GENERAL EDUCTION ASSESSMENT REPORT – 2012
Gen. Ed. Category
Natural Sciences
Gen. Ed. Outcome Statement:
Incorporate empirical evidence in the analysis of the cause and consequences of natural phenomena
Approved Courses addressing
this Outcome Statement:
BIOL104*, BIOL 105, BIOL 131, BIOL 122, BIOL 204*, CHEM 105, CHEM 108 and CHEM 109,
CHEM 115, CHEM 116, GEOL 115, GEOL 121, GEOL 122, GEOG 106, GEOG 108, NSGE 100, NSCI
101, NSCI 102, NSCI 103 and NSCI 104, NSCI 110, NSCI 116, NSCI 119, PHYS 221, PHYS 231
*BIOL104 was added starting Spring 2012; BIOL204 will be removed starting Fall 2012
Person submitting this report
(name and e-mail):
Date submitted:
K. Arend, D. Wright, H. Henderson
Preliminary report submitted 28 March 2012
Assessment Measurements Conducted During the Current Year
Assessment Tools:
Biological
Sciences
program
and course
offerings
Physical
sciences
program
offerings
Chemistry
course
offerings
Student achievement of this outcome is measured using
quizzes, exams, laboratory exercises, and laboratory
reports and projects. Data on course level assessment
will be submitted as part of course assessment activites
as described in the course assessment plans submitted
in Spring 2012.
Various tools, including those specific to external
accreditation. Assessment activities have been ongoing
(see 2011 Natural Sciences General Education
report); however, some of these data have not yet been
compiled. Data on course level assessment will be
submitted as part of course assessment activites as
described in the course assessment plans submitted in
Spring 2012.
Student achievement of this outcome is measured using
homework, quizzes, exams, laboratory reports, and the
American Chemistry Society (ACS) exam.
Summary of Results
Recommendations
Course level assessment will be obtained from
data in the university course assessment plans
submitted in Spring 2012.
See Recommendation #1 below
Course level assessment will be obtained from
data in the university course assessment plans
submitted in Spring 2012.
Currently being developed (see
Summary of Results).
Extensive course and program assessment based
on available assessment data has been ongoing
and is expected to result in several proposals for
program and course changes to the curriculum
committee this spring. Several of the courses
involved are General Education courses.
Course level assessment will be obtained from
data in the university course assessment plans
submitted in Spring 2012.
1 2012 General Education Assessment Report: Natural Sciences
No recommendations provided
as of March 2012.
Geology
course
offerings
Student achievement of this outcome is measured using
homework, quizzes, exams, and laboratory reports.
Course level assessment will be obtained from
data in the university course assessment plans
submitted in Spring 2012.
No recommendations provided
as of March 2012.
Geography
course
offerings
Student achievement of this outcome is measured using
quizzes, exams, and laboratory reports.
Course level assessment will be obtained from
data in the university course assessment plans
submitted in Spring 2012.
No recommendations provided
as of March 2012.
Natural
Sciences
course
offerings
Student achievement of this outcome is measured using
homework, quizzes, exams, and laboratory reports.
Course level assessment will be obtained from
data in the university course assessment plans
submitted in Spring 2012.
See Recommendation #2
below
Physics
course
offerings
Student achievement of this outcome is measured using
homework, quizzes, exams, and laboratory reports.
Course level assessment will be obtained from
data in the university course assessment plans
submitted in Spring 2012.
No recommendations provided
as of March 2012.
Externally- Student achievement of this outcome is measured using
ETS test performance for all entering Freshman and
based
exiting Seniors.
General
Education
Assessment
Activities
Freshman
Fall 2009: LSSU score, 114.02; National score,
113.1
Fall 2010: LSSU, 114.75; National, 113.1
Fall 2011: LSSU, 115.08, National, 113.4
Student assessment of this outcome is measured using
Studentthe senior exit surveys that were completed during
based
spring semester 2012.
General
Education
Assessment
Activities
59 students evaluated this outcome as follows;
well prepared = 33.9%; adequately prepared =
44.1%; neutral = 18.6%; 3.4% = Poorly
prepared; 0.0% = Not prepared at all.
Students appear to be
performing on par with
comparable schools
(Baccalaureate [Liberal Arts]
Colleges I and II), nationwide.
Senior and Freshman data
cannot be compared because we
have not had a cohort of
Freshman who completed the
ETS test take the test as
graduating seniors.
We recommend the courses
continue with assessment and
modification as needed. The
majority of students (78%) feel
that their courses prepared them
to accomplish this outcome. The
Natural Sciences learning
outcome was ranked
comparably to the other General
Education learning outcomes.
Seniors
Spring 2010: LSSU, 115.98, National, 115.9
Spring 2011: LSSU, 115.57, National, 115.66
Fall 2011: LSSU, 116.19, National, 115.66
The courses most frequently selected as having
been taken to complete the requirements
included: BIOL105 (18.6%); BIOL131 (27.1%);
CHEM115 (25.4%); CHEM116 (10.2%);
NSCI101 (15.2%); NSCI102 (27.1%);
NSCI103/104 (27.1%)
2 2012 General Education Assessment Report: Natural Sciences
Course
syllabi
outcome
statement
compliance
Syllabi for Fall 2011 and Spring 2012 courses that
address this outcome statement were reviewed for
compliance with explicitly including the outcome
statement and relevant student learning outcomes.
Fall 2011: 10 of 18 (55%) included this outcome
statement; 1 of 17 syllabi was not available for
review. This represents an improvement from
0% (0 of 15) compliance in Fall 2010.
Spring 2012: 10 of 15 (67%) syllabi included
this outcome statement. This represents a
decline from 100% (11 of 11) compliance in
Spring 2011.
Dean Barb Keller will be
informed which course syllabi
do not include the General
Education Natural Sciences
outcome statement and will be
asked to encourage the
appropriate faculty members to
include this statement in their
syllabi.
Recommendations
1. BIOL104 (“Survey of General Biology”) was proposed and approved for addition as a new General Education course that addresses
the Natural Sciences outcome statement. This is a new (Spring 2012) course targeting non-major and Elementary Education students.
The course provides a survey of the entire range of biology (cells through biomes), with student outcomes appropriate for non-majors
and for meeting the State of Michigan benchmarks for training elementary school teachers in the biological sciences. Other Biological
Sciences General Education courses address student outcomes more specific to a particular area or subset of biology. BIOL204 was
proposed and approved for removal from the General Education courses that address the Natural Sciences outcome statement starting
Fall 2012. The School of Biological Sciences determined that very few students choose to take this course to meet their General
Education requirement, outside of their major or minor program requirements. A review of programs that require BIOL204, revealed
that the removal of BIOL204 as a Natural Sciences Education course will not affect any students’ ability to fulfill the Natural Sciences
General Education requirement.
2. NSCI101, 102, and 116 syllabi were updated to explicitly identify the relevant State of Michigan benchmarks for training elementary
school teachers in the physical sciences. NSCI101 has been modified to include a heavier focus on astronomy.
Methods for sharing course assessment information will be based upon and
coordinated with university-wide course assessment procedures. These procedures currently are being developed with implementation
starting Spring 2012. School of Physical Sciences has an assessment plan in place that has been put on hold pending the
implementation of university-wide course assessment procedures.
Methods Used for Sharing Assessment Information:
Next Steps: The Natural
Sciences General Education sub-committee will meet with Dean Barb Keller, department chairs, and faculty
teaching courses that address the Natural Sciences General Education outcome, to discuss how they can incorporate assessment of this
outcome into the annual course assessment they will be required to report to the LSSU Office of Assessment.
Additional Comments:
No additional comments.
HLC Six Fundamental Questions
3 2012 General Education Assessment Report: Natural Sciences
1. How are your stated student learning outcomes appropriate to your mission, programs, degrees, and students?
2. What evidence do you have that students achieve your stated learning outcomes?
3. In what ways do you analyze and use evidence of student learning?
4. How do you ensure shared responsibility for student learning and for assessment of student learning?
5. How do you evaluate and improve the effectiveness of your efforts to assess and improve student learning?
6. In what ways do you inform the public and other stakeholders about what and how well your students are learning?
4 2012 General Education Assessment Report: Natural Sciences