Program: Geography (BA)
Degree: Bachelor's
Date: Wed Aug 15, 2018 - 3:31:53 pm
1) Program Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs) and Institutional Learning Objectives (ILOs)
1. Students understand the core geographic lexicon and basic concepts in the human, environmental and geospatial information science disciplinary streams (GEOG 101, 102/151, 104).
(1b. Specialized study in an academic field, 1c. Understand Hawaiian culture and history, 3b. Respect for people and cultures, in particular Hawaiian culture, 3c. Stewardship of the natural environment)
2. Students demonstrate the ability to understand and apply quantitative and qualitative data for geographic inquiry (GEOG 380).
(1a. General education, 2a. Think critically and creatively, 2b. Conduct research)
3. Students demonstrate the ability to employ appropriate oral and written techniques to communicate geographic research effectively (GEOG 493).
(1a. General education, 2a. Think critically and creatively, 2b. Conduct research, 2c. Communicate and report, 3a. Continuous learning and personal growth, 3d. Civic participation)
4. Students possesses advanced knowledge of the geographic lexicon and core knowledge of a disciplinary stream (GEOG 325 and other 300 level course requirements).
(1b. Specialized study in an academic field, 2a. Think critically and creatively, 2b. Conduct research, 3a. Continuous learning and personal growth, 3b. Respect for people and cultures, in particular Hawaiian culture, 3c. Stewardship of the natural environment)
5. Human Geography Stream: Students are able to explain the complex relationship between the environment, society, and culture.
(1b. Specialized study in an academic field, 1c. Understand Hawaiian culture and history, 2c. Communicate and report, 3a. Continuous learning and personal growth, 3b. Respect for people and cultures, in particular Hawaiian culture)
6. Human Geography Stream: Students are able to conduct basic analysis of how economic, political, and cultural processes are shaping human experiences at different geographic scales.
(1b. Specialized study in an academic field, 1c. Understand Hawaiian culture and history, 2b. Conduct research, 2c. Communicate and report, 3a. Continuous learning and personal growth, 3b. Respect for people and cultures, in particular Hawaiian culture)
7. Environmental Geography Stream: Students are able to explain the relationships between biosphere, lithosphere, hydrosphere, and atmospheric systems.
(1b. Specialized study in an academic field, 3a. Continuous learning and personal growth, 3c. Stewardship of the natural environment)
8. Environmental Geography Stream: Students able to able to conduct basic analysis of how environmental change is occurring at different geographic scales.
(1b. Specialized study in an academic field, 2b. Conduct research, 2c. Communicate and report, 3a. Continuous learning and personal growth, 3c. Stewardship of the natural environment)
9. Geospatial Information Science: Students are able to interpret human and environmental geospatial information
(1b. Specialized study in an academic field, 3a. Continuous learning and personal growth)
10. Geospatial Information Science: Students are able to produce maps in a professional manner and utilize advanced geospatial techniques to analyze spatial patterns or change in human and environmental systems.
(1b. Specialized study in an academic field, 2b. Conduct research, 2c. Communicate and report, 3a. Continuous learning and personal growth)
2) Your program's SLOs are published as follows. Please update asneeded.
Department Website URL: http://geography.manoa.hawaii.edu/student-learning-objectives/
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: 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) Does the program have learning achievement results for its program SLOs? (Example of achievement results: "80% of students met expectations on SLO 1.")(check one):
No Yes, on some(1-50%) of the program SLOs Yes, on most(51-99%) of the program SLOs Yes, on all(100%) of the program SLOs6) Did your program engage in any program learning assessment activities between June 1, 2015 and October 31, 2018?
Yes No (skip to question 17)7) What best describes the program-level learning assessment activities that took place for the period June 1, 2015 to October 31, 2018? (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) No (skip to question 17) Investigate other pressing issue related to student learning achievement for the program (explain in question 7) Other: 8) Briefly explain the assessment activities that took place.
Acheivement of SLOs #1-4 is evaluated in course grades associated with the specific learning objectives
SLO #5 is demonstrated in GEOG courses with W or O designations.
GEOG 493 is a capstone seminar where seniors complete a culminating project that allows them to demonstrate their abilities as a geographer and fullfillment of the departmental SLO
All graduating seniors complete a capstone survey which asks them to review the program and self evaluate their fullfillment of departmental SLO.
9) What types of evidence did the program use as part of the assessment activities checked in question 7? (Check all that apply.)
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 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 Assessment-related such as assessment plan, SLOs, curriculum map, etc. Program or course materials (syllabi, assignments, requirements, etc.) Other 1: Other 2: 10) State the number of students (or persons) who submitted evidence that was evaluated. If applicable, please include the sampling technique used.
All graduating seniors (12-15 per year) must take the senior capstone seminar and complete the on-line capstone survey which is conducted using Qualtrix software on an annual basis.
These annual surveys have been used to support program review and a a major revision of our undergraduate prgram was completed in 2017 based ion survey results.
The capstone surveys also led to the development of a proposal for new undergraduate certificate in geospatial information science is currently being reviewed by the VCAA.
Capstone survey results for the past 5 years will be combined, analysed and presented to faculty after the 5th year of data becomes available in spring 2019.
11) 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: 12) 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: 13) Summarize the results of the assessment activities checked in question 7. For example, report the percentage of students who achieved each SLO.
Capstone survey results for the past 5 years will be combined, analysed and presented to faculty after the 5th year of data becomes available in spring 2019. We will also make this report available to the assessment office next year.
14) 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: 15) Please briefly describe how the program used the results.
These annual surveys have been used to support program review and a a major revision of our undergraduate program was completed in 2017 based on survey results.
The capstone surveys also led to the development of a proposal for new undergraduate certificate in geospatial information science is currently being reviewed by the VCAA.
Advising schedules and a signficant revision to the department website incorporated survey responses
Undergraduate students (seniors) participate in our spring research symposium (along with graduate students) by presenting their capstone projects
Capstone survey results for the past 5 years will be combined, analysed and presented to faculty this coming spring after the 5th year of data becomes available. We will also make this report available to the assessment office next year.
16) 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.
Assessment provided a clearer picture of our students desire for more flexibility in meeting major requirements which was built into the new program. It also allowed us to understand their desire for a geospatial science certificate which provides an additional credential supporting post-graduation employment opportunities.