Welding & Nondestructive Testing Technology
Educational Effectiveness
Assessment Plan
Version 1.0
Adopted by
The Welding & Nondestructive Testing Technology faculty: April 2011.
Submitted to
The Dean of the Community & Technical College: June 2011
The Office of Academic Affairs: June 2011
Welding & Nondestructive Testing Technology Educational Effectiveness Assessment Plan
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction _________________________________________________________________ 3
Program Objectives ___________________________________________________________ 4
Program Outcomes ___________________________________________________________ 5
Assessment Tools _____________________________________________________________ 6
Assessment Implementation & Analysis for Program Improvement ____________________ 10
General Implementation Strategy _________________________________________________________ 10
Method of Data Analysis and Formulation of Recommendations for Program Improvement ___________ 10
Modification of the Assessment Plan ______________________________________________________ 10
Appendix A: Graduate Survey _______________________________________________ 11
Appendix B: Employer Survey _______________________________________________ 12
Appendix C: Qualification Tests _____________________________________________ 13
Appendix D: Advisory Committee ____________________________________________ 14
Appendix E: Program Review _______________________________________________ 15
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INTRODUCTION
This document defines the educational objectives and expected outcomes for the Welding &
Nondestructive Testing Technology program and outlines a plan for assessing the achievement
of the stated objectives and outcomes.
The development of the objectives and outcomes followed the original program assessment work
in 2000/2001 and program revisions planned and started in 2001/2002. The outcomes and nature
of the major revision completed in 2002/2003 were based on meetings with the advisory group
during 2000/2001 and a symposium held in December 2000 to discuss broader welding and
nondestructive testing issues facing the state’s workforce development efforts.
The faculty met and accepted the objectives, outcomes, and assessment processes in the spring of
2002 and initiated work on a major curriculum revision, completed during the summer of 2002,
reviewed by faculty during the fall of 2002, accepted by the Provosts office in the spring of
2003, and approved by the Board of Regents in June 2003. During the spring of 2003 the
department received assistance with a graduate survey. Those results are not included in this
version of the plan, but will be added in the fall.
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PROGRAM OBJECTIVES
The educational objectives of the Welding and Nondestructive Testing Technology program are
to produce graduates who:

Are prepared for employment in welding and/or nondestructive examination as entrylevel technicians. The program offers two transcripted certificates that together with
General University Requirements qualify for a AAS degree.
o Industrial welding technician students develop manual skills in four main welding
processes and three thermal cutting processes, as well as gain a wide range of
technical knowledge in welding application, procedure/welder qualification,
reading plans and specifications, and applied metallurgy. Welder qualification
tests are administered as prescribed in AWS D1.1, API Standard 1104, or ASME
IX welding codes.
o Nondestructive Testing Technology students examine metallic components or
weldments to locate and evaluate discontinuities by learning to apply liquid
penetrant (PT), magnetic particle (MT), eddy current (ET), radiographic (RT) and
ultrasonic (UT) test methods. Student qualification in each NDT method is based
on general, specific and practical examinations administered as prescribed in the
American Society for Nondestructive Testing (ASNT) Recommended Practice
No. SNT-TC-1A.

Provides students with technical and administrative skills required in today’s metal
fabrication and inspection environments required to apply specifications and codes to
complete specific job tasks.
Develop human relations, communications and computational skills.

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PROGRAM OUTCOMES
The specific educational outcomes that support the program objectives are to produce graduates
who are able to:

Industrial welding technician students: Pass three (3) separate all-position welder
qualification tests.

Nondestructive Testing technician students: Pass two (2) separate NDT method
qualification tests.

Demonstrate technical knowledge of the interrelationship between welding and
inspection processes.

Work safely by assessing hazards and using best practices to avoid exposing themselves
or others to risk of injury, and avoiding damage to equipment.

Work and communicate effectively with other employees, customers, and management.
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ASSESSMENT TOOLS
A description of the tools used in the assessment of the program objectives and their
implementation are summarized in Table 1. The tools and their relationships to the program
objectives are listed in Table 2.
A description of the tools used in the assessment of the program outcomes and their
implementation are summarized in Table 3. The tools and their relationships to the program
outcomes are listed in Table 4.
There is a separate appendix for each tool that describes the factors that affect the results and
give examples of the tools and how they will be implemented.
Table 1
Program Objectives Assessment Tools and Administration
Tool
Graduate
Survey
Frequency/
Start Date
Collection
Method
Administered
by
Annual. Initial
survey tested
S03
Faculty
distribution to
students S03.
Faculty. See
Annual Workload
for assignment.
Survey of employers of graduates
within the first year of completion.
Annually.
Survey to be
developed.
Faculty
distribution
following
student
reporting of
employer.
Faculty. See
Annual Workload
for assignment.
Database of AWS and ASNT
qualification tests by students
including attempts and passing
results.
Data
collected as
tests
administered.
Database &
Forms are
required.
Faculty or Lab
Tech reporting
to Administrative
Assistant
Admin Assist
maintains
database, Faculty
review annually.
Advisory group review of program
and recommendations to
assessment or curriculum.
Annually –
F2003
Minutes of
Meeting.
Admin Assist
Meeting Minutes.
Cyclical program review by the
Office of Academic Affairs (OAA)
5 year cycle
Completed in
2010.
OAA
Procedures
OAA
Description
Survey of students completing
certificates or the AAS degree
within the first year of completion.
(Including ID of employer.)
Employer
Survey
Qualification
Tests
Advisory
Committee
Feedback
Program
Review
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Students are prepared for employment in
welding and/or nondestructive
examination as entry-level technicians.
Provides students with technical and
administrative skills required in today’s
metal fabrication and inspection
environments required to apply
specifications and codes to complete
specific job tasks.
Industrial welding technician students
develop manual skills in four main
welding processes and three thermal
cutting processes, as well as gain a wide
range of technical knowledge in welding
application, procedure/welder
qualification, reading plans and
specifications, and applied metallurgy.
Nondestructive Testing Technology,
students are qualified in appropriate
Nondestructive Testing technician
students examine metallic components or
weldments to locate and evaluate
discontinuities by learning to apply liquid
penetrant (PT), magnetic particle (MT),
eddy current (ET), radiographic (RT) and
ultrasonic (UT) test methods.
1
0
1
1
1
Develop human relations,
communications and computational skills.
1
1
Program
Review
1
1
Advisory
Committee
Feedback
Qualification
Tests
1
Graduate
Survey
Employer
Survey
Table 2
Association of Assessment Tools to Program Objectives
1
1
1
1
1
1
0
1
1
1
0
1
0
1
0
0 = Tool is not used to measure the associated objective.
1 = Tool is used to measure the associated objective.
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Table 3
Program Outcomes Assessment Tools and Administration
Tool
Graduate
Survey
Frequency/
Start Date
Collection
Method
Annual. Initial
survey tested
S03
Faculty
distribution to
students S03.
Faculty. See
Annual
Workload for
assignment.
Survey of employers of graduates
within the first year of completion.
Annually.
Survey to be
developed.
Faculty
distribution
following
student
reporting of
employer.
Faculty. See
Annual
Workload for
assignment.
Database of AWS and ASNT
qualification tests by students
including attempts and passing
results.
Data
collected as
tests
administered.
Database &
Forms are
required.
Faculty or Lab
Tech reporting
to
Administrative
Assistant
Admin Assist
maintains
database,
Faculty review
annually.
Advisory group review of program
and recommendations to
assessment or curriculum.
Annually –
F2003
Minutes of
Meeting.
Admin Assist
Meeting
Minutes.
Description
Survey of students completing
certificates or the AAS degree
within the first year of completion.
(Including ID of employer.)
Employer
Survey
Qualification
Tests
Advisory
Committee
Feedback
Welding & Nondestructive Testing Technology Educational Effectiveness Assessment Plan
Administere
d by
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0
1
0
0
0
1
0
Demonstrate knowledge of the
interrelationship between welding and
inspection processes.
1
1
0
1
Work safely by assessing hazards and using
best practices to avoid exposing themselves
or others to risk of injury, and avoiding
damage to equipment.
1
1
0
1
Work and communicate effectively with
other employees, customers, and
management.
1
1
0
0
Industrial welding technician students: Pass
three (3) separate all-position welder
qualification tests.
Nondestructive Testing technician students:
Pass two (2) separate NDT method
qualification tests.
Advisory
Committee
Feedback
Qualification
Tests
0
Graduate
Survey
Employer
Survey
Table 4
Association of Assessment Tools to Program Outcomes
0 = Tool is not used to measure the associated objective.
1 = Tool is used to measure the associated objective.
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ASSESSMENT IMPLEMENTATION & ANALYSIS FOR PROGRAM IMPROVEMENT
General Implementation Strategy
Faculty has primary responsibility for development and administration of the assessment plan.
Annually faculty will be selected and assigned responsibility as a component of the faculty
Workload Agreement as a Service component of the annual activities. Administrative staff for
the department is responsible for distributing and collecting surveys. Faculty and division
director are responsible for analysis of data.
Method of Data Analysis and Formulation of Recommendations for Program
Improvement
The program faculty meets at least once a year to review the data collected using the assessment
tools. This meeting should result in recommendations for program changes that are designed to
enhance performance relative to the program’s objectives and outcomes. The results of the data
collection, an interpretation of the results, and the recommended programmatic changes are to be
forwarded to the office of Academic Affairs (in the required format) by the end of May each
year. A plan for implementing the recommended changes, including of advertising the changes
to all the program’s stakeholders, is also to be completed at this meeting.
The proposed programmatic changes may be any action or change in policy that the faculty
deems as being necessary to improve performance relative to programs objectives and outcomes.
Recommended changes should also consider workload (faculty, staff, and students), budgetary,
facilities, and other relevant constraints. A few examples of changes made by programs at UAA
include:
o changes in course content, scheduling, sequencing, prerequisites, delivery methods, etc.
o changes in faculty/staff assignments
o changes in advising methods and requirements
o addition and/or replacement of equipment
o changes to facilities
Modification of the Assessment Plan
The faculty, after reviewing the collected data and the processes used to collect it, may decide to
alter the assessment plan. Changes may be made to any component of the plan, including the
objectives, outcomes, assessment tools, or any other aspect of the plan. The changes are to be
approved by the faculty of the program. The modified assessment plan is to be forwarded to the
dean/director’s office and the Office of Academic Affairs.
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APPENDIX A: GRADUATE SURVEY
Tool Description:
Written survey completed by students that have completed a certificate program or the AAS
degree.
Factors that affect the collected data:
Because the assessment tool relies on voluntary compliance, the data will not include
information from all completers.
How to interpret the data:
See above.
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APPENDIX B: EMPLOYER SURVEY
Tool Description:
Written survey completed by employers with direct knowledge of a previous student’s workplace
skills.
Factors that affect the collected data:
Primary limitations of this instrument will be the low numbers of completers.
It will be critical that students that complete the program provide employer information and that
the department as some method to collect and maintain this data. It will also be critical that
employers are only asked to provide feedback on students that have completed a full program of
study. Many students have left the program after a couple initial courses have prepared them
initial employment – the department should be careful to insure that employers are only rating
those students that have completed a certification or AAS degree. The survey should provide
some explicit instructions and clarity related to the student’s certificate or degree to insure
accurate and relevant assessment.
How to interpret the data:
See above.
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APPENDIX C:
QUALIFICATION TESTS
Tool Description:
Database of student attempts and results from AWS and ANST qualification tests for review by
faculty to assess student success and common causes of failures during testing.
Factors that affect the collected data:





Testing should be administered only by qualified faculty or lab technicians.
Testing and testing results should not be punitive in nature in a way that would bias the
testing results or reduced the normal attempts to pass the test. (Although if students
become more self aware of the testing standards and know their work will not pass the
tests, then the lack of testing in that case will be an indication that students have
demonstrated awareness of the quality of their work.)
A method will have to be determined to separate student practice work, from a formal
attempt to pass the qualification test.
A form will be needed to document the testing and a process to enter the data in to a
database.
A standard set of failure modes and descriptions will be required to assure consistency in
the characterization of results – particularly failures.
How to interpret the data:
The AWS and ASNT guidelines provide clear testing procedures. Interpretation by the faculty
should be based on assessing the reasons student do not pass the test and the use of this
information to modify instruction or lab activities.
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APPENDIX D: ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Tool Description:
Annual advisory committee meetings with review of program changes, lab facilities and
equipment, tests, and community feedback on students work.
Factors that affect the collected data:
Selection and critical objectivity of advisory committee members.
How to interpret the data:
Results from annual meetings will be largely anecdotal, but should provide important indicators
to the faculty about changes in industry expectations, student skills, and shifts in industry
practices or certifications.
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APPENDIX E: PROGRAM REVIEW
Tool Description:
Cyclical Program Review administered by the Office of Academic Affairs.
Factors that affect the collected data:
See OAA procedures and BOR policy for reviews. The principle factor affecting the reviews is
the make up of the advisory committee and the preparation of a self review. The selection of
impartial members that can be objective and critical of the programs successes and short comings
assure a valuable result that can guide future program improvements.
How to interpret the data:
See OAA procedures and BOR policy for reviews.
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