Program: Asian Studies (BA)
Degree: Bachelor's
Date: Wed Oct 07, 2015 - 11:36:54 am
1) Institutional Learning Objectives (ILOs) and Program Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs)
1. Possess basic skills in at least 1 Asian language by demonstrating intermediate level proficiency in reading, writing, and speakingStudents possess basic skills in at least 1 Asian language. Demonstrate college-level fluency in reading, writing, speaking at basic and intermediate levels.
(1a. General education)
2. 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. 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.
(1a. General education, 1b. Specialized study in an academic field)
3. Students can demonstrate an advanced understanding of two Asian countries or regions (example Southeast Asia) 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
(1b. Specialized study in an academic field, 3b. Respect for people and cultures, in particular Hawaiian culture)
4. 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
(1b. Specialized study in an academic field, 2a. Think critically and creatively, 2b. Conduct research, 2c. Communicate and report)
5. 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
(1b. Specialized study in an academic field, 2a. Think critically and creatively, 2b. Conduct research, 2c. Communicate and report)
6. 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.
(1a. General education, 1b. Specialized study in an academic field, 2a. Think critically and creatively, 2c. Communicate and report, 3a. Continuous learning and personal growth, 3b. Respect for people and cultures, in particular Hawaiian culture)
2) Your program's SLOs are published as follows. Please update as needed.
Department 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: UHM Catalog. Page Number: Course Syllabi. URL, if available online: Course syllabi available in departmental office. Other: 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.
The premise in Asian Studies has been that student achievement of stated SLOs can be and should be gauged by the letter grade awarded at the end of the semester. A template was created for professors/instructors to analyze their classes by listing the stated SLOs and the percentage of students achieving the stated SLOs as reflected in their grades through, class discussions, presentations, writing assignments and examination.
Student evaluations are reviewed to see if student expectations were met in each course. Comments are reviewed to see if the professors perceptions of student attainments are reflected in these comments.
Exit interviews are conducted by the academic advisor asking students to give their overall impression of the program, course offerings, quality of instruction, cohesiveness in their educational experience. They are asked to comment on improvements the program can make to enhance their educational experience as well as reflect on their future plans and how the program affected their choices and ability to move forward.
Asian Studies has a curriculum committee that not only reviews new course offerings but also considers program cohesion in course offerings. Student comments as well as instructor review of student achievement within their courses will often guide course considerations.
The futures committee reviews program needs often driven by student comments regarding the direction of the program, course offerings and instructional needs.
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: External review of the Asian Studies Program. 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.
Total number of students/persons submitting evidence to be evaluated aproximately 383.
This number included all students evaluated through class work, students submitting end of semester class reviews and exit interviews conducted with graduating students.
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.
SLO1 86% All Asian Studies majors are required to take an Asian Language 101-202. Exceptions are made for students who are unable to complete the language requirement due to learning disabilities as certified by Kokua Services. These students must take 4 semesters of a culture course for example, students whose area of interest is in Japan must take 4 additional courses dealing with Japan to fulfill the language credit requirements.
SLO2 72%
SLO3 71%
SLO4 68%
SLO5 65%
SLO6 87%
SLO4 and 5 deal with the ability to conduct research, analyze findings, present the research in either a paper or oral presentation. Instructor assessment of student abilities indicate that our students need more instruction regarding research and written presentation of research findings.
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.
There has been an ongoing discussion of program cohesion and scaffolding of skills taught. This discussion resulted in changing our major requirements. In the past Asian Studies majors were required to take either ASAN 310 a humanities based survey course or ASAN 312 which is a social-science-based survey course. The program now requires majors to take both ASAN 310 and ASAN 312 in order to create a foundation for students to successfully complete program SLOs 2&3.
A review of the department SLOs in relation to the assessment of student achievement in each of our courses has lead to a review of course syllabi and the alignment of course SLOs with program and institutional learning outcomes.
The Curriculum Committee will be tasked with making recommendations to address the shortfall in student achievement in research and presentation skills.
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.
Interviews with students completing their degree programs revealed ways in which the program can recruit new students into the program and adjust our major requirements so they are not a barrier to completing a degree program.
1. There has been a debate as to whether Asian Studies should retain the requirement of 60 upper division credits. Exit interviews with students revealed that initially, this requirement, as opposed to the 45 credits required by most programs on campus was daunting. Students completing the program, however, revealed that the requirement was not as onerous as some would believe. They felt that a) the requirement allowed them to pursue a second major or minor and b) the requirement to take more upper division classes better prepared them for graduate work.
2. Some students chose UHM because the university offered several Asian languages and Asian Studies allowed them to explore multiple disciplines or geographic areas.
3. Students chose the Asian Studies program because of our faculty. Internet searches revealed that many of the experts in areas they were interested in pursuing taught at the University of Hawaii and in particular were part of the Asian Studies faculty.
4. The most interesting comment however came from a student who was a veteran and had been deployed to Iraq. She felt that she learned much more than she expected to about the United States and US policies by viewing them through the perspective of Asian nations. She felt that this was her most valuable take away.