Program: Student Services/Advising
Date: Wed Oct 07, 2015 - 2:05:40 pm
1) Below are your program's student outcomes (SOs). Please add or update as needed.
The Asian Studies undergraduate program provides the student with a broad interdisciplinary approach to Asian nations and cultures. Upon receiving an area studies degree, the student should have the following skills:
- Students possess basic skills in at least 1 Asian language. Demonstrate college-level fluency in reading, writing, speaking at basic and intermediate levels.
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Students can demonstrate a basic understanding of the interrelationship of economy, politics, literature, religion, the arts, history of Asian countries.
- Demonstrate an understanding of major themes in Asian history and cultural development.
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Be able to explain how
Asian Studies
is constituted in the West. - Be able to explain the ways in which global forces have interacted with the Asian regional context in shaping the character and course of societies in Asia today.
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Students can demonstrate an advanced understanding of two Asian countries or regions (example: Japan(country) Southeast Asia(region)
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Be able to explain
Asian world views
- Be able to explain intra-Asian as well as West vs Asia differences
- Be able to analyze and interpret specific issues in research projects
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Be able to explain
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Students can find and evaluate sources of information about Asia
- Be able to use the library to find appropriate sources of information for a research project
- Be able to evaluate the probable quality sources found on the web
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Students conduct and communicate research findings
- Be able to outline, organize and present a research project
- Be able to design and deliver a presentation that communicates key findings of their research
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Students gain a greater appreciation of the variety of human experience.
- Make students open to different and creative ways of seeing the world.
- Foster a spirit of inquiry so that received mainstream knowledge is never accepted uncritically.
2) Your program's SOs are published as follows. Please update as needed.
Program's Website. URL: https://manoa.hawaii.edu/asianstudies/?page_id=58#learning%20objectives
Student Handbook. URL, if available online: Information Sheet, Flyer, or Brochure. URL, if available online: Program developing new flyers to reflect updated requirements and SLOs UHM Catalog. Page Number: Other: 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.
- File (10/07/2015)
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.
1. Is the program curriculum meeting student expectations?
2. Does current academic advising model aid students in attaining their academic goals?
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.
1. Student exit interviews
2. Student evaluations of courses
3. Instructor assessment of student performance in class
7) State how many persons submitted evidence that was evaluated. If applicable, please include the sampling technique used.
12 Faculty members made up of Asian Studies faculty, Area Center Directors and Adjunct faculty submitted assessments of student performance in class.
347 students submitted class evaluations
10 BA students completing their programs participated in exit interviews
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.
In reviewing student comments, courses offered by the program are meeting or exceeding student expectations.
Faculty assessment of student performance in terms of meeting program SLOs averaged in the 74% range.
Asian Studies majors build their on programs based either on a geographic or discipline focus and can select courses from any program or department. Six of the 10 graduates mentioned the ability to build their own course of study as one of the main reasons for selecting the program. The flexibility in the program however poses advising challenges. Students mentioned the inability to track their progress on STAR which necessitates having to meet with an advisor to stay on tract. Students were frustrated with the advisor availability in Spring 2015. The advising position was cut back to a half time position.
The second question, was if the current academic advising model aid students in attaining their academic goals. Our graduation rate remains between 20%-26% better then the University average. 4 of our graduating students completed the program in 4 years and 3 of the 4 added a minor. Two completed their degrees after an absence of 2 to 3 years.
11) What was learned from the results?
Conclusions this year were the same as the year before.
Reviewing the results of the student course evaluations and exit interviews, the conclusion is that students are happy with the general Asian Studies curriculum. Reviews by instructors/faculty in the program revealed that we need to present our students with a more cohesive curriculum and course progression.
A review of advising practices revealed that the current model tends to be labor intensive but successful. A review of the STAR reporting system and how to effectively utilize the STAR tools to accommodate the varied course combinations of our students is needed.
Hopeful that the coming upgrades in the STAR system will be able to accommodate the variables in the the Asian Studies degree requirements.
12) State how the program used the results or plans to use the results. Please be specific.
Asian Studies continues to review program cohesion and course progression. Faculty assessment of student performance in class has lead to a review of course syllabi in order address academic weakness i.e. research method, oral presentations and written analysis of research.
In discussions with students, it is apparent that the current advising model is labor intensive and the model works only because of the relatively small number of majors (100 maximum at any given point). Students however, have expressed that this hands on model is one of the selling points in recommending the program to fellow students.
13) Reflect on the assessment process. Is there anything related to assessment procedures your program would do differently next time? What went well?
The School of Pacific and Asian Studies now offers two undergraduate degree programs, a BA in Asian Studies and another in Pacific Island Studies. The BA program in Pacific Island Studies is currently very small with a handful of students. Initial discussions with the current Pacific Island Studies advisor has revealed that our student populations have divergent issues and needs.
Going forward, we will need to work together to create an assessment program that addresses the issues of both of our student populations. We will need to develop SO's specific to our advising offices based on student surveys of current advising practices.