Make Assessment Straightforward: A Case Study on the Successful Implementation of ABET Student Outcomes 1-7

In recent years, many engineering programs have begun planning for the change from the previous ABET Student Outcomes (a)-(k) to the current ABET Student Outcomes 1-7. In addition, due to the current COVID-19 pandemic, many of these programs will participate in a virtual ABET review and site visit. Depending on the success of these virtual visits, the author theorizes that future ABET accreditation reviews may continue to be remote, given the accessibility of video conferencing tools and the various savings manifested in costs, time, and environmental impacts from reviewers not needing to travel to the institutions. Despite all of these changes, one thing remains constant: Make Assessment Straightforward. Obviously, it is in the best interest of programs to make it as easy as possible for ABET Program Evaluators to determine that the program meets ABET Accreditation Standards. Moreover, the need for straightforward documentation becomes even more critical when these files must be shared electronically and all subsequent communication is completed virtually. The following paper will describe University's approach to developing and implementing an assessment plan that successfully met the requirements of the new ABET Student Outcomes 1-7. Although having been reviewed in-person, the authors believe the documentation used, specifically the ABET Student Outcome binders, would aid in programs preparing for virtual visits. Topics include: • Development of key performance indicators for each student outcome • Assessment rubrics • Course selection for formative/summative assessment • Implementation of the assessment plan • Presentation of the assessment results o Section highlights the use of ABET Student Outcome binders to make it readily apparent to reviewers how each Student Outcome was addressed • Continuous improvement (of the assessment plan)