EVALUATION OF A CULINARY ARTS CURRICULUM1EVALUATION OF A CULINARY ARTS CURRICULUM19

Evaluation of a Culinary Arts CurriculumChef Jennifer M. Denlinger M.Ed., CCC, CHEPDEL612 Program EvaluationTrident University OnlineMarch 11, 2015

Evaluation of a Culinary Arts CurriculumCulinary Arts curriculum is a cumulative education that requires lecture, demo, and then hands on learning. Students are introduced into the world of culinary arts by immersion learning. Culinary Arts is a very kinesthetic art, so most learning must be done by doing. Rules, theories, concepts, and techniques are taught and lectured on, but most of the learning comes through the practice of doing. Culinary Arts is very closely related to Baking and Pastry Arts, so the concepts, ideas, and values that are important to one, are also important to the other. The difference is the medium that is worked with.Literature Review Since food, and culinary arts can be such a heartfelt association, there are many different opinions on what to be taught, and how to teach it. If the program is to be accredited, it is important that several different approaches of evaluation be looked at. Evaluating Quality in Associate Degree Culinary Arts Programs a national sample of culinary arts educators and industry chefs rated the importance of 50 potential quality indicators of Associate Degree Culinary Arts Programs (ADCAP). ADCAP do not fit into the same package as academic categories. There are a lot of terms, and the perception of quality varies amongst individuals (Hertzman, & Ackerman, 2010). Identifying the characteristics of and quality indicators for associate degree culinary arts programs: A survey of educators and industry looked at and analyzed 232 associate degree culinary arts program requirements. After surveying Chef Educators, and members of the American Culinary Federation (ACF), the determination was the most important professional courses were sanitation, basic cooking/hot foods- lab, food and beverage cost control, menu development, and saucier (Hertzman, 2006). Developing a core competency model of innovative culinary development indicated the most important creative competencies. These include: creative power, idea development, divergent thinking, problem solving (highest rated), positive attitude towards experimenting ideas (second highest rated), the ability to integrate differential thinking, the analogical transfer of ideas, hypothesis testing, finding attributes, illumination of ideas, context shifting, functional interference, conceptual interpretation, synthesis and transformation. The ability to identify the core competencies for chef leaders is the ability for them to remain competitive (Hu, 2010). The popular competence of hospitality education in Taiwan: Constructing a baking curriculum model is about a redeveloped curriculum that emphasized: a more diverse baking knowledge, more integrated baking process skill, learn soft skills such as communication/coordination/ stress and crisis management, etc., and develop forward looking creativity. Rethinking baking education is indicated that students have an increased need for more hands-on, less lecture based method of learning. It was indicated that the reconstruction of the courses should emphasize hands on lab, and that the lecture components should be re-written to emphasize activities that apply principles of the baking process. Culinary Arts ClassesEvaluating Culinary Arts Curriculum is based on hands on, kinesthetic knowledge of all senses. Students who want to pursue a Culinary Arts education may do so by completing a Diploma in Culinary Arts or an Associates of Science in Culinary Arts. Looking at the curriculum, which is demoed by a Chef Instructor in each class, and then what the students actually produce, an accurate picture of the total curriculum can be seen. Diploma in Culinary Arts. A diploma in Culinary Arts takes students through a journey of learning, starting with the most basic of skills and techniques, and building upon each technique until a range of skills is learned. Culinary Arts is technique based, so students have the opportunity to expand their knowledge based off the basics. There are seven classes, plus two courses of externship. The seven classes consist of six hands on lab classes, and one lecture class of Food Safety and Sanitation, plus two classes of externship. Culinary (lab) classes include: Culinary Foundations I, II, and III, Introduction to Baking and Pastry, Cuisines Across Cultures, and Catering and Buffet. Students must successfully complete each class before moving on the next class. Students are then required to complete two externship classes in order to graduate.Associates of Science in Culinary Arts. An Associates of Science in Culinary Arts consists of the previously mentioned classes, with the addition of two more lab classes of Contemporary Cuisine, and Restaurant Rotation, plus six academic classes, constituting the requirements of an accredited AS degree. The culinary (lab) classes of the Culinary Arts Associates will be the classes used for the evaluation. Class Format. The format of all culinary classes is pretty uniform. Since Food Safety and Sanitation is lecture class (with a few hands on examples to help drive-home points), it will not be included in proceeding example of how classes are set up. The externship classes also are not included since they occur off-campus. In order to ensure successful students, the typical format for lab classes is: Day A: instructor lecture and demo. Day B: student lab of what was demoed on the previous day. Lecture Days. Lecture days start with uniform inspection and attendance line up. The Chef Instructor will spend up to of the class period lecturing on the topic(s) being studied. Items that may be included in the lecture could include Product Identification/ tasting, terminology, rubrics expectations, and recipe review. If there were a written assessment, it would be given during this time. The rest of the class time is spent in the kitchen where the Chef Instructor will demo what the students need to learn, and will explain the expectations and the rubrics guidelines. The students are required to take notes on what the Chef Instructor does. At the end, students can taste so they know what they are aiming for. Students will then conduct the cleaning activities of the room. Class is concluded with a question and answer session.Lab Days. Lab days start with the attendance lineup and uniform inspection. The class assembles and the Chef Instructor will explain the time line for the day, and the expectations needed. Recipes are talked through again, and if something needs to be demoed again, it is. Students are given a set amount of time to accomplish the tasks needed. Students are graded privately and swiftly based upon the aforementioned expectations. Depending on the format of the class, and the requirements of the lesson, when and how the students are graded may be changed for each class. All practical examinations are given on these days. After the set production time, the entire class participates in cleaning and sanitizing the room and equipment. At the end of class, the Chef Instructor recaps what was learned, talked about the collective successes and failures of the day, and reminds the students what will be happening tomorrow. Since the classes are progressive, the Chef Instructor only needs to demonstrate a technique what was not previously demoed, unless it is needed as a refresher. Students build their knowledge on what was previously learned. Since it is technique based, flavors may vary, even though the core technique hasnt changed. Curriculum Evaluation ModelsUsing this overall picture- comparing to the standards of ACICS, American Culinary Federation (ACF), and FDOE for different accreditation purposes makes is easy. Using Stakes Countenance Model and Stufflebeams CIPP model deficiencies can be spotted. Another way to spot deficiencies in the curriculum is to monitor the evaluation from employers of externs, and the placement rate of graduates. By monitoring the deficiencies in the curriculum, changes can be made to increase the success rate of the students. Even though lessons are sequential, it is still good to pay attention to what is being taught/ learned where, in what class. There are two curriculum evaluation models that can be used to evaluate culinary curriculum: Stakes Countenance Model and Stufflebeams CIPP model. Stakes Countenance ModelStakes Countenance Model (SCM) is an evaluation framework that works by collecting, organizing and interpreting qualitative and quantitative data. There are two major operation or countenances in the SCM: complete description of the program, and judgment. A descriptive activity is what is referred to, or what is observed. Judgmental activities refer to the standards used in making judgment or to the actual judgment being made (Wood, 2001). Academic based tests are quantitative based. Practicals are both quantitative and qualitative based, and usually require the use of rubrics for grading. There are three phases that may affect the SCM. First comes the antecedent. It is the condition existing prior to the instruction that may relate to outcomes. Transaction is the successive engagements or dynamic encounters constituting the process of instruction. Outcomes are the effects of the instructional experience (Wood, 2001). SCM is important in Culinary Arts Curriculum since most of the curriculum is rubric graded, even though there is some distinct right/ wrong qualities, a lot is opinion based. Also, since curriculum is built upon previously learned skills, when there is a deficiency that is wide based upon a class it needs to be determined if it is the students, the dynamics of the class, the previous Chef Instructor, or the amount of time since the item was previously taught. Stufflebeams CIPP ModelStufflebeams CIPP model is a framework to systematically guide the conception, design, implication, and assessment of service learning on projects and provide feedback and judgment (Zhang et al., 2011). CIPP stands for context, input, process, and product. This, combined with feedback evaluation, enables decision makers to understand educational processes. It is a management-oriented process that uses a systematic approach. This is used to create a holistic environment (Jeou-Shyan, Chih-Ching, Baum, 2009). Using the CIPP model is a system to improve the accountability. It guides both the evaluators and stakeholders through the process of curriculum evaluation. The CIPP model emphasizes learning by doing, which is appropriate for a hands-on field such as culinary arts. It is meant to improve, rather than prove. Context evaluation assesses overall environmental readiness of the curriculum, examines whether the existing goals and priorities need to be altered, and assess wither proposed objective are sufficiently responsive to the assessed needs. Input evaluation helps prescribe a program by which to make needed changes. It shows potential approaches are identified and is used to formulate a responsive plan. Process evaluation affords opportunities to assess periodically if the project is being carried out appropriately and effectively. Product evaluation identifies and assess project outcomes both intended and unintended (Zhang et al., 2011).Evaluating CurriculumA higher education college has many different forms of curriculum. The curricula for a college is very large, and covers abroad range of topics, and possibly disciplines. Even though all the classes are separate, they need to be able to work together to deliver a cohesive product. Proposed methods of curriculum evaluation to ensure a continuous flow of knowledge to students would begin by collecting all the syllabi of the lab classes in the Culinary Arts Associates Program. Next, a chart of what was being demoed each day would be plotted, as well as a chart of what was in student production each day. This could then be compared to requirements needed for certification and accreditation as laid forth by the Florida Department of Education (FDOE), ACF, the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC) and The Accrediting Council of Independent Schools and Colleges (ACICS). In order to evaluate curriculum on basis of the FDOE, ACF, ACCSC and ACICS, each aspect/ skill would need to be looked at. Tracking students grades on particular competencies would give the administration an idea of what items are successfully being mastered by the students. When students show continually low success rates in a particular area, then the curriculum for that area can be revamp, relooked at, added to, and revisited in other spots in the curriculum.Curriculum evaluation is a vital part for successful, industry current education. An educational program that consists of curriculum relies on the accuracy and efficiency of what is being taught. Curriculum needs to be current, encompassing, and meet the needs of all stakeholders involved. Stakeholders include the accrediting bodies, current students, alumni, faculty members, and employers who employ students on externship, and after graduation. Program ReviewEducation program review and curriculum review is an ongoing process that needs to be done on a regular process and it should be done through a standardized system to see that it is meeting all the requirements that are needed. It should also be checked for relevancy. Curriculum is a major component of an educational program.Curriculum is a changing and evolving entity that needs to be changed and updated regularly. Even though curriculum needs to be updated as necessary, and when necessary, there should also be a regular schedule that allow for the review process of the curriculum and of the program (Mukhopadhaya & Smith, 2010).The purpose of a program review is to assess the strengths weaknesses and invested opportunities of the curriculum. External motivation promotes data collection on how classes taught. Reviewing curriculum can do several things: it makes it transparent for all stakeholders, and it can also link the elements of the curriculum together (Britton, M., Letassy, N., Medina, M. S., & Er, N., 2008).A program evaluation emphasizes how important it is to describe the intended activities and desired outcomes. Stakeholders are important sources of program theory. A program theory-based evaluation is a versatile program evaluation approach that has been used successfully to develop and improve programs, aid decision-making, facilitate organizational learning, create new knowledge and meet transparency and accountability needs (Louw, 2012).When reviewing curriculum, on one hand, you must compare and contrast the current curriculum with what is being offered at other universities. Then, you must assess it against the current stakeholders of recent alumni who are trying to get a job, and employers. Curriculum of a program needs to ensure that all the courses of study are congruent with each other and that all the end product is cohesive. A model of curriculum evaluation begin with careful planning to implement any actions that need to be taken, data collection and analysis and a reflection on the results (Mukhopadhaya & Smith, 2010). The curriculum review team should be comprised of faculty members with significant diversity, in respect to their educational background. It would provide more depth of expertise to the table. Also, external sources of information are needed for validation of the material (Gundersen, Jennings, Dunn, Fisher, Kouliavtsev, & Rogers, 2011).Curriculum needs to change as the environment changes.The environment changes, and so does the world, and therefore the curriculum about the education we deliver needs to change as well.These changes therefore need to be looked as an expectation, not an imposition.Curriculum is a process that needs to have continual improvement.Do not focus on the changes; instead, focus on the positive results of the change (Reid, 2003).

Program EvaluationUsing a team for program evaluation has both advantages and drawbacks. The closer knit the team is, the easier the process will be. When instructors are close knit, and share a [professional] bond, they are able to work off of each others ideas in order to come to a common conclusion. If the instructors have had the opportunity to instruct together in the classroom, it is even better for the agreement of the material in question. Working together as a team in a kitchen [classroom] creates a bond between individuals. If you are working towards a common goal, (usually of producing a high quality food related product), the synergy that must exist creates a unique atmosphere of accomplishment. This also stems from the instructors simultaneous role of being a professional chef. Some positive aspects of using a team to evaluate program curriculum is that if the team has synergy, then the process goes much easier. Since all instructors have had different professional experiences prior to teaching, and also while teaching, there are always better ways to accomplish things, and best practices can be established. Since Culinary Arts education is so broad, there are always new things to learn. Some negative aspects of using a team to review curriculum might be that inability to come to a decision of a best practice. And the difficulty of getting schedules to work out that everyone can meet together is also another challenge. Working together as a team to determine one single common curriculum may also cut out other positive solutions to education. (Hence the common adage- theres more than one way to skin a cat).The stages of curriculum evaluation and revision are not necessarily defined, but need to take whatever path is deemed necessary to accomplish the task. A recommended path would go as follows: Analyze current teaching practices and learning goals, re-examine the goals desired, reconsider the role assessment in the course, develop teaching strategies and approach, explore questions that arise about the curriculum, gather data, brainstorm the ideal major, and then formulate, deliberate, and asses possible models (Center for New Design in Learning & Curriculum, 2012). Culinary ProgramsIn a culinary school, curriculum needs to be written by the team of instructors that are delivering it. They are the ones who understand the front line processes of teaching the curriculum, which include many hands-on aspects. Once the curriculum has been written, it needs to go to the first stage of testing. And it needs to be tested more than once, by more than one instructor. Ideally, all instructors who teach the class should have the chance to run through the curriculum, and provide feedback on its feasibility. A system should be put in place to ensure that all instructors are able to contribute to a unified curriculum across the board. The instructors take the un-tested curriculum that is mandated to be taught (by the accrediting body(s)), assign a curriculum chairperson for each subject, and devise a reporting system for communication of the results of the curriculum. The curriculum of the subject matter will be delivered by a minimum of five instructors, during different sections of the day- staggered between two days. Feedback of the lesson plans, recipes provided, purchasing order requisitions, tests, quizzes, and practical exams. The information will be collected by the curriculum chairperson and notes consolidated. The notes of the changes suggested to be made for the curriculum will then be sent to the culinary department head for review, and the changes to the food requisition will be sent to the purchasing department for immediate as possible implementation. Since the class is being taught a minimum of five times, the first instructor to teach the lesson should inform their counterparts of the suggestions needed for a successful lesson of the day, ideas of items that can be changed, done, not done, or revised immediately. The input of all instructors who teach the curriculum is valued and their particular strengths were taken into account to create best practices of delivery. Even though not all changes will be approved/ implemented, a uniform, extremely high quality product can now be delivered and executed across many campuses.Programmatic EvaluationTo ensure that an Associate Degree Culinary Arts Programs (ADCAP) is valid and the skills taught are valuable, then the program needs to be evaluated for validity. To ensure validity of a program, the skills being taught must be useful and relevant to what is needed in the industry. To understand what should be taught, first a compilation of all the requirements of ACF, ACICS, ACCSC and FDOE need to be assembled. Since the value that is looking for is mainly based of the ACF requirements. These are the hands on skills that employers are looking for. The final course of an ADCAP is a capstone class where students are required to recall from memory all the skills and techniques needed to produce the different components of meals on their own, with only a small amount of demo. The course is a recall of their cognitive skills and techniques they have acquired. Since Culinary Arts is technique driven, the practical evaluations need to be based off of techniques and skills. In order to evaluate curriculum on basis of the FDOE, ACF, ACCSC and ACICS, each aspect/ skill would need to be looked at. Tracking students grades on particular competencies during the capstone class would give the administration an idea of what items are successfully being mastered by the students (Appendix B). When students show continually low success rates in a particular area, then the curriculum for that area can be revamp, relooked at, add too, and revisited in other spots in the curriculum. This should be compared to what has been both demoed and practiced throughout the entire program. (Appendix A). If insufficient, then rework the curriculum in order to add more exposure to this technique/ skill.

Extern EvaluationThe second way to evaluate the effective of the curriculum is through the placement of externs, and the Employer Evaluation that they receive for each Externship course. (Appendix C). Externship is set up as an entry-level job for students. However, if the employer pre-determines if the students are qualified for the higher level than entry-level position, they can be taken on at that level. If there is a continual trend of low extern evaluations being returned, or if the placement rate of externs/ graduates is low due to employers not wanting to hire our students, the curriculum will need to be reexamined/ adjusted. ConclusionThe end result of reviewing curriculum needs to be that the most efficient product is being delivered to the students. By reviewing the material, and checking it against what other instructors and employers think there is the ability to make sure the proper material is being taught to the students. Program and curriculum review is essential to determine the strengths and weaknesses of what is being taught. By cross referencing the needs and want of all the stakeholders involved with what is being taught gaps can be identified and then filled with the missing knowledge and skills. A goal of any instructor is to want their students to be successful. All curriculums have standards that need to be met. By dissecting the curriculum to understand where what subjects are taught, when deficiencies are spotted, they can easily be corrected or the curriculum can be adjusted. By monitoring the deficiencies in the curriculum, changes can be made to increase the success rate of the students. It is recommended that having a committee to represent the different aspects of the profession. This committee should meet regularly and compare notes and make suggestions on how to allow them to get to their career goals more quickly and efficiently. Evaluating the curriculum using a curriculum inquiry model is an appropriate model of curriculum evaluation. Since it focuses on the how and the why of the curriculum, it can gauge whether the subjects of the curriculum can comprehend the methodology of the study.

ReferencesBritton, M., Letassy, N., Medina, M. S., & Er, N. (2008). A curriculum review and mapping process supported by an electronic database system. American Journal Of Pharmaceutical Education, 72(5), 1-6. Retrieved from http://www-ncbi-nlm-nih-gov.ezproxy.trident.edu:2048/pmc/articles/PMC2630156/?tool=pmcentrez Center for New Design in Learning & Curriculum (2012). Eightsteps to Curriculum Change. Retrieved from https://cndls.georgetown.edu/support/assessment/eightsteps/Chin, J., Wu, M., & Ko, R. C. (2010). The popular competence of hospitality education in Taiwan: Constructing a baking curriculum model. The Business Review, Cambridge, 16(2), 297-303. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/818338252?accountid=28844Gundersen, D. E., Jennings, S., Dunn, D., Fisher, W., Kouliavtsev, M., & Rogers, V. (2011). A pillar for successful business school accreditation: conducting the curriculum review process --a systematic approach. American Journal Of Business Education, 4(5), 39-48. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/868858289?accountid=28844 Hertzman, J. L. (2006). Identifying the characteristics of and quality indicators for associate degree culinary arts programs: A survey of educators and industry (Order No. 3226619). Available from ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Full Text. (304964545). Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/304964545?accountid=28844

Hertzman, J., & Ackerman, R. (2010). Evaluating quality in associate degree culinary arts programs. Quality Assurance in Education, 18(3), 209-226. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/09684881011058650Hu, Meng- Lei Monica (2010). Developing a core competency model of innovative culinary development. International Journal of Hospitality Management. 29 (4). 582-590. doi: 10.1016/j.ijhm.2009.10.024Jeou-Shyan, H., Chih-Ching, T., & Baum, T. (2009). Evaluating the quality of undergraduate hospitality, tourism and leisure programmes. Journal Of Hospitality, Leisure, Sport & Tourism Education (Oxford Brookes University), 8(1), 37-54. doi:10.3794/johlste.81.200. Retrieved from Hospitality & Tourism Complete.Louw, J. (2012). Programme evaluation: Can it improve human resource management practice? South African Journal Of Human Resource Management, 10(3), 1-5. doi:10.4102/sajhrm.v10i3.428Mukhopadhyay, S. S., & Smith, S. S. (2010). Curriculum evaluation from the trainees' perspective: Application to the ALWP ATSM. Journal Of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, 30(8), 795-799. doi:10.3109/01443615.2010.514623Munyon, J. (2012). Rethinking baking education. Snack Food & Wholesale Bakery, 101(7), 8. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/1267203674?accountid=28844

Reid, E. (2003). A changing for the better: curriculum revision as reflective practice in teaching and administration. WPA: Writing Program Administration - Journal Of The Council Of Writing Program Administrators, 26(3), 10-27. Retrieved from http://wpacouncil.org/archives/26n3/26n3reid.pdf Wood, B. (2001). Stake's Countenance Model: evaluating an environmental education professional development course. Journal Of Environmental Education, 32(2), 18. Retrieved from: Academic Search Premiere.Zhang, G., Zeller, N., Griffith, R., Metcalf, D., Williams, J., Shea, C., & Misulis, K. (2011). Using the context, input, process, and product evaluation model (CIPP) as a comprehensive framework to guide the planning, implementation, and assessment of service-learning programs. Journal Of Higher Education Outreach And Engagement, 15(4), 57-84. Retrieved from ERIC.

Appendixes(All information Property of Le Cordon Bleu Schools, North America)Appendix A- The amount of times an item is demoed and the number of times a student produces an item

Appendix B- Minimum Capstone Class Requirement Grade Sheet

Appendix C- Extern Evaluation- Both LCBC250 and LCBC255 contain the same information on the evaluation.