Unit: Tropical Plant & Soil Sciences
Program: Tropical Plant & Soil Sci (BS)
Degree: Bachelor's
Date: Thu Oct 16, 2014 - 2:31:36 pm

1) Institutional Learning Objectives (ILOs) and Program Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs)

1. Understand basic plant morphology and be able to use it to identify plants commonly used in the discipline by scientific and common names.

(1b. Specialized study in an academic field)

2. Demonstrate fundamental knowledge of biological processes (e.g., life cycles, respiration, photosynthesis, reproduction, source-sink relations, dormancy, photoperiodism, photomorphogenesis) and be able to use this knowledge to interpret horticultural practices and produce quality horticultural crops.

(1b. Specialized study in an academic field)

3. Know how to apply appropriate plant management operations, including propagation, pruning & training, plant growth regulators, and environmental manipulations (light, temperature, water, nutrition, soil) in order to produce horticultural crops.

(1b. Specialized study in an academic field, 2a. Think critically and creatively)

4. Know how to apply IPM strategies (agricultural chemicals or their alternatives and sustainable practices) properly, including scouting & monitoring, timing & scheduling, rotations, calculations, and safety procedures.

(1b. Specialized study in an academic field)

5. Understand the basis for genetics and fundamentals of plant breeding.

(1b. Specialized study in an academic field)

6. Apply principles of soil science in the management of field soils, displaced soils, and artificial substrates in containers.

(1b. Specialized study in an academic field)

7. Use technology effectively, including computer skills and be able to locate relevant data/research in hard copy as well as on line.

(1a. General education, 2a. Think critically and creatively, 2b. Conduct research)

8. Speak effectively and write concisely on subject matter within the professional curriculum.

(1a. General education, 2c. Communicate and report)

9. Realize the need for continuing education in the professional discipline through professional societies, short courses, conferences, use of the internet, and reading.

(1a. General education, 3a. Continuous learning and personal growth)

10. Work effectively in a team situation either as a leader or participant to define problems and identify resources and solutions.

(1a. General education, 2a. Think critically and creatively)

11. Develop a global perspective on horticultural issues.

(1b. Specialized study in an academic field)

12. Develop an ethical perspective and sense of moral responsibility and values in making decisions that affect the (human) community and environment.

(1a. General education, 3b. Respect for people and cultures, in particular Hawaiian culture, 3c. Stewardship of the natural environment)

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

Department Website URL:
Student Handbook. URL, if available online:
Information Sheet, Flyer, or Brochure URL, if available online:
UHM Catalog. Page Number: 358
Course Syllabi. URL, if available online:
Other:
Other:

3) Select one option:

Curriculum Map File(s) from 2014:

4) For your program, the percentage of courses that have course SLOs explicitly stated on the syllabus, a website, or other publicly available document is as follows. Please update as needed.

0%
1-50%
51-80%
81-99%
100%

5) Did your program engage in any program assessment activities between June 1, 2013 and September 30, 2014? (e.g., establishing/revising outcomes, aligning the curriculum to outcomes, collecting evidence, interpreting evidence, using results, revising the assessment plan, creating surveys or tests, etc.)

Yes
No (skip to question 14)

6) For the period between June 1, 2013 and September 30, 2014: State the assessment question(s) and/or assessment goals. Include the SLOs that were targeted, if applicable.

SKIP

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

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

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

Course instructor(s)
Faculty committee
Ad hoc faculty group
Department chairperson
Persons or organization outside the university
Faculty advisor
Advisors (in student support services)
Students (graduate or undergraduate)
Dean/Director
Other:

10) How did they evaluate, analyze, or interpret the evidence? (Check all that apply.)

Used a rubric or scoring guide
Scored exams/tests/quizzes
Used professional judgment (no rubric or scoring guide used)
Compiled survey results
Used qualitative methods on interview, focus group, open-ended response data
External organization/person analyzed data (e.g., external organization administered and scored the nursing licensing exam)
Other:

11) For the assessment question(s) and/or assessment goal(s) stated in Question #6:
Summarize the actual results.

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

13) Beyond the results, were there additional conclusions or discoveries?
This can include insights about assessment procedures, teaching and learning, program aspects and so on.

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.

We engaged in stragetic planning in July 2014. Faculty realized that we need a more coherent curriculum. We will invite faculty from the Assessment office to facilitate redefinine our program learning outcomes and curriculum map.