ACS Accreditation: What‟s in the name?

In Australia, all higher education Information and Communications Technology (ICT) programs seek accreditation at the professional level with the Australian Computer Society (ACS). It acts as the basis for national and international benchmarking of ICT professional education. Additionally, meeting the requirements of an independent professional body is vital for onshore and offshore course marketing purposes, hence contributing towards the University‘s performance portfolio. The overriding task of the ACS accreditation is to examine all aspects in the provision of a quality ICT education program designed to produce competent graduates. To this end, the ACS seeks evidence that comprehensively covers the three main aspects of accreditation assessment: the structure and content of curricula; the resources of the teaching and learning environments; and the quality assurance processes in place at the applying University. This paper describes the recent ACS accreditation of Victoria University computing courses: the accreditation process, the preparation for the accreditation, the visit of the accreditation panel and their feedback. The paper reports on the local response and the process of addressing the panel recommendations which posed a number of local challenges. An insight into issues of importance in the execution of the recommendations is discussed as the ACS accreditation informs the framework for future course reviews

Exploring curriculum approaches and issues: A descriptive analysis

A curriculum is a set of guidelines used to attain an educational goal, and it has at least four key elements: objective, material, method, and evaluation. The purpose of this descriptive study is to describe several curriculum approaches that are commonly employed in teaching and learning activities. Furthermore, this study discusses curriculum changes, the reasons that influence such changes, and the obstacles that each curriculum change presents. The study first elaborates on the disciplinary curriculum approach, emphasizing the idea of exploring a certain subject of science through single-focused lenses without integrating it into other connected sciences. Following an examination of the disciplinary curriculum approach, the study gives considerable information on multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary curriculum approaches that have the potential to improve students' critical thinking skills. This study concludes by delving into curriculum change as well as its motivating factors and challenges

Re-Engineering of the Computing Curriculum: The Case of University of Technology, Jamaica

The current literature on computing education suggests that there is a paradigm shift taking place in the discipline. Evidence of this is in the discipline’s rapid evolution and the volatility in the enrollments. This has prompted university administrations to make important strategic decisions as to how to reengineer their curriculum to remain viable, relevant and reflect innovation. This paper uses a case study approach to describe how the School of Computing and Information Technology (SCIT) at the University of Technology, Jamaica, employed a market orientation approach to reengineer its curriculum. In developing the curriculum, SCIT employed among other things; students views, international industry trends, the Joint Task Force for Computing Curricula 2005, local/regional requirements and recommendations from the School’s Advisory Committee. The intent was to provide a broader portfolio that would attract and retain a wider student population. This model curriculum program can be a blueprint for small computing programs, especially in developing countries with modest resources

Career outcomes and SFIA as tools to design ICT curriculum

Career outcomes are one of the major influencing factors when applicants are selecting their course. While theoretically, linking curriculum design closely with career outcomes might be an ideal situation, in practice, ICT curricula are in a constant state of flux and it is unclear whether the specified career outcomes for a course were part of the curriculum (re-)design process. SFIA provides a common reference model to communicate the value and relevance of a course to potential applicants and employers. This paper reports on the application of the ACS process for designing an ICT curriculum that is directly informed by the career outcomes relevant to both the local and national ICT industry and the necessary SFIA skill sets to attain those career outcomes. Using this approach we are able to illustrate to employers the capabilities of graduates and provide evidence to applicants that the course relates to the advertised career outcomes

Private Universities in Kenya Seek Alternative Ways to Manage Change in Teacher Education Curriculum in Compliance with the Commission for University Education Reforms

This study investigated management of change in teacher education curriculum in Private universities in Kenya. The study employed a concurrent mixed methods design that is based on the use of both quantitative and qualitative approaches. A multi-stage sampling process which included purposive, convenience, cluster, and snowball sampling methods was followed. The sample comprised of 5 chartered private universities which were offering teacher education by the year 2008. The respondents were 5 Deans from the School of education, one from each of the universities;14 Heads of Departments (H.O.D s), 32 Teacher Educators and 150 Teacher Trainees, 2 staffs from Commission for University Education and 2 from Teachers’ Service Commission. Complexity Theory and Theory of Planned Change guided the study. Face and content validity was done by the expert judgment. The reliability of the questionnaire was established at Alpha of .760. Data from the questionnaires was analyzed using descriptive statistics, means and standard deviations - based on the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) program version 20. Qualitative data from the interviews and documents was analyzed for content in an ongoing process as themes and subthemes emerged. The results indicated that the universities followed due processes, recommended by curriculum experts, to implement change; but sought alternative ways where due process had failed. This was because of the complexity of teacher education program, on basis of scale, foci and clientele, and also the unique nature of private universities in Kenya. The study recommends that private universities should not only follow due process, but look out for alternative strategies in implementing changes in teacher education, as they consult closely with the Commission for University Education and Teachers’ Service Commission, and endeavor to fulfill their mission

THE INFLUENCE OF POLITICS IN CURRICULUM CHANGE AND INNOVATION IN TANZANIA

This is the library based paper that discusses on the influence of politics in curriculum change and innovation in Tanzania. The various definitions of curriculum, curriculum change, curriculum innovation and their differences according to different scholars have been dealt first. Then followed with a discussion on the sources of curriculum, types of curriculum change and innovation, factors (sources) of curriculum change and innovation, briefing the models of curriculum change and innovation, describing the curriculum change and innovation processes, a brief discussion on the major curriculum changes in Tanzania after independence and finally a detailed discussion on how the two jargons (change and innovation) are influenced politics. Areas where politics intervene the change and innovation discussed are: formulation of education policy and philosophy, selection of what to be taught in schools, methods to be used, language of instruction and the evaluation strategies to be employed. The paper suggests that in order for the curriculum change and innovation to be profitable in the contemporary society, there should be fairy involvement of curriculum planners and the consumers. The consumers here are the students, parents, societies and other scholars who are not involved in politics.  Article visualizations