Degree Program Assessment Reports : View Reports

Unit: Cell & Molecular Biology
Program: Cell & Molecular Biology (MS)
Degree: Master's
Date: Fri Nov 20, 2020 - 1:47:47 pm

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

1. Knowledge and Understanding: Demonstrate a comprehensive knowledge in Cell and Molecular Biology and associated principles of research methodology and techniques.

(1. Demonstrate comprehensive knowledge in one or more general subject areas related to, but not confined to, a specific area of interest., 2. Demonstrate understanding of research methodology and techniques specific to one’s field of study., 3. Apply research methodology and/or scholarly inquiry techniques specific to one’s field of study., 4. Critically analyze, synthesize, and utilize information and data related to one’s field of study., 5. Proficiently communicate and disseminate information in a manner relevant to the field and intended audience., 6. Conduct research or projects as a responsible and ethical professional, including consideration of and respect for other cultural perspectives., 7. Interact professionally with others.)

2. Knowledge and Understanding: Demonstrate familiarity with principles of measurement, design and conduct of scientific experiments and, interpretation of current literature with respect to one's technical field of study.

3. Intellectual and Applied Skills: Exhibit mastery in traditional and state-of-the-art research methodology and investigative techniques.

4. Intellectual and Applied Skills: Demonstrate ability to develop and synthesize information and data related to one's field of study to execute and critically analyze experimental work.

5. Intellectual and Applied Skills: Show an understanding of the administrative procedures common to academic departments.

(2. Demonstrate understanding of research methodology and techniques specific to one’s field of study., 3. Apply research methodology and/or scholarly inquiry techniques specific to one’s field of study., 4. Critically analyze, synthesize, and utilize information and data related to one’s field of study., 5. Proficiently communicate and disseminate information in a manner relevant to the field and intended audience., 6. Conduct research or projects as a responsible and ethical professional, including consideration of and respect for other cultural perspectives., 7. Interact professionally with others.)

6. Communication Skills: Demonstrate the ability to present oral presentations on one's work at scheduled laboratory meetings and/or seminars.

7. Communication Skills: Show writing skills and familiarity with scientific reporting sufficient to present one's work and assist in the preparation of posters and publications for peer-reviewed journals and reports, grants and/or contract applications for various types of funding.

8. Professional Responsibility: Conduct research or projects as a responsibility and ethical professional, including consideration and respect for Native Hawaiian and other cultural perspectives.

(1. Demonstrate comprehensive knowledge in one or more general subject areas related to, but not confined to, a specific area of interest., 7. Interact professionally with others.)

9. Professional Responsibility: Professionally interact with peers.

2) Your program's SLOs are published as follows. Please update as needed.

Department Website URL: http://cmbgrad.jabsom.hawaii.edu/

Student Handbook. URL, if available online: http://cmbgrad.jabsom.hawaii.edu/admissions/2018-cmb-graduate-program-handbook/

Information Sheet, Flyer, or Brochure URL, if available online:

UHM Catalog. Page Number:

Course Syllabi. URL, if available online: http://www2.hawaii.edu/~lesaux/621/index.html, http://www2.hawaii.edu/~lesaux/611/

Other:

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

Curriculum Map File(s) from 2020:

File (11/20/2020)

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.

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):

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:

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

Students are evaluated by faculty and other students as they do assorted types of oral and poster presentations at conventions and symposiums in Hawaii and on the mainland. SLOs 1,2,3,4

Course work is evaluated by written test grades and assessment of oral presentations. The Qualifying Exam, both written and oral, is a bench mark that all CMB MS graduate students must pass in their third semester. A five-judge panel questions and evaluates each student while they orally present a current publication. Each student must pass to continue in our graduate program. SLOs 1,2,3,4

Laboratory work is directly observed and evaluated by faculty mentors for knowledge and understanding of research methodology and techniques. SLOs 1,2

Knowledge and ability to communicate with others is evaluated by faculty and participating students in a journal club setting where students do presentations that are discussed by all present. SLO 3

Faculty also evaluate work and knowledge mastery at committee meetings, Dissertation defenses and in one on one review meetings. SLOs 1,2,3,4

Students assess themselves once a year as they prepare an Individual Development Plan (IDP).

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.

13 CMB MS students submitted evidence that was evaluated during the period from November 1, 2018 to October 31, 2020.

Sampling techniques were written tests, oral presentatons, poster presentations, Qualifying Exam, both oral and written, with 5-judge faculty panels, supervised laboratory work and finally a capstone project or thesis defense.

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.

Students successfully passed exams including qualifying exams which tested them on their knowledge and understanding.

Student oral presentations were evaluated by faculty using their professional judgement and provided evidence of the students' effective communication skills.

Students successfully completed their capstone project or thesis defense.

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.

The CMB curriculum is reviewed and adjusted as necessary.

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.

None

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

N/A