Unit: Asian Studies
Program: Asian Studies (BA)
Degree: Bachelor's
Date: Mon Nov 16, 2020 - 3:27:56 pm

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

1. Students possess basic skills in at least 1 Asian language. Demonstrate college-level fluency in reading, writing, speaking at basic and intermediate levels.

2. Students can demonstrate a basic understanding of the interrelationship of economy, politics, literature, religion, the arts, history of Asian countries. Demonstrate an understanding of major themes in Asian history and cultural development. Be able to explain how Asian Studies is constituted in the West. Be able to explain the ways in which global forces have interacted with the Asian regional context in shaping the character and course of societies in Asia today.

3. Students can demonstrate an advanced understanding of two Asian countries or regions (example Southeast Asia) Be able to explain Asian world views Be able to explain intra-Asian as well as West vs Asia differences Be able to analyze and interpret specific issues in research projects

4. Students can find and evaluate sources of information about Asia Be able to use the library to find appropriate sources of information for a research project Be able to evaluate the probable quality sources found on the web

5. Students conduct and communicate research findings Be able to outline, organize and present a research project Be able to design and deliver a presentation that communicates key findings of their research

6. Students gain a greater appreciation of the variety of human experience. Make students open to different and creative ways of seeing the world. Foster a spirit of inquiry so that received mainstream knowledge is never accepted uncritically.

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

Department Website URL: https://manoa.hawaii.edu/asianstudies/academic-programs/undergraduate/#learning%20objectives
Student Handbook. URL, if available online:
Information Sheet, Flyer, or Brochure URL, if available online: Available on our new Asian Studies Brochure.
UHM Catalog. Page Number: https://manoa.hawaii.edu/catalog/schools-colleges/spas/asan/
Course Syllabi. URL, if available online:
Other:

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 of major requirements as well as a review of required course content for relevance based on student class assessments.

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

A survey of students in our required courses ASAN 201, 202, 310 and 312 was taken to assess student expectations of these courses.  Students in topics courses were asked why they took a specific course and whether it met their expectations.

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.

Approximately 300 student reviews of Asian Studies undergraduate classes were studied making note of deficiencies in class offerings.  Suggestions regarding major requirements and course curriculum were made taking into account areas where the program excelled as well as where we did not meet student expectations.

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: Curriculum Committee made up of faculty members.

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.

In faculty reviews of student course work and exams, departmental as well as University SLO's were met by at least 90% of Asian Studies majors. Student reviews of course content of Asian Studies required coursework such as ASAN 201, 202, 310 and 312, indicated that course content needed to be updated.  Student comments indicated an interest not only in cultural issues but also of economic and political issues.  The Covid 19 pandemic as well as global environmental issues showed that students were interested in how Asia and the Pacific fit into a wider global discourse.  These concerns have resulted in the creation of an Asia Pacific Environmental issues taught jointly by Asian Studies and Pacific Island Studies.  

Student comments have also resulted in Asian Studies looking to develop a focus global course coming from an Asian and Pacific perspective.

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.

Based on student comments and faculty observations, the curriculum committee was tasked with re-evaluating required course content.  In addition major requirements and study plans were reviewed with the goal of updating expectations and student experience within the major.  Capstone project requirements which included study abroad opportunities were discussed and evaluated as a means of enhancing student goals and providing real world experiences.  Topics coursees were evaluated to see if we were meeting student expectations as well as program SLOs.

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.

The assessment process has also encouraged us to reach out to our alumni.  Asian Studies conducts an exit interview with each student upon graduation and we ask them to provide an email address not associated with UHM.  Students have noted these factors as to why they came to UHM and majored in Asian Studies: a) The depth of courses offered by UHM regarding Asia b) the reputation of the Asian Studies faculty c) access to additional extramural experiences within the community i.e. the area centers within the University, East West Center

 

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

N/A