Assessment Report: Environmental Studies Program Outcomes and Student Feedback, Study Guides, Projects, Research of Environmental Science

Download Assessment Report: Environmental Studies Program Outcomes and Student Feedback and more Study Guides, Projects, Research Environmental Science in PDF only on Docsity! Date Received 3/31/06 Fall 2005 Semester Assessment Report Form DUE March 31st, 2006 Directions: Please complete a form for each of the programs within your department. This form was designed to provide a format for assessment reporting and should not be used to limit the amount of information provided. Each box that is attached to each of the sections is designed to adjust to varying lengths. If you have any questions, please contact Dr. Bea Babbitt at x51506 or via email at: bea.babbitt@unlv.edu. 1. Program Information: Program Undergraduate Environmental Studies Programs: B.A., B.S., and Minor Department Environmental Studies College Greenspun College of Urban Affairs Program Assessment Coordinator Helen R. Neill Semester Data Collected Spring 2005 - Fall 2005 Report Submitted by Helen R. Neill Phone/email 895 – 4892, 895 – 4440 / helen.neill@unlv.edu Date Submitted 3/31/06 2. According to the Assessment Plan for this program, what were the planned assessments to be conducted during the 2005-2006 Academic Year? You may want to copy and paste from this program’s assessment plan. Which outcomes for this program were measured? How did you measure the outcomes? What results did you expect? If the students performed well what would their performance look like, i.e. percentages, means, or comparisons to a national standard? __3__ categories out of a total of __3__ categories evaluated this semester. I. ENV majors will develop and enhance the following cognitive abilities: A. Explain and apply fundamental environmental theories from natural science (Question 1). Exams, course grades from Fall 2005 Student Survey Spring 2005 Alumni Survey Spring 2005 Expected C or better in core classes. Expected exams and or final assignments to be rigorous and challenging to students. Expected both Student and Alumni Surveys to report similar quantitative and qualitative information. B. Explain and apply fundamental environmental theories from social science (Question 2). C. Identify the multiple dimensions of environmental issues (Question 3). D. Understand and apply detailed knowledge of law and policy to environmental issues (Question 4). II. ENV majors will be able to apply professional evaluative methodologies to solving environmental management problems: A. Employ models and other decision support methods to analyze environmental issues and contribute to management decisions (Question 5). B. Describe technical and socioeconomic trade-offs associated with diverse approaches to environmental management (Question 6). C. Identify and understand practical issues currently faced by environmental decision makers (Question 7). D. Design and complete a professional report addressing a research question related to the environment (Question 8). Exams, course grades from Fall 2005 Student Survey Spring 2005 Alumni Survey Spring 2005 Expected C or better in core classes. Expected exams and or final assignments to be rigorous and challenging to students. Expected both Student and Alumni Surveys to report similar quantitative and qualitative information. III. ENV majors will be able exhibit competency in research, analytical, and technical tools used in finding Exams, course grades from Fall 2005 Expected C or better in core classes. Expected exams and or final assignments to be rigorous and 2 3. Results, conclusions, and discoveries. What are the results of the planned assessments listed above? What conclusions or discoveries were made from these results? Describe below or attach to the form. Results, conclusions, and discoveries Results: Table 1: Descriptive Statistics for Current Students in Environmental Studies Programs B.A. B.S. M.S. Ph.D. Question n mean std. err. n mean std. err. n mean std. err. n mean std. err 1 14 8.1 0.4 7 5.6 0.9 3 8.3 0.9 4 7.5 1 2 14 8 0.5 7 5.4 1 3 7 1 4 7.8 1.1 3 12 8.6 0.7 6 7.7 1 3 9.7 0.3 4 8 1.1 4 12 7.6 0.5 6 6.8 0.9 3 8.3 0.7 4 6.5 1.3 5 12 7.5 0.5 6 6.8 0.7 3 6.7 1.7 4 7.5 1 6 12 7.4 0.6 6 6.8 0.6 3 8.3 0.9 4 7.3 0.9 7 12 7.8 0.7 6 7.5 0.7 3 9.7 0.3 4 9.5 0.5 8 12 7.3 0.8 6 8 0.5 3 9.7 0.3 4 9 0.6 9 12 7.8 0.8 6 6.7 0.8 3 10 0 4 10 0 10 12 7.6 0.6 6 5.7 0.9 3 8.7 1.3 4 9 0.7 11 12 7.8 0.8 6 7.2 0.5 3 8.3 1.7 4 7.8 0.9 12 12 3.4 0.6 6 4.5 1 3 6 1.2 4 5.8 1.4 13 12 6.4 1.1 6 8.3 0.7 3 9 1 4 8.8 1.3 Source: T. Starner, ENV Current Students Survey, Undergraduate Thesis Project (Spring 2005) Table 2: Descriptive Statistics for Environmental Studies Alumni B.A. B.S. M.S. Ph.D. Question n mean std. err. n mean std. err. n mean std. err. n mean std. err 1 15 7.5 0.4 4 8 0.4 4 8.8 0.8 1 7 n/a 2 15 7.3 0.5 4 5.8 0.9 4 7.5 1 1 7 n/a 3 15 9 0.4 4 8.8 0.5 4 9.5 0.5 1 9 n/a 4 15 8.7 0.4 4 7.8 0.9 4 9.8 0.3 1 6 n/a 5 15 7.3 0.4 4 6.5 1.6 4 8.5 1 1 7 n/a 6 15 7.6 0.5 4 6.8 1.1 4 8.5 0.6 1 7 n/a 7 15 8.3 0.5 4 6.8 1.5 4 9 0.6 1 7 n/a 8 15 8.2 0.5 4 8 1.2 4 8.8 0.6 1 8 n/a 9 15 8.6 0.5 4 9 0.7 4 9.8 0.3 1 10 n/a 10 15 6.9 0.6 4 7 1.8 4 8.5 0.9 1 8 n/a 11 15 8.5 0.3 4 9.3 0.5 4 9 0.4 1 8 n/a 12 15 3.5 0.5 4 6 1.4 4 7 1.2 1 10 n/a 13 15 7.7 0.7 4 9.3 0.8 4 8.8 0.8 1 10 n/a Source: N. Searles, ENV Alumni Survey, Undergraduate Thesis Project (Spring, 2005) Tables 1 and 2 show similar results for ranking the importance of learning outcomes from 1 to 10 where 1 is minimal preparation for a career to 10 is very prepared for a successful career. While the small sample sizes for both current students and alumni limit our ability to perform meaningful statistical analyses across groups, the results do provide our faculty feedback on 5 our outcomes that were developed Fall 2004 and Spring 2005. The majority of the averages are above 7 when combined. With respect to question 12, both surveys asked whether “A graduate should be able to demonstrate proficiency in calculus and physics. Please rank.” This is a requirement to graduate from our B.S. program and one of several requirements for our graduate programs. This is not a requirement of our B.A. program. It is interesting to note that alumni from the B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. programs appear to rank it much higher than current students. With respect to our capstone undergraduate courses ENV 499A and ENV 499B where students complete and defend a senior thesis project, overall 90% of alumni and 75% of current students agreed that the senior thesis requirement continue. Discoveries: We discovered that there is significantly greater support for our required undergraduate thesis by students who have completed a thesis and alumni. We discovered students who have not selected a topic or who have not yet completed the thesis courses (ENV 499A and ENV 499B) tend to report much lower rankings and question the work required of a thesis than those who have completed it. 4. Use of Results. What program changes are indicated? How will they be implemented? If none, describe why changes were not needed. The Department of Environmental Studies is committed to continue to look for ways to improve our curriculum to continue to attract high quality students. In response to concerns about our thesis requirement by students who had not taken thesis yet, Undergraduate Coordinator and Professor Tim Farnham revised the beginning of ENV 499A, the first of two required capstone thesis courses to help students select and get started on a topic. Both grades and course evaluations indicated a significant improvement Fall 2005. In addition, Farnham began organizing informal semester gatherings to give sophomores and juniors more opportunities to explore thesis topics and ask questions about opportunities for internships and undergraduate research opportunities. The department is considering having additional meetings for advising sessions. The Department of Environmental Studies plans to invite all students to undergraduate thesis presentations to give other students a better idea of what is expected of a senior thesis project. 6 The Department Undergraduate Coordinator has been working to reduce confusion in the catalog for present and future students. 5. Dissemination of results, conclusions, and discoveries. How and with whom were the results shared? This assessment report will be shared with faculty, students, staff, administrators as well as any reviewers of our programs. 7