There is perhaps no better way to describe the spirit and intent of a program review. A review should be open-minded and be willing to challenge any and all assumptions guiding the program design and delivery; getting, losing, keeping, and possibly casting away.
A program exists to educate students over a number of terms and years in a concentration way that results in a collection of ‘learning outcomes’ that can include a variety of aspects. The outcomes can be theoretical and abstract concepts, applied skills and knowledge, outcomes that relate to the how and the what, and can also include complementary skills and knowledge that will assist the student upon graduation. This is why students enlist in the program, and why society feels that the program is worthy. Each program will have a different mix of outcomes, with some programs being more theoretical, conceptual, applied, general, specialized, etc., and it is the mix that provides the program identity and what the stakeholders value. A program will not exist if it is only the instructors who value it, students must value it and society must also value students with these outcomes.
Reviewing a program requires a number of cognitive skills, including intimate knowledge about the current program and how to conduct a review. Conducting reviews and doing evaluations are not often part of an instructor’s regular training and education. They are experts in their own domain but this expertise does not necessarily transfer to other areas such as process evaluations and reviews.