Unit: East Asian Languages & Literatures
Program: Japanese (BA)
Degree: Bachelor's
Date: Mon Nov 16, 2020 - 11:38:23 am

1) Program Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs) and Institutional Learning Objectives (ILOs)

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, 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, 3d. Civic participation)

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, 2a. Think critically and creatively, 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, 3a. Continuous learning and personal growth)

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, 2c. Communicate and report, 3b. Respect for people and cultures, in particular Hawaiian culture)

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, 2c. Communicate and report, 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, 2c. Communicate and report, 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://manoa.hawaii.edu/eall/japanese-ba-program-slos/
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: Many course syllabi includes PSLOs that are appropriate to that particular courses

3) Please review, add, replace, or delete the existing curriculum map.

Curriculum Map File(s) from 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 SLOs

6) Did your program engage in any program learning assessment activities between November 1, 2018 and October 31, 2020?

Yes
No (skip to question 17)

7) What best describes the program-level learning assessment activities that took place for the period November 1, 2018 and October 31, 2020? (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 other pressing issue related to student learning achievement for the program (explain in question 8)
Other: Review paths to BA to facilitate double majors and bilingual/native speaker students

8) Briefly explain the assessment activities that took place since November 2018.

The Japanese Language Committee analyzed the results of the exit surveys over the past two years.  This data was used to tweak major requirements that went into effect in Fall 2018. It was also used to monitor satisfaction with the new first- and second-year Japanese language curriculum, which was rolled out in Fall 2017.  We have also used responses to identify courses that pose time conflicts for majors.

In addition, faculty teaching the same courses meet formally and informally to share best practice for achieving various PSLOs. 

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.

70 out of 81 graduating seniors repsonded to the college-level exit survey in 2018-19 and 2019-2020.

RE faculty sharing of best practices, this is impossible to quantify, but the courses involved would add up to approximately 150 students in Japanese literature, and 1000 in the Japanese language program.  These discussions revolve around student achievement broadly defined and are not necessarily couched in the jargon of SLOs, though they certainly intersect.

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 from the evaluation, analysis, interpretation of evidence (checked in question 12). For example, report the percentage of students who achieved each SLO.

General comment: Since the SLOs are built into individual courses as appropriate, one measure of the outcome would be the total passing grades given in each course.  I do not have that number.  Perhaps the IRO can provide it. 

Beyond that, below are the results from the Exit Surveys from 2018-19 and 2019-20.  These are self-assessments, and the percentages reflect the percentage of students who responded 3 or higher on a Lickert scale where 3 means “adequate” and 5 means “very well.”

SLO 1 (Engage in oral communication in Japanese…): 94% rated 3 or higher.

SLO 2 (Read and comprehend texts written in Japanese…): 93% rated 3 or higher

SLO 3 (Apply critical thinking and rhetorical skills…): 96% rated 3 or higher

SLO 4 (Use a variety of Japanese reference works and sources…): 94% rated 3 or higher

SLO 5 (Conduct independent research on topics in Japanese literature and/or linguistics…): 86% rated 3 or higher

SLO 6: (Demonstrate an understanding of phonology, morphology, syntax…): 89% rated 3 or higher

SLO 7 (Identify and describe major authors, works…): 90% rated 3 or higher

SLO 8 (Analyze and interpret works of Japanese poetry, prose…): 86% rated 3 or higher

SLO 9 (Situate and evaluate Japanese literature in its social, historical … contexts.): 89% rated 3 or higher

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 its findings/results.

See #14 above.

The Japanese Language Committee uses the Exit surveys in particular to guide what extracurricular activities to plan, what tweaks to make in individual courses, and how best to staff certain courses.

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.

Qualtitative reponses in the exit surveys also pointed to interest in internships, which we will try to pursue through the Hawaii State Language Roadmap. 

We have also become increasingly aware that some students returning from our study abroad programs are not fitting back into our language program. The problem stems from the mandate that the Study Abroad Office has to give credits for specific UHM course numbers to students in these programs, but the actual curriculum in those abroad programs does not match ours, so when the student returns s/he may not actually be ready for the next level.  But the back-credit policy prevents him/her from retaking a course.  This is unfortunate, since we think a study abroad experience is extremely important for learning language and culture.  We are still working on a solution....

And of course, the pandemic and the switch to all online teaching from the middle of this past spring has created a new level of assessment problems.  Multi-section language courses are working to resolve these in a uniform way.  "Content" courses are handling it on an ad hoc basis.

17) If the program did not engage in assessment activities, please justify.

N/A