The Higher Learning Commission's Academic Quality Improvement Program

For me, this seems to be the Spring of peer review. In February, MCLI launched the Maricopa Quality Matters Peer-Reviewer Program and in March (over the last 3 days), I attended the the Higher Learning Commission's Academic Quality Improvement Program Peer Reviewer training in Chicago, Illinois. The training lasted a total of 55 hours over 2 1/2 days and was extremely valuable and insightful in many ways:

• what is the role of accreditation in the US
  
• who are accrediting bodies in the US and how were they established
• what are the options for accreditation and continuous improvement for institutions
  
• what is AQIP, how does it differ from PEAQ and how do institutions interact with each

It is my understanding that PEAQ is the traditional form of accreditation and that AQIP is the new kid on the block, at least over the past 7 years. From the past few days, I've learned that AQIP seems to be a much more continuous improvement process. PEAQ takes place every 10 years, while AQIP has contact with the institution regularly over a 5 year period in a process that emulates strategic planning. It seems that several institutions are opting in to AQIP and out of PEAQ (although an institution has to be PEAQ-approved to be able to participate in AQIP).

It may seem odd to some that an instructional technologist would be involved something like this, but this experience gave me such a comprehensive overview of quality and improvement issues in higher education. Our training concludes tomorrow and then I'm on the list to be a peer-reviewer. Aside from the time commitment (of 25-30 hours), I'm very much looking forward to participating.