1P3 Design of New Courses and Programs

New and Expanded Programs

Figure 1.1 depicts the process for designing new programs.

1. Stakeholders Input
The program approval process begins with stakeholders. STI

analyzes economic trends and employment projections, conducts environmental scans, and reviews Department of Labor statistics and projections to verify program need.
holds industry forums to monitor employment trends.
gathers input from program faculty, program Advisory Committees, and employers to generate ideas for new programs and courses.
collaborates with the South Dakota governor, legislators, and business and industry leaders to identify educational and training needs.
analyzes student input from surveys, student assessments, retention and graduation rates, etc.

2. Program Proposal Development
Administrators and program faculty teams work together to develop the program proposal, including program objectives, initial curriculum, needs assessments, etc.

3. HLC/AQIP Approval
If the program is offered at a new site or offered online, STI seeks approval from the Higher Learning Commission.

4. Local Approval
Formal proposals for new or expanded programs go to the STI Council (for recommendation) and Sioux Falls School Board (for approval) before being submitted to the State Department of Education, Office of Curriculum, Career and Technical Education (OCCTE).

5. State OCCTE Recommendation
The Director of the Office of Career and Technical Education recommends program approval to the South Dakota Board of Education, which has final approval authority. The program approval criteria for new or expanded programs include the following:

Program description, competencies, curriculum design and budget
Labor market demands in the United States and South Dakota
Student needs
Industry support
Statement of non-duplication
Wage factor

6. State Board of Education Approval
The State Board of Education scrutinizes new program proposals and only approves programs which are deemed competitive and which demonstrate a regional need for program graduates. The department also assures that duplication of programs among the four institutes does not occur unless there is a proven need (for example, Surgical Technology is offered on both the west and east side of the state).

7. Implementation and Evaluation
If approved, STI implements the new or expanded program. Once implemented, the program is evaluated through formal processes, including the State Program Review process and any appropriate accrediting body reviews.

New courses

New courses are usually initiated by faculty teams working with administration. Changes in courses are frequently the result of Advisory Committee and industry input. Courses are reviewed and approved through the STI Curriculum Committee process. Criteria for approval include appropriateness of curriculum, competitive advantage, and up-to-date content.

STI has recently developed comprehensive guidelines for online courses. Expectations for online courses mirror traditional courses, and faculty are provided resources to ensure consistency. Several teams and committees, including the AQIP Education Design and Delivery Team and Academic Administrative Team, developed the online course guidelines, online student and instructor evaluations, templates, and student communications. Additionally, two STI positions (one staff and one faculty on special assignment) have been funded for training faculty to effectively use technology for traditional, blended, accelerated, and online courses.

The Business and Industry Training division develops and implements just-in-time customized courses. These courses are not routed through the Curriculum Committee process.