A Quality Enhancement Plan is a program designed by an academic institution to improve student learning. Our QEP will be a carefully designed course of action that addresses a well-defined and focused topic related to enhancing student learning at COA. 

Why?

We are developing a Quality Enhancement Plan which will focus on a specific element of student learning and improve it systematically.  This is part of a strategic approach to educating students in northeastern North Carolina. Also, a Quality Enhancement Plan is required for reaffirmation of accreditation by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS). 

Who is involved?

Our QEP development process must involve faculty, staff and students and should involve those in our community who are interested in improving student learning at COA.  A committee consisting of faculty, staff, students, alumni and a Board of Trustees member is currently working on the topic-selection phase of the Quality Enhancement Plan.  If you want to get more involved, please contact Laura Morrison or Bob Schenck at qep@albemarle.edu

Where are we in the process?  

Currently, the QEP committee is working toward selection of the one topic category upon which our plan will focus.  During the past year, the QEP committee has developed a topic selection plan and began to implement this plan.  We began by developing a list of eight criteria that a great QEP topic would meet.  We used a variety of activities to generate ideas for a QEP topic from many of our constituents.  Through several procedures we narrowed the list of ideas.  For example, COA faculty evaluated topic categories using a rubric based on the previously developed criteria.  Based on analysis of the rubric scores, the committee narrowed the possible categories for our QEP topic to four.  These four broad topic categories are:

• Promotion of Critical Thinking.  Includes all references to critical thinking.  May include looking critically at ideas and information, but expand to problem-solving skills.  May include ideas related to building arguments.  Additionally, includes all references to active learning, hands-on learning, and learning by doing.
• Reinforcing the 3 Rs. Includes any references to Reading, Writing, and Arithmetic skills.  In particular, these ideas focused not only on developmental skills, but the idea that these are basic skills necessary for a 21st Century knowledge worker.
• Soft Skills.  Includes references to a broad range of subjects that one might need to function in the 21st Century world.  Includes a global worldview, ethics, self-reliance, health and lifestyle literacy, time management (including attendance issues), communication skills (including respect of self and others), and goal setting. 
• Distance Learning.  Includes all references to increasing and decreasing online offerings, as well as ideas related to quality instruction and support online. 

Once these four categories were determined, Dr. Deitemeyer and Ms. Riddick sent a request to faculty, students, staff, board of trustees, foundation donors and others to request that ideas or mini plans related to these topics be submitted to the QEP committee.  We received over 17 mini plans/ideas.   

Our next step is to bring these categories to COA employees to determine which category has the most support from this group.  During spring Convocation, COA employees will hear an overview of each topic category and the types of mini plans that were submitted in that category. Then using multi-ranking and advocacy, we will strive for consensus on the category we should pursue further. 

Please feel free to review the mini plans for each category by clicking on that category in the above list.  Additionally, as you view these plans, please focus on the criteria that the QEP committee has established for our QEP topic.  These criteria can be found in "QEP topic criteria".