Dr. Wayne Jacobson is a Fulbright Specialist at Universitas Brawijaya in Malang, East Java, in July 2025.

Dr. Wayne Jacobson, assessment director at the University of Iowa, served as a Fulbright Specialist with the Faculty of Vocational Education at Universitas Brawijaya in Malang, East Java, July 12-26, 2025.

During this time, Dr. Jacobson offered a series of workshops, coaching opportunities, and consultation sessions related to developing and using program learning outcomes to support curriculum mapping, assessment planning, and development of teaching and learning strategies for each of their programs.

Dr. Jacobson was also able to review with faculty how implementation of these strategies aligns with expectations of quality assurance agencies that offer accreditation in international, European, US, and other Asian contexts.

By the conclusion of these sessions, each program had completed a review of its program learning outcomes, especially in terms of the promise that learning outcomes make to students about what they can expect to take away from the program. In particular, if a program states an outcome, it is making a commitment to teach, reinforce, provide students with opportunities for practice and feedback, and assess student proficiency related to that outcome.

Each program developed a curriculum map indicating courses where each outcome is introduced, reinforced, and assessed. Each also completed an assessment inventory identifying direct and indirect assessments they are using to monitor progress toward achievement of program learning outcomes.

This foundational work provides programs with a reference point for periodically reviewing curriculum quality and effectiveness. In this sense, the curriculum map and assessment inventory can serve as a mirror to help program leaders reflect together on how well the design of the curriculum is continuing to support the achievement of intended learning outcomes.

It was noted that the ongoing effective implementation of the curriculum relies heavily on the work of individual faculty members in their classes, but few faculty members have opportunities to work directly with colleagues on developing teaching and assessment strategies. Sessions concluded with a discussion of potential strategies for the development of faculty learning communities and peer mentoring opportunities in order to help all faculty members benefit from one another’s expertise and especially to help new instructors benefit from senior instructors’ knowledge and teaching experience.

Through this series of workshops and consultations, the Faculty of Vocational Education at Universitas Brawijaya has developed a solid foundation for ongoing implementation, assessment, and continuous improvement of its curriculum. One participant remarked, “It’s so meaningful to discuss further with the expert how to design learning outcomes that actually guide both teaching and learning.” Another lecturer shared, “This experience made me rethink how I approach my class; it’s no longer just about delivering content, but helping students grow through meaningful assessment.”

He emphasized the importance of involving industry partners in defining program outcomes while allowing academic teams to design appropriate teaching methods.

This project laid the groundwork for continued collaboration. It also reinforced the faculty’s direction toward international standards and long-term improvement in vocational higher education.