Graduating Senir Frum What we will be ding is what the CSU Institute fr Teaching and Learning wuld describe as an Exit Interview. Mre specifically, we will be ding a structured exit interview f graduating senirs represented by a small target grup f invitees. There are many different types f exit interviews. Their fcus and hw they are cnducted vary widely. This leads t sme cnfusin. The label Graduating Senir Frum was chsen t avid cnfusin with ne-n-ne, unstructured interviews f graduating senirs by a department head r ther administratr, as is dne in many ther universities. This new label als annunces a re-rientatin f the exit interview. The prir instrument, which had been named the Senir Exit Interview, had fcused n three themes: curricular bjectives, faculty and administratin. The new instrument adds prgram utcmes withut lsing sight f the prir themes. In this Graduating Senir Frum, student-faculty dialgue will be rganized arund five themes: prgram, curricula, faculty, administratin, and a catch-all fr miscellaneus tpics. The curricula, faculty, admin and miscellaneus segments will pse questins much like thse f past senir exit interviews. The purpse f thse questins was, and still is, t slicit feedback frm the students. The prgram utcmes segment will prbe fr evidence f attainment f the CM prgram gals. The CM Prgram gals are published n ur web page and restated here fr cnvenience. GOALS In supprt f the interdisciplinary gals f the Cllege f Architecture and Envirnmental Design the Cal Ply CM department will prduce graduates wh: Demnstrate a readiness and ability t perfrm in the cnstructin industry; Demnstrate an ability t apply prblem-slving skills and integrate technical knwledge; Demnstrate an ability t participate successfully within an interdisciplinary team envirnment; Demnstrate an understanding f prfessinal behavir, standards, and leadership attributes; Demnstrate an ability t cmmunicate effectively, bth rally and written, and prfessinally present ideas; and Demnstrate a prpensity fr lifelng learning and service t the industry and cmmunity at large. The frum will pse thirty pen-ended questins t the students. The ensuing dialgue with students may lead in many directins, sme prductive, sme nt s prductive. It will be up t the participating faculty t steer the cnversatin in a prductive directin. Hwever, the aim shuld be nt t steer the cnversatins tward any particular faculty s pint f view. Rather, it shuld be t steer it in a directin that sheds light n the students pint f view n imprtant and relevant tpics. As an aid t faculty, cautins and advice are prvided in Appendix A, and a list f imprtant and relevant tpics is prvided in Appendix B (Redacted frm Gals & Objectives f previus senir exit interviews.)
PROGRAM 1. D yu feel, as a result f yur CM educatin, that yu are ready and able t perfrm in the cnstructin industry? If s, then which part f yur educatin - CM classes r labs, Ren r ther student cmpetitins, internship(s), student clubs, interactins with faculty, ther experiences did the mst t prepare yu? If nt, what d yu think was missing frm yur educatin? 2. D yu think that the curses that yu tk at Cal Ply imprved yur ability t slve prblems? If s, which curses did the mst: CM curses, BUSN curses, ARCE curses, GE curses, r ther curses? Or wuld yu say that ther educatinal experiences did the mst? 3. D yu believe that yu are able t participate successfully n an interdisciplinary team? If s, t what d yu attribute yur ability? If nt, what changes wuld yu suggest? 4. Have yur views n prfessinal behavir, standards and leadership changed since yu started at Cal Ply? 5. D yu prefer t cmmunicate yur ideas in writing r by speaking? Have any particular educatinal experiences helped t imprve yur ability t cmmunicate effectively? 6. D yu intend t g t grad schl sme day? Or btain prfessinal certificatins (i.e. CPC, LEED, DIBA) after yu leave Cal Ply? 7. D yu think that yu will jin any prfessinal rganizatin r subscribe t any prfessinal jurnal r magazine after yu leave Cal Ply? 8. D yu fresee any cmmunity service in yur future? 9. Hw culd we imprve the CM prgram? MISCELLANEOUS 1. Wuld yu like t see mre evening curses, weekend curses, r n-line curses? 2. Were yur classrms and labratries adequate in size and cmfrt? 3. Hw imprtant was the library t yu? Hw imprtant was n-line research t yu? 4. Did yu have sufficient access t cmputers and sftware? 5. When did yu decide what area f cnstructin (cmmercial, residential, heavy civil, etc.) yu wanted t wrk in? 6. What are we ding well? What are we ding prly?
CURRICULA 1. Which f the required curses was the strngest in the CM curriculum? Which was weakest? 2. Have yu participated in any CM internatinal curses? If s, d yu believe that it cntributed t yur grwth as a cnstructin prfessinal? 3. Which class wuld yu delete and why? Name ne class that yu wuld add and explain why? 4. D yu recmmend any changes t the sequence f curses? 5. Was there an apprpriate level f wrklad, rigr and cmplexity t yur CM curses 6. What are yur pinins n required hard cpy textbks and e-textbks? 7. Was cmputer sftware training adequate fr yur learning? FACULTY 1. D yu feel that yu had sufficient access t faculty? 2. Did yu receive adequate advising and supprt frm faculty? 3. Hw wuld yu rate the verall quality f the CM faculty? 4. Hw wuld yu rate the verall quality f faculty utside f the CM department? ADMINISTRATION 1. D yu feel that yu had sufficient access t administratrs (department head, assciate dean, cllege dean, etc.) and staff? 2. Have the administratrs and the staff addressed yur needs? 3. Hw wuld yu rate the verall quality f administratrs and staff in the CM department? 4. Hw wuld yu rate the verall quality f administratrs and staff utside f the CM department?
APPENDIX A Cautins and Advice Every questin shuld serve a purpse. Avid asking everything yu re curius abut. KISS (Keep it simple, stupid). Remember that the prcess is t evaluate the prgram, nt individuals. Yu may want t preserve annymity in the transcripts by excluding names that have been mentined. Use fewer questins and encurage elabratin t get in-depth infrmatin. Avid setting up situatins with strng demand characteristics that may distrt the types f respnses yu get frm the interviewee (e.g., prfessrs prbably shuld nt interview students wh are taking r will take classes frm them). Avid questins that might bias the respnses. Avid judgmental r evaluative statements that are likely t inhibit the interviewee. Replace Why? questins with Tell me r Hw did it happen that questins. Avid hstile r defensive statements. D nt give false reassurance. Be culturally aware and sensitive in designing yur interview questins and prcess. References Allen, M.J. (1995). Intrductin t psychlgical research. Itasca, IL: Peacck. Rubin, H.J. & Rubin, I.S. (1995). Qualitative interviewing: The art f hearing data. Thusand Oaks, CA: Sage
APPENDIX B Open Ended Questins: Describe yur experience at Cal Ply D yu believe yur experience and educatin was wrthwhile? What d yu believe is the strngest aspect f the CM Curriculum? What d yu believe is the weakest aspect f the CM Curriculum? What changes wuld yu make abut the CM Curriculum and experience? What are we ding well? What culd we be ding better? Any riginal ideas (utside the bx) abut hw we might imprve the prgram? Wh amng faculty and Staff did r did nt live up t yur expectatins? One class yu wuld delete and ne class yu wuld add? Hw make the weak classes better? Prgram Rigr: Amunt f effrt r wrklad? Amunt f intellectual cmplexity? Amunt f time alltted t achieve? Prficiency and Level f Understanding (based n gals and bjectives f the curse) Fundamentals Heavy Civil Residential Cmmercial Specialty Cnstructin Jbsite Management On what d yu base if a class is either gd r bad? Cnnectin / Engagement / Awareness / Invlvement University (Cal Ply) Cllege (CAED) Department (CM) Other Departments (Any) Clubs / Organizatins (Dept. & Other) Industry (Emplyers & Prfessinal Organizatins) Cmmunity (SLO, Central Cast) Other Resurces (CBF, Shp, etc.)
Interdisciplinary (with ther departments): Benefits Realized? Amunt ffered? Required r Optinal? Ways it might be better achieved? Prject Based Learning Culturally Cmpetent Internatinal Experience Student/Teacher Rati Advising Applied Research and Develpment Senir Prject University Supprt Library Facilities Supprt Curses (Relevance, Cnnectin t CM, etc): English Law Accunting Surveying Sils ARCE Curse Set Ecnmics General Educatin Curse Wrk: Mandated by CSU System Heavy r light in critical areas? Runding ut f undergraduate educatin? Varius CM Specific Tpics: Jbsite Visits Series f Cre Curses 198 Units versus 180 Units Technical Electives (6 Units) Senir Prject (r Class) Senir CM Curses (CM443 & CM463 & CM415) Arch 105 & 106 Prerequisites
Rtate r Add Specialty Curse Wrk Optins Internatinal Opprtunities (England, Prague, GE Curse Abrad, etc.) Integratin (wrking r nt, mre r less, technical r general supprt curses) Mandatry Internships (in rder t graduate) Exit Exam (CPC r ther prir t graduatin) Temprary Structures (material placement and calculatins) Transfer Students (pprtunity, perspective, etc.) Cnstructin Management Specific Subject Matter: Integratin: Materials Means & Methds Scheduling Estimating Cntracts Cnstructin Law Cnstructin Accunting IPD LEED BIM LEAN Hands-n Experience Cnstructin Accunting / Finance Ethics Safety Labr Relatins Prject Cnstructin Management: Prductivity Jbsite Management Cnstructin Flw Risk Management Temprary Structures Executive Cnstructin Management Human Resurces Quality Assurance & Cntrl Persnnel Decisins Prject Selectin Relatins (Client, Sub, Public, etc.) Marketing