Assessment Plan
Assessment Plan: Biological Sciences
In preparation for the 1995-1996 Self Study, the Department of Biological Sciences faculty identified learning objectives for majors in Biological Sciences. These learning objectives took the form of a set of content objectives and a set of skills objectives. (See Section IIA Leaning Expectations for the Discipline above and Appendix II-1). At the time of the last Self Study, faculty who taught the Department's core courses were surveyed to determine whether and how the content and skills objectives were met. Since all majors in Biological Sciences take the same three lower division courses (BIO 10, 11, and 12) and same four upper division courses (BIO 121, 139, 160, and 184), it was felt that this would be an indirect indicator of whether the required common coursework had the potential for meeting the Department's learning objectives
In preparation for the present Self Study, faculty teaching in the core courses were again surveyed to determine to what extent each learning objective was a goal of each course. Though the same seven core courses have been retained, several have been revised in content presented and skills taught. (See Appendix II-1). Based on the results of the survey, the faculty felt that the content strengths of the core curriculum were the cellular basis of life and the unity and diversity of life forms. The least strong core content objectives were the historical background/dynamic process of scientific inquiry and basis for systematics and classification. According to the faculty survey, the strongest skills development was building and using scientific vocabulary; the least strong was skill in drawing inferences and analyzing data.
Through the use of Exit Interviews conducted in Spring 1997 and a Student Program Assessment Survey administered in Spring 1999, the Department measured the perceptions of student as to how successful the program is in meeting content and skills objectives. Eighteen upper division students participated in the Spring 1997 Exit Interviews. Not all content objectives were included in the interview. (See Appendix II-4 for Interview Summary).
Thirty-seven biology majors participated in the 1999 Student Program Assessment Survey. Of these students, 86% were seniors. The students were asked to evaluate the strength of same content objectives utilized in the 1997 Exit Interviews. Additional data on skills objectives were obtained on the Alumni Survey Questionnaire that was sent to Biological Sciences alumni as part of this Self Study. (See Appendix II-3) The Department faculty were allowed to include five questions specific to the skills objectives of the Biological Sciences program.
During the 200-2001 Academic Year, the Department ad hoc Assessment Committee selected the skills object of students' ability of communication with the written word as its focus for that year. Six writing objectives/goals (Appendix II-2) for majors in Biological Sciences have been identified. Additionally, a rubric was developed to assess the six writing objectives/goals for majors in Biological Sciences. Members of the Ad-hoc Assessment Committee read random samples of writing from students in each of the core courses. The results of this assessment is reported in Section II E 3. Writing assessment of majors in Biological Sciences is ongoing.
The faculty in the Department of Biological Sciences have been able to agree upon content and skills objectives for majors in the program, and the faculty have been willing to analyze their courses in terms of which objectives are met and to what degree they are met. Additionally, assessment of writing in the major has been undertaken. However, it has not been possible for Department faculty to agree upon how actual acquisition of the content and skills objectives, other than writing skill, are to be assessed. The original plan that was agreed upon at the time of the 1995-96 Self Study was to insert GRE Graduate Record Exam in Biology type questions into exams given in core courses to test for acquisition of content objectives. However, the plan for insertion of GRE type questions proved unworkable. The Department is considering other methods of assessment including course embedded assessment in each of the core courses and the development of one-unit courses at the lower and upper division levels as outlined in attachment A. Currently, the Department ad hoc Assessment Committee is attempting to develop plans for assessing one content objective and one skills objective. During the 2002-2003 Academic Year, the Department will assess student learning outcomes for these two objectives. The effectiveness and faculty workload increase of the assessment process will be evaluated. Necessary changes will be implemented in subsequent years. Once a means for assessing content and skills objectives without a dramatic increase in faculty workload has been established, assessment of all program objectives will be implemented.
