Unit: Arts & Sciences, Colleges of
Program: Life Sciences Advising for the College of NS
Date: Thu Oct 08, 2015 - 3:50:37 pm

1) Below are your program's student outcomes (SOs). Please add or update as needed.

Students will be able to:

  • navigate STAR to track their academic progress and formulate an educational plan that will assist them in achieving their goals.

  • identify College and University resources and policies that enhance their educational experience.

  • identify their interests, strengths and values, and formulate an academic pathway that aligns these with their career goals.

2) Your program's SOs are published as follows. Please update as needed.

Program's Website. URL:
Student Handbook. URL, if available online:
Information Sheet, Flyer, or Brochure. URL, if available online:
UHM Catalog. Page Number:
Other: Currently they are published in google drive in our advisors training manual.
Other:

3) Provide the program's activity map or other graphic that illustrates how program activities/services align with program student outcomes. Please upload it as a PDF.

Activity Map File(s) from 2015:

4) Did your program engage in any program assessment activities between June 1, 2014 and September 30, 2015? (e.g., establishing/revising outcomes, aligning activities to outcomes, collecting evidence, interpreting evidence, using results, revising the assessment plan, creating surveys, etc.)

Yes
No (skip to question 14)

5) For the period between June 1, 2014 and September 30, 2015: State the assessment question(s) and/or assessment goals. Include the student outcomes that were targeted, if applicable.

We assessed SLO 3 (identify their interests, strengths and values, and formulate an academic pathway that aligns these with their career goals) during the 2014-2015 school year.

6) State the type(s) of evidence gathered to answer the assessment question and/or meet the assessment goals that were given in Question #5.

We used questions from an IRB approved survey that was administered in our office during a 3 week period.  These questions assessed student's perceptions of their advising appointments.  All students were asked to complete the survey, irregardless of what type of appointment they had.  We chose to assess students participating in Mandatory Advising because that is where we have a set curriculum that we are trying to ensure students learn.

7) State how many persons submitted evidence that was evaluated. If applicable, please include the sampling technique used.

We collected a total of 200 responses during a 3 week period.  All students were asked to participate when they came in for advising appointments during that 3 week period.  We analyzed data from all students that indicated they had come in for Mandatory Advising.

8) Who interpreted or analyzed the evidence that was collected? Check all that apply.

Program faculty/staff member(s)
Faculty/staff committee
Ad hoc faculty/staff group
Director or department chairperson
Persons or organization outside the university
Students (graduate or undergraduate)
Dean or Associate Dean
Advisory Board
Other:

9) How did he/she/they evaluate, analyze, or interpret the evidence? Check all that apply.

Compiled survey results
Used quantitative methods on student data (e.g., grades, participation rates) or other numeric data
Used qualitative methods on interview, focus group, or other open-ended response data
Scored exams/tests/quizzes
Used a rubric or scoring guide
Used professional judgment (no rubric or scoring guide used)
External organization/person analyzed data (e.g., Social Science Research Institute)
Other:

10) For the assessment questions/goals stated in Question #5, summarize the actual results.

The students were asked to use a likert scale that ranged from 1 to 10, 10 being the top score to indicate how they felt about the following things.  Average responses for each class standing are listed.
  • I have worked with an advisor for help with long range academic planning through graduation: freshmen, 7.3; sophomores, 7.9; juniors, 7.59, seniors 7.9
  • I have worked with an advisor for help with long range academic planning beyond my undergraduate degree: freshmen, 5.6; sophomore, 6.2; junior 6.1; senior, 7.2
  • As a result of my advising experience(s) I feel more prepared for:
    • my personal future: freshmen, 7.3; sophomore, 7.2; junior, 7.5; senior, 8.0
    • my academic future: freshmen, 8.0; sophomore, 8.2; junior 8.1; senior, 8.5
    • my future career: freshmen, 7.8; sophomore, 7.4; junior, 7.6; senior, 8.0
    • my overall future: freshmen, 7.6; sophomore, 7.3; junior, 7.5; senior, 8.0

For the remaining questions they were able to respond yes or no to the following statements.  The count and percentage of Yes responses are listed next to each statement:

  • My advisor helped/encouraged me to...
    • create an academic plan: freshmen, 65, 93%; sophomore, 73, 94%; junior, 29, 91%; senior, 19, 95%
    • understand my graduation requirements: freshmen, 65, 93%; sophomore, 74, 95%; junior, 24, 75%; senior, 18, 90%
    • get connected to campus resources: freshmen, 48, 69%; sophomore, 42, 54%; junior, 16, 50%; senior 15, 75%
    • get involved in campus life: freshmen, 38, 54%; sophomore, 20, 26%; junior, 3, 9%; senior, 5, 25%
    • feel connected to the university community: freshmen, 18, 26%; sophomore, 9, 12%; junior, 6, 19%; senior 4, 20%
    • build confidence to achieve my goals: freshmen, 30, 43%; sophomore, 29, 37%; junior, 13, 41%; senior, 10, 50%
    • feel supported in school: freshmen, 40, 57%; sophomore, 30, 38%; junior, 14, 44%; senior, 11, 55%
    • consider future implications of my present day choices: freshmen, 35, 50%; sophomore, 30, 38%; junior, 12, 38%; senior, 12, 60%
    • integrate my personal and professional goals: freshmen, 20, 29%; sophomore, 22, 28%; junior, 32, 25%; senior, 9, 45% 

11) What was learned from the results?

Highlighted in bold are the things that we did well (met our minimum bar) and in italics are those areas we need improvement (did not meet our bar):
  • I have worked with an advisor for help with long range academic planning through graduation: freshmen, 7.3; sophomores, 7.9; juniors, 7.59, seniors 7.9
  • I have worked with an advisor for help with long range academic planning beyond my undergraduate degree: freshmen, 5.6; sophomore, 6.2; junior 6.1; senior, 7.2
  • As a result of my advising experience(s) I feel more prepared for:
    • my personal future: freshmen, 7.3; sophomore, 7.2; junior, 7.5; senior, 8.0
    • my academic future: freshmen, 8.0; sophomore, 8.2; junior 8.1; senior, 8.5
    • my future career: freshmen, 7.8; sophomore, 7.4; junior, 7.6; senior, 8.0
    • my overall future: freshmen, 7.6; sophomore, 7.3; junior, 7.5; senior, 8.0
  • My advisor helped/encouraged me to...
    • create an academic plan: freshmen, 65, 93%; sophomore, 73, 94%; junior, 29, 91%; senior, 19, 95%
    • understand my graduation requirements: freshmen, 65, 93%; sophomore, 74, 95%; junior, 24, 75%; senior, 18, 90%
    • get connected to campus resources: freshmen, 48, 69%; sophomore, 42, 54%; junior, 16, 50%; senior 15, 75%
    • get involved in campus life: freshmen, 38, 54%; sophomore, 20, 26%; junior, 3, 9%; senior, 5, 25%
    • feel connected to the university community: freshmen, 18, 26%; sophomore, 9, 12%; junior, 6, 19%; senior 4, 20%
    • build confidence to achieve my goals: freshmen, 30, 43%; sophomore, 29, 37%; junior, 13, 41%; senior, 10, 50%
    • feel supported in school: freshmen, 40, 57%; sophomore, 30, 38%; junior, 14, 44%; senior, 11, 55%
    • consider future implications of my present day choices: freshmen, 35, 50%; sophomore, 30, 38%; junior, 12, 38%; senior, 12, 60%
    • integrate my personal and professional goals: freshmen, 20, 29%; sophomore, 22, 28%; junior, 32, 25%; senior, 9, 45% 

12) State how the program used the results or plans to use the results. Please be specific.

We have a set mandatory advising curriculum that we felt had met each of the learning outcomes.  After this excercise we learned that students do not perceive us covering certain topics in the same way we think we are delivering them.  As a result, we are revisiting our mandatory advising curriculum to see what we can modify to improve student perception regarding these topics of conversation.

13) Reflect on the assessment process. Is there anything related to assessment procedures your program would do differently next time? What went well?

We are working to find better direct measures of some of these things.  We understand that indirect measures, such as surveys, are not always an ideal way of assessing students learning because they address student perception more than actual learning.  We find it challenging to identify other measures that could better assess some of these topics.  That is something we will focus on in the future.

14) If the program did not engage in assessment activities, please explain.
Or, if the program did engage in assessment activities, please add any other important information here.

Nothing else to report at this time.