ACCE Student Learning Outcomes
The American Council for Construction Education (ACCE) is the accrediting entity for the Construction Management Program at Dallas College North Lake Campus. They require 13 Student Learning Outcomes (SLO) for all Associate level degrees in Construction Management.
- Apply effective communication, both orally and in writing.
- Apply the skills to estimate quantities and costs for the bidding process in a construction project.
- Apply the aptitude to schedule a basic construction project.
- Apply current technology related to the construction process.
- Apply the interpretation of construction documents (contracts, specifications, and drawings) used in managing a construction project.
- Apply basic principles of construction accounting.
- Apply basic surveying techniques used in building layout.
- Understand basic principles of ethics in the construction industry.
- Understand the fundamentals of contracts, codes, and regulations that govern a construction project.
- Understand basic construction methods, materials and equipment.
- Understand basic safety hazards on a construction site and standard prevention measures.
- Understand the basic principles of structural design.
- Understand the basic principles of mechanical, electrical and piping systems.
6-Year Student Learning Outcomes
Assessment Implementation Plan 2019SP-2024SP
Following the ACCE requirements, our assessment plan follows a 6-year cycle with all courses being reviewed and evaluated at least twice in that 6 academic years divided into 2 3-year segments. Note, student learning outcome data is collected each semester for all courses. Each spring, this data are also shared with the college and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS).
Academic Year | ACCE SLO#s | Courses Assessed |
1 | 2019SP | 10 / 13 | CNBT 1311, ARCE 1303 / CNBT 1302, CNBT 1372 |
2019FA | 3 / 5 | CNBT 1359 / CNBT 2310, CNBT 1300 |
2 | 2020SP | 1 / 11 | CNBT 2344 (A), CNBT 1301(B), CNBT 2305(B) / OSHT 1313 |
2020FA | 7 / 8 | SRVY 1301 / CNBT 2344 |
3 | 2021SP | 2 / 12 | CNBT 2337, CNBT 1374 / CNBT 1344 |
2021FA | 4/ 6 / 9 | CNBT 1359 / CNBT 2337 / CNBT 2315 |
4 | 2022SP | 10 / 13 | CNBT 1311, ARCE 1303 / CNBT 1302, CNBT 1372 |
2022FA | 3 / 5 | CNBT 1359 / CNBT 2310, CNBT 1300 |
5 | 2023SP | 1 / 11 | CNBT 2344 (A), CNBT 2342(B), CNBT 2305(B) / OSHT 1213 |
2023FA | 7 / 8 | SRVY 1301 / CNBT 2344 |
6 | 2024SP | 2 / 12 | CNBT 2337, CNBT 1374 / CNBT 1344 |
2024FA | 4/ 6 / 9 | CNBT 1359 / CNBT 2337 / CNBT 2315 |
Dallas College Construction Management Course Student Learning Outcomes
Legend and Abbreviations:
- FA = Fall semester
- SP = Spring semester
SLO #1 Direct Assessment (A):
Apply effective communication both orally(A) and in writing(B).
Course(s): CNBT 2344 Construction Management II (Capstone) / CNBT 2305 Residential Building & Contracting (Capstone)
Assessment Tool:
Oral presentation using Power Point. The assignment is to prepare a design/build proposal with presentation for the north campus of Dallas College North Lake Campus.
Achievement Target |
Aggregate |
Plans for Use of Results |
2021SP 80% of the students will achieve 80% or better. | 100% of 22 students achieved 80% or better. | Although the achievement target was met, this is the third semester impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic-Dallas College ended mandatory attendance to treat class as entirely online. Student performance suffered as a result- 2021FA should see a return to face-to-face instruction. In spite of the drop in overall performance, additional rehearsals improved the final project presentation. The students still struggled with providing backup documentation in the new template (introduced 2020FA). Going forward, more time will be spent on assembly of the backup documentation and how to utilize a PDF editor for this task (essential skill). Additional rehearsals will continue. Achievement % will be raised next semester. |
SLO #1 Direct Assessment (B):
Apply effective communication both orally(A) and in writing(B).
Course(s): CNBT 1301 Introduction to Construction (before 2020FA) and CNBT 2342 Construction Management I (after 2020FA to present)
Assessment Tool:
Writing assignment. Write a 3-5-page research paper on a sustainable construction practice or method, or material.
Achievement Target |
Aggregate |
Plans for Use of Results |
2021SP 75% of the students will achieve 75% or better. | 100% of 36 students achieved 75% or better. | The proficiency target was met. Going forward the target will be raised, and power points augmented with additional content. |
SLO #2 Direct Assessment:
Apply the skills to estimate quantities and costs for the bidding process in a construction project.
Course(s): CNBT 1346 Construction Estimating I / CNBT 1374 Residential Estimating
Assessment Tool:
Achievement Target |
Aggregate |
Plans for Use of Results |
2021SP 75% of the students will achieve 75% or better. | 85% of 13 students achieved 75% or better. | Although the achievement target was met, the students struggled using digital plans to make calculations uploaded into Excel without the use of physical plans or an electronic takeoff program. Going forward, the use of physical sets of drawings and electronic software (i.e., Bluebeam) will be implemented. |
SLO #3 Direct Assessment:
Apply the aptitude to schedule a construction project.
Course(s): CBNT 1359 Project Scheduling
Assessment Tool:
Lab – Apply the definitions, technology, and techniques to Microsoft Project Software to create and interpret a construction project.
Achievement Target |
Aggregate |
Plans for Use of Results |
2021SP 75% of the students will achieve 75% or better. | 89% of 18 students achieved 75% or better. | Although the proficiency target was met, some students still struggled with the logic of sequencing activities. In 2021SP, Dallas College reinstated face-to-face labs where the students performed better. We are anticipating F2F instruction in 2021FA and emphasis will be placed on the basic concepts of sequencing logic. The proficiency target will be raised to 80% or better. |
SLO #4 Direct Assessment:
Apply current technology related to the construction process.
Course(s): CNBT 1359 Project Scheduling
Assessment Tool:
Project Information/Definition. Dallas College North Lake Campus North Campus Foundation Schedule—Create a schedule for the foundation of the North Campus Building that includes the elements of Microsoft Project Lab #1.
Achievement Target |
Aggregate |
Plans for Use of Results |
2021SP 75% of the students will achieve 75% or better. | 100% of 10 students achieved 75% or better. | Although the proficiency target was met, some students still struggled with the logic of sequencing activities. In 2021SP, Dallas College reinstated face-to-face labs where the students performed better. We are anticipating F2F instruction in 2021FA and emphasis will be placed on the basic concepts of sequencing logic and how to properly display that logic in the schedule. The proficiency target will be raised to 80% or better. |
SLO #5 Direct Assessment:
Apply the interpretation of construction documents (contracts, specifications, and drawings) used in managing a construction project.
Course(s): CNBT 2310 Commercial Blueprint Reading, CNBT 1300 Residential Blueprint Reading
Assessment Tool:
Direct assessment—Assignment requiring reading, researching, and interpreting the mechanical drawings and specifications from Dallas College North Lake Campus North Campus to answer detail questions.
Achievement Target |
Aggregate |
Plans for Use of Results |
2021SP 75% of the students will achieve 75% or better. | 70% of 10 students achieved 75% or better. | The proficiency target was not met. The course content will be augmented with additional document reading drills to enhance the skill of reading these documents. The achievement target will be left at 75%/75%. |
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Course(s): CNBT 1300 Residential Blueprint Reading Assessment Tool:
Direct assessment—Assignment requiring reading, researching, and interpreting the mechanical drawings and specifications from Dallas College North Lake Campus North Campus to answer detail questions.
Achievement Target |
Aggregate |
Plans for Use of Results |
2021SP 70% of the students will achieve 75% or better. | 100% of 15 students achieved 75% or better. | Although the proficiency target was met, more practice with finding information in working drawings will be provided with drills to better learn this skill. |
SLO #6 Direct Assessment:
Apply basic principles of construction accounting.
Course(s): CNBT 2337 Construction Estimating II (This course will be added to the program curriculum for the first time in 2020FA and assessed then and in 2021FA.)
Assessment Tool:
Lab
Achievement Target |
Aggregate |
Plans for Use of Results |
2021SP 75% of the students will achieve 75% or better. | 71% of 13.75 students achieved 75% or better. (Assessment tool consists of an average of several assignments. Because not all students attempted every assignment, the average resulted in a decimal number. It was not rounded up for the sake of accuracy.) | Students struggled with profit center and cash flow analysis in a non-synchronous environment. Going forward will emphasize these topics in face-to-face classes and/or in pre-recorded instructional videos. |
SLO #7 Direct Assessment:
Apply basic surveying techniques used in building layout.
Course(s): SRVY 1301 Introduction to Surveying in 2020FA replaced SRVY 1315 in 2020FA per the 2019 ACCE Report recommendations.
Assessment Tool:
Direct Assessment--Project
Achievement Target |
Aggregate |
Plans for Use of Results |
2021SP 75% of the students will achieve 75% or better. | 78% of 45 students achieved 75% or better. | The achievement target was met, SRVY 1301 will continue to expand the scope the instruction and seek to substantially modernize the course content. |
SLO #8 Direct Assessment:
Understand Basic Principles of Ethics in the Construction Industry.
Course(s): CNBT 2342 Construction Management I (2020FA first semester assessed) and CNBT 2344 Construction Management II (2021SP and forward)
Assessment Tool:
Final exam covering material as presented during the semester. This is an online exam with 100 questions (true/false, multiple choice) for which the student has 100 minutes to complete.
Achievement Target |
Aggregate |
Plans for Use of Results |
2021SP 75% of the students will achieve 75% or better. | 96% of 23 students achieved 75% or better. | Although the achievement target was met. 2021FA should see a return to face-to-face instruction which will improve student performance. We will continue presenting the Ethics module as a series of discussions from the textbook. |
SLO #9 Direct Assessment:
Understand the fundamentals of contracts, codes, and regulations that govern a construction project.
Course(s): CNBT 2315 Construction Specifications and Contracts (This course is switching from an elective to a required course in 2020FA per ACCE requirements) Building Code Essentials Module (beginning 2021SP)
Assessment Tool for CNBT 2315:
Final exam covering material as presented during the semester. This is an online exam with 100 questions (true/false, multiple choice) for which the student has 200 minutes to complete.
Achievement Target |
Aggregate |
Plans for Use of Results |
2021SP 75% of the students will achieve 75% or better. | 48% of 25 students achieved 75% or better. | Although the achievement target was not met, the Code Essentials module functioned without a textbook (only instructor prepared power points) which will be alleviated in the fall. A codes review will be added to the schedule to help the students better prepare for the assessment. |
SLO #10 Direct Assessment:
Understand Basic Construction Methods, Materials and Equipment
Course(s): CNBT 1311 Commercial Construction Methods and Materials
Assessment Tool:
Final exam covering material as presented during the semester. This is an online exam with 100 questions (true/false, multiple choice) for which the student has 100 minutes to complete.
Achievement Target |
Aggregate |
Plans for Use of Results |
2021SP 75% of the students will achieve 75% or better. | 97% of 32 students achieved 75% or better. | Although the achievement target was met, new power points are being prepared with more content beyond the textbook and we anticipate face-to-face instruction in 2021FA to increase engagement and achievement and will provide opportunities to share physical examples of differing construction materials. The achievement target will be raised. |
Course(s): ARCE 1303 Residential Construction Methods and Materials Assessment Tool:
Final exam covering material as presented during the semester. This is an online exam with 100 questions (true/false, multiple choice) for which the student has 100 minutes to complete.
Achievement Target |
Aggregate |
Plans for Use of Results |
2021SP 75% of the students will achieve 75% or better. | 69% of 13 students achieved 75% or better. | Achievement target was not met. Going forward power points will be augmented to cover more material. A return to face-to-face learning will provide opportunities to share physical examples of differing construction materials. Field trips to job sites will be utilized for a more comprehensive exposure to residential construction. Guest speakers will be utilized to allow the students to meet inspectors, city officials, and other 3rd party players in residential construction. The instructor is planning to investigate the possibility of student attendance to the local building association workshops to emphasize the importance of membership in professional industry associations. |
SLO #11 Direct Assessment:
Understand basic safety hazards on a construction site and standard prevention measures.
Course(s): OSHT 1313 Accident Prevention, Inspection, and Investigation (2019SP-2020SP) and OSHT 1213 Accident Prevention, Inspection, and Investigation (after 2020FA)
Assessment Tool:
Direct Assessment - Test. Course module test assessing students understanding of fall related hazards and applicable regulations/practices targeting construction fall potentials. Students have 30 minutes to complete, with one attempt permitted.
Achievement Target |
Aggregate |
Plans for Use of Results |
2021SP 75% of the students will achieve 75% or better. | 97% of 42 students achieved 75% or better. | Expectations were achieved. Empasis will be placed on the development of a Safety Management Plan. In the 2021SP term, we will raise the proficiency target to 75% of students will achieve 80% or better. |
Course(s): OSHT 1307 Accident Prevention, Inspection, and Investigation Assessment Tool:
Direct Assessment - Test. Course module test assessing students understanding of fall related hazards and applicable regulations/practices targeting construction fall potentials. Students have 30 minutes to complete, with one attempt permitted.
Achievement Target |
Aggregate |
Plans for Use of Results |
2021SP 75% of the students will achieve 75% or better | 90% of 10 students achieved 75% or better. | The proficiency goal was exceeded. Empasis will be placed on the development of a Safety Management Plan. Going forward the proficiency target will be raised – 75% of the students will achieve 80% or better. |
SLO #12 Direct Assessment:
Understand the basic principles of structural design.
Course(s): CNBT 1344 Construction Materials Testing
Assessment Tool:
Test –
Achievement Target |
Aggregate |
Plans for Use of Results |
2021SP 75% of the students will achieve 80% or better. | 76% of 33 students achieved 80% or better. | The new target has been met. Additional material will be created in the form of PowerPoint slides and lecture material to further clarify specific structural systems and structural load paths, topics that seem to most challenge the students. With the return to in-person instruction, the concepts can be further explained with demonstrations that were not possible in a virtual environment. Going forward, the proficiency target will be raised to 80% of the students will achieve 80% or better. |
SLO #13 Direct Assessment:
Understand the basic principles of mechanical, electrical and piping systems.
Course(s): CNBT 1302 Commercial MEP Systems
Assessment Tool:
Final exam online with 100 questions covering the course material for the semester. The exam is a timed exam of 100 minutes.
Achievement Target |
Aggregate |
Plans for Use of Results |
2021SP 75% of the students will achieve 75% or better. | 92% of 12 students achieved 75% or better. | Although the proficiency target was achieved, the instructor plans to use the data for a more descriptive set of instructions for the writing assignments. Milestones will be added to the assignments in the class. |
Course(s): CNBT 1372 Residential MEP Systems Assessment Tool:
Final exam online with 100 questions covering the course material for the semester. The exam is a timed exam of 100 minutes.
Achievement Target |
Aggregate |
Plans for Use of Results |
2021SP 75% of the students will achieve 75% or better. | 80% of 10 students achieved 75% or better. | Although the proficiency target was achieved, the instructor plans to increase student engagement in the course with additional content including videos. |