE, IEEE, NYSETA, NY/NJETA and ASEE. Faculty biographies list
these and other societies in which our faculty are active members.
9. Professional Journals and Trade Shows—The department faculty subscribes to and
reads many professional publications and journals. The department also sponsors
faculty attendance at many trade shows. This provides us with additional industry
and professional information for decision-making.