Gayle Yaverbaum Barbara Price

© Copyright CSAB 2013© Copyright CSAB 2013

Future Directions for the Computing Accreditation Criteria

Report from CAC and CSAB Joint Criteria Committee

Gayle YaverbaumBarbara Price

© Copyright CSAB 2013

ABET

ABET

Team Chair

2

CSAB

CACCAC

Responsible for Program Specific Criteria

Responsible for General Criteria


ABET Computing Accreditation

CAC:- Computer Science- Information Systems- Information Technology

EAC:- Software Engineering- Computer Engineering


CSAB Criteria Committee

Made up of one representative from each discipline

Works as a partner with CAC’s Criteria Committee

Combined committee responsibilities:- CAC General Criteria- Program criteria for CS, IS, IT, SE


Report of Current Activities

Changes In Progress- Deployed for visits in Fall 2013 and 2014

Changes Under Consideration- Potentially deployed for visits in Fall 2014 or 2015

Under Discussion- Will be considered when making future criteria revisions

We request your feedback!!!


Changes in Progress


Changes In ProgressCAC General Criteria changes:- Criterion 2 and Criterion 4:

No longer have to assess PEOs starting in 2013-14 cycle Effective Fall 2013

- Criterion 3(a): An ability to apply knowledge of computing and

mathematics appropriate to the program’s student outcomes and to the discipline

Effective Fall 2014, upon ABET Board positive vote during Fall 2013


Criterion 2: - The program must have published program educational objectives that

are consistent with the mission of the institution, the needs of the program’s various constituencies, and these criteria. There must be a documented, systematically utilized, and effective process, involving program constituencies, for the periodic review and revision of these program educational objectives that ensures they remain consistent with the institutional mission, the program’s constituents’ needs, and these criteria.

Criterion 4:- The program must regularly use appropriate, documented processes for

assessing and evaluating the extent to which both the program educational objectives and the student outcomes are being attained. The results of these evaluations must be systematically utilized as input for the continuous improvement of the program. Other available information may also be used to assist in the continuous improvement of the program.


Changes Under Consideration


Changes Under Consideration

Two program criteria: IT and ISCurrent status:- Currently in preparation to be presented to the

CSAB Board and CAC in Spring 2013 (have copies)- ABET board consideration in Fall 2013- ABET board second reading in Spring or Fall 2014- Released for visits in Fall 2014 or Fall 2015


Proposed IT Program Criteria Revisions

3. Student OutcomesThe program must enable students to attain, by the time of graduation: (j) An ability to use and apply current technical concepts and practices in the core

information technologies of human computer interaction, information management, programming, networking, and web systems and technologies.

(k) An ability to identify and analyze user needs and take them into account in the selection, creation, evaluation, and administration of computer-based systems.

(l) An ability to effectively integrate IT-based solutions into the user environment. (m) An understanding of best practices and standards and their application. (n) An ability to assist in the creation of an effective project plan.


Proposed IT Program Criteria Revisions

5. CurriculumStudents must have course work or an equivalent educational experience that includes:a. Coverage of the fundamentals of

1. the core information technologies of human computer interaction, information management, programming, networking, web systems and technologies. [IT]2. information assurance and security. [IT]3. system administration and maintenance. [IT]4. system integration and system architecture. [IT]

b. Advanced course work that builds on the fundamental course work to provide depth. [IT]


Proposed IS Program Criteria Revisions

3. Student OutcomesThe program must enable students to attain, by the time of graduation:

(j) An understanding of processes that ability to support and participate in the delivery, configuration, and management of information systems within a specific application an Information Systems environment. [IS]



5. CurriculumStudents must have course work or an equivalent educational experience that includes:

a. Information Systems: One year that must include:1. coverage of the fundamentals of a modern programming language,

data management, networking and data communications, security of information systems, systems analysis and design and the role of information systems in organizations. [IS]

2. advanced course work that builds on the fundamental course work to provide depth. [IS]



5. CurriculumStudents must have course work or an equivalent educational experience that includes:

b. Information Systems Environment: One-half year of course work that must include varied a cohesive set of topics that provide background in an understanding of an environment in which the information systems will be applied professionally. [IS]c. Quantitative analysis or methods, including statistics. [IS]



6. FacultySome full-time faculty, including those responsible for the IS curriculum development, must hold a terminal degree with a program of study in information systems.


Under Discussion


Under Discussion

Do we need to count quantity of content given outcomes based education?

CS Criteria:1 1/3 years of CS content1 year of math and science

½ year of math

CS Possible Student Outcome?- “An ability to design, conduct and interpret the results of

empirical evaluations of computer systems”

Slide 18


Under Discussion

Criterion 5: Requires “mathematics beyond pre-calculus appropriate to the discipline”- CS: At least ½ year, including discrete math and other areas such as

calculus, linear algebra, numerical methods, probability, statistics, number theory, geometry or symbolic logic.

- IS: Quantitative analysis or methods including statistics- IT: No specific requirement

Questions:- Is “pre-calculus” an appropriate global standard?- What is “appropriate to the discipline” for CS, IS and IT?- IT has no requirement beyond pre-calculus – is this a reasonable

expectation?


Under Discussion

Current Criterion 3(e):- The program must enable students to attain, by the time of graduation:

(e) An understanding of professional, ethical, legal, security and social issues and responsibilities

Increased emphasis on security:- Security part of 3(e) as a “soft skill”- Does there need to be a “hard skill” security attribute in Criterion 3?- Does something more need to be included regarding security in any of the

individual program criteria?- When there are differences among the program criteria in this area, do

these difference make sense?


Under Discussion

CS current:- “Exposure to a variety of programming languages and

systems”- “Proficiency in at least one higher-level language”

Alternative:- “Exposure to a variety of programming language paradigms”- What should the definition of “system” be?


Future Direction - Summary

2013-14 cycle – No longer required to assess PEOs

2014-15 cycle – Adds “outcomes” to Criterion 3(a)

2015-16 cycle – Several changes to IS and IT criteria

Beyond 2015-16 – Lots of things under discussion – recommendation TBD by January 2014


QUESTIONS or CommentsSo Far?

23


Thinking Ahead Even Further

Hybrid programs such as EECS programs- B.S. in “Electrical Engineering and Computer Science”- Current rules require that both EE and CS criteria be

satisfied – a double major- Does the label “EECS” really convey a double-major”

or does it convey a mixture that is neither fully EE or fully CS?

Should we accredit MS or AS programs?Are there emerging disciplines where program criteria

may be necessary?

Gayle Yaverbaum Barbara Price

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