Work in Progress: Practical Framework for Engineering Outcomes Based Teaching and Assessment -- A Catalyst for the Creation of Faculty Learning Communities

ABET's outcomes-based assessment and evaluation requirements for engineering school accreditation has been a catalyst for curriculum reform for a number of engineering programs and faculty. Norfolk State University launched programs in electronics and optical engineering in 2003. In preparation for their first ABET evaluation in Fall 2007, the faculty have initiated a faculty advance program to design and implement assessment and evaluation structures that achieve continuous improvement toward the desired learning outcomes. As the faculty advance process has gone forward, an important effect has been observed-increased cohesiveness of the engineering faculty and a sense of community. A parallel to student learning communities, NSU's engineering faculty community has embraced a number of educational reform initiatives, including a pilot integrated freshman curriculum, and a comprehensive assessment and evaluation plan based on the Bloom's learning taxonomy