2. OUTLINE
• Who are we? Our mission and goals
• Community of Inquiry Framework and evolution at APUS
• Use of data for decision making, continuous improvement, ensuring student
learning and success
• Continuously improving the quality of courses and programs through quality
assurance processes
• Predictive analytics, semantic analyses, PAR framework
• Discussion/comments/questions
AMERICAN PUBLIC UNIVERSITY SYSTEM | EDUCATING THOSE WHO
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3. WHO WE ARE
“Educating Those Who Serve”
American Public University System has
been dedicated to educating those who
serve since our doors first opened in
1991. The American Public University
System (APUS) is a fully online system,
encompassing both American Military
University and American Public
University. We are regionally accredited
by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
of the North Central Association.
AMERICAN PUBLIC UNIVERSITY SYSTEM | EDUCATING THOSE WHO SERVE
5. COMMUNITY OF INQUIRY (COI)
“It is nothing short of a miracle that modern methods of instruction have not yet entirely
strangled the holy curiosity of inquiry” – Albert Einstein
An educational community of inquiry is a group of individuals who
collaboratively engage in purposeful critical discourse and reflection to
construct personal meaning and confirm mutual understanding.
The Community of Inquiry theoretical framework represents a process of
creating a deep and meaningful (collaborative‐constructivist) learning
experience through the development of three interdependent elements ‐
social, cognitive and teaching presence.
Over 2 million students across the world have used this validated
instrument.
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6. Social presence is “the ability of participants to
identify with the community (e.g., course of study),
communicate purposefully in a trusting environment,
and develop inter‐personal relationships by way of
projecting their individual personalities.” (Garrison,
2009)
Teaching Presence is the design, facilitation, and
direction of cognitive and social processes for the
purpose of realizing personally meaningful and
educationally worthwhile learning outcomes
(Anderson, Rourke, Garrison, & Archer, 2001).
Cognitive Presence is the extent to which learners
are able to construct and confirm meaning through
sustained reflection and discourse (Garrison,
Anderson, & Archer, 2001).
Garrison, D. R., Anderson, T., & Archer, W. (2000). Critical inquiry in a text‐based environment:
Computer conferencing in higher education. The Internet and Higher Education, 2(2‐3), 87‐105.
AMERICAN PUBLIC UNIVERSITY SYSTEM | EDUCATING THOSE WHO
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8. “Quality begins on the inside . . . and then
Data Driven Culture
works its way out.” ‐Bob Moawad
• Internal and
external
benchmarking
• Data tools for
stakeholders ‐
dashboards,
program and
course level fact
books, data
warehouse,
student learning
assessment
reports.
AMERICAN PUBLIC UNIVERSITY SYSTEM | EDUCATING THOSE WHO SERVE
12. Regular Dissemination of Data to Stakeholders:
Course and Program Level Fact Books
“In the spirit of science, there really is no such
thing as a "failed experiment." Any test that
yields valid data is a valid test.” ‐ Adam Savage
AMERICAN PUBLIC UNIVERSITY SYSTEM | EDUCATING THOSE WHO
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19. PROGRAM REVIEW PROCESS
“Quality is never an “One of the great
accident; it is always mistakes is to judge
the result of high policies and
intention, sincere programs by their
effort, intelligent Data External intentions rather
direction and skillful Collection Review than their results.”
execution; it represents Milton Friedman
the wise choice of
many”
William A. Foster Follow‐Up Analysis
Program
Three Year
Review
Plan
Meeting
AMERICAN PUBLIC UNIVERSITY SYSTEM | EDUCATING THOSE WHO
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20. Data Aggregation & Analysis
Library and Curriculum External
Learning Resources Assessment Reviewer Feedback
• Course books • Student learning • Expert reviewer report
• Electronic resources outcomes • Industry Advisory
• Instructional strategies Council report
• Learning strategies
• Evaluation procedures
• Academic rigor
AMERICAN PUBLIC UNIVERSITY SYSTEM | EDUCATING THOSE WHO
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21. Data Aggregation & Analysis
Faculty Students Learning Outcomes
Assessment
• Analysis of faculty • Student demographic • Curricular Mapping
credentials and expertise information • Assessment measures
to ensure breadth and • Enrollment History
diversity • Fact books
• Growth trends • Student learning assessment
reports
• reports
AMERICAN PUBLIC UNIVERSITY SYSTEM | EDUCATING THOSE WHO
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22. Data Aggregation & Analysis
Program Benchmarking Program Directory Review and Findings
Summary
• Program benchmarking • Evaluation of findings • Dean’s observations
with similar programs • Program recommendations • Meeting minutes
and institutions
• Three year proposed
strategic plan
AMERICAN PUBLIC UNIVERSITY SYSTEM | EDUCATING THOSE WHO
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23. COURSE REVIEW PROCESS
“Everything can be improved.” ‐ C. W. Barron
“Quality is everyone's responsibility.”‐ W. Edwards
Deming
• Evolution of program review to course review process
• Response to regulation and oversight
• Evaluation of courses as a means to support student success, learning, and
engagement
• Systematic and comprehensive method to identify the strengths and areas for
enhancement or improvement for each course offered by APUS
• Aligned with the Community of Inquiry framework
24. ONLINE CONTACT HOURS CALCULATOR
• Contact hours calculator ‐ Each class evaluated to ensure it had 45 contact
hours of learning and an additional 80 – 100 hours of homework associated
with the class for a total of 120+ hours for undergrad classes and 150+ hours
for grad classes.
• Contact hour calculator emerged as a result of evaluation in the School of
Public Safety and Health
• The template was adopted and refined for implementation across APUS
schools. The calculator provides a tool for parties to calculate contact hours
while establishing expectations.
34. Feel Free to Contact Us!
Dr. Karan Powell, Provost and Executive Vice‐President
kpowell@apus.edu
Dr. Phil Ice, Vice‐President, Research and Development
pice@apus.edu
Dr. Jennifer Stephens Helm, Vice‐President, Institutional
Research and Assessment
jhelm@apus.edu
AMERICAN PUBLIC UNIVERSITY SYSTEM | EDUCATING THOSE WHO
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