UTech, Jamaica 2015-16 Annual Report

OFFICE OF CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT & EVALUATION Dr. Winsome Russell Associate Vice President The Office of C u r r i c u l u m D e v e l o p m e n t and Evaluation ( OCDE ) i s r e s p o n s i b l e for Curriculum De v e l opme n t , C o o p e r a t i v e E d u c a t i o n , Ac c r ed i t a t i on , A c a d e m i c Quality Audits, Prior Learning Assessment and P r o f e s s i o n a l D e v e l o p m e n t for instructors. Quality assurance falls within the remit of the OCDE. Curriculum Development During the period April 2015 to March 2016, the University added a new degree to its course of study offerings, The Bachelor of Science in Animation Production and Development. Additionally a number of undergraduate degrees had major revisions and the Bachelor of Science in Midwifery was extended to accommodate practicing midwives. The OCDE continued to support the implementation of Independent Study as an alternative mode of module delivery. As part of the on-going professional development opportunities facilitated by the OCDE, workshops were offered to instructors across the Colleges/Faculties mainly in the areas of academic advisement, syllabus writing and item writing. Prior Learning Assessment A total of seventy-nine (79) applications from mature applicants were received and reviewed; thirty-one (31) were successful in registering in the courses of study of their choice. Co-operative Education Co-operative Education is one of the University’s flagship programmes which aims at providing students with the opportunity to integrate classroom learning with relevant and professional on-the-job experiences that are related to the student’s course of study and career goals. In Academic Year 2014-2015 just over eight hundred (800) students successfully completed the programme. During the period of review, the Co-op Ed Unit in collaboration with the Office of International and Institutional Linkages enabled two international students from Saint Mary’s University in Canada hosted by UTech, Jamaica to be placed in a local institution. Reciprocation of this arrangement will complete the cycle of student exchanges. Academic Quality Audits By introducing Internal Academic Quality Audits UTech, Jamaica has demonstrated its commitment to Students enrolled in the BA. in Apparel Design, Production and Management course of study along with their site supervisor. Students were completing their 240 hours/ six week Industrial Attachment at Logo Stitch Limited (May -July 2015). Page 12 University of Technology, Jamaica ANNUAL REPORT 2015-2016