Chabot College Program Review Report 2015 ‐2016 Year 3 of Program Review Cycle Geography Submitted on Oct. 24, 2014 Contact: Don Plondke 1 Appendix C: Program Learning Outcomes Considering your feedback, findings, and/or information that has arisen from the course level discussions, please reflect on each of your Program Level Outcomes. Program: ___Geography A.A.______  PLO #1: identify the set of improved skills in observing the world, and in analyzing problems in space
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PLO #2: interpret maps and mapped data utilizing basic map elements, including scales, common coordinate systems, and map symbols
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PLO #3: identify significant spatial relationships and patterns in society including interactions between humans and their natural environment
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PLO #4: What questions or investigations arose as a result of these reflections or discussions? Frequent use of maps and remotely sensed images is the best approach to improving student skills in observing the world and analyzing relationships between landscape features.
What program‐level strengths have the assessment reflections revealed? Strengths revealed:The exercise‐based approach to teaching the application of physical geography concepts in lab‐based courses using contemporary technologies (internet, remote sensing, GIS) has been largely successful in achieving high rates of student success in the course. The students' engagement with satellite imagery, maps, and animated tutorials on student workstations develops their observational skills. It is most helpful when students work with each other in the interpretation of mapped information. In Spring 2014 Geography implemented a new pedagogical approach to teaching climate & climate change science. We implemented in GEOG 8 the American Meteorological Society’s (AMS)Climate Studies course. Chabot is now one of a select few minority‐serving community colleges in the U.S. that has inaugurated this AMS Climate StudiesDiversity Project
What actions has your discipline determined might be taken to enhance the learning of students completing your program? Means to improve students' level of comprehension of the text and willingness to refer to it are needed. Instructor is implementing Reading Apprenticeship strategies to help students gain insight into ways that they read texts. Also, different textbooks have been adopted semester‐to‐semester since this assessment data was collected to discern influence of the text on learning outcomes. More classroom time in some courses is being allocated to interactive engagement with geography texts. To elevate awareness on our campus and among U.S. students, we plan in Fall 2014 to ask Curriculum Committee approval for permanent institutionalization of the AMS Climate Studiescourse as a new course in our new Environmental Studies A.A. program. It promises to not only modernize the course content for teaching atmospheric science at Chabot, but also to stimulate cross‐disciplinary interest in all aspects of the climate change issue: scientific, sociological, economic, and political. 2 Program: ___Certificate of Proficiency in Geographic Information Systems (GIS)  PLO #1: identify the set of improved skills in observing the world, and in analyzing problems in space
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PLO #2: interpret maps and mapped data utilizing basic map elements, including scales, common coordinate systems, and symbology
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PLO #3: demonstrate competency in techniques of spatial overlay of themes, design and production of map layouts, graphical presentation of spatially distributed data, and analysis of geocoded database information
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PLO #4: What questions or investigations arose as a result of these reflections or discussions? Experience in the classroom has revealed that GIS students progress in their development of skill in manipulating GIS software tools and map features. The sequence of GIS exercises is designed to provide for this development process. Students in GIS courses have shown some improvement in demonstrating their ability to communicate in the language of GIS by providing them with supplemental resources (e.g. a GIS glossary). Developing a familiarity with the terminology and definitions of GIS components is as essential as learning to effectively use the tools.
What program‐level strengths have the assessment reflections revealed? The exercise‐based approach toward developing skills in GIS software usage appears to be producing high rates of student success. What actions has your discipline determined might be taken to enhance the learning of students completing your program? Due to lack of demand and paucity of staff resources, we have yet to see a student complete the program.We seek to reinstate compensation for our Instructional Assistant position to assure real‐time software and hardware support and to enhance appropriate student use of instructional resources. We continue to advocate for a new full‐time Geography faculty position that is needed to continue and extend our Geographic Information Systems program.
3 Program: ___Geography A.A.‐T._______  PLO #1: identify the set of improved skills in observing the world, and in analyzing problems in space
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PLO #2: interpret maps and mapped data utilizing basic map elements, including scales, common coordinate systems, and map symbols
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PLO #3:document courses that have prepared the student for transfer to a campus of the California State University system as a junior‐year level Geography major
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PLO #4: What questions or investigations arose as a result of these reflections or discussions? Frequent use of maps and remotely sensed images is the best approach to improving student skills in observing the world and analyzing relationships between landscape features.
What program‐level strengths have the assessment reflections revealed? Geography did participate in academic year 2013‐2014 in the Counseling Division’s “Transfer Basics” program sponsored by the Career & Transfer Center. This effort sought to advertise our new A.A.‐T program and explain its logistics for transfer to prospective students. The exercise‐based approach to teaching the application of physical geography concepts in lab‐based courses using contemporary technologies (internet, remote sensing, GIS) has been largely successful in achieving high rates of student success in the course. The students' engagement with satellite imagery, maps, and animated tutorials on student workstations develops their observational skills. It is most helpful when students work with each other in the interpretation of mapped information. What actions has your discipline determined might be taken to enhance the learning of students completing your program? Means to improve students' level of comprehension of the text and willingness to refer to it are needed. Full‐time instructor has been implementing Reading Apprenticeship strategies to help students gain insight into ways that they read texts. Also, different textbooks have been adopted semester‐to‐
semester since this assessment data was collected to discern influence of the text on learning outcomes. More classroom time in some courses is being allocated to interactive engagement with geography texts. To elevate awareness on our campus and among U.S. students, we plan in Fall 2014 to ask Curriculum Committee approval for permanent institutionalization of the AMS Climate Studiescourse as a new course in our new Environmental Studies A.A. program. It promises to not only modernize the course content for teaching atmospheric science at Chabot, but also to stimulate cross‐disciplinary interest in all aspects of the climate change issue: scientific, sociological, economic, and political. 4