MyPDA Data Map

Available online at www.sciencedirect.com

Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 60 (2012) 266 – 270

UKM Teaching and Learning Congress 2011

MyPDA Data Map Noraini Hamzaha, , Wan Hamidon Wan Badaruzzamana,b, Riza Atiq O.K. Rahmata,b, Siti Aminah Osmana,b, Norngainy Tawila,b, Muhamad Azry Khoirya a

Department of Civil and Structural Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment, Univeristi Kebangsaan Malaysia b Centre for Engineering Education Research, Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment, Univeristi Kebangsaan Malaysia

Abstract The process of accreditation by Engineering Accreditation Council Malaysia (EAC) and BEM is purely based on manual of Engineering Programme Accreditation Manual. This process consumes high commitment, cost and time by academicians and support staff in preparing the document that may divert their attention from performing their real task of teaching, researching and publicizing. Five key criteria are involves in accreditation i.e. curriculum, students, academics and support staff, facilities and quality management systems. In obtaining accreditation, an accreditation report should be produced and submitted for evaluation by the EAC committee. The difficulty of gathering is the most important evidence of information and materials in the absence of a proper recording and monitoring information system in place. In the philosophy of ‘do thing right first’ a structured information system namely ‘Perisian Dokumentasi Akreditasi’ (MyPDA) is proposed to be developed and data map needs to be first identified as an initial work of this research. © 2011 2011Published PublishedbybyElsevier Elsevier Selection and/or reviewed responsibility of theTeaching UKM Teaching and Learning © Ltd.Ltd. Selection and/or peer peer reviewed underunder responsibility of the UKM and CongressCongress 2011. 2011 Learning Keywords: Accreditation document; Data Mapping; Information Technologies; Management Information System (MIS); Report

1. Introduction Accreditation programmed by Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) requires an outcome-based assessment and evaluation process whereby the program, its supporting courses and objectives are continuously refined based on constituent assessment (ABET, 2010). In fulfilling this new wave in engineering education system, it pushes institutional of higher education to documented, coordinate and maintain additional information on programme offerings. In Malaysia, Engineering Accreditation Council (EAC) conducts accreditation processes. This exercise is very important to ensure that graduates from university’s programs are recognized and eligible to register as a graduate engineer under Board of Engineers Malaysia (BEM, 2011; EAC, 2011). The process of accreditation by EAC, is based on Engineering Programme Accreditation Manual (EAC, 2007). Most of

Corresponding author. Tel.: +6-03-8921-6219; fax: +6-03-8921-6147. E-mail address: [email protected].

1877-0428 © 2011 Published by Elsevier Ltd. Selection and/or peer reviewed under responsibility of the UKM Teaching and Learning Congress 2011 doi:10.1016/j.sbspro.2012.09.378

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accreditation process involves a large amount of money especially in conducting panel visit, printing (Obermier, 2005), data gathering and series of meeting in accomplishing the report. 2. Background Research As Civil & Structural Engineering Department (JKAS), UKM experienced, at least 19 numbers out of 24 of active academic staff were heavily involved in producing this report. In addition, frequent meetings had been conducted in completing the report. This was due to difficulties in gathering information and evidences which to be the most important things in the accreditation process of EAC in the absence of a system that can record and monitor information effectively. From the experience, problem starts as early as information input process caused by lack of understanding and awareness in some of the department staff. The report was comprised of five main elements: academic curriculum, students, staff, Quality Management System (QMS) and facilities. Figure 1 shows the graphical interpretation of those elements, with the supported with the institution, faculty and students information.

Figure 1. EAC accreditation data collection framework

MyPDA is proposed to be developed mainly as a database system to manage data input, process and output according to EAC report document. The system also needed to easily accommodate user edits of information. This paragraph then would describe about content of the report as a guide in listing the relevant information needed. SelfAssessment Report (SAR) is a main report that submitted by each programme to EAC for accreditation. In the era of globalization and sustainable development the fraternity has recognized the need to measure quality and, Malaysia has embarked on adopting the Outcome-Based Education to ensure the highest quality of the programmes and the graduates (Hoare et al., 2002). In line with this, JKAS strives to continually pursue its commitment to provide engineering education of good quality. Since June 2004, the Department has put in serious efforts in the implementation of OBE. Changes have been made in curriculum structure, delivery method and assessment that reflect the needs of stakeholders (students, parents, alumni, employers and nations) and industry. Those changes need to be documented in SAR report as well as supported by relevant appendixes.

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3. Methodology and Finding of MyPDA Input The EAC report contains six chapters, which reflect the assessment criteria set out by EAC in its accreditation manual. The details of the report as follow: x Chapter 1 - describes the University vision, mission, programme objectives and programme outcome. The process flow as well as the assessment process and the results of programme assessment are deliberated in this chapter. x Chapter 2 - addresses the issues related to curriculum design and relationships with the programme outcome, delivery methods and assessment methods. x Chapter 3 - elaborates the issues related to students monitoring and advising procedures, their credit transfer policies and workload balance throughout the programme. x Chapter 4 - deals with the issues related to strength and competencies of the academics and support staff to provide stability and continuity to cover curriculum adequately and effectively. x Chapter 5 - focuses on the adequacy of institutional staff and facilities such as laboratories, libraries, computing facilities, classrooms and offices to support the objectives of the programme. x Chapter 6 - contains detailed description of quality management systems processes by which major activities of the faculty and department are delivered and how they are controlled.

Figure 2. EAC accreditation data mapping

The importants and relevants information from all chapters is identified and presented in a form of data mapping as a first step for a wide variety of data integration as in Figure 2. At this initial stage, data map is functioning as a document or map that tells you where data can be obtained and how the information is made available (Berkeley_University, 2006). The three main parties involve in providing the data are the university, faculties and departments. Data provided from university are from housing unit, Tun Sri Lanang Library (PTSL), Sport Centre and Health Centre. At this level, general information of each unit or department, policies, standards services and facilities are to be collected. Next is data from faculty level such as academic requirement, number of computer lab,

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number of books in faculty library and the infrastructure future plan. Finally the biggest data information is from the department itself. The details information about students, lecturers, courses, facilities and the unit under department are needed. Most of the items in the figure are kept manually except for the item with the bracket. There are about 8 percent systems have been identified available in an online system form developed by University from the entire data entity i.e; x University Information system (Sistem Maklumat University - SMU) x University Research Information system (Sistem Maklumat Penyelidikan Universiti – SMPU) x The e-Repository Publication System (Sistem e-Repositari Penerbitan – eReP) x Housing Information (Unit Perumahan) 4. Discussion Two main portals in UKM are e-Warga and e-Pelajar serve as an information hub to students as well as staff. EWarga is more interactive whereby staff are able to update, change, monitor and view report of all university’s activities including traffic information, complaints and facility reservation. This portal is links to many other systems. Under SMU system for example, staff are able to update personal information under Sistem Maklumat Kakitangan (SMK) and also research activities under Sistem Maklumat Penyelidikan Universiti (SMPU). However, not all information in the systems are suit for accreditation requirement and some of it need to be extracted manually by the EAC task force member for example number of ISI Index journal published by department. Therefore one extended system and three new systems are proposed to be developed in the department level, there are; x System 1 - Lecturer activity x System 2 - Student activity x System 3 – PEO x System 4 – Survey The first system is the details of lecturer level of activity. The main information needed in the SAR is the level of research, consulting, publication and administration of each lecturer besides than other general information. On previous study, Woodroof (2004) develops a web-enable faculty database both management tools and data to support accreditation called SEDONA Project. It capable to produce reports that extremely useful for purpose of accreditation such as curriculum vitae, research information, department development, internal and external services and etc. About 20 colleges of business have adopted SEDONA, including the University of Illinois, and several other universities are in the process of evaluating SEDONA for adoption and SEDONA is receiving good reviews (Jon B. Woodroof, 2004). In UKM, similar system has been generated called SMU. Most of data are available in this system however the system output my not be suit with accreditation format of writing. MyPDA would proposed an extension system that able to have report on academic workload towards teaching, research, publication and administration. The second system is related with students activity. The recent problem is there is no official data recorded about student’s activities at the department level. The student information system is handling by university and there is no student activity recorded in the system. Therefore the new system needs to be developed, the data upload module will be used (Calvin Chan, 2000.). For this system the person in charged for the particular activity, most likely the lecturer, must register the event in this system. Before the activity they must fill the required details in the online form and upload a report after the event has finished. Third system is the data system that contains course information that supporting the accreditation. ABET Engineering Criteria require that each accredited program apply the outcomes that important to its mission are being measured. Many of these outcomes are equivalent to other course, across engineering disciplines. Each course will be link to the indicators and course outcomes. The similar system has been developed by (Owen, Scales & Leonard, 1999; Vidhya Sampath Kumaran, 2007). Owen et al. (1999) created the database using Microsoft Access and (Vidhya Sampath Kumaran, 2007) developed a web based database driven software system called CISA (Course Information System supporting Accreditation). CISA is more interactive tools where it maintains course, outcome and objective data and clearly demonstrates relationships among this information when following an outcome-based assessment process for accreditation and curricular evolution.

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Finally the fourth system is survey. On line survey is the best practice to be applied because it is fast and feasible. There are few type of survey required in the SAR; alumni, exit survey, employer, industrial visit’s employer and parent. An assessment tool that developed and being used by seven universities known as The University of Pittsburgh’s On-line Student Survey System (OS3) by (Jack McGourty, 2001). These survey’s data are available using web under the management of the local administrator that can be download the data for research purpose. All those systems then will be gathered with the system that developed by this research grant to become a database system called MyPDA in order to simplified the data retrieving in accreditation process. 5. Conclusion The most effected person by accreditation are students because they are focused of educational process and the value of accreditation is the enjoyment to the institution, faculty and student (Raina Petrova1, 2006). However the processes to get the accreditation are very difficult. Manual data achievement takes a lot of time and manpower as discuss earlier. Information technology it makes the work of data achievement fast and easier. With the information technology it can increase communication and administration productivity. Thus the authors hope MyPDA will be successfully develop in future. A lot more work need to be done and this research will be continued until MyPDA is well functioning. Hopefully that this database system will make the accreditation process in a smooth condition, feasible, quick and user friendly. Acknowledgement We would like to thank UKM for providing the research grant (UKM-PTS-2011-144). References ABET. (2010, 22 August 2010). Accreditation- The Basic. Retrieved 22 August 2011, 2011, from http://www.abet.org/the_basics.shtml BEM. (2011, 7 Mac 2011). Application of Graduate Engineer. Retrieved 12 Mac 2011, 2011, from http://www.bem.org.my/v3/app_graduate.html Berkeley_University. (2006). Creating a data map - tip sheet. 1-1. Retrieved from http://socrates.berkeley.edu/~pbd/pdfs/Creating_data_map.pdf Calvin Chan1, a. O. C. (2000.). A User-Centered Approach to Student Information Systems Design. Paper presented at the EDUCAUSE 2000. EAC. (2007). Engineering Programme Accreditation Manual. Engineering Accreditation Council. (pp. 123) EAC. (2011). Function of Engineering Accreditation Council Malaysia. Retrieved 12 Mac 2011, 2011, from http://www.eac.org.my/web/function.html Hoare, R., Besterfield-Sacre, M., Ertman, D., Gerchak, J., Johnson, T., & Shields, R. (2002). Cross-institutional assessment: Development and implementation of the On-line Student Survey System. Computer Applications in Engineering Education, 10(2), 88-97. Jack McGourty, L. S., Besterfield-Sacre, M., Hoare, R., Wolfe, H., Olds, B.& Miller, R.. (2001). Using technology to enhance otucome asessment in engineering education. Paper presented at the 31st ASEE/IEEE Frontiers in Education Conference. Obermier, T. R. (2005). Using the Internet for an Accreditation Self-Study Portfolio. Journal of Industrial Technology, 21(1), 1-6. Owen,C., Scales, K., & Leonard, M. (1999). Preparing for Program Accreditation Review Under ABET Engineering Criteria 2000: Creating a Database of Outcomes and Outcome Indicators for a Variety of Engineering Programs. Journal of Engineering Education, 255-259. Raina Petrova, A. T., & Sobh, T. M. (2006). An Electronic Web-based Assessment System. Journal of STEM Education, 7(3&4), 44-57. Vidhya Sampath Kumaran. (2007). Web-based Course Information System Supporting Accreditation. Paper presented at the 37th ASEE/IEEE Frontiers in Education Conference. Woodroof , J. B. (2004). Managing Faculty Data at the University of Tennessee: The SEDONA Project. EDUCAUSE Quarterly (EQ), 27(1), 3644.