Program: Spanish (BA)
Degree: Bachelor's
Date: Tue Nov 13, 2018 - 3:46:55 pm
1) Program Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs) and Institutional Learning Objectives (ILOs)
1. SLO 1 Analyze, evaluate, critique, describe, and develop intercultural competence in the language and literatures of Spain and Latin America within their socio-historical context.
(1a. General education, 1b. Specialized study in an academic field, 2a. Think critically and creatively)
2. SLO 2 Conduct research, write research papers, and report orally in Spanish using appropriate professional registers on issues related to Hispanic culture, literature, and linguistics.
(1b. Specialized study in an academic field, 2a. Think critically and creatively, 2b. Conduct research, 2c. Communicate and report)
3. SLO 3 Develop cultural awareness, international engagement, language and cultural immersion, and respect for cultural differences and social justice related to Hispanic cultures.
(3a. Continuous learning and personal growth, 3b. Respect for people and cultures, in particular Hawaiian culture, 3d. Civic participation)
2) Your program's SLOs are published as follows. Please update asneeded.
Department Website URL: https://manoa.hawaii.edu/llea/spanish/undergraduate-studies/
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: NA 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: In Fall 2016 we conducted a needs analysis to improve and develop a new curriculum for the first two years of language learning (SPAN 101-202)8) Briefly explain the assessment activities that took place.
Starting in Spring 2016, the Spanish Division faculty conducted an evaluation of the current BA requirements (i.e. all upper division courses) by taking into consideration enrollments, graduation rates, faculty availability, student surveys, and other relevant data. As a result, a new structure for the BA was discussed and implemented starting Fall 2017 that would provide greater course flexibility to students, a more streamlined path that would contribute to UH Mānoa’s goal to allow students to complete their degrees in four years, allow students the option to concentrate more specifically in an area of study (e.g. literature, linguistics, translation studies, film), facilitate double major completion, and provide greater flexibility in scheduling and staffing of courses offered.
In Fall 2016, we also conducted a needs-analysis (spearheaded by Dr. Marta González-Lloret) to better understand the needs of our students in our two year basic language program sequence (SPAN 101-202). The surveys were designed, piloted, improved, and administered in class to all SPAN 101 through 202 students. Throughout the process, several sources and methods to gather the data were utilized, including teaching materials, existing documentation (e.g. curriculum maps, program SLOs, University ILOs), student surveys, interviews with instructors and language coordinators, and interviews with 300 level students. After data was analyzed, the Spanish Division's faculty met several times to discuss the needs-analysis results, compare them to our existing curriculum, materials, and SLOs, and then outline a path to improve the direction and the outcomes of our program.
As a result of the 2016 needs-analysis conducted, a new curriculum has been implemented in the basic language course sequence (SPAN 101-202). As the basic language courses are sequential, the full implementation of the new curriculum is being implemented on a semester by semester basis. The implementation began in Fall 2017 with SPAN 101 and will conclude in Spring 2020 with SPAN 202.
The Spanish Division also conducts regular assessment activities every semester. We administer between 200-300 placement exams to all students enrolled in SPAN 101 to make sure they are placed at the adequate level and based on the results we advise and move those that could benefit from enrolling at a higher level. Additionally, we administer placement exams several times each semester to assess the Spanish language level of all incoming students new to the UH system in order to place them in the correct level. This provides an advising opportunity for us to explain how they may complete the Spanish BA, Spanish certificate or H/SL in the most efficient way.
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.
About 200 SPAN 101 students took placement exam
About 500 students at all levels taking the placement exam
Alll students paticipated in course and instructor end of course evaluations
Heritage/Native speaker oral and written assessment
About 100 students partiicpated in 300 survey
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.
Our placement exams assist us in correctly placing and average of 35 students each semester that did not registered for the correct courses. Faculty proctors advice students on the correct language course they need to enroll and their options to complete UH Manoa H/SL requirement in the most efficient way as well as how they can obtain back credits if eligible.
Survey of 300 level students showed the need for courses interrelated with other disciplines.
End of semester exams and projects demonstrated progress of students at different rates.
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.
Based on students’ end of the course evaluations and BA exit surveys, we have continued to promote our Spanish language and culture immersion programs abroad. In the last several years we have had faculty lead Spanish language immersion programs to Salamanca and Alicante, Spain, and San José, Costa Rica. These programs have served an average of 18 students each summer and the exit surveys from those programs have reflected the value and need to continue with these language immersion experiences that are lead by Spanish speaking faculty.
As suggested by students, we are offering more events outside of class to promote Spanish culture and language. These optional events allow students to participate in on-campus activities, but also include island wide Hispanic cultural activities (e.g. Hispanic Heritage Festival, Spanish language films at the Hawaii International Film Festival and the Honolulu Rainbow Film Festival) as well as internships at the Department of Education Seal of Biliteray program and volunteer work at the Citizen Workshop to assist Spanish speaking people requesting information on US citizenship or examinations.
We attempt to offer a consistent rotation of Spanish language for the professions at the lower and upper division levels (e.g. SPAN 203 Intensive Business Spanish, SPAN 305 Intro to Spanish-English Translation, SPAN 306B and 306C Spanish for Professionals [Commercial and Medical], SPAN 308 Introduction to Spanish-English Interpreting).
We are continuing to address the problem of students registering for Spanish 101 when they do not belong in that course. These efforts require extra resources and personnel but we are seeing results and now we are able to place about 98% of the students in the correct course before the end of the add and drop period.
Our faculty meets regularly to discuss our SLOs and we are in the process of considering intercultural competence as one of our SLOs and devising forms to assess whether it is being achieved.
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.
Fcaulty seems to be more aware of the importance of assessment for the program and more willing to engage on discussion about it.