An Evaluator’s Primer
Awarding Credit for Military
Training and Experience
Cynthia Bruce
Director, Military Evaluations
Nevada’s WICHE-Facilitated Meeting
Reno, NV
June 2, 2009
Goals
• To provide a clear understanding of the review
process.
• To increase the awareness, use, and benefit of the
transcript services (AARTS, SMART, and ACE
transcript).
ACE Center for Lifelong Learning
Program Evaluations
•
Military Programs
•
Corporate Programs (CREDIT)
About Military Evaluations
•
The Military Evaluations Program provides institutions with a
basis for recognizing military educational experiences in terms
of civilian academic credit.
•
Since the early 40s, MEP has reviewed and made credit
recommendations for thousands of college-level courses offered
by the military services.
•
Since 1974, MEP began evaluation of military occupational
specialties as well.
About Military Evaluations
2008 Fiscal Year
• 35 installation visits
• 1,200 courses
• 25 occupations
• 150 teaching faculty members
• 3,400 semester hours in the lower division
• 900 semester hours in the upper division
• 300 semester hours in the graduate division
Course Evaluations
•
Formal military instruction and military
occupations specialties; courses approved
by a central authority
•
Correspondence courses with proctored end-of course
exams
•
Distance learning/online courses with documented rigid
control test conditions and firm identification of the
student.
Military Programs Does Not Evaluate
•
Air Force courses transcribed by the Community College of the
Air Force (CCAF)
•
Military schools with degree-granting status
•
Courses outsourced to colleges and universities
Program Evaluation Activities
Evaluate formal courses and
occupational specialties
Publish course and occupation
descriptions and academic credit
recommendations
Transcript and registry services
Commission on Lifelong Learning
•
Membership includes:
–
–
–
–
–
campus CEOs
higher education institutions
educational associations
businesses
labor unions
•
Term of membership: 3
years
•
Meetings: Spring and Fall
www.acenet.edu/Content/NavigationMenu/About/Commissions/Lifelong.htm
Reflections or Questions?
On to the Evaluation Process
Evaluator Representation
Practitioner
Community or Other
College
3%
19%
University
51%
4-Year
College
27%
•
Accrediting agencies
•
Types of institutions
Nevada Active Evaluators
Name
Institution
Dr. Patrick W. Carlton
University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Dr. Paul B Davis
Truckee Meadows Community College
Dr. Christine Gibbs Springer
University of Nevada, Las Vegas
MilProg
X
CREDIT
X
MIVER
X
Serve as an Evaluator
•
•
•
You must be actively teaching
college-level courses.
When your discipline expertise is
needed, you are contacted directly
to serve on the ACE team.
ACE pays all evaluators an
honorarium and travel.
www.acenet.edu/evaluators
evaluators@ace.nche.edu
Faculty Evaluator Database
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Online application
Academic institution
affiliation
Degrees / credentials
Current teaching position
Short biography
Resume or CV required
CIP codes identified
Routinely audited
www.acenet.edu/evaluators/serve
Military Evaluator Handbook
www.acenet.edu/evaluators
Review Committees
Content Review Committee (CRC) Role
•
•
•
Determines the appropriate content and academic disciplines for
courses and occupations
Reviews discipline alignment by the Classification of
Instructional Programs (CIP)
Determines the scope of the team
Review Team Selection Committee Role
•
•
Reviews evaluators nominated for the team
Approves nominations
Military Course Evaluations:
The General Process
•
Conduct pre-meetings with points of contacts
•
Travel to training locations
•
Review materials (conduct interviews for occupations)
•
Document evaluation and write descriptions
•
Final reports
Sample Course Team Consensus Sheet (TCS) Military
Military Occupation Evaluations:
The General Process
Review Committees
• Content Review Committee (CRC)
• Review Team Selection Committee
Teams
• Travel to the military installation
• Review official occupation documentation
• Interview service members
• Develop final recommendations
Military Occupation Evaluations:
Official Documentation
•
•
•
•
•
Occupation manuals
Technical guides and training
manuals
Promotion examinations
Study guides
Other official branch specific
documentation
Military Occupation Evaluations:
Service Member Interview
•
Focus on the representation of the job expectations at the pay
grade
•
Clarification and validation of the official military documentation
Military Occupation Review:
Team Process
•
Synthesis of information
•
Alignment to current curricula
•
Determination of post secondary
content and rigor
•
Team consensus must be 100%
Military Occupation Evaluations:
Team Consensus Sheet (TCS)
Military Evaluations: Related Competencies
•
Aligned with each of the credit
recommendation subject areas
•
Displayed in Military Guide Online
•
Implemented in October 2006
Sample Exhibits
Defining College Level Work
Content, scope, and rigor must be at the postsecondary level.
Evaluative Criteria
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Course content
Learning outcomes
Depth and breadth of material
Level of difficulty
Applicability to postsecondary programs
Evaluative instruments
Outside assignments
Types of Credit
•
Vocational / Certificate
•
Lower Division
•
Upper Division
•
Graduate
No Credit Recommended
•
Material presented in the course is not
comparable to content and rigor at the
post secondary level
•
Material offered is inadequate for a
judgment to be made
•
Inadequate outcome assessments
After the Review
• Internal review
• Final reports within 30
days
• Exhibits uploaded to
database
Credit Recommendation Life
Military: Courses
Military: Occupations
•
POI updates
•
No more than 10 years
•
No more than 10 years
•
Trends of realignment,
merges, job-task structures
•
Re-reviews included as part
of DoD contract
Reflections or Questions?
On to Transcripts
Transcript Data
# of
Transcripts
Processed
(AARTS)
Calendar Year
# of
# of
Transcripts Transcripts
Processed Processed
(SMART)
(CREDIT)
2007
239,613
98,873
7,575
2008
217,913
105,799
7,963
2008: Top 10 Transcript List
AARTS
Central Texas College
University of Phoenix
University of Maryland
University
College/Europe/Asia
SMART
ACE Corporate
33,326
University of Phoenix
12260
28,497
American Intercontinental
University
5446
Coastline Community
College
4368
Excelsior College
3527
16,143
American Military
University
9031
North Central Institute
8924
Thomas Edison State College
482
Excelsior College
220
University of Maryland
University College
83
Community College of the Air
Force
44
University of Phoenix
39
Colorado Technical
University OnLine
3302
American Military
University (Manassas)
2961
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical
University
34
5328
Thomas Edison State
College
2374
American Intercontinental
University Online
30
4810
University of Maryland
University College
American Registry for
Diagnostic Medical
Sonography
1807
Ashford University
29
Grantham University
4342
Park University (Main
Campus)
1489
Walden University
29
Pierce College
3762
Ashford University
1448
Michigan Technological
University
28
Troy University
Excelsior College
7178
Military Guide Online
www.militaryguides.acenet.edu
•
1954 to1989
•
The last printed Guide
2006
The Military Guide on CD
•
Newest version on CD is
October 2008
Military Transcripts: AARTS, SMART, and CGI
Features of Web Delivery
https://aartscolleges.army.mil
https://smart.navy.mil
Websites and Contact Information
AARTS Operations
415 McPherson Avenue
Ft. Leavenworth, KS
66027-1373
Carol Brown
LEAV-AARTS@conus.army.mil
aartstranscript.army.mil
SMART Operations
NETPDTC, N2
6490 Saufley Field Road
Pensacola, FL 32509
Laurine Anderson
sfly_smart@navy.mil
1-850-452-1001
x1097, 1236, or 1149
smart.navy.mil
The National Guide to College Credit for Workforce
Training
www.acenet.edu/nationalguide
ACE Transcript
•
Recognized by
colleges/universities,
state credentialing
authorities, and
employment agencies
•
Learners can maintain
their own accounts online
www.acenet.edu/transcripts
Example CREDIT Exhibits
•
•
•
•
•
•
SkillSoft (SmartForce)
Learning Tree International
FAA
Delta Airlines
Foreign Service Institute
Defense Language Institute
ACE Military Brochures
A Transfer Guide
•
Written specifically for the service
member
•
Released March 2009
•
Provides simple, straightforward
guidance on understanding military
credit recommendations and transcripts
•
Includes definitions of common terms,
answers to frequently asked questions,
and a transfer credit checklist
•
Website
www.acenet.edu/militaryprograms/transferguide
www.acenet.edu/militaryprograms/resourcetools
ƒ Quick access to
presentation materials
ƒ Examples of
transcripts
Lifelong Learning Resource Center
American Council on Education
One Dupont Circle, NW, Suite 250
Washington, DC 20036
Toll Free: 866-205-6267
Military Programs
202-939-9470 or mileval@ace.nche.edu
www.acenet.edu/militaryprograms
Corporate Programs
202-939-9434 or credit@ace.nche.edu
www.acenet.edu/programs/CREDIT