Evaluating Business Curriculum in Applied Universities: A CIPP-Based Framework
Article Sidebar
Main Article Content
Abstract
In response to China’s initiative to advance “New Humanities” and “New Business,” this study highlights the urgent need for a systematic framework to evaluate innovative curricula such as the interdisciplinary “Big Business” course in applied undergraduate institutions. The primary aim is to construct a comprehensive evaluation system based on the CIPP (Context, Input, Process, Product) model to diagnose implementation challenges and provide actionable guidance for improvement. Adopting a qualitative design research approach, the framework was developed through a systematic literature review, indicator extraction and synthesis, and logical validation. The finalized system encompasses four primary and ten secondary indicators aligned with the CIPP dimensions. Its application reveals several systemic challenges, including misalignment between curriculum objectives and content, insufficient investment in teaching resources, imbalances between student engagement and cognitive load, and limited alignment with industry needs. The study concludes that holistic, system-level reforms are essential for ensuring the curriculum’s effectiveness. The key contribution lies in offering a validated and practical tool for educators to improve curriculum quality, as well as a theoretical foundation for evaluating complex interdisciplinary programs.
Article Details
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
References
Barney, J. (1991). Firm resources and sustained competitive advantage. Journal of Management, 17(1), 99–120. https://doi.org/10.1177/014920639101700108
Biggs, J. (1996). Enhancing teaching through constructive alignment. Higher Education, 32(3), 347–364. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00138871
Feng, S. (2017). An analysis of the meaning of curriculum evaluation. Curriculum, Teaching Material and Method, 37(12), 3–8.
Fitzpatrick, J. L., Sanders, J. R., & Worthen, B. R. (2011). Program evaluation: Alternative approaches and practical guidelines (4th ed.). Pearson Education.
Guba, E. G., & Lincoln, Y. S. (1989). Fourth generation evaluation. Sage Publications.
Huang, Y., Zhou, H., & Huang, J. (2022). China’s educational competitiveness: Construction of evaluation index system and international comparison. Statistics and Decision, 38(4), 74–78.
Hutchinson, T., & Waters, A. (1987). English for specific purposes: A learning-centred approach. Cambridge University Press.
Kirkpatrick, D. L. (1959). Techniques for evaluating training programs. Journal of the American Society of Training Directors, 13(11), 3–9.
Klein, J. T. (1990). Interdisciplinarity: History, theory, and practice. Wayne State University Press.
Lei, H. (2020). Curriculum evaluation based on core literacy: Theoretical foundation, connotation, and research methods. Journal of Shanghai Normal University (Philosophy & Social Sciences Edition), 49(5), 78–85.
Li, W., & Chen, Y. (2021). Evaluating the reform of an MBA program using the CIPP model: A case study from a Chinese university. Journal of Education for Business, 96(4), 219–227. https://doi.org/10.1080/08832323.2020.1743602
Lü, J. (2018). Analysis of the elements of social responsibility cultivation based on the CIPP evaluation model. Statistics and Decision, 34(10), 108–112.
Ma, L. (2020). Constructing an evaluation index system for comprehensive practical activity courses based on the CIPP model. Teaching and Management, (9), 115–118.
Mu, B., & Sun, J. (2021). Research on the evaluation index system of the “Qingma Project” educational capacity in universities based on the CIPP model. School Party Building and Ideological Education, (6), 59–61.
Qin, F., & Mo, K. (2022). Research on the quality evaluation of school–enterprise integration in vocational education based on the CIPP model. Journal of Southwest University (Social Science Edition), 48(3), 194–203.
Stufflebeam, D. L. (2003). The CIPP model for evaluation. In T. Kellaghan & D. L. Stufflebeam (Eds.), International handbook of educational evaluation (pp. 31–62). Kluwer Academic Publishers.
Tagg, J. (2003). The learning paradigm college. Anker Publishing.
Thompson, J., et al. (2020). Beyond the business plan: Using the CIPP model to evaluate experiential entrepreneurship education. The International Journal of Management Education, 18(3), 100428. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijme.2020.100428
Tyler, R. W. (1949). Basic principles of curriculum and instruction. University of Chicago Press.
Van den Akker, J. (2003). Curriculum perspectives: An introduction. In J. van den Akker, W. Kuiper, & U. Hameyer (Eds.), Curriculum landscapes and trends (pp. 1–10). Kluwer Academic Publishers.
Wang, Y., & Li, X. (2019). Evaluating an interdisciplinary program in a Chinese university: A CIPP analysis. Studies in Educational Evaluation, 61, 112–120. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.stueduc.2019.03.001
Xiao, P., Ge, Y., & Hao, X. (2021). Exploration of OBE+CIPP classroom assessment model. Higher Engineering Education Research, (6), 176–182.
Xie, J., Zhang, T., & Cheng, F. (2017). Construction of a flipped classroom teaching evaluation system based on the CIPP model. Modern Distance Education Research, (5), 95–103.
Yang, Z., & Deng, H. (2020). Exploration of curriculum reform in application-oriented universities based on school–enterprise integration. Vocational Education Forum, (1), 56–62.
Zhang, J. (2018). Forty years of curriculum evaluation research in China: Processes, themes, and prospects. Curriculum, Teaching Material and Method, 38(10), 59–66.
Zhang, L., Gao, W., Zhang, H., & others. (2022). Research on classroom teaching quality evaluation in application-oriented undergraduate institutions based on the CIPP model. Higher Education Journal, 8(20), 19–22.
Zhang, Q. (2020). Application of the CIPP model in the evaluation of research-based learning courses. Jiangxi Educational Research, (7), 5–7, 29.