Program: Japanese (BA)
Degree: Bachelor's
Date: Fri Oct 09, 2015 - 11:22:42 am
1) Institutional Learning Objectives (ILOs) and Program Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs)
1. [SLO1: ORAL] Engage in oral communication in Japanese in various social contexts, in linguistically and culturally appropriate ways.
(1b. Specialized study in an academic field, 2c. Communicate and report, 3a. Continuous learning and personal growth, 3b. Respect for people and cultures, in particular Hawaiian culture)
2. [SLO2: READING] Read and comprehend texts written in Japanese from a variety of genres and contexts (e.g., newspapers, essay collections, novels).
(1b. Specialized study in an academic field, 2a. Think critically and creatively, 3a. Continuous learning and personal growth, 3b. Respect for people and cultures, in particular Hawaiian culture)
3. [SLO3: WRITING] Apply critical thinking and rhetorical skills to produce coherent written works and presentations in both English and Japanese.
(1b. Specialized study in an academic field, 2a. Think critically and creatively, 2b. Conduct research, 2c. Communicate and report, 3a. Continuous learning and personal growth)
4. [SLO4: RESEARCH] Use a variety of Japanese reference works and sources, including dictionaries and encyclopedias both in book form and on the internet.
(1b. Specialized study in an academic field, 2b. Conduct research, 3a. Continuous learning and personal growth)
5. [SLO5: RESEARCH] Conduct independent research on topics in Japanese literature and/or linguistics, and effectively communicate the results.
(1b. Specialized study in an academic field, 2a. Think critically and creatively, 2b. Conduct research, 2c. Communicate and report)
6. [SLO6: LINGUISTICS] Demonstrate an understanding of phonology, morphology, syntax, and semantics through analysis of words, phrases, and clauses from authentic Japanese samples.
(1b. Specialized study in an academic field)
7. [SLO7: LITERATURE] Identify and describe major authors, works, features, forms, and styles of Japanese literature, both premodern and modern.
(1b. Specialized study in an academic field, 3b. Respect for people and cultures, in particular Hawaiian culture)
8. [SLO8: LITERATURE] Analyze and interpret works of Japanese poetry, prose, and drama, read both in translation and in the original Japanese, using terms appropriate to each genre.
(1b. Specialized study in an academic field, 2a. Think critically and creatively, 3b. Respect for people and cultures, in particular Hawaiian culture)
9. [SLO9: LITERATURE] Situate and evaluate Japanese literature in its social, historical, intellectual, and religious contexts.
(1b. Specialized study in an academic field, 2a. Think critically and creatively, 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: http://hawaii.edu/eall/japanese/undergraduate-programs/
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://hawaii.edu/eall/japanese/courses/ Other: http://www.lll.hawaii.edu/eval/resources/F10/cm_JapaneseBA.pdf 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 Japanese Language Committee analyzed the results of the annual exit survey. We were able to make changes in prerequisites to allow undergraduates to take some of our required courses and electives at an earlier stage. We discussed the possible use of Japanese 402 and Japanese 407E to collect assessment data.
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: Japanese National Honor Society. In AY 2014-15, 13 students were inducted into this selective honor society. 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.
37 out of 41 seniors graduating in AY 2014-15 responded to the exit survey (90%).
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.
[ORAL]
Engage in oral communication in Japanese in culturally appropriate ways.
31 out of 37 students (84%) felt that they had achieved this outcome adequately to very well, with the largest number rating themselves a “4.”
[READING]
Read and comprehend texts written in Japanese from a variety of genres and contexts(e.g., newspapers, essay collections, novels).
33 out of 37 students (89%) felt that they had achieved this outcome adequately to very well, with the largest number rating themselves a “4.”
[WRITING]
Apply critical thinking and rhetorical skills to produce coherent written works and presentations in both English and Japanese.
36 out of 37 students (97%) felt that they had achieved this outcome adequately to very well, with the largest number rating themselves a “4.”
[RESEARCH]
Use a variety of Japanese reference works and, including dictionaries and encyclopedias both in book form and on the internet
36 out of 37 students (97%) felt that they had achieved this outcome adequately to very well, with nearly half of the respondents placing themselves in the highest category, “5.”
[RESEARCH]
Conduct independent research on topics in Japanese literature and/or linguistics, and effectively communicate the results.
33 out of 37 students (89%) felt that they had achieved this outcome adequately to very well, with the largest number rating themselves a “4.”
[LINGUISTICS]
Demonstrate an understanding of phonology, morphology, syntax, and semantics through analysis of words, phrases, and clauses from authentic Japanese samples.
33 out of 37 students (89%) felt that they had achieved this outcome adequately to very well,. with the largest number rating themselves a “4.”
[LITERATURE]
Identify and describe major authors, works, features, forms, and styles of Japanese literature, both premodern and modern.
33 out of 37 students (89%) felt that they had achieved this outcome adequately to very well, with the largest number rating themselves a “3.”
[LITERATURE]
Analyze and interpret works of Japanese poetry, prose, and drama, read both in translation and in the original Japanese, using terms appropriate to each genre.
32 our of 37 students (86%) felt that they had achieved this outcome adequately to very well, with the largest number rating themselves a “3.”
[LITERATURE]
Situate and evaluate Japanese literature in its social, historical, intellectual, and religious contexts.
34 out of 37 students (92%) felt that they had achieved this outcome adequately to very well, with the largest number rating themselves a “4.”
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.
In general, the Japanese B.A. appears to be achieving its objectives, with a large majority of students reporting that they had reached all the planned outcomes adequately to very well. In AY 2014-15, 13 graduating seniors were inducted into the Japanese National Honor Society, a clear measure of program quality. Within this successful pattern, students report slightly lower outcomes in oral use of the language. This self-assessment is underlined in comments by the students expressing a desire for more speaking practice. The Japanese Language Committee continues to discuss how to strengthen this component of the language program. Some ideas for addressing this issue include 1) offering more sections of Japanese 311 and 312, “Third-Year Japanese for Professional Communication,” and working more systematically with HELP and NICE to provide extra-curricular practice in conversation. A redesigned lower-level curriculum, planned to go into effect in Fall 2017, will target oral skills through using material more relevant to students’ lives.
Students also report somewhat lower outcomes in the literature component of the major. Japanese literature, coincidentally, is an area of the department that has been decimated by retirements and resignations during the hiring freeze, with the number of tenured and tenure-track faculty falling from five to the current two. We have submitted a position request in order to start rebuilding this area of the department.
In their written comments, students also reported difficulty in registering for certain upper-level required or elective courses, including JPN 407E, “Readings in Original Texts: Modern Literature.” Restoring faculty positions will help address this situation. We have also submitted course modification proposals to lower prerequisites for JPN 370, “Language in Japanese Society,” and JPN 471, “Okinawan Culture and Language I;” allowing these courses to be taken earlier will add more flexibility to student scheduling, hopefully easing registration problems.
Some student comments expressed a wish for more guidance and instruction related to employment opportunities. We are making an effort this year to revive JPN 495, “Internship Program,” which had been discontinued because of the lack of internships. Our department has also begun to sponsor an annual Career Development Workshop.