Executive
Summary
July
2004
The Flexible Organizational
Leadership Program was launched in 1990 to address declining business and
management course enrollment, low graduation rates and student dissatisfaction
with career and academic advisement. This program supports attainment of the
following Estrella Mountain goals.
Workforce Development: 195[1] Persons have earned an Organizational Leadership Certificate
and 94% are employed in a job related to the program.
General Education: 1261 Persons have completed an Organizational Leadership
Associate of Applied Science (AAS) Degree and
Transfer Education: 45%2 of these AAS Degree holders transferred to a university
baccalaureate degree program.
Many Organizational
Leadership students are already managers. However most lack advanced academic
skills, work full-time and support families. Interestingly, according to
an Office of Planning and Institutional Effectiveness Survey, 82% have in-home
Internet access. Management Core Courses are web-enhanced and delivered via an
easy to master Internet based learning system.
Five forms of outcomes assessment data were collected and
analyzed:
The Office of Planning and
Institutional Effectiveness surveyed graduates. 100% indicated they "Would recommend the program to a friend." The Organizational
Leadership Program is growing faster than is overall college enrollment.
A Graduate Focus Group enthusiastically endorsed
web-enhanced instruction, relevance of course content, way in which courses
were taught and value of in-class career and academic advisement. They wanted
student teams to be better managed and were concerned that this program
appeared to be a "one man show."
Student Evaluation of Instruction Surveys were completed in five
Management Core Courses. There is enthusiastic student endorsement of the way
in which courses were taught, relevance of course content and in-class
advisement. Films used to support MGT175 instruction need to be improved. There
were no repeated negative comments.
Student Ability to Perform was assessed
with an enhanced version of the MGT251 Final Examination. All program
competencies were attained by at least 70% of the assessment cohort.
Percent demonstrating this competency
Competency 1: Describe
the function of social, organizational, economic
and
technological systems. 73%
Competency 2: Acquire
and evaluate data and interpret information.
94%
Competency 3:
Describe organizational structures
and the functions of planning, directing and evaluating in a business setting. 79%
Competency 4:
Demonstrate skills in leading,
negotiating and working in harmony
with others in a business setting. 71%
Competency 5:
Communicate effectively in business
situations. 92%
Competency 6:
Percent demonstrating ability to use a computer to complete complex tasks. 100%
83% of the
assessment cohort demonstrated mastery of the Estrella Mountain Critical Thinking
Ability. Mastery of the Estrella Mountain Communication
Ability was demonstrated by 85% of the assessment cohort.
Strengths: 1)
The Flexible Organizational Leadership
Program does what it was designed to do. 2) Attracts large numbers of students who overwhelmingly
support the web-enhanced Management Core Courses as they are taught. 3) Graduates adamantly say that this program prepares them
for managerial success.
Weaknesses: 1)
Estrella Mountain faculty had to make major enhancements to the Management
Core Course competency lists to attain official program goals. 2) Both the Certificate and Degree programs are labeled
"Organizational Leadership" which creates confusion. 3) There is a lack of symbiotic relationships with some
job-training programs.
Opportunities: 1) Development of enhanced external and internal marketing.
2) Refinement of course offerings. 3)
On-line delivery of Management Core
courses. 4) Continue to use good instructional design that makes it possible
for academically challenged and average students to learn.
Threats: 1) All
Management Core courses are offered at sister colleges and on-line by Rio
Salado College. 2) Competition from
Arizona State University West for academically gifted high school graduates
appears to have reduced the number of such students at Estrella Mountain.
Recommendations: Combined
results of all five forms of assessment data establish solid support for
continued delivery of this program as it is currently offered. Things that can
be improved includeŠ