AAS and Certificate in the Computer and Networking Track Telecommunications Electronics and
Computer Technology
Educational Effectiveness
Assessment Plan
Version 3.0
Adopted by
The Telecommunications Electronics and Computer
Technology CNT faculty: May 7, 2009
Submitted to
The Dean of the Community and Technical College: May 7, 2009
The Office of Academic Affairs: May 7, 2009
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Mission Statement ________________________________________________________________________________ 2
Program Introduction _____________________________________________________________________________ 3 Assessment Process Introduction ____________________________________________________________________ 3 Program Outcomes________________________________________________________________________________ 4 Table 1: Association of Assessment Measures to Program Outcomes _______________________________________ 5 Assessment Measures ______________________________________________________________________________ 6 Table 2: Program Outcomes Assessment Measures and Administration ____________________________________ 6 Assessment Implementation & Analysis for Program Improvement _______________________________________ 7
General Implementation Strategy _________________________________________________________________ 7
Method of Data Analysis and Formulation of Recommendations for Program Improvement ___________________ 7
Modification of the Assessment Plan ______________________________________________________________ 7 Appendix A: CompTIA A+ and Net+ Industry Certification Tests ________________________________________ 8
CompTIA A+ industry certification test 8
Measure Description: __________________________________________________________________________ 8
Factors that affect the collected data: ______________________________________________________________ 8
How to interpret the data: _______________________________________________________________________ 8
CompTIA network+ industry certification test ______________________________________________________ 10
Measure Description: _________________________________________________________________________ 10
Factors that affect the collected data: _____________________________________________________________ 10
How to interpret the data: ______________________________________________________________________ 10 Appendix B: ccna certification test _________________________________________________________________ 11
Measure Description: _________________________________________________________________________ 11
Factors that affect the collected data: _____________________________________________________________ 11
How to interpret the data: ______________________________________________________________________ 11 Appendix C: icsa certification test __________________________________________________________________ 12
Measure Description: _________________________________________________________________________ 12
Factors that affect the collected data: _____________________________________________________________ 12
How to interpret the data: ______________________________________________________________________ 12 Appendix D: course case studies ___________________________________________________________________ 13
Measure Description: _________________________________________________________________________ 13
Factors that affect the collected data: _____________________________________________________________ 13
How to interpret the data: ______________________________________________________________________ 13 Appendix E: course practical final exams ____________________________________________________________ 14
Measure Description: _________________________________________________________________________ 14
Factors that affect the collected data: _____________________________________________________________ 14
How to interpret the data: ______________________________________________________________________ 14 Appendix H: case study and practical final rubrics ____________________________________________________ 15
MISSION STATEMENT
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The Computer and Networking Technologies (CNT) track of the CET department provides entry level skills and ongoing career education to meet the demand for well-trained technicians in networking and computer system operations. CNT offers opportunities for student success in achieving their ongoing goals in advanced academic programs.
PROGRAM INTRODUCTION
The Telecommunications, Electronics and Computer Technology Department (TECT) provides entry-level skills and career education to meet the demand for well-trained technicians in the computer electronics, telecommunications and electronics industries. The TECT Department offers an Occupational Endorsement Certificate in Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) and two undergraduate certificates in the specialized areas of Telecommunications and Electronics Systems (TES), and Computer and Networking Technology (CNT). Both certificates require 3 full-time semesters to complete. An Associate of Applied Science degree in Telecommunications, Electronics and Computer Technology can be earned by completing additional required technical and general education courses.
Graduates from the TECT program can be employed as skilled technical support workers in fields including communications, microchip manufacturing, and computer support and repair in private industry as well as municipal, state and federal agencies.
ASSESSMENT PROCESS INTRODUCTION
This document defines the educational objectives and expected outcomes for the Computers and Networking Technology Track of the Telecommunication Electronics and Computer Technology (TECT) program and outlines a plan for assessing the achievement of the stated objectives and outcomes.
The development of the objectives and outcomes consisted of consultation between the TECT curriculum committee and the Chairperson of the Computer and Electronics Technology Department (CET).
The faculty met and accepted the objectives, outcomes, and assessment processes.
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PROGRAM OUTCOMES
The specific educational outcomes that support the program objectives are to produce graduates who
are able to demonstrate:
; Proficiency in the ability to perform PC hardware and operating system installation,
troubleshooting and repair.
; Proper customer service skills.
; Entry-level tasks for planning, design, installation and troubleshooting Ethernet and TCP/IP
networks.
; Entry-level employment skills for computer and network technicians.
; Computer literacy in PC applications and operating systems.
; Proficiency in the ability to perform Cisco router installation and configuration in multi-
protocol inter-networks.
; Proficiency in the ability to perform Cisco switch and VLAN installation and configuration. ; Configuration and maintenance of network and computer system security settings. ; Ability to think critically and solve problems.
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TABLE 1: ASSOCIATION OF ASSESSMENT MEASURES TO PROGRAM OUTCOMES
Outcomes
Tool A
Tool B Proficiency in PC hardware and operating system installation, 1 0 0 1 1
Tool C troubleshooting and repair.
Tool D Proper customer service skills. 1 0 1 0 0
Tool E Entry-level tasks for planning, design, installation and 1 1 0 1 1 troubleshooting Ethernet and TCP/IP networks.
Entry-level employment skills for 1 1 1 1 1 computer and network technicians.
Computer literacy in PC
applications and operating 1 0 0 1 1 systems.
Proficiency in Cisco router installation and configuration in 0 1 0 1 1 multi-protocol inter-networks.
Proficiency in Cisco switch and VLAN installation and 0 1 0 1 1 configuration.
Configuration and maintenance of network and computer system 1 1 0 1 1 security settings.
Ability to think critically and solve 1 1 1 1 1 problems.
0 = Measure is not used to measure the associated outcome.
1 = Measure is used to measure the associated outcome.
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ASSESSMENT MEASURES
A description of the measures used in the assessment of the program outcomes and their implementation are summarized in Table 2 below. The measures and their relationships to the program outcomes are listed in Table 1, above.
There is a separate appendix for each measure that shows the measure itself and describes its use and the factors that affect the results.
TABLE 2: PROGRAM OUTCOMES ASSESSMENT MEASURES AND ADMINISTRATION
Frequency/ Collection Administered Measure Description Start Date Method by
CompTIA A+ & NET+ Industry Certification Tests As required Testing units Testing units Tool A
Cisco CCNA Certification Test Annually Testing units Testing units Tool B
Customer Service Certification As required Testing units Testing units Tool C
Instructor Course Course Case Studies As scheduled tabulates Tool D instructor scores
Instructor Course Course Practical Finals As scheduled tabulates Tool E instructor scores
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ASSESSMENT IMPLEMENTATION & ANALYSIS FOR PROGRAM IMPROVEMENT
General Implementation Strategy
The program faculty have been using most of this plan for the past few years. The case studies and practical finals have been used in the courses for years, we are now going to include them to help assess the program. Over the next year, rubrics will be developed to provide general guidelines for assessing and reporting case study and practical final data.
Faculty will work with the students to setup, log and keep track of the students taking certification exams and their pass rates. Students in the CNT-A271 Cisco Academy WAN Management classes will be required to take the CCNA exam at the end of their course.
Method of Data Analysis and Formulation of Recommendations for Program Improvement
The program faculty will meet at least once a year to review the data collected using the assessment measures. This meeting should result in recommendations for program changes that are designed to enhance performance relative to the program’s outcomes. The results of the data collection, an interpretation of the results, and the recommended programmatic changes will be forwarded to the thOffice of Academic Affairs (in the required format) by June 15 each year. A plan for implementing
the recommended changes, including of advertising the changes to all the program’s stakeholders, will
also 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 program 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 outcomes, assessment measures, or any other aspect of the plan. The changes will be approved by the faculty of the program. The modified assessment plan will be forwarded to the dean/director’s office and the
Office of Academic Affairs.
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APPENDIX A: COMP TIA IT INDUSTRY CERTIFICATIONS A+ AND NET+
A+ INDUSTRY CERTIFICATION TEST
Measure Description:
The CompTIA A+ certification is the industry standard validating the vendor-neutral skills expected of an entry-level computer technician.
Factors that affect the collected data:
Testing for the A+ certification is voluntary on the student’s part as is the reporting of the results of
test.
How to interpret the data:
The industry certification provides an external objective validation of the learning outcomes. For A+ certification, the examinee must pass two exams, the required A+ Essentials Exam and then one of three elective exams. The A+ Essentials exam measures essential competencies for a desktop computer service technician with six months of on-the-job experience. The examinee must demonstrate basic knowledge of installing, configuring, upgrading, troubleshooting, and repairing desktop computer systems at the standard defined by this test specification.
The skills and knowledge measured by this exam are derived from an industry-wide and worldwide job task analysis which was validated through a survey of almost over 2,000 A+ certified professionals. The results of the survey are used in weighting the domains and ensuring that the weighting is representative of the relative importance of that content to the job requirements of a service technician with six months on the-job experience. The intent is to certify individuals in a body of knowledge that is identified and accepted as the baseline or foundation of any entry-level PC technician.
NOTE: This exam blueprint for the A+ Essentials exam includes the weighting, test objectives and example content. Example topics and concepts are included to clarify the test objectives and should not be construed as a comprehensive listing of all the content of this exam.
The information below lists the domains measured by this exam and the extent to which they are represented in the exam.
; PC Components (21%)
; Laptop and Portable Devices (11%)
; Operating Systems (21%)
; Printers and Scanners (9%)
; Networks (12%)
; Security (11%)
; Safety and Environmental Issues (10%)
; Communications and Professionalism (5%)
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The elective exams are designed for measuring the examinee in one of three different work environments. The exams also expand on the troubleshooting, preventative maintenance and upgrading skills required for the technician. The three exams and their domain emphasis are listed below.
IT Technician-Mobile or corporate technicians who have a lot of face to face client interactions.
; PC Components (18%)
; Laptop and Portable Devices (9%)
; Operating Systems (20%)
; Printers and Scanners (14%)
; Networks (11%)
; Security (8%)
; Safety and Environmental Issues (5%)
; Communications and Professionalism (15%)
Remote Support Technician-Help desk or call center remote technicians.
; PC Components (15%)
; Operating Systems (29%)
; Printers and Scanners (10%)
; Networks (11%)
; Security (15%)
; Communications and Professionalism (20%)
Depot Technician-Bench technician, providing hardware support with limited customer interaction.
; PC Components (45%)
; Laptop and Portable Devices (20%)
; Printers and Scanners (20%)
; Security (5%)
; Safety and Environmental Issues (10%)
Each test consists of 90 to 100 questions, with ninety minutes allowed to complete each exam. The tests are scored on a scale of 100 – 900. Minimum passing scores are, 675 for the
A+ Essentials exam and 700 for the elective exams.
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NETWORK+ INDUSTRY CERTIFICATION TEST
Measure Description:
The CompTIA Network+ certification exam was developed in 1997. Major corportions formed the IT Skills Project to identify, classify and publish skill standards for networking professionals. This job analysis was used as the foundation of the Network+ certification exam, which became available on April 30,1999. The Network+ exam was revised on January 31, 2002. To date, there are more than 70,000 Network+ certified professionals worldwide.
Cornerstone Partners for the CompTIA Network+ Exam
The CompTIA Network+ certification program was established with the support and financial assistance from the following IT industry experts and leaders:
3Com Corporation Compaq Computers ComputerWorld
Element K ePresence gtslearning
IBM Intel Lotus
Microsoft NETg Novell
Qwest
Factors that affect the collected data:
Testing for the Network+ certification is voluntary on the student’s part as is the reporting of the results of test.
How to interpret the data:
The industry certification provides an external objective validation of the learning outcomes.The CompTIA Network+ certification exam validates the knowledge and abilities of individuals with at least nine months of experience in network support or administration. A typical candidate would have CompTIA's A+ certification or equivalent knowledge and would be able to install, configure and troubleshoot basic networking hardware, protocols and services.
The exam test four domain areas:
; Media and Topologies (20%)
; Protocols and Standards (20%)
; Network Implementation (25%)
; Network Support (35%)
The CompTIA Network+ exam consists of 72 questions to be completed in 90 minutes. The exam is graded on a scale of 100 -900. The minimum passing score is 646.
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