Program Planning and Assessment (PPA)
for Academic Programs
Comprehensive Review, Annual Review & Action Plan
Spring 2014
The purpose of Program Planning and Assessment at Hartnell College is to obtain an honest and
authentic view of a program and to assess its strengths, opportunities, needs, and connection to the
mission and goals of the college. The process is based on the premise that each academic program
reviews assessment data and uses these data to plan for improvement. The results of these annual
cycles provide data for a periodic (every five years) comprehensive review that shows evidence of
improvement and outlines long-range goals.
The Program Planning and Assessment process will improve and increase the flow of information
about student learning, student success and student behavior at Hartnell College. The result of the
process will also improve institutional effectiveness.
Program/
Discipline
Spanish
Date Completed (must be
in final form by 3/31/14)*
Date Submitted
to Dean
*Please note that you should work with your colleagues and dean to ensure that this report is
completed, revised as needed, in its final form and submitted no later than the end of March.
List of Contributors, including Title/Position
Aurelia Vacaflor, Instructor in Spanish
Janet Flores, Instructor in Spanish
This PPA report is organized in 3 sections and 11 subsections as follows:
I.
II.
III.
Comprehensive Review – a. Overall Program Effectiveness, b. Instructional Staffing,
c. CTE Programs – Labor Market & Achievement, and d. Program Goals.
Annual Review – a. Course Data & Trends, b. Teaching Modality, c. Curriculum,
d. Outcomes, and e. Previously Scheduled Activities.
Annual Action Plan – a. New Activities and b. Resource Requests.
INSTRUCTIONS
 For programs/disciplines scheduled for comprehensive review in spring
2014, please complete Sections I, II, and III.
 For programs/disciplines scheduled for annual review, please complete
Sections II and III.
I.
COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW
Please complete this section for programs/disciplines scheduled for
comprehensive review in spring 2014. Go to Section II for programs/disciplines
scheduled for annual review in spring 2014.
A. OVERALL PROGRAM EFFECTIVENESS
1. Describe your program in terms of its overall effectiveness over the past several
years.
Please consider the questions below in describing your program/discipline/area.
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
How are students/employees served by the program?
What are the unique aspects of the program?
How does the program relate to the needs of the community?
How does the program interface/collaborate with other programs on campus?)
What is working well in the program/discipline?
If there is a sequence of courses in your program, what process or framework is used to
ensure alignment?
How is consistency maintained between/among multiple sections of a single course?
Has the program explored alternative scheduling approaches?
Do prerequisites, co-requisites and strongly recommended skills continue to meet program
needs? Are there special considerations regarding capabilities of incoming students?
What professional activities have faculty recently (last three years) participated in?
[Begin response here]
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B. INSTRUCTIONAL STAFFING
1. In the table below enter the number of sections offered and the number of full
time and adjunct faculty in your program/discipline by term over the past several
years.
Term
No. of
Active
Sections
Full-time
Faculty
Adjunct
Faculty
2. What staffing factors/challenges have influenced the effectiveness of the program?
[Begin response here]
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C. CTE PROGRAMS – LABOR MARKET & ACHIEVEMENT
Please complete this section if the program is Career Technical Education
(CTE). Go to subsection D if the program is not CTE.
1. Describe the demonstrated effectiveness on the program over the past several
years with levels and trends of achievement data, including degree/certificate
completions (awards) and employment statistics.
[Begin response here]
2. Describe the number of, activities of, and recommendations resulting from
advisory committee meetings that have occurred over the past two years. What
information and/or data were presented that required or currently require
changes to be made to your program?
(Please attach copies of meeting minutes over the past two years and a list of committee
members and their respective industries/areas.)
[Begin response here]
3. Does labor market data and/or the need for additional education indicate that
changes should be made to your program? Does the program (continue to)
meet a labor market demand and/or fulfill an important step toward
higher/additional education?
[Begin response here]
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D. PROGRAM GOALS
1. List and describe program/disciplinary goals for the next comprehensive
review cycle—Fall 2014 through Fall 2018. Be sure to highlight innovative,
unique, or other especially noteworthy aspects.
A new mission and vision is currently before the board for approval in February. In considering
your program’s future goals, please review the proposed new mission and vision statements.
VISION STATEMENT
Hartnell College will be nationally recognized for the success of our students by
developing leaders who will contribute to the social, cultural, and economic vitality of
our region and the global community.
MISSION STATEMENT
Focusing on the needs of the Salinas Valley, Hartnell College provides educational
opportunities for students to reach academic goals in an environment committed to
student learning, achievement and success.
[List and describe program goals here]
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
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II. ANNUAL REVIEW
This section must be completed for ALL academic programs, including those
scheduled for a comprehensive review in spring 2014.
A. COURSE DATA & TRENDS
1. Please evaluate the 3-year trend of enrollment and success of courses in your
program/discipline. Identify the courses you are choosing to examine this
current year in the list below. You do NOT need to evaluate trends for each
course every year.
Course
Number
SPA 2
SPA 2S
SPA 2X
Course Name
Elementary Spanish
Elementary Spanish for Spanish
speakers
Elementary Spanish for Chicano
Student
Does the course have any DE
(online or hybrid) sections?
No.
No.
No.
Please use the data that have been provided. Analyze trends that you observe with respect to
the data for the identified courses and answer the following questions.
ENROLLMENT
2. Review the enrollment data. Describe and analyze any patterns or anomalies
that you notice. What do you make of these patterns or anomalies? What
actions should be taken to ensure continuous improvement?
For SPA 2, there was consistent enrollment from Fall 2010 to Spring 2012. There is a
significant increase for Fall 2012 and Spring 2013. For these particular semesters, more
sections were offered than in previous semesters.
For SPA 2S, the dip in enrollment for Spring 2013 is due to less sections being offered.
SPA 2X has not been consistently offered every semester and this has negatively affected
enrollment. This course needs to be offered every semester to ensure continuous enrollment,
otherwise students get discouraged.
SUCCESS
3. Review the success data. Describe and analyze any patterns or anomalies that
you notice. What do you make of these patterns or anomalies? What actions
should be taken to ensure continuous improvement?
For SPA 2, the success rate was fairly consistent for most semesters within the tree year period
we are analyzing; however, it was not a high success rate. Overall, our experience with SPA 2
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courses is that students come with various levels of readiness that could reflect disparity in
academic rigor and learning expectations.
SPA 2X has not been consistently offered. This makes it difficult to observe any trends.
The success rate for SPA 2S is good and quite consistent. As can be observed, SPA 2S has the
highest success rate of the three strands.
To ensure greater success we need to increase dialog with adjunct faculty to ensure that course
objectives are being met at all levels.
DEGREES AND CERTIFICATES
4. Describe the demonstrated effectiveness of the program over the past several
years with levels and trends of achievement data, such as degree and certificate
completions/awards.
According to the Program Awards Summary Report, the Spanish program has awarded six
degrees in the last three academic years. Since beginning in the year 2011 the number of
students receiving the degree in Spanish has steadily increased. In Spring 2013, three students
received the Spanish degree.
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B. TEACHING MODALITY
1. Enter the number of Distance Education Courses, both fully online and hybrid
sections, along with the number of full-time and adjunct faculty.
Term
No. of DE/
Online
Sections
No of
Hybrid
Sections
Fulltime
Faculty
Adjunct
Faculty
2. Compare student success in the DE teaching environment with success in the faceto-face teaching environment in the same course. Are there differences? To what
do you ascribe the differences in your program? Discuss any other relevant factors
regarding diverse teaching modalities and environments, such as specific
locations.
Spanish classes are not offered online or as hybrid.
3. Describe the process to change and improve student success in DE
courses/sections in your program, and any other relevant factors regarding
diverse teaching modalities and environments, such as specific locations.
[Begin response here]
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C. CURRICULUM
Complete the following tables pertaining to courses scheduled for review.
Courses scheduled for
review during AY 201314 as previously
specified
SPA 1
SPA 1X
Courses scheduled for
review during AY 201415
SPA 2S
SPA 2X
SPA 3
SPA 3S
SPA 4S
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Faculty member(s)
responsible for
coordinating
Aurelia Vacaflor/
Janet Flores
Aurelia Vacaflor/
Janet Flores
Faculty member(s)
responsible for
coordinating
Aurelia Vacaflor/
Janet Flores
Aurelia Vacaflor/
Janet Flores
Aurelia Vacaflor/
Janet Flores
Aurelia Vacaflor/
Janet Flores
Aurelia Vacaflor/
Janet Flores
(a) Was the course
reviewed and (b) taken
through the curriculum
process?
Date of approval (or
anticipated approval)
by Curriculum
Committee
No.
Spring 2014
No.
Spring 2014
Target semester and
year—Fa 2014 or Sp 2015
Fa 2014
Fa 2014
Sp 2015
Sp 2015
Sp 2015
D. OUTCOMES
Use your Program Outcome Maps to assist you in this subsection. As you plan your course
assessments, keep the higher level program outcome in mind. While course level assessment
serves the purpose of examining the teaching and learning for that particular course, it also
provides the data that will be viewed collectively for assessment of the associated program
level outcomes.
PROGRAM LEVEL OUTCOMES
1. Please complete the following tables.
List Program level outcome(s)
scheduled for assessment as
previously specified
Program level outcome 1
What changes have occurred
in the program/discipline as
a result of dialogue?
Initial communication has
begun with adjunct faculty.
List Program level outcome(s)
scheduled for assessment in
AY 14-15
Have your course level
SLOs needed for this
program level outcome
been assessed or
scheduled for assessment?
Yes.
Program level outcome 2
Was the Program
Outcome Assessment
Summary completed?
Yes.
2. Describe how program level outcomes were specifically addressed by the
program/discipline during the past year.
For example, were data gathered at the course level? Was there review and analysis of the
data? How did the discipline faculty engage in discussion? Were any interventions conducted?
Are there any plans to make changes to certificate/degree programs or improvements in
teaching and student learning?
Yes, we collected writing assignments and they were reviewed. The writing assignments were
collected from each instructor. We came together with adjunct faculty during the January
FLEX day, when we were given time to work together. The weak areas in the writing
assignments were discussed.
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CORE COMPETENCIES
3. Describe how Core Competencies were specifically addressed by the
program/discipline during the past year. For example, were data gathered at
the course level? Was there review and analysis of the data? How did the
discipline faculty engage in discussion? Were any interventions conducted? Are
there any plans to make changes to courses or improvements in teaching and
student learning?
We used the same data (writing assignments) gathered to analyze PLO 1 to also analyze the
Communication Skills Core Competency. In our discussion, the incorporation of writing was
stressed. We specifically addressed the need for all instructors to incorporate more writing
into their courses.
COURSE LEVEL STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES
4. Please complete the following tables.
List courses scheduled for
SLO assessment as previously
specified
SPA 1
SPA 1S
SPA 1X
In what term was
the course
assessed?
Fall 2013
Fall 2013
Fall 2013
List courses scheduled for
SLO assessment in
AY 2014-15
SPA 3
Faculty member(s)
responsible for
coordinating
Aurelia Vacaflor/
Janet Flores
Aurelia Vacaflor/
Janet Flores
Aurelia Vacaflor/
Janet Flores
Aurelia Vacaflor/
Janet Flores
Aurelia Vacaflor/
Janet Flores
SPA 1
SPA 1S
SPA 1X
SPA 3
Was the Course
Assessment Summary
Report completed?
Yes
Yes
Yes
Target semester
and year—Fa 2014
or Sp 2015
Fa 2014
Sp 2015
Sp 2015
Sp 2015
Sp 2015
5. Describe course level assessments results and how they will influence your
plans moving forward.
The results from our course level assessments for SPA 1X and SPA 1S revealed a weakness in
writing skills, specifically the use of written accents. All instructors will incorporate more
writing with an emphasis on written accents.
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6. Describe assessment activities that need to be strengthened or improved. What
are the challenges to achieving these improvements?
The challenge is the fact that over 5o% of our courses are taught by adjunct faculty and it is
difficult to ensure that there is academic rigor in each course being taught. This can be
observed when students move from one course level to another and are not prepared for
success in the next level.
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E. PREVIOUSLY SCHEDULED ACTIVITIES
This subsection focuses on activities that were previously scheduled. An activity can address many
different aspects of your program/discipline, and ultimately is undertaken to improve or enhance your
program/discipline, and keep it current.
Activity scheduled
What success has
been achieved to
date on this activity?
Will activity
What challenges
existed or continue continue into
AY 14-15?
to exist?
Will activity
continue into
AY 15-16?*
1. Hiring an additional
full-time faculty
member.
None.
Yes.
2. Revision of SLO and
assessment tool for
Spanish 1S.
Pending submission
to Curriculum
Committee.
Challenges
Yes.
continue to exist.
Program continues
to grow, yet we
have one less full
time faculty
member than in
the past.
No.
3. Meetings with
adjunct faculty.
More meetings have
taken place and this
has resulted in
increased
discussions.
In progress.
With varying work
schedules it is
difficult to bring
adjunct faculty
together.
We are waiting for
approval of some
courses.
Yes.
No.
Yes.
Currently not No.
4. Get the Spanish
known
degree with the
transfer model
curriculum approved.
Pending.
No.
No.
5. Meet with
counselors to discuss
placement issue.
This has been
Student placement Yes.
Yes.
6. Insert message in
completed.
issues.
PAWS defining the
differences between
the three language
strands.
* For each activity that will continue into AY 2015-16 and that requires resources, submit a separate
resource request in Section III.
1. Evaluate the success of each activity scheduled, including activities completed and
those in progress. What measurable outcomes were achieved? Did the activities
and subsequent dialogue lead to significant change in student learning or program
success?
We are currently working on achieving activity 3. With our increased communication with
adjunct faculty we were able to increase awareness of the importance of SLOs and SLO
assessment. Also, new rubrics were developed for SLO assessment in Fall 2013.
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III. ANNUAL ACTION PLAN
This section must be completed for ALL academic programs, whether scheduled
for annual or comprehensive review in spring 2014.
A. NEW ACTIVITIES
This subsection addresses new activities for, and continuing new activities into, AY 2015-16. An
activity can address many different aspects of your program/discipline, and ultimately is undertaken to
improve, enhance, and or keep your program/discipline area current. A new activity may or may not
require additional resources. Activities can include but are not limited to:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
NEW CURRICULUM
FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF THE PROGRAM OR SERVICE
GRANT DEVELOPMENT AND PROPOSALS
FACULTY AND STAFF TRAINING
MARKETING/OUTREACH
ENROLLMENT MANAGEMENT
STUDENT SERVICES
ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES
SUPPORT OPERATIONS
FACILITIES
1. List information concerning new projects or activities planned. Please keep in mind that
resources needed, if funded, would not be approved until spring 2015 and provided until
FY 2015-16. Ongoing activities involving resources that will no longer be available from
grant funds starting FY 2015-16 must be planned for appropriately.
Activity
1.
Hiring an
additional
full-time
faculty
member
Strategic
Plan
Goal(s)
No. &
Letter
(e.g.,
5A)*
2A, 2B
Related
Courses,
SLOs,
PLOs, or
goals
Desired
Outcome(s)
Resources
Needed
Person
Responsible
Continue
with the
viability of
the program.
No longer be
understaffed
Salary and
benefits
Hiring
committee
Estimated
Date of
Completion
(can be more
than one
year in
length)
Spring 2015
2.
3.
* See Appendix A for a list of the 11 goals in the college’s Strategic Plan.
*** Please complete this page for each new activity. ***
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Comments
We need a
third fulltime
faculty
member. We
are currently
understaffed
according to
efficiency
data from
Spring 2011.
2. This item is used to describe how the new activity, or continuing new activity, will
support the program/discipline.
Consider:
• Faculty
• Other staffing
• Facilities
• Equipment (non-expendable, greater than $5,000), supplies (expendable, valued at less than
$5,000),
• Software
• Hardware
• Outside services
• Training
• Travel
• Library materials
• Science laboratory materials
a) Describe the new activity or follow-on activity that this resource will support.
The hiring of full time faculty is imperative for the following reasons: The data shows that the
Spanish Program has continued to grow in the past two to three years. For the Fall 2014
semester, course offerings will have increased to 18 courses. Ten of these courses will be taught
by adjunct faculty. It is becoming increasingly more difficult to manage the Spanish Program
when so many courses are being taught by adjunct faculty.
b) Describe how this activity supports any of the following:
1) Core Competency
2) Program level Outcome
3) Course level Outcome
4) Program/Discipline Goal
5) Strategic Priority Goal
In 2008, the Spanish Discipline lost one full time instructor to retirement. This position was never
filled despite the fact that we formally requested a replacement. Since then, two full time faculty
members have maintained the viability of the Spanish Program, managed its growth, developed
and maintained its curriculum, developed the SLOs, developed a major, and hired and mentored
adjunct faculty. According to the efficiency data of Spring 2011, the Spanish discipline is working
at the equivalent of 5.28 full time faculty members.
c) Does this activity span multiple academic years? YES NO
If yes, describe the action plan for completion of this activity.
Since the hiring of an additional faculty member is a continuous need, the Spanish department
will continue to request that this additional full-time position be created.
d) What measureable outcomes are expected from this activity? List indicators of
success.
With the impending retirement of one of its full time faculty members within the next two years,
the hiring of full time faculty is of paramount importance. Hiring at least one additional faculty
member within the next year (Year 1) would help the current faculty in the training and
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adjustment period of the new member. It would ensure the continuity, quality and academic rigor
of a well-established program. This would benefit students, the college, and the community at
large.
e) What are the barriers to achieving success in this activity?
Funding this need.
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B. RESOURCE REQUESTS
If new/additional resources are needed for your program/discipline, it is important that you identify
them and project their cost, and that these resources and costs be considered through the College’s
integrated planning (governance, budget development, funding decision making, and resource
allocation) processes. A resource is likely to be something needed to support an activity that you have
identified in IIIA. above, in which case you must link the resource with a specific activity number (first
column below). ). All resource requests completed in the various columns of a specific row
must be linked to the new or continuing activity numbered on the first column of that
same row. A resource could also be something necessary for your program/discipline to function
properly to improve student learning, such as updated equipment in a classroom; in such case be sure
to note that the resource is NOT tied to a specific activity.
Activity
No.
1.
2.
Personnel
Classified
Staff/
Faculty
(C/F/M)*
$55K-$75K
F
Supplies/
Equipment
(S/E)**
Technology
Hardware/
Software
(H/S)***
Contract
Services
Training
Travel
Library
Materials
Science
Labs
3.
4.
5.
* Personnel: Include a C, F, or M after the amount to indicate Classified Staff, Faculty, or Manager.
** S for Supplies, E for Equipment. If additional supplies, for example, are needed for ongoing activities, this
should be requested through the budget rollover process.
*** H for Hardware, S for Software.
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Projected
Costs
$55K$75K
APPENDIX A. Strategic Priorities & Goals
(from Hartnell College Strategic Plan 2013-2018)
Priority 1: Student
Access
Goal 1A: Hartnell College will provide higher education, workforce development, and lifelong
learning opportunities—with seamless pathways—to all of the college’s present and prospective
constituent individuals and groups.
Priority 2: Student
Success
Goal 2A: Hartnell College will provide a supportive, innovative, and collaborative learning
environment to help students pursue and achieve educational success.
Goal 2B: Hartnell College will provide a supportive, innovative, and collaborative learning
environment that addresses and meets the diverse learning needs of students.
Priority 3: Employee
Diversity and Development
Goal 3A: Hartnell College is committed to 1) increasing diversity among its employees; 2)
providing an environment that is safe for and inviting to diverse persons, groups, and
communities; and 3) becoming a model institution of higher education whose respect for
diversity is easily seen and is fully integrated throughout its policies, practices, facilities, signage,
curricula, and other reflections of life at the college.
Goal 3B: To attract and retain highly qualified employees, Hartnell College is committed to
providing and supporting relevant, substantial professional development opportunities.
Priority 4:
Effective Utilization of Resources
Goal 4A: To support its mission, Hartnell College is committed to the effective utilization of
its human resources.
Goal 4B: Hartnell College is committed to having its physical plant, furnishings, and grounds
maintained and replaced in a planned and scheduled way to support learning, safety, security,
and access.
Goal 4C: Hartnell College will maintain a current, user-friendly technological infrastructure
that serves the needs of students and employees.
Goal 4D: Hartnell College is committed to maximizing the use and value of capital assets,
managing financial resources, minimizing costs, and engaging in fiscally sound planning for
future maintenance, space, and technology needs.
Priority 5:
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Innovation and Relevance for Programs and Services
Goal 5A: Hartnell College will provide programs and services that are relevant to the realworld needs of its diverse student population, while also developing and employing a culture of
innovation that will lead to improved institutional effectiveness and student learning.
Priority 6: Partnership
with Industry, Business Agencies and Education
Goal 6A: Hartnell College is committed to strengthening and furthering its current
partnerships, in order to secure lasting, mutually beneficial relationships between the college
and the community that the college serves.
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