Program: Global Environmental Science (BS)
Degree: Bachelor's
Date: Tue Sep 29, 2015 - 11:01:17 am
1) Institutional Learning Objectives (ILOs) and Program Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs)
1. Define and explain the basic principles and concepts of chemistry, physics, biology, calculus, geology, geophysics, meteorology, and oceanography.
(1a. General education, 3c. Stewardship of the natural environment)
2. Apply their understanding of the fundamentals of science and mathematics to the description and quantification of the interactions of the atmosphere, hydrosphere, lithosphere, and biosphere, including humans.
(1a. General education, 1b. Specialized study in an academic field, 3c. Stewardship of the natural environment)
3. Employ the scientific approach to problem solving, and hypothesis formation and testing.
(1b. Specialized study in an academic field, 2a. Think critically and creatively, 3c. Stewardship of the natural environment)
4. Conduct scientific research, and analyze and evaluate results.
(1b. Specialized study in an academic field, 2a. Think critically and creatively, 2b. Conduct research, 3c. Stewardship of the natural environment)
5. Demonstrate information literacy by collection and evaluation of scientific literature.
(2a. Think critically and creatively)
6. Express themselves clearly and concisely in written form.
(2c. Communicate and report, 3a. Continuous learning and personal growth)
7. Demonstrate skilled delivery of well organized informal and formal oral presentations
(2c. Communicate and report, 3a. Continuous learning and personal growth, 3d. Civic participation)
2) Your program's SLOs are published as follows. Please update as needed.
Department Website URL: http://www.soest.hawaii.edu/oceanography/GES/
Student Handbook. URL, if available online: Information Sheet, Flyer, or Brochure URL, if available online: UHM Catalog. Page Number: Course Syllabi. URL, if available online: http://www.soest.hawaii.edu/oceanography/courses.html Other: In program office (MSB 205) Other: 3) Please review, add, replace, or delete the existing curriculum map.
- File (03/16/2020)
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 learning assessment activities between June 1, 2014 and September 30, 2015?
Yes No (skip to question 16)6) What best describes the program-level learning assessment activities that took place for the period June 1, 2014 to September 30, 2015? (Check all that apply.)
Create/modify/discuss program learning assessment procedures (e.g., SLOs, curriculum map, mechanism to collect student work, rubric, survey) Collect/evaluate student work/performance to determine SLO achievement Collect/analyze student self-reports of SLO achievement via surveys, interviews, or focus groups Use assessment results to make programmatic decisions (e.g., change course content or pedagogy, design new course, hiring) Investigate curriculum coherence. This includes investigating how well courses address the SLOs, course sequencing and adequacy, the effect of pre-requisites on learning achievement. Investigate other pressing issue related to student learning achievement for the program (explain in question 7) Other: 7) Briefly explain the assessment activities that took place in the last 18 months.
New evaluations were created to assess each student's oral performance and final thesis. Every student is required to present their thesis project to a public audience, and write a thesis paper. 1-2 faculty members are selected to evaluate both requirements.
Several surveys were completed by the current GES students throughout the year to assess the performance of the program, office, and courses being offered.
New courses have been created (OCN 105: Sustainability in a Changing World, and OCN 399: Introduction to GES Thesis/Project) within the last year in response to student needs and the needs of the School to improve student enrollment.
8) What types of evidence did the program use as part of the assessment activities checked in question 6? (Check all that apply.)
Direct evidence of student learning (student work products)
Artistic exhibition/performance Assignment/exam/paper completed as part of regular coursework and used for program-level assessment Capstone work product (e.g., written project or non-thesis paper) Exam created by an external organization (e.g., professional association for licensure) Exit exam created by the program IRB approval of research Oral performance (oral defense, oral presentation, conference presentation) Portfolio of student work Publication or grant proposal Qualifying exam or comprehensive exam for program-level assessment in addition to individual student evaluation (graduate level only) Supervisor or employer evaluation of student performance outside the classroom (internship, clinical, practicum) Thesis or dissertation used for program-level assessment in addition to individual student evaluation Other 1: Other 2: Indirect evidence of student learning
Alumni survey that contains self-reports of SLO achievement Employer meetings/discussions/survey/interview of student SLO achievement Interviews or focus groups that contain self-reports of SLO achievement Student reflective writing assignment (essay, journal entry, self-assessment) on their SLO achievement. Student surveys that contain self-reports of SLO achievement Other 1: Other 2: Program evidence related to learning and assessment
(more applicable when the program focused on the use of results or assessment procedure/tools in this reporting period instead of data collection)
Assessment-related such as assessment plan, SLOs, curriculum map, etc. Program or course materials (syllabi, assignments, requirements, etc.) Other 1: Other 2: 9) State the number of students (or persons) who submitted evidence that was evaluated. If applicable, please include the sampling technique used.
15 GES students graduated from the Department since June 2014. The performace of their oral presentation and final thesis were evaluated by faculty other than their mentors.
43 GES Alumni completed surveys in November 2014 to evaluate the strengths or weaknesses of the program, and to determine whether they benefitted from the program's SLO's.
10) 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: 11) 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: 12) Summarize the results of the assessment activities checked in question 6. For example, report the percent of students who achieved each SLO.
The GES program continues to produce highly educated and professional graduates capable of entering the scientific work force. Improvements needed last year included assisting our students with finding a research project and mentor early in their academic status to develop an appropriate research topic. In response, the program created OCN 399: Inroduction to GES Thesis/Project to better assist students in developing a project and finding a mentor.
In addition, the Department is now offering opportunities twice a year to allow GES faculty to present their research projects so our students can easily identify which faculty they would like to contact as a mentor. Email notices are also sent out to all our GES students whenever a new project is offered.
13) What best describes how the program used the results? (Check all that apply.)
Assessment procedure changes (SLOs, curriculum map, rubrics, evidence collected, sampling, communications with faculty, etc.) Course changes (course content, pedagogy, courses offered, new course, pre-requisites, requirements) Personnel or resource allocation changes Program policy changes (e.g., admissions requirements, student probation policies, common course evaluation form) Students' out-of-course experience changes (advising, co-curricular experiences, program website, program handbook, brown-bag lunches, workshops) Celebration of student success! Results indicated no action needed because students met expectations Use is pending (typical reasons: insufficient number of students in population, evidence not evaluated or interpreted yet, faculty discussions continue) Other: 14) Please briefly describe how the program used the results.
New bi-annual presentations of GES faculty presenting their research topics are now provided to the GES students.
A rubric has been developed for faculty to evaluate student presentations and final thesis.
15) Beyond the results, were there additional conclusions or discoveries? This can include insights about assessment procedures, teaching and learning, and great achievements regarding program assessment in this reporting period.
None at this time