Assessment Plan
Assessment Plan: Liberal Studies (Quaternity, Environmental Studies, Global and Multicultural Studies options)
Program Learning Outcomes
- All options: Critical thinking: Students will be able to consider multiple perspectives; discuss critical assumptions, findings and alternative interpretations; and draw well-founded and cautious conclusions.
- All options:Teamwork and collaboration: Students will be able to offer constructive, specific and accurate feedback on the work of another student.
- All options: Written communication: Students will be able to write a paper with appropriate scope, strong argumentation, clear arguments, relevant and properly cited evidence, and strong mechanics.4.
- All options: Oral communication: Students will be able to give a compelling, focused, well-organized and well-delivered presentation on a research topic.
- Environmental Studies option: Students will be able to apply natural science perspectives to problems of natural resource and environmental management.
- Environmental Studies option: Students will be able to apply social science perspectives to problems of natural resource and environmental management.
- Global Studies option: Students will be able to analyze multicultural literature using techniques from literary study.
- Global Studies option: Students will be able to explain trends and inter-relationships among global, economic and political systems and their effects on social change, quality of life and inequalities.
- Quaternity option: Students will be able to apply tools and perspectives from the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences and fine arts to analyze a text or problem.
Curriculum Map and Data Sources (Students will be asked to turn in papers from upper division natural science, social science, and literature courses in the years that we evaluate learning outcomes 5-8.)
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Learning Outcomes |
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Course |
Cr |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
LS401: Senior Project |
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X |
X |
X |
X |
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X |
3xx or 4xx natural science with significant writing assignment* |
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X |
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3xx or 4xx social science or Policy course with significant writing assignment* |
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X |
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3xx or 4xx literature class with a significant writing assignment.* |
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X |
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3xx or 4xx social science class with a significant writing assignment.* |
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X |
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*Students will be asked during the first week of their capstone class to be prepared to turn in a significant writing assignment from one of the upper division courses that applies to their major. So the writing assignments will be from disciplinary classes, but will be collected in the capstone sections.
Learning Outcomes |
Assessment Year |
TARGET COURSE(S) AND DATA |
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2015-16 |
2016-17 |
2017-18 |
2018-19 |
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All options: Critical thinking: Students will be able to consider multiple perspectives; discuss critical assumptions, findings and alternative interpretations; and draw well-founded and cautious conclusions. |
x |
|
|
x |
LS 401 – Final Paper in the capstone course. |
All options: Teamwork and collaboration: Students will be able to offer constructive, specific and accurate feedback on the work of another student. |
|
x |
|
|
LS 401 – Assignment where students provide feedback and discuss each others papers in the capstone course. |
All options: Written communication: Students will be able to write a paper with appropriate scope, strong argumentation, clear arguments, relevant and properly cited evidence, and strong mechanics. |
|
x |
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|
LS 401 – Final Paper in Capstone course. |
All options: Oral communication: Students will be able to give a compelling, focused, well-organized and well-delivered presentation on a research topic. |
x |
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|
x |
LS 401 – Students oral presentations in the Capstone course. |
Environmental Studies option: Students will be able to apply natural science perspectives to problems of natural resource and environmental management. |
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x |
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A writing assignment from an upper division natural science course. |
Environmental Studies option: Students will be able to apply social science perspectives to problems of natural resource and environmental management. |
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x |
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A writing assignment from an upper division social science/policy course. |
Global Studies option: Students will be able to analyze multicultural literature or research using techniques from literary or social fields of study. |
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x |
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A writing assignment from an upper division multicultural course. |
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x |
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A writing assignment from an upper division social science class. |
Quaternity option: Students will be able to apply tools and perspectives from the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences and fine arts to analyze a text or problem. |
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x |
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LS 401 – Final paper from the Capstone course. |
Process for assessing the data, completing assessment reports, and revising curriculum, learning outcomes, or assessment plan
AnnualAssessment Process
- Data is collected from identified course (Spring and Fall).
- Random samples of collected assignments are scored by the assessment committee, Liberal Studies Director and at least one additional Liberal Studies instructor, using prepared scoring rubrics
- The assessment committee tabulates the assessment scores. The threshold for acceptable performance will be based on at least 80% of students meeting or excelling in the learning outcome areas. Areas where acceptable performance threshold has not been met are highlighted.
- The scores are reported to and discussed with Liberal Studies instructors and if needed the director and instructors will respond with any necessary changes to the curriculum.
- A summary of the year’s assessment activities and faculty decisions is reported to the CLS Dean’s office and the Provost’s Office in the Annual Assessment Activities report.