An ABET Preparation Perspective Under the New Proposed Criteria 3 and 5
Ronald E. Barr · 2020
This paper presents the author's perspective on how to prepare for an ABET accreditation visit under the new proposed criteria 3 and 5.The author's perspective is based on experience from navigating three ABET visits under the old EC2000 criteria and participating in the recent 2016 ASEE town hall meeting in New Orleans where these new criteria were broadly discussed.The focus of the paper will be on the proposed changes to criteria 3 and 5, and the current process that will eventually lead to their likely adoption.Because of the success ABET has experienced with its outcomes-based assessment process, the future focus for ABET evaluators will continue to be on attainment of the Student Outcomes (SO's) enumerated in the new proposed criterion 3. The paper suggests ways to measure and evaluate attainment of SO's using both direct and indirect measures.The final part of the paper will focus on the Program Educational Objectives (PEO's) of criterion 2, and their relationship to both the SO's and the institutional goals.