Unit: Life Sciences
Program: Microbiology (BA, BS)
Degree: Bachelor's
Date: Thu Oct 24, 2013 - 2:39:45 pm

1) Below are your program's student learning outcomes (SLOs). Please update as needed.

Undergraduate Microbiology Student Learning Outcomes

Upon graduation, Microbiology majors should have a thorough knowledge and comprehension of the core concepts in the disciplines of molecular, cellular and organismal microbiology.  In addition students will exhibit proficiency in selected laboratory skills and develop knowledge of contemporary microbiological research.

This background of knowledge and experience will prepare the students for entry into professional/graduate school or for employment in government, academic or industrial positions.

Specific learning outcomes include knowledge and understanding of:

1.  The basic principles of microbiology and how they relate to organismal biology as a whole.

2.  The tenets of microbiological disciplines such as diversity, ecology, physiology, genetics, virology, and immunology.

3.  The ability to critically read and analyze literature in the field.

4.  The ability to communicate clearly and effectively.

5.  Development of problem-solving skills.

6.  The ability to develop and test hypotheses in the process of discovery.

7.  The relationships between microbiology and society.

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

Department Website URL: http://www.hawaii.edu/microbiology/
Student Handbook. URL, if available online:
Information Sheet, Flyer, or Brochure URL, if available online:
UHM Catalog. Page Number: 140-142
Course Syllabi. URL, if available online:
Other: http://www.catalog.hawaii.edu/courses/departments/micr.htm
Other:

3) Select one option:

Curriculum Map File(s) from 2013:

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) Did your program engage in any program assessment activities between June 1, 2012 and September 30, 2013? (e.g., establishing/revising outcomes, aligning the curriculum to outcomes, collecting evidence, interpreting evidence, using results, revising the assessment plan, creating surveys or tests, etc.)

Yes
No (skip to question 14)

6) For the period June 1, 2012 to September 30, 2013: State the assessment question(s) and/or assessment goals. Include the SLOs that were targeted, if applicable.

SLOs were included in more syllabi, as determined by responses to the question, "How many of your courses have SLOs?" The percentage of courses with SLOs was determined to be above that reported last year.

7) State the type(s) of evidence gathered to answer the assessment question and/or meet the assessment goals that were given in Question #6.

Fsculty were asked, "How many of your courses have SLOs?" The percentage of courses with SLOs was determined to be above that reported last year.

8) State how many persons submitted evidence that was evaluated. If applicable, please include the sampling technique used.

Four, from a faculty of seven, responded to this question:

On Oct 4, 2013, at 11:55 AM, Stuart Donachie wrote:

As part of an annual assessment I should prepare for our Micro degree I have to state what percentage of our courses have Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs) in their syllabi. I believe we are required by UH policy to include all such SLOs, but please confirm they are, or are not part of your syllabi.
I should only estimate what percentage of courses have them, e.g., 100%, 81-99%, etc.

9) 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:

10) 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:

11) For the assessment question(s) and/or assessment goal(s) stated in Question #6:
Summarize the actual results.

More course syllabi contain SLOs that last year.

12) State how the program used the results or plans to use the results. Please be specific.

We identified among the four respondents their courses which do not have SLOs in the syllabi. This alerts these faculty to the need to Include SLOs in the syllabi in question.

13) Beyond the results, were there additional conclusions or discoveries?
This can include insights about assessment procedures, teaching and learning, program aspects and so on.

Standardized and specific suggestions for ways to conduct 'assessment' would be useful. A dedicated position in the Department or College, with responsibility for surveys, surveying, and collating data, would likely acquire better quality data, and present those data in a form that could be responded to. Indeed, such a person would be better positioned to compile surveys that would be equivalent across departments (if they need to be!), and perhaps then to compare the outcomes of cross-unit assessment activities. That might then lead to proposing actions for specific units, or across the college, etc.

14) If the program did not engage in assessment activities, please explain.
Or, if the program did engage in assessment activities, please add any other important information here.