Departmental Assessment Update - Water Resources Research Center Report

Department: Environmental Center
Program: Environmental Studies
Level: Undergraduate

1. List in detail your undergraduate Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs) for each degree/certificate offered.

Unlike many of its peer institutions, the University of Hawaii at Manoa has no formal, broadly multidisciplinary degree programs in environmental studies. However, UHM does offer degrees in Environmental Science (SOEST), Natural Resources and Environmental Management (CTAHR) and many departments offer environment-related courses (Geography, Economics, Oceanography, Geology & Geophysics, Zoology, Botany,....) and thus can offer students much in the way of relevant expertise and coursework. Hence the University has offered an Interdisciplinary Studies (IS) degree with an "equivalent major" in Environmental Studies. Abbreviated as EVS, the program is administered by the Environmental Center, a unit of the Water Resources Research Center. The program leads to a bachelor of arts degree. A Certificate in Environmental Studies is also offered.

Student learning objectives are:

1. To acquire basic knowledge and understanding of introductory principles of biology, chemistry, and economics.

2. To acquire proficiency in key competencies including technical writing and critical thinking.

3. To communicate clearly, both orally and in writing.

4. To explore the broad scope of environmental management issues, both local and global, that defines the context of environmental studies.

5. To establish a connection with career experiences based in individual student interests, including the beginnings of contact networks that may lead to developing career opportunities.

6. To gain experience in thinking about career goals and outlining a path to achieve them.

2. Where are these SLOs published (e.g., department web page)?

The SLOs are published on the Environmental Center's website, the address of which is http://www.hawaii.edu/envctr/evs.htm (or, go to www.hawaii.edu/envctr and click on "Environmental Studies." )

3. Explain how your SLOs map onto your curriculum, i.e., how does your curriculum produce the specific SLOs in your students?

SLOs map directly onto the curriculum. First, objective #6 is pursued by the IS requirement that students draft a proposed program of study satisfying university, IS and EVS requirements. The proposal is discussed at length and repeatedly with the EVS advisor and must meet his approval as well as IS approval.

SLO #1 is met by requiring the student to choose amongst an introductory set of courses in Biology, Chemistry and Economics.

SLO #2 involves a set of courses at the intermediate or higher level in Biology, Botany, Geography, Zoology, Oceanography, Ocean and Earth Sciences and Technology. Students may then choose freely from a long list of courses at the University with a bearing on environment, ranging from American Studies to Zoology and including both natural and social sciences. The student's curriculum proposal as well as the project report (see #5 below) contribute to this objective.

SLO #3 -- communications ability -- comes from University General Education requirements, including courses the student's major-equivalent courses but in large part from University requirements for written and oral presentation, Writing Intensive courses and symbolic logic.

SLO #4 is the essence of the EVS program, and involves the intermediate and higher level courses noted above (see #2) as well as the capstone course, IS 489 (Environmental Praticum) discussed in #5.

SLO #5 is satisfied through the required capstone course, IS 489. For this course, students are provided with a list of potential sponsors (government agencies and private sector organizations). After preliminary discussions with several sponsors, the student, sponsor and EVS advisor identify a relevant project. The student completes research for the project, in the process preparing and delivering oral and written reports. Guest speakers also contribute to this objective. The final exam consists of an oral presentation of results. Many of these internships have led to job offers and careers.

4. What specific methodologies were used to collect data? In developing your response, consider the following questions:

The diversity of subject matter and the large number of departments in which EVS students take courses makes program evaluation unusually difficult. For reasons of privacy as well as logistics, it is not possible to compile course evaluations from the courses taken in other departments. However, four channels of assessment are pursued: frequent individual meetings with the advisor, including discussion of the student's proposed curriculum; personal observation in the students' senior year IS 489 Practicum course; written evaluations of the capstone IS 489 Practicum course; and follow-up with graduates.

In the course of the Practicum, students are required to fill out student information sheets stating both their career and immediate academic goals, as well as describing prior extracurricular work experience relevant to their area of interest. At the end of the IS 489 course, three separate evaluations are collected from all students: (a) a student evaluation of the course; (b) a student evaluation of their internship experience; and (c) the sponsor's evaluation of the student.

An effort is made to maintain contact with as many graduates of the program as possible, updating addresses, career moves and reflections on their educational experience. A written survey was distributed to former students in 2003.

Finally, the 2005 Program review team administered a questionnaire to current students.

5. How were the assessment data/results used to inform decisions concerning the curriculum and administration of the program?

Advising interviews provide much experience useful in obtaining information about the relative strengths and weaknesses of the different course offerings. This information is extremely useful in providing guidance for new students contemplating alternative approaches to curricula that best reflect their interest and academic goals.

The IS 489 evaluation forms form the basis for decision on subsequent years' course structure and content. For example, we have expanded the use of class panels discussions with former students and have added or changed environmental professionals invited to discuss issues of particular currency.

Results of the survey of graduates led to renewed efforts to identify new course offerings.

6. Has the program developed learning outcomes? Please indicate yes or no.

Yes

7. Has the program published learning outcomes? Please indicate yes or no.

No

8. If so, please indicate how the program has published learning outcomes.

9. What evidence is used to determine achievement of student learning outcomes?

Follow-up contact with past graduates.

10. Who interprets the evidence?

Environmental Center faculty, particularly the EVS advisor and IS 489 instructor

11. What is the process of interpreting the evidence?

The small size of the program makes it relatively straight-forward to simply incorporate the results of conversations into future advising, course curriculum discussions with students, and IS 489 course activity.

12. Indicate the date of last program review.

Submitted January 15, 2005