INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAM PLAN
GEOGRAPHY-METEOROLOGY 2014
Cabrillo College
Program Description
Geography is one of the oldest known sciences and studies Earth’s natural and
cultural systems. Geography integrates data from the physical sciences, social sciences, and
humanities. Geographic Information Systems (GIS), such as Google Earth, are geographic
tools to manage spatial information (data that can be plotted on a map). This powerful
geographic technology is revolutionizing a variety of activities from the way we do
business to the way we study medicine. GIS is also impacting our daily lives by making
navigation and spatial information easily accessible on our “smart” phones. The science of
geography and its geographic tools (particularly GIS) are integral to the world in which we
live and the study of geography has applications in a vast array of disciplines. It is ironic
then that geography is not widely taught on the middle and high school levels. At the
college level, many majors require coursework in geography to fill in those deficiencies and
support various areas of study.
The Geography-Meteorology Program at Cabrillo offers introductory courses in
Physical Geography, Physical Geography Laboratory, Cultural Geography, California
Geography, World Regional Geography, Elementary Meteorology, and Meteorology
Laboratory. All of our courses are transferable to both the CSU and UC systems. We offer
our required courses for the major every Fall and Spring semester to make sure that our
students have regular access to these core courses. Although we do not offer a major in
meteorology, our two meteorology courses fulfill physical science lecture and lab
requirements for any major. Both meteorology courses are articulated for all
concentrations of the geography major at many of the CSU campuses. Our meteorology
courses are on the List B for the AA-T in Geography. Many students taking meteorology are
in the fire technology program as atmospheric sciences are critical to understanding and
combating wild-land fires.
Cabrillo is developing an AA-T in Geography which is intended for students who
plan to transfer and complete a bachelor’s degree in geography, earth sciences or a similar
major at a CSU campus. Students who complete the AA-T in Geography are guaranteed
admission to the CSU system.
The Geography-Meteorology Program supports the college mission by offering both
transferable AA and AA-T degrees in Geography, and in that all of the program’s courses in
both meteorology and geography meet general education requirements for both Cabrillo
degrees and degrees that transfer to the CSU and UC systems (area B1 and B3 Physical
Science and lab, or Area D Social Sciences for Cabrillo degrees and the CSU system, and
Area 5A and 5C Physical Science or Area 4 Social and Behavioral Sciences for IGETC). All
seven of the courses we offer in our program are explicitly listed under either Area B
(Scientific Inquiry) or Area D (Social Sciences) for our Cabrillo A.S. and A.A. degree
requirements.
Our dual-department program consists of one full-time faculty, hired in Fall 2011,
and two adjunct colleagues who have taught in the program for 15 and 14 years
respectively. The adjunct faculty teach both meteorology and geography courses. Out of
20 class sections our program offers in a full academic year, our adjunct faculty teach 9 of
those sections and our full-time faculty member teaches 11. We offer both day and evening
geography and meteorology courses at the Aptos campus. At the Watsonville center we
offer evening meteorology courses. We also offer online courses in both disciplines.
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A degree in geography will prepare students for numerous job opportunities in
areas such as economic development, emergency planning, environmental management,
environmental education, fire science, watershed management, GIS/cartography, remote
sensing, housing, market and demographic analysis, transportation planning, and urban
and rural planning. Federal, state, county, and city agencies and private business need
geography degree-holders to help manage and plan a sustainable and resilient future for
our geographically unique human communities and diverse environmental resources.
The goals of the Geography-Meteorology Program are to: 1) provide necessary
coursework for students majoring in geography, 2) prepare students for transfer in the
geography major and other majors that require geography or meteorology courses, 3) offer
required courses for students completing their AA or AS degrees, 4) provide opportunities
for our students and the larger community to gain geographic and meteorological
knowledge and learn geographic skills.
Relationships
Many students at Cabrillo take courses in geography and meteorology to fulfill their
general education requirements and for Cabrillo’s A.S. and A.A. degree requirements. In
addition, there are several programs at Cabrillo that offer A.A. or A.S. degrees which either
require their majors to take geography courses or list them as approved electives. Those
programs are: American Studies, Asian Studies, Bilingual/Bicultural Studies, Education,
History, International Studies, Liberal Arts and Sciences, Sociology, and Women’s Studies.
Cabrillo’s Associate of Arts Degrees for Transfer (AA-T) in Art History, Political
Science, Sociology, and soon to be completed Anthropology, all utilize geography courses as
part of their AA-Ts. Cabrillo is developing an AA-T in Geography, scheduled to be in place
by Fall 2014. This AA-T in Geography is articulated for our students to complete their
Bachelor’s degree in geography at 17 of the 23 CSU campuses (Chico State, CSU East Bay,
Fresno State, CSU Fullerton, Humboldt State, CSU Long Beach, CSU Monterey Bay, CSU Los
Angeles, CSU Northridge, Cal Poly Pomona, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, CSU Sacramento, San
Diego State, CSU San Bernardino, CSU Stanislaus, Sonoma State, and San Jose State
University).
Our students can begin their degrees in geography at Cabrillo and complete their
Bachelor’s degrees in geography within the Monterey Bay region and greater Bay Area
region at CSU Monterey Bay, San Jose State University or UC Berkeley. Both UC Berkeley
and San Jose State also offer post-graduate degrees in geography. Although no formal data
is available at this time, since fall 2011, at least three known Cabrillo geography students
are completing their bachelor degrees in geography at four-year universities (CSU
Humboldt and SJSU) and one student is completing his graduate studies in geography at
SJSU.
Two courses that we do not offer here at Cabrillo but which CSU campus geography
departments expect students to have taken before transfer are: Introduction to GIS
(Geographic Information Systems)(C-ID 155) and Introduction to Geographic Methods (CID 150). Both of these courses are offered at several community colleges (see Appendix 2
for list of colleges which offer these courses). These courses not only provide students with
the necessary lower division coursework to prepare them for transfer in geography, these
courses also provide students with technical skills essential for jobs in the following fields:
transportation and energy planning, computer mapping and remote sensing, natural
resource management (fire, water, hazards, biodiversity) and high tech jobs building apps
for smart phones that use maps. GIS is a technical skill that has a wide range of
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applications and our students keep asking us to offer an introductory course. In order to
offer the GIS course to our students, faculty training will be required first and computers
with GIS software will need to be purchased. A GIS course offering is necessary for
geography majors to adequately prepare them for transfer to a four-year university.
Additionally, it is a skill that many Cabrillo students (in a variety of majors related to the
careers listed in the above paragraph) would benefit from. For example, a former Cabrillo
student who got a job working for the County of Santa Cruz had to go to Foothill College to
learn GIS for his job keeping track of all road signs in Santa Cruz county. Due to the
potential need for a GIS course in other Cabrillo programs such as Horticulture,
Environmental Science-Oceanography-Geology and Engineering Technology, collaborative
opportunities between these programs and the Geography-Meteorology Program will be
explored.
The Geography-Meteorology Program has inter-programmatic relationships with
the Natural and Applied Science Division’s Geology-Oceanography-Environmental Science
Program. Specifically, we loan out laboratory and classroom equipment to one another,
attend field trips together and even share student assistants. Due to overlap in our
disciplines, geography faculty give guest lectures to environmental science classes and
faculty from the Geology-Oceanography Program substitute on occasion for our classes.
Many Cabrillo students take courses in the Geography-Meteorology Program and expand
their knowledge of the earth sciences by taking courses in the Geology-OceanographyEnvironmental Science Program.
Within the HASS Division, due to interrelationships between geography, archeology
and history, faculty exchange guest lectures and loan learning resources such as videos and
articles.
The Geography-Meteorology Program has a unique relationship with the Cabrillo
Library. Students in all geography courses complete required map-reading assignments
and map and atlas-reading tests in the library. The assignments and tests utilize reserve
items such as large, laminated maps and atlas software installed on library computers.
These assignments and tests supported by the library allow geography students to
complete map work at their convenience and at their own pace which supports mastery of
geography course SLOs.
The Geography-Meteorology Program has ties to UCSC as the full-time faculty holds
a research fellow position with UCSC’s Institute of Marine Sciences. This position allows for
collaboration on research projects and the opportunity to use the UCSC campus for field
trips and field laboratory assignments in geography and meteorology course taught at
Cabrillo. In the Spring 2014 semester, students in Cabrillo’s physical geography lab classes
will be conducting their vegetation lab assignment at UCSC’s Campus Natural Reserve.
Costs
The Geography-Meteorology Program has been consistently more efficient than the
college on average. However, some of our courses do not have 100% fill rates. Reaching
the 100% fill rate for all of our course offerings would slightly improve the efficiency of this
program. The higher-than-college-average load levels for geography and meteorology are
due, in part, to having class sizes that are not conducive to hands-on learning. This has
degraded the quality of instruction as evidenced on SLO assessments (see SLO section of
this report).
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The jump in load during the Fall
2009/Spring 2010 terms can be
attributed to having fill rates over 100%.
Since we have discontinued the practice
of enrolling over cap, the load has been
more stable. Other notable trends are
that the meteorology course offerings in
Spring are less than in Fall and thus
there is a slight decline in load each
spring semester in the meteorology data.
In terms of the percent of income
that the Geography-Meteorology
Program generates as compared with
the percent of college expense,
geography and meteorology
consistently generate more income
compared to the percent of college
expense of this program. For the past
two academic years they have averaged
twice as much income than is spent on
running this program (ratios over 1 = % of college income generated is larger than % of
college expense). Again, as in the load graph above, this high income-to-expense ratio has
been at the cost of the students’ quality of education/instruction—having a class size that is
too large and using outdated or broken lab equipment. The size for all lecture classes had
been 74. This makes any kind of hands-on activity virtually impossible. The cap for lecture
classes has been reduced to 65. We are now beginning to incorporate some hands-on
activities into our lecture classes. Such activities provide students opportunities to master
course SLOs and to experience a variety of teaching and learning techniques that benefit a
wider range of learning styles thereby increasing student success. Even with lowering the
cap to 65 on our lecture classes, the Geography-Meteorology Program still performs at a
high rate of efficiency as evidenced by the 2012/13 data in the charts above (2012/13 data
represents when the lower cap size was implemented).
Student Learning Outcomes
Out of the seven courses taught in the Geography-Meteorology Program, a total of
ten course SLOs (all courses have either one or two SLOs) were assessed between Spring
2013 and Spring 2014 (only GEOG4 still remains to be assessed in Spring 2014). Each of
the Core 4 competencies were assessed between Spring 2012 and Fall 2013. The reason
that all course SLOs and Core 4 assessments were done on such a short timeline rather
than spread out over a longer period of time, was due to a combination of curriculum
changes (new SLOs were written for each course during the same time period) and the fact
that prior to Fall 2011 when a full-time faculty for geography-meteorology was hired, there
had only been one Core 4 assessment ever completed which was Global Awareness in
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Spring 2005; no course SLOs had ever been assessed for this program. See Appendix 1 for
schedule of course SLOs and Core 4 assessments.
It is worth noting that the SLO and Core 4 assessments were completed on a very
dense and rigorous timeline in order to catch up from years of “assessment drought”. In
the future, the program will have an assessment schedule that promotes a richer evaluation
of our SLOs and Core 4. Nonetheless, this dense assessment timeline has brought the
program into compliance with college requirements and has produced a program plan for
the first time since 2006.
Results of Course SLO & Core 4 Assessments
Several recurrent themes emerged throughout the course SLO and Core 4 assessments:
1) Students struggled with mastery of the scientific method. Students need
opportunities to use and practice the scientific method such as collecting, graphing,
and analyzing data about the earth and atmosphere. Data collection needs to be
both in the field and from online data sources such as National Weather Service
(NWS) and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Our plan to
remedy this problem is to have a minimum of one research project each semester in
each of our lab classes in which students will collect, graph, and analyze data and
write a scientific research report. Student assistants working in geography and
meteorology classes make such activities possible and are essential to the
implementation of this plan.
2) Students struggle with grasping fundamental physical processes in the atmosphere
and on earth. More hands-on demonstrations and learning opportunities are
needed both in lecture and labs to help students grasp abstract concepts and
processes. Plans to address this include flex activities and workshops where faculty
can develop hands-on activities for lecture classes with 65 students and for 34student lab classes. Some activities have already begun to be incorporated into
geography lecture and lab classes.
3) Students had high rates of success (80% or more) when assessed on work involving
field lab activities, map-reading assignments, and hands-on activities. All of these
activities had student assistant support when taught in the classroom or field. With
student assistants working in the lab and field or in lecture, more hands-on
activities are possible to teach. In geography lab, students had higher rates of
success when we assessed hands-on activities compared with working only from a
lab workbook. Plans to increase student success on all lab work include designing
hands-on lab and field activities to accompany lab workbook materials.
4) Students need more opportunities in class to practice their critical-thinking skills
(particularly analyzing graphical data) using an “anonymous”-type method such as
the “clicker system”. This method gives students “permission” to safely share their
analyses and allows instructors to gauge student comprehension in real-time before
moving on with course material. To test this technique, we plan to borrow a clicker
system from the BELA Division for one or two semesters to evaluate if it increases
student success in this area of critical thinking.
5) Students struggle with clearly communicating their research and ideas in writing
assignments. Also, students struggle with composing grammatically correct written
assignments. Plans to remedy this problem are to have one research report writing
assignment in all of our lab classes. The assignment will include a rough draft prior
to completion to gauge students’ writing abilities and recommend writing center
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tutoring if necessary. It may be worth consulting with the writing center/English
Department regarding student writing issues. This plan is intended to improve the
Communication core competency.
6) Students need opportunities to identify landforms, resources, climate zones, and
human impacts on the development of California in California Geography GEOG5
where their success on SLOs was only 67.4%. Students expressed the need for field
trips to help them better understand how to identify such characteristics of
California. Our strategy to remedy this deficiency is to incorporate one field trip
into the GEOG5 course. This requires some work with curriculum and the HASS
dean to put a field trip in place. Our goal is to have the field trip in place by course
offering in Fall 2015 (course is only taught once/year in the fall semester).
7) Students have expressed the need for tutoring help with both lecture and lab
classes. In Spring 2013 we began offering a once/week, one-hour drop in tutoring
session. Students who attended expressed that having the geography tutoring made
the difference between passing and failing the course. We are now in our third
semester of offering weekly drop-in tutoring to all of our geography and
meteorology students. Currently we have 10-15 students in attendance each
session. We have two student-assistants working/tutoring with our full-time
faculty on a weekly basis. We plan to continue these weekly study sessions and/or
tutoring in geography and meteorology to support success on course SLOs and
general success in our classes. Funding for student assistants is necessary for
continued implementation of this plan.
8) In online classes, student comprehension was higher on material learned from using
“podcast”-type videos in conjunction with text reading as opposed to material
learned with online activities and text reading only. Our plan to increase student
success in online classes is to develop more podcasts for our online offerings
particularly for specific material involving maps and mathematical computations.
When specifically considering student mastery of skills needed for a degree in geography,
there are several deficiencies in our students that result from not having the kinds of
activities and assignments necessary for an AA degree in geography or for transfer into a 4year geography program. Similarly, when considering this program’s contribution to
students earning their GE credits, the same deficiencies exist. Examples of these
deficiencies relate to lack of hands-on exercises, field trips, data collection and analysis, and
scientific research report writing. Student mastery overall of each of the Core 4
competencies suggest that course curriculum must include use of the scientific method to
improve the global awareness competency; data analysis needs to be used and practiced in
order to improve the critical thinking competency; writing assignments with rubrics are
necessary to improve the communication competency; and techniques to improve student
success on submitting work in a timely manner that is professionally produced will
enhance student mastery of the personal responsibility and professional development
competency.
Through departmental discussions of our course SLO and Core 4 assessments, we
discovered the need to refine our assessment tools in order to better/more accurately
assess students in the future. In some cases the assessment tools may have been too easy
(where success was very high/above 90%) and in other cases the assessments had poor
success because we didn’t provide enough opportunity throughout the semester for
mastery of an SLO. For example in GEOG5, students had no field experience identifying
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landforms, resources, climate zones, and human impacts on the development of California
in California Geography and therefore when assessed on this SLO had low success.
As mentioned earlier in this report, the dense and rigorous assessment timeline
over the past 18 months, didn’t promote thoughtful choosing of the assessment tools. Now
that our assessment schedule will be on a realistic timeline, more accurate and appropriate
assessment tools will be used for SLO and Core 4 evaluations. In addition we discovered a
need to develop clearer rubrics for student assignments to promote better student success
on those assignments. For example, in GEOG1 Lab, students need an explicit rubric for
writing a scientific research paper. This rubric has now been written and posted on the
course webpage. The next time we assess the SLO we can test if having the clear rubric
increases student success.
Specific program goals and recommendations that have arisen as a result of these
assessments are given in section the Goals and Recommendations section of this report.
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Student Success
A numeric measure of student
success in geography and meteorology
is passing our classes with a C or better
grade. Other measures of students
success we use are how well students
perform on SLO and Core 4
assessments. In addition, our program
sees map-reading as a necessary skill
for success in geography which is why a
map-reading activity and follow-up test
are part of all of our geography courses.
Over the past five and a half
years of course completion data, our
geography courses have had some sharp
declines in completion (Spring ’09) but
over the past two and a half years/since Fall 2011, our course completions are steadily
increasing and approaching (or exceeding in Spring 2013) the college average. One change
during this period of time is that a full-time faculty was hired and began teaching in Fall
2011. In the year prior to Fall 2011 there was a one-year temporary full-time hire and in
the two years prior to that, there was no full-time instructor at all. These years without
someone steering the ship, so to speak, eroded the cohesiveness of the program and some
of that resulted in erratic or diminished course completion and success.
Similar to course completion
data for geography, course success in
geography has shown steady
increases over the past four
semesters/since Spring 2012. As in
the previos graph, this may be
attributed to the full-time hire which
began in Fall 2011 and the period of
transition in the three years prior.
Having a full-time faculty steering the
program is an important factor
explaining the recent positive trend in
course success in geography.
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In meteorology since spring
2011, there is a pattern of higher
course completion in spring and lower
course completion in fall semesters.
This pattern is due in part to having
lower fill rates each spring—less
students but more of them are
completing the classes. Meteorology
classes are offered in the evening at
the Watsonville campus in the spring
semester. In the fall semester,
meteorology classes are offered in the
evening at the Aptos campus by the
same instructor.
In all but one semester (Fall
’08), course success in meteorology
has been lower than the college
average. Our two course offerings in
meteorology (METEO1 & METEO1L)
are both physical science courses
which warrant hands-on activities
and interactive demonstrations to
enhance student understanding of
complex physical processes in the
atmosphere. Under the current
format of these courses including
class size, meteorological equipment
and instructor innovation of
curriculum, course success is
showing great need for
improvement.
For the past five semesters there is a pattern of higher course success in spring and
lower course success in fall in meteorology courses. As stated above with respect to course
completion, this pattern is due in part to having lower fill rates each spring—less students
but more of them are completing and succeeding in the classes.
Some necessary steps to improve completion rates and to improve student success
in meteorology are:
1) lower the cap for the lecture classes (the METEO1 lecture class has had a cap of 74
students which makes it difficult to incorporate hands-on activities during class. We have
lowered the cap on the METEO1 class to 65 which will be in place beginning Spring 2014).
2) broaden our pool of meteorology instructors who can collaborate within the program to
enhance the curriculum and incorporate more hands-on activities,
3) purchase the necessary equipment to make such hands-on activities possible, and
4) fund student assistants to work in the meteorology labs assisting students with handson lab activities and exercises.
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When comparing efficiency, income/expense ratio, course completion and course
success data for both geography and meteorology it is clear to see that this program is
efficient and low cost but this has been, in part, at the expense of success—specifically:
having unrealistically high caps, overfilling classes, lack of hands-on activities, inadequate
equipment, lack of innovation to curriculum, and a limited instructor pool. Other factors
that are being considered are the times and locations when/where meteorology classes are
offered. We plan to try offering meteorology during the daytime on the Aptos campus to
test if this increases course completion and success rates. Another consideration is to have
the full-time contract faculty teach meteorology within a two-year period after tenure to
provide insight into necessary improvements not yet identified by adjunct instructors.
Other ideas include offering hybrid versions of geography 1 lab and geography 1
lecture. Students express that they “need” online classes because of work and family
demands but they also “want” some face-to-face class time to for connection to course
material, the instructor, the college and other students. Offering some of our core courses
in hybrid format will serve our students best.
Results of Instructional Planning Survey
Students were surveyed in the Fall of 2011, rather than closer to the date of this
report, because the program plan was given a one-year extension since a full-time contract
faculty had just been hired.
 Most of the students surveyed in Fall 2011 were not majoring in either geography
(89.2%) or meteorology (94.9%).
 Nearly 75% of geography students surveyed took the class because it was required
(54% for meteorology).
 The time of course-offerings was also an important reason that students enrolled in
our courses (36.5%/38.5% GEOG/METEO).
 The majority of our students are under age 21 (58%/66.7% GEOG/METEO).
 The majority of students taking classes in geography or meteorology are full-time
(12 or more units): 70% for geography, 56% for meteorology.
 The highest level of education completed for geography students was high school
(100%) and for meteorology was associates or bachelor’s (5.2%)
 The majority of students prefer to take classes in person (79%/74%) rather than
online (1%/3%) although the preference for hybrid classes was 20%/23%.
This significant preference for hybrid is already being taken into account when
planning curriculum and scheduling classes. By Fall 2014 we will have curriculum in place
to offer our geography 1 lab in a hybrid format.
Students surveyed responded that the facilities are in need of improvement (either
major or some improvement).
 For the classroom and lab, 11.5%/18.4% said the facilities are in need of major or
some improvement.
 For equipment the needs were 18% and 20% for major or some improvement.
Specific written comments for facilities and equipment improvement included: “sitting
chairs, lighting, technology, white board, new map (front), better equipment, better
materials, better resources, better classroom.” We have requested that broken chairs be
removed from the classroom and replaced. To date we do not have any new chairs. We
have removed unused equipment and structures from the classroom to clear out the
clutter. This has slightly improved the spread of light throughout the classroom. We need
to have some lighting improvements so that the white board can be illuminated without
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lighting up the projector screen at the same time (making the projections difficult to see).
Also, the light switches in the room are behind a large cabinet forcing the instructor to have
to reach his/her arm behind it in order to turn lights on/off. This makes it awkward during
lectures when many lighting adjustments need to be made for white board and projector
screen use. As of 2/11/14, the cabinet blocking the light switches has been moved to
another location revealing wiring and painting needs. Room 435 is in need of remodeling.
Lighting issues were also noted by other instructors during teaching evaluation visits in
room 435. Some lighting adjustments need to be made to improve this situation. There is
half blackboard and half white board across the front of the classroom. Students find the
white board easier to see, especially at the back of the room. Chalk dust gets on the
computer equipment and will damage it over time. The remaining blackboard needs to be
replaced with white board.
A common student-suggestion for improving the program is to incorporate more
hands-on activities and field trips into both the lecture and lab classes. Specific written
comments included: “doing more experiments, active learning, hands-on activities, more
hands-on work, need to interact with more things, more labs, more activities/field trips,
having science experiments, it would be great if we went outside and studied the
meteorology that’s happening right then and there, excursions to observe weather
phenomenon on campus, material would be taught better outside, we don’t have enough
hands-on materials for those of us who are visual and hands-on learners.” A faculty grant
was applied for and awarded in Fall 2012 to purchase and laminate new maps for mapreading activities in geography classes. This new equipment was used for the first time in
Fall 2013 and is allowing for hands-on activities in geography 1, geography 1 lab, and
geography 5. The HASS division funded the purchase of meter sticks, hand-levels,
measuring tapes, rulers, calculators and atlases. This equipment is being used in the
geography 1 lab for field experiments and in-lab exercises. These are small improvements
to adding hands-on activities into our classes. Many more such items will need to be
purchased and curriculum designed for hands-on activities in all of our courses. An
ongoing supply budget is needed as well as applying for grants (such as the faculty grants
for student success) to fund specific one-time equipment.
Class organization: When asked if the class outline/syllabus reflects what is actually
taught in the class, 95% of geography students responded that the outline/syllabus reflects
what is actually taught as opposed to 67% of meteorology students. A large portion of
meteorology students responded that the outline/syllabus did not reflect what was actually
taught (“very little” or “not at all” = 33%). This number was only 5.5% for geography
students. When asked if they would recommend classes in this department to other
students, 86.5% of geography students responded that they would as opposed to only 59%
of meteorology students. Specific written comments and suggestions for improving the
geography program included: “class size is way too big, tests are very difficult without
study guides, more ways to evaluate a student than just giving exams, class time is too
long.” We have reduced the class size of the GEOG1 and METEO1 lectures from 74 to 65.
By Fall 2014 the number of class hours for GEOG1 will be reduced from four to three hours
per week. In geography, study guide/review questions are now provided for each lecture
and are available online to students.
In meteorology the repetitive theme in student suggestions was better organization
and clearer lectures on the part of their meteorology instructor. Specific recommendations
through the faculty evaluation process have been made to address these concerns.
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When asked about the strengths of the Geography-Meteorology Program, the
students commended the faculty—their knowledge, passion and enthusiasm for the
subjects they teach. Students appreciate the helpfulness of and accessibility to their
instructors. Students found supplemental online materials such as lecture notes and study
guides to be very helpful. Students also found the multi-media presentations and
interdisciplinary approach to learning to be strengths of the program. Specific written
comments on strengths of the Geography-Meteorology Program included: “The teachers
are well educated, are always willing to help and are enthusiastic about what they are
teaching.”
Curriculum Review
All seven of our courses underwent major curriculum updates between Fall 2012
and Fall 2013 (see table below). These updates included rewriting all course SLOs,
updating course objectives and content, and representative texts. All of these changes were
made to better align our courses with course descriptors for geography in California’s
transfer model curriculum. One major change was made to our core course: physical
geography. This course was formatted as a 3.0 student unit course with 4.0 hours of
weekly lecture. It has been changed to reduce the number of hours per week to 3.0. This
change brings physical geography into alignment with course descriptors for geography
transfer model curriculum and with other 3.0-unit lecture classes at Cabrillo. This change
will be effective beginning Fall 2014.
Course
Curriculum Changes
Geography 1
Geography 1L
Geography 2
Geography 3A
Geography 4
Geography 5
Meteorology 1
Meteorology 1L
Updated SLOs, objectives, content, texts,
description; reduced TUs
Updated SLOs, objectives, content, texts,
description; submitted proposal for hybrid
version of course for Fall 2014
Updated SLOs, objectives, content, texts,
description
Deleted course since we cover this material in
other geography courses
Updated SLOs, objectives, content, texts,
description
Updated SLOs, objectives, content, texts,
description
Updated SLOs, objectives, content, texts,
description
Updated SLOs, objectives, content, texts,
description
Goals and Recommendations
A. Progress on Previous Goals and Recommendations
The last program plan report for geography-meteorology was written in 2006. In
the 2006 report, recommendations included more field trips and field laboratory learning
opportunities, hire student assistants, provide tutoring in geography, and replace damaged
and outdated maps. Until Fall 2011, no progress had been made on any of these
recommendations. Since a full-time faculty was hired in Fall 2011, the program has used
large class factor funds and received a departmental donation to fund student assistants.
Recently hired student assistants are now working in the program, making field lab
13
activities possible and enabling us to provide weekly drop-in tutoring to all geography and
meteorology students. These one-time funds are diminishing and a regular funding source
is needed. In Spring 2013 the program received a faculty grant for student success to
replace about 70 damaged and outdated maps. These maps are now being used by over
200 students each semester and have been laminated in order to preserve them for many
years of use.
Since Fall 2011 we now have field trips as part of our geography 1 lab classes. Field
trips for the California Geography (GEOG5) class are in the process of being worked into
course curriculum.
B. New Directions
For the 10 years prior to Fall 2011, lab and lecture classes in both geography and
meteorology have had few hands-on activities, no field trips, no active use of the scientific
method through a semester-long project collecting, graphing and analyzing data, no
student assistants, no formal weekly tutoring sessions and no incorporation of GIS into
lecture or lab.
The new direction of this program is to provide students opportunities to practice
the scientific method, actively engage in learning through hands-on activities, attend field
trips where they will encounter and apply course material, learn the applications of GIS
(the most important geographic tool on the planet!), and have the support of weekly
tutoring in geography and meteorology to support their success. Such new directions give
students experience to acquire skills in field methods, data collection, graphing data in
Excel, scientific research report writing and successful study habits promoted during
tutoring. For lab classes, the development of lab activities tailored to our campus and
unique Monterey Bay geographic region will necessitate writing our own lab workbook. All
of these opportunities will better prepare our students for transfer and employment.
Ongoing funding for student assistant support makes these new directions possible.
The development of a GIS course is a long-term goal within our program that will
provide students the opportunity to acquire cutting-edge, geographic skills that have farreaching applications and practical job-place skills. Development of such a course requires
training on the part of program faculty and will require computer stations and software to
run GIS programs.
14
C. Program Goals and Recommendations Narrative
Based on the results of the SLO and Core 4 evaluations over the past 18 months, and
the results of the instructional planning student survey, many goals and recommendations
emerged to improve student learning and success. A major theme is to incorporate more
hands-on learning into our courses. Improvements such as developing demonstrations for
the lecture setting, incorporating research (data collection, graphing, and analysis)
activities into laboratory classes, and field trips into both lectures and labs, are all methods
(as we have seen so far on our SLO assessments) to improve success on course SLOs. We
have also discovered that we need to engage students in critical thinking exercises in
lectures to improve critical-thinking skills. We have found that there are technological
improvements to be made to enhance learning in both the face-to-face and online setting,
and that hybrid-formatted courses are well-suited to our current and future student needs.
We have also found that offering weekly student assistant-led tutoring and study sessions
is a low-cost, high success method of improving student success in our courses and on
course SLOs. Students who attend these weekly tutoring sessions have told us that the free
tutoring has made the difference between passing and failing the course and that had the
tutoring not been available they do not think they would have been able to pass.
How we incorporate such recommendations will require both innovation and hard
work on the part of our teaching staff and it will require financial support to provide
laboratory and classroom equipment (such as maps and tools to collect data and computers
to process and graph data), student assistants working in the labs and during field trips,
and classroom improvements (such as better maps, chairs, and lighting).
Additionally, although the load/efficiency and income-expense ratios for the
Geography-Meteorology Program are very high, these data sets do not reflect the quality of
education that the students receive in our courses. These high efficiency rates have been
achieved at the expense of students being packed into classes, having unrealistic caps, and
even enrolling classes over cap. By Spring 2014 all geography and meteorology course
caps will be reduced from 74 to 65. The practice of enrolling over cap has been
discontinued.
I Recommendations with No Costs
1. Create hands-on demos for our lecture and lab classes by offering a flex
workshop/activity for our faculty to develop and create demos for geography and
meteorology about abstract concepts such as Coriolis, high and low pressure, and heat
capacity of water versus land.
2. Create a minimum of one mandatory lab activity for each of our lab classes (both in
geography and meteorology) in which students collect data (either in the field or online
using computers or both), graph the data they have collected, and write a scientific
research paper in order to promote mastery of the scientific method.
3. Offer lab classes (and potentially lecture classes) in hybrid format.
4. Incorporate a minimum of one Google Earth/GIS lab activity into lab course curriculum
for GEOG1L.
5. Incorporate one field trip into California Geography curriculum to foster student mastery
of both course SLOs.
6. Expand our teaching pool to include well-organized instructors who incorporate handson activities, demonstrations, field trips, and teaching techniques that address different
learning styles.
15
7. Create digitized version of map-reading test using a digital examination map from the
USGS for online students to be able to take the required map-reading test. Work with TLC
staff to make examination map available via Blackboard.
8. Test “clicker: system in lecture classes. Borrow clickers from BELA division. There could
be collaboration across departments for clicker use.
9. Write lab exercises tailored to campus and Monterey Bay region field activities. Eventually
merge lab exercises into a physical geography laboratory exercise workbook.
10. Collaborate with other programs on purchasing more licenses for GIS software and
investigate the possibility of CTC and the Library computers to support the software.
II Recommendations with Costs
1. Ongoing Student Assistant (SA) Budget: SAs will work in weekly labs, map exercises in
lecture classes, field trips and weekly tutoring/study sessions (estimate 200 hours per year
of student assistant budget/funds X $9.25/hr for SA II = $1850.00/year ongoing).
2. Lab Equipment Budget: Purchase new lab equipment plus maintain current equipment.
($400.00 per year)
3. Create 10 more captioned podcasts for GEOG1 online (currently there are 5) using the
CCC Confer program in the TLC/with the help of TLC staff. This will require relief time for
full-time faculty to create podcasts. Each of the 5 podcasts she created required 10 hours
of time. Based on that it is estimated that it will require 100 hours to complete 10 more
podcasts. (estimated one-time cost: 3 TUs @$1735.00/TU = $5205.00).
4. Create digital map-reading videos for online delivery so that students in online classes
(and face-to-face classes) can access required map-reading assignments (currently they can
only do the assignment by coming into the Aptos or Watsonville campus libraries). Since
the required assignments also require the use of maps, we need to purchase digitized
versions of the maps from the USGS. Work with TLC staff to streamline activity and make
available via Blackboard (estimate 30 hours of reassigned time to make this assignment
available online).
5. Computers: Six new computer stations designed to be used during lab time where
students can perform lab activities that involve graphing data and collecting online data,
and lab activities using Google Earth. (estimated cost $7000.00).
6. Classroom Improvements: Lighting, White board, Chairs, Wall Maps. (some of these
improvements are being made on a piecemeal basis through work orders but the classroom
needs to be considered for remodeling).
16
Appendices List (note Appendices 3 -6 are separate attachments)
Appendix 1: SLO and Core 4 Assessment Schedule
Course#
GEOG1
GEOG1
GEOG1L
GEOG2
GEOG4
GEOG4
GEOG5
GEOG5
METEO1
METEO1L
SLO#
1
2
1
1
1
2
1
2
1
1
Core 4
Communication
Critical Thinking & Information Competency
Global Awareness
Personal Responsibility & Professional Development
Semester Assessed
Spring 2013
Spring 2013
Spring 2013
Fall 2013
Spring 2014
Spring 2014
Fall 2013
Fall 2013
Spring 2013
Spring 2013
Semester Assessed
Spring 2012
Fall 2012
Spring 2013
Fall 2013
Appendix 2: California Community Colleges offering Introduction to GIS and
Introduction to Geographic Methods courses.
GEOG 155 Introduction to Geographic Information Systems and Techniques, with Lab
• Chabot College : GEOG 20 Introduction to Geographic Information Systems
• Chaffey College : GEOG 7 Introduction to Geographic Information Systems
• City College of San Francisco : GEOG 110 Introduction to GIS
• College of Marin : GEOG 125 Introduction to Geographic Information Systems
• College of the Canyons : GIS 101 Introduction to Geographic Information Systems
• Contra Costa College : GEOG 126 Introduction to Geographic Information Systems
• Cosumnes River College : GEOG 335 Introduction to Geographic Information Systems
Applications
• Cosumnes River College : GEOG 335.1 Fundamentals of Geopgraphic Information
Systems + GEOG 335.2 Intermediate GIS + GEOG 335.3 Projects Using GIS
• Cuesta College : GEOL 225 Introduction to Geographic Information Systems
• Diablo Valley College : GEOG 125 Introduction to Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
• Foothill College : GEOG 12 Introduction to Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
• Fullerton College : GEOG 281AF Introduction to Geographic Information Systems
• Golden West College : GEOG G190 Introduction to Geographic Information Systems
• Grossmont College : GEOG 104 Introduction to Geographic Information Science (GIS)
• Irvine Valley College : GEOG 110 Introduction to Geographic Information Systems
17
• Las Positas College : GEOG 15 Introduction to GIS
• Long Beach City College : GEOG 10 Introduction to Geographic Information Systems
• Monterey Peninsula College : MAST 10 Introduction to Geographic Information Systems
and Techniques, with Lab
• Moorpark College : GIS M01 Introduction to Mappring and GIS
• Mt. San Jacinto College : GEOG 115 Introduction to Geographic Information Science
• Orange Coast College : GEOG A190 Introduction to Geographic Information Systems
• Palomar College : GEOG 120 Introduction to Geographic Information Systems and GIS
Software
• Sacramento City College : GEOG 330 Inroduction to Geographic Information Systems
• Saddleback College : GEOG 110 Introduction to Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
San Bernardino Valley College : GIS 130 Introduction to Geographic Information Systems
(GIS)
GEOG 150 Map Interpretation and Analysis
• Antelope Valley College : GEOG 201 Map Interpretation and GPS
• Mt. San Jacinto College : GEOG 105 Map Interpretation and Spatial Analysis
Sacramento City College : GEOG 331 Exploring Maps and Geographical Technologies
Appendix 3: Program Goals and Recommendations Template
I Goals and Recommendations without Costs (Excel doc separate attachment)
II Goals and Recommendations with Costs (Excel doc separate attachment)
Appendix 4: Planning Checklist (MS Word Table)
Appendix 5: SLO Departmental Analysis Forms (pdf docs separate attachments)
a) SLOs Geography 1, 1L Meteorology 1, 1L (5/7/13)
b) SLOs Geography 2, 5 (12/2/13)
c) Core 4: Communication 8/22/12)
d) Core 4: Critical Thinking (2/7/13)
e) Core 4: Global Awareness (8/26/13)
f) Core 4: Personal Responsibility & Professional Development (12/1/13)
Appendix 6: Catalog Pages (pdf docs separate attachment)
a) Geography
b) Meteorology
18
A
B
C
Geography and Meteorology Program Planning
Goals and Recommendations With Costs
1
2
3
Description
4
5
1 Ongoing Student Assistant (SA) Budget: SAs will work in weekly labs,
map exercises in lecture classes, field trips and weekly tutoring/study
sessions (estimate 200 hours per year of student assistant budget/funds X
$9.25/hr for SA II = $1850.00/year ongoing).
Cost
$1850.00 per year; on-going cost
2
6
7
4
. Create digital map-reading videos for online delivery so that students in
online classes (and face-to-face classes) can access required map-reading
assignments (currently they can only do the assignment by coming into the
Aptos or Watsonville campus libraries). Since the required assignments
also require the use of maps, we need to purchase digitized versions of the
maps from the USGS. Work with TLC staff to streamline activity and
make available via Blackboard (estimate 30 hours of reassigned time to
make this assignment available online).
5
Computers: Six computer stations where students can perform lab activities
that involve graphing data and collecting online data, and GIS lab activities
using Google Earth. (estimated cost $7000.00)
6
Classroom Improvements: Lighting, White board, Chairs, Wall Maps.
8
9
10
$400.00/year; ongoing
Lab Equipment Budget: Purchase new lab equipment plus maintain current
equipment. (some of this is one-time cost and some is ongoing)
3 Create 10 more captioned podcasts for GEOG1 online (currently there are
5) using the CCC Confer program in the TLC/with the help of TLC staff.
This will require relief time for Deirdre Scholar to create podcasts. Each of
the 5 podcasts she created required 10 hours of time. Based on that it is
estimated that it will require 100 hours to complete 10 more podcasts.
(estimated one-time cost: 3 TUs).
3 Teaching Units; one-time cost
1 Teaching Unit; one-time cost
$7,000.00
?
Geography and Meteorology Program Planning
Goals and Recommendations Without Costs
Description
No Cost
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
1
2
Create hands-on demos for our lecture and lab classes by
offering a flex workshop/activity for our faculty to develop
and create demos for geography and meteorology about
abstract concepts such as Coriolis, high and low pressure,
and
heat
capacity ofofwater
versus land.
Create
a minimum
one mandatory
lab activity for each of
our lab classes (both in geography and meteorology) in
which students collect data (either in the field or online
using computers or both), graph the data they have
collected, and write a scientific research paper in order to
promote mastery of the scientific method.
3 Offer lab classes (and potentially lecture classes) in hybrid format.
4 Incorporate a minimum of one Google Earth/GIS lab activity
into lab course curriculum for GEOG1L.
5 Incorporate one field trip into California Geography curriculum
to foster student mastery of both course SLOs.
6
Expand our teaching pool to include well-organized
instructors who incorporate hands-on activities,
demonstrations, field trips, and teaching techniques that
address different learning styles.
0
0
0
0
0
0
7
Create digitized version of map-reading test using a digital
examination map from the USGS for online students to be able
to take the required map-reading test. Work with TLC staff to
make examination map available via Blackboard.
8 Test “clicker: system in lecture classes. Borrow clickers from
BELLA division.
0
0
9
9
Write lab exercises tailored to campus and Monterey Bay region
field activities. Eventually merge lab exercises into a physical
geography laboratory exercise workbook.
0
Program Plan Checklist
Here’s another way to see what’s needed in a Program Plan. Consider the left side of the chart as a handy checklist of what should be included. The
middle section describes the qualities that each section should exhibit, and the right side the data that should be included. . Check off each section as you
complete it. Contact the Planning and Research Office with any questions about gathering data for your program plan at:
https://www.cabrillo.edu/services/pro/about/index.html.
Sections of the Plan
Qualities
Program Description
Description is clear and succinct

Describes program

States program’s goals


May mention goals and recommendations from
previous program plan
Describe program’s relation to the College
Mission.
Relationships
This section describes the importance of the
program to the community and/or other programs
in the college.

Data Source
College Catalog
Description shows how internal and external
relationships have increased program efficacy and
efficiency and improved student outcomes.
Includes other programs which utilize the
program’s classes as required or elective
courses.
http://www.cabrillo.edu/publications/catalog/current/
Class Schedule
http://www.cabrillo.edu/home/schedules.html
Curriculum Inventory
http://curriculum.cccco.edu/
Describes any overlap with other
programs.

Details possible inter-programmatic
collaboration.
 Shows utilization of cross-curricular programs
such as the Work Based Learning Resource
Center, and the Library/Learning Resource
Center.

Describes educational institutions in the
vicinity offering the same or similar programs.
 CTE programs describe the labor market,
including job availability and wages for
program graduates.

Transfer programs list the appropriate
university with which the program has been
Rev. 12/16/13ma
Discussion should describe how the data has
impacted the program’s past and future plans
Contact Evie Alloy in CEED for assistance
in obtaining labor market information.
evalloy@cabrillo.edu, 479-6481
Contact PRO for other data sources
and assistance:
jucassad@cabrillo.edu
(831) 477-5577
1
Sections of the Plan
Qualities
Data Source
Information is accurate
Program Planning Data Sets on the
PRO Web site:
Information is presented in charts and graphs that
are clear and easy-to-read with some description
of their meaning.
https://sites.google.com/a/cabrillo.edu/programplanning-data/home
articulated.
Costs



Uses program WSCH/FTEF information
to compare the program load with the average
for Cabrillo.
Uses FTES income and program
expenditures to describe the cost effectiveness
of the program, including how it compares to
the college average.
Provides other information helpful in
understanding the load and cost effectiveness
of the program and describe how the
efficiency (load and cost effectiveness) of the
program can be improved.
Description includes an explanation of patterns
and/or or irregularities.
Description also includes consideration of ways to
increase efficiencies.
Student Learning Outcomes
Transfer and basic skills:

Describes how many course SLOs have
been assessed (should be all) and summarizes
the departmental dialog about the results, and
what is needed to improve teaching and
learning.

Describes how many of the Core 4 have
been assessed (should be all) and summarizes
the departmental dialog about what the results
reveal about:
a) Student competency in the classes that led to
departmental degrees.
b) Student competency in classes that are part of
the GE program (where applicable).
c) The department’s contribution to how students
Rev. 12/16/13ma
Description is divided into a discussion of what
the assessment results revealed about student
strengths, student challenges and strategies to
address the challenges.
Departmental SLO Assessment Analysis
forms from the last six years.
Discussion focuses on specific ideas and plans to
help students learn, rather than solely focusing on
professional development for faculty.
Description includes a discussion of how the SLO
assessment process affected the department
overall.
Description discusses any changes to course or
2
Sections of the Plan
master the core competencies.
Qualities
program SLOs that occurred as a result of
undertaking assessment.
CTE:
 Briefly describes the department’s assessment
plan and/or any changes that have been made
to it.
 Describes how many course SLOs have been
assessed (should be all) and summarizes the
departmental dialog about the results,
including what is needed to improve teaching
and learning.
 Describes how many certificate and degree
SLOs have been assessed and summarizes the
departmental dialog about the results,
including what is needed to improve teaching
and learning.
 Describes meetings with those transfer
programs whose GE courses are required for
certificates and degrees.
Student Success
Description includes a discussion of the current
program goals and recommendations arose as a
result of assessment results.

Data are presented accurately.
Defines student success in your program,
including how it is measured.

Compares program student success and
retention rates with overall student success
and retention at Cabrillo College.
 Compares students’ success rates with the
goals established in PFE and VTEA Core
Measures.
 Discuss/Respond to equity data.
Results of Student Survey
 Describes any additional questions added to
the student survey.
Rev. 12/16/13ma
Data Source
Description includes an explanation of any
irregularities or incompleteness.
Includes and explains data derived from any
additional departmental research undertaken as
part of program planning.
Student Success and Completion:
Look under Course Success and Course
completion rates at:
Data identifies strategies that are innovative and, if
appropriate, utilize more than Cabrillo resources,
information and models.
https://sites.google.com/a/cabrillo.edu/programplanning-data/home
Description includes changes that have already
been made due to student feedback and
Survey Results from PRO Office:
jucassad@cabrillo.edu
3
Sections of the Plan
Qualities
Data Source

recommends others.
(831) 477-5577
Identifies major findings from CTE Employment
Outcomes Survey and implications for program.
CTE program will also have results
from the CTE outcomes survey
Describes the trends identified in the
surveys.
CTE:
 Describes the employment outcomes for
program completers and leavers and
summarizes student feedback from CTE
Employment Outcomes (Completer/Leaver)
Survey.
Curriculum Review

Summarizes curricular review process
undertaken, including the review of all
courses, model programs and CTE certificates
and degrees.
Discussion is reflective and highlights any major
changes. If no changes were made, describes why.
Discussion details how curriculum revisions will
help the program to keep up with changes in this
field of study.
Goals and Recommendations
A. Progress on Previous Goals and
Recommendations
Describes progress on meeting all goals
and recommendations from the last
program plan.
 Describes the impact of this progress on
meeting goals on the program.
Goals and Recommendations
B. New Directions


Describes the new directions the
department believes it will embark on in
the next six years.
Description is accurate and insightful.
Description addresses what has been accomplished
and why or why not.
Discussion includes factors that have led to the
new directions such as labor market changes,
curriculum development, statewide initiatives etc.
Data sources for this section will be unique
to each program’s area of study. Some
suggested sources might be from professional
associations, industry trade groups, employer
advisory councils, research and policy
organizations, or other entities.
Goals and Recommendations
C. Program Goals and Recommendations
Narrative
In General:

Programs goals and needs for the next six
years are described in two separate sections:
one for those goals that do not incur costs and
Rev. 12/16/13ma
In General:
Recommendations are written as specific goals.
The FACTBOOK on the PRO website at:
https://www.cabrillo.edu/services/pro/factbook/
Recommendations are ranked in priority order.
4
Sections of the Plan
for those that do.

Each section describes on-going initiatives
and new directions.

Each section considers any of the
following that apply: curriculum changes,
methodology including distance learning, use
of work-based and service learning strategies,
scheduling, supplies, equipment, facilities,
staffing, and ways to measure and improve
student success.
Part I: Internal Recommendations

Describes the programs needs and goals
for the next six years that can be accomplished
without additional funding; these are goals
that the department can accomplish on its own
or in collaboration with other departments.
Part II: Recommendations with Costs

Qualities
Data Source
Recommendations are thoughtful, forward
thinking and achievable.
SLO assessment results are mentioned as driving
forces for appropriate program goals and
recommendations.
Part I: Internal Recommendations
Recommendations include a time line for
implementation.
Part II: Recommendations with Costs
Costs for recommendations are accurate.
Appropriate costs are taken from table in Program
Planning binder.
Describes the programs needs and goals
for the next six years that need additional
revenues from the college.
Program Goals and Recommendations
Template (Recommendations with Cost only)


Lists specific needs and goals named in
“Recommendations with Costs” narrative
section.
Includes a very brief rationale and cost.
Template is filled out accurately.
Each item lists exactly what is wanted.
Each item includes a phrase or clause that captures
its rationale.
Appendices

Goals and Recommendations Budget
Form
Appendices are clearly marked and easy to access.

SLO Departmental Analysis forms
 CTE only: SLO Assessment Plan and list of
Rev. 12/16/13ma
5
Sections of the Plan
Qualities
Data Source
Program SLOs, Employment Outcomes
Survey

Catalog Pages
 Course Outline and Prerequisite Review
Process
Rev. 12/16/13ma
6
Transfer and Basic Skills
Departmental Assessment Analysis Form
Note: Individual Assessment Form precedes this form.
Use the form below to summarize the results of the department meeting in
which you discussed the core competency assessment process or the
assessment of course SLOs. Append this form to your Instructional Plan
and incorporate the results into the narrative of your plan.
Department
GEOGRAPHY-METEOROLOGY
Meeting Date
5/7/13
FULL-TIME
ADJUNCT
Number of Faculty/Staff participating in
dialogue
1
1
Number of Faculty/Staff sharing
Assessment Results
1
1
1
2
Total number of faculty/staff in
department
Core Competency or Course SLOs
measured
Assessment Tools
(Give examples of major assignments
your faculty/staff used to measure the
competency or course SLOs)
Assessment Results
(Summarize the overall results of your
department
What student needs and issues were
revealed?
Were there any areas where student
performance was outstanding?
Any areas where it can be improved?
GEOG1 SLO #s 1 & 2 (both SLOs assessed)
GEOG1L SLO# 1 (only 1 SLO for this course)
METEO1 SLO # 1 (only 1 SLO for this course)
METEO1L SLO#1 (only 1 SLO for this course)
For GEOG1 & GEOG1L, a set of 6-8 exam questions were
used to assess each of the 3 SLOs
For METEO1, 2 online discussion posts and derivative test
questions were used to asses the course SLO
For METEO1L, Homework problems on scientific notation
involving mathematical computations were used to assess the
course SLO
Students not having good grasp of fundamental physical
processes in both physical geography and meteorology.
Students had difficulty with synthesizing course material and
applying material learned to high-level analytical exam
questions. Many students had poor level of writing in online
discussion posts. Also, students lack self-confidence and are
afraid to make mistakes by answering questions incorrectly in
front of rest of class.
Students did very well on exam material that tested their
knowledge of hands-on skills learned in laboratory classes.
Students need more opportunities to gain solid understanding
of abstract physical processes on Earth and in atmosphere.
Revised December, 2010
Macintosh HD:Users:dscholar:Library:Containers:com.apple.mail:Data:Library:Mail Downloads:B42EF0A5-4067-401A-AF0CC393C17B99CA:GEOG_METEO_SLODeptAnalysisForm.docx
Students need help synthesizing course material and
cultivating analytical skills to apply to high-level exam
questions.
Remedial English writing help for students on their written
assignments. Create more opportunities in the classroom that
cultivate analytical skills but in an anonymous way that
students feel “safe” to express themselves.
Next Step in the Classroom
to Improve Student Learning
o
o
How might student performance be
improved?
o
Check all the items faculty/staff felt
would help them address the needs and
issues that were revealed by the
assessment.
When filling out this form on a
computer, please indicate
selections by deleting unselected
items.
o
o
o
o
Next Step in the Department
to Improve Student Learning
Check all that the department felt would
help them improve student learning.
When filling out this form on a
computer, please indicate
selections by deleting unselected
items.
Revise content of activities
Revise the amount of writing work (more written
homework in lecture classes)
Increase in-class activities such as demonstrations of
physical processes on Earth and in atmosphere.
Use methods of questioning that encourage the
competency you measured such as re-wording or redesigning exam questions to better fit SLO being assessed.
Collect more data such as a larger set of test questions next
time SLO is assessed.
Other: doing in-class high-level analytical practice exam
questions by anonymous method such as “clickers” in
large lecture.
Other: More practice of mathematical computations that
relate to physical processes
o Encourage faculty to develop and share in-class
demonstrations of physical processes (on Earth and in
atmosphere) such as a flex workshop devoted to research
and development of such demonstrations.
o Write grants to fund equipment needed for in-class
demonstrations and activities to improve teaching and
learning
o Have binder available for rubrics and results
o Analyze course curriculum to align better with C-ID
course descriptors.
Priorities to Improve Student Learning
(List the top 3-6 things faculty/staff felt
would most improve student learning)
1) More in-class demonstrations of physical processes on
Earth and in atmosphere to improve student
understanding of abstract concepts.
2) More in-class practice of mathematical computations
that relate to physical processes on Earth and in
atmosphere
3) Anonymous practice exam questions during class that
will 1: gauge how well students understand physical
processes, 2:provide opportunities for students to apply
Revised December, 2010
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knowledge of these processes and 3: cultivate
analytical skills.
Implementation
(List the departmental plans to
implement these priorities)
1) Plan flex workshop to research and develop demonstrations
of physical processes for geography and meteorology lecture
and lab classes and write grants to fund needed equipment
2) Schedule specific times throughout the semester (during
lecture) to practice mathematical computations related to
understanding of physical processes
3) Research availability of “clickers” that can be used in room
435 (main lecture room for department) to allow for
anonymous student practice of high-level analysis of course
material
Timeline for Implementation
(Make a timeline for implementation of
your top priorities)
#1 above: Spring 2014 and continue to incorporate into
courses over time
#2 above: begin Fall 2013
#3 above: begin Fall 2013
Revised December, 2010
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Core%4%Departmental%Assessment%Analysis%Form%
%
Department
Geography-Meteorology
Meeting Date
12/1/13
FULLTIME
1
Number of Faculty participating
in dialogue
ADJUNCT
2
Number of Faculty sharing
Assessment Results
1
2
Total number of faculty in
department
1
2
Core Competency measured
Assessment Tools
(Give examples of major
assignments or tools used to
measure the competency)
Assessment Results
(Summarize the overall results of
your department )
In general, how did students do on
the assessment?
What student needs and issues
were revealed?
Were there any areas where
student performance was
outstanding?
Any areas where it can be
improved?
Next Step in the Classroom
to Improve Student Learning
How might student performance be
improved?
Go through list. Highlight what
items faculty felt would help them
Revised 1/31/13
Personal Responsibility & Professional Development
Map-reading test; Geographic Grid, Size & Shape of
Earth Lab, Take-home assignments, 10-point essay
question on exam on methods of pollution reduction,
and discussion board posts in online setting. For all
of these assignments in the 6 different courses we
assessed for this competency, we mainly focused on
deadlines and due dates.
Lots of variation:
• very successful in smaller group/lab classes
and/or when assignments occur near the start
of the semester
• poor results in larger lecture classes or in
online classes particularly when assignments
occur later in the semester
Question arose: How to maintain student motivation
throughout the entire semester and how to encourage
greater personal responsibility and accountability in
large lecture classes?
o
o
o
State goals and due dates of assignments more
regularly and clearly
Increase in-class discussions and activities--! ask!
students! who! have! completed! assignment! to! give!
feedback! to! the! class! on! their! experience! of! the!
assignment!
Provide! more! frequent! feedback! on! student!
address the needs and issues that
were revealed by the assessment.
Delete the rest.
o
o
o
o
Next Step in the Department
to Improve Student Learning
Go through list. Highlight in bold
what items faculty felt would help
them address the needs and
issues that were revealed by the
assessment. Delete the rest.
Priorities to Improve Student
Learning
(List the top 3-6 things faculty felt
would most improve student
learning)
Revised 1/31/13
progress—grades! are! posted! in! Bb! and! students! are!
reminded!to!check!those!grades!but!there!may!need!to!
be! a! HW! assignment! where! students! check! their!
grades!in!Bb!and!write!down!what!they!need!to!get!on!
each!remaining!assignment!to!reach!their!grade!goal.!
Increase! guidance! for! students! ! throughout! the!
semester! on! their! progress! so! far! in! the! class! such! as!
stated!above.!
State criteria for grading more explicitly—emphasize
the penalties when work is turned in late/past due
date
As an instructor, increase your interaction with
students outside of class—encourage students to
come to office hours—particularly for night classes
Other:—provide reminders of due dates to
students particularly as the semester progresses
when students may be getting bogged down with
other classes and work etc.
o Encourage faculty to share activities that foster
competency
o
o
Offer/encourage! attendance! at! seminars,! workshops!
or! discussion! groups! about! teaching! methods—
specifically! those! that! address! keeping! students!
motivated.!
Other:! Provide! more! frequent! feedback! on! student!
progress—grades! are! posted! in! Bb! and! students! are!
reminded!to!check!those!grades!but!there!may!need!to!
be! a! HW! assignment! where! students! check! their!
grades!in!Bb!and!write!down!what!they!need!to!get!on!
each!remaining!assignment!to!reach!their!grade!goal.!
1) Speak individually with students about late work
at the first case of late work being turned in—
don’t wait for a pattern to develop!
2) Have a HW assignment where students must
check Bb for their current grades, state their goal
for the semester (A,B, or C grade) and what they
need to score on remaining work to achieve that
goal
3) Require students with grades C or below to attend
office hours once/semester ideally mid-way
through the semester to construct a plan for
making sure they achieve their goal for that class
(C,B or A grade)
Implementation
(List the departmental plans to
implement these priorities)
Timeline for Implementation
(Make a timeline for
implementation of your top
priorities)
1) Remind instructors in the department during flex
week department meeting to try a minimum of
one of these techniques this semester and keep
track of the impact this has/or does not have on
improving success with this Core Competency
2) Discuss result of this experiment at next
semester’s flex week department meeting and
adjust/improve department strategy as needed.
3) Add another or try out another technique (of the 3
listed above) each semester and keep track of
results to discuss at next department meeting.
Begin with #1 (above in Implementation) in Spring 2014
and follow implementation plans (2 & 3) in following
semesters.
%
Revised 1/31/13
Core 4 Departmental Assessment Analysis Form
Department
Geography-Meteorology
Meeting Date
8/22/12
FULLTIME
1
Number of Faculty participating
in dialogue
Number of Faculty sharing
Assessment Results
1
2 (one adjunct not present but
provided his results of his assessments)
Total number of faculty in
department
Core Competency measured
Assessment Tools
(Give examples of major
assignments or tools used to
measure the competency)
Assessment Results
(Summarize the overall results of
your department )
In general, how did students do on
the assessment?
What student needs and issues
were revealed?
Were there any areas where
student performance was
outstanding?
Any areas where it can be
improved?
Next Step in the Classroom
to Improve Student Learning
Revised 1/31/13
ADJUNCT
1
1
2
Communication
Research, outline, and oral presentation using PowerPoint
(GEOG1)
Research paper, outline, and oral presentation using
PowerPoint (GEOG5)
Field laboratory with drawings and written observations
(GEOG1L)
Writing assignment/exam essay (GEOG4)
Written discussion post (METEO1 Online)
Term paper (METEO1 Watsonville)
The results varied greatly depending on the class and the type
of assignment. For example, with the field observations lab in
which students visually and verbally (in writing) communicate
their observations, students did an excellent job. In the exam
essay in GEOG4, the students performed satisfactorily. In the
term paper in METEO1 in Watsonville, students struggled
with their ability to write clearly and grammatically correct in
English and this in turn diminished their ability to
communicate clearly/have good communication about the
assignment content. In most of the assignments analyzed to
assess the core competency of communication, there is lots of
room for improvement.
o
State goals or objectives of assignment/activity more
explicitly
How might student performance be
improved?
Go through list. Highlight what
items faculty felt would help them
address the needs and issues that
were revealed by the assessment.
Delete the rest.
Next Step in the Department
to Improve Student Learning
Go through list. Highlight in bold
what items faculty felt would help
them address the needs and
issues that were revealed by the
assessment. Delete the rest.
Priorities to Improve Student
Learning
(List the top 3-6 things faculty felt
would most improve student
learning)
o
o
o
o
o
o
Revise activities leading up to and/or supporting
assignment/activities
Provide more frequent or more comprehensive
feedback on student progress
Increase guidance for students as they work on
assignments
State criteria for grading more explicitly
Collect more data
Other (please describe) Encourage students to get
help from the writing center as they work on research
papers. Maybe have a rough draft due date before
the final paper is due.
o Have binder available for rubrics and results
o Other (please describe) Have more flex workshop
activities for the department in which we have a
similar (although course specific) assignment that we
can use the next time we assess this competency.
That way we can more directly compare results and
look for trends within the department for areas to be
improved (because out results were so varied on this
competency).
#1 Revise one assignment in each class that will allow us to
compare how we as a department are doing with this
competency.
#2 Develop clearer rubrics for students on this assignment
#3 Flag students earlier in the semester who need outside help
with writing assignments (such as referrals to the writing
center).
Implementation
(List the departmental plans to
implement these priorities)
Timeline for Implementation
(Make a timeline for
implementation of your top
priorities)
Revised 1/31/13
#1 & #2(above): Schedule a flex activity for the department
during which we will revise/better align our communication
competency assessment tool so that the next time we assess
this competency we will have clearer results for the
department and how we can improve. Also, develop our
clearer rubrics for the revised assessment tool during this flex
activity.
Flex week Spring 2015
Revised 1/31/13
Transfer and Basic Skills
Departmental Assessment Analysis Form
Note: Individual Assessment Form precedes this form.
Use the form below to summarize the results of the department meeting in
which you discussed the core competency assessment process or the
assessment of course SLOs. Append this form to your Instructional Plan
and incorporate the results into the narrative of your plan.
Department
Geography & Meteorology
Meeting Date
8/26/13
FULL-TIME
Number of Faculty/Staff
participating in dialogue
Number of Faculty/Staff sharing
Assessment Results
Total number of faculty/staff in
department
Core Competency or Course
SLOs measured
ADJUNCT
2
1
1
2
1
2
Global Awareness
Assessment Tools
(Give examples of major
assignments your faculty/staff
used to measure the
competency or course SLOs)
Four discussion board questions in METEO1 online
An 11-question quiz on chapter 2 in METEO1
Set of 10 exam questions in GEOG1L
Set of 10 exam questions on final exam in GEOG1
Assessment Results
(Summarize the overall results
of your department
Overall results were satisfactory—success on the
assessment tools listed above ranged from 70% to 82%
success rates.
More practice with the scientific method is needed in
class through hands-on activities such as students
collecting data both online and in the field. Graphing of
data and discussion of graphs by the students would be
an effective way to improve student experience with and
knowledge of the scientific method. This could be
improved by having computer stations in the classroom
for such activities (6-8 computers to be used by
students). Also, such activities will require at least one
student assistant in the class to help facilitate data
What student needs and issues
were revealed?
Were there any areas where
student performance was
outstanding?
Any areas where it can be
improved?
Revised December, 2010
Macintosh HD:Users:dscholar:Library:Containers:com.apple.mail:Data:Library:Mail Downloads:6AD3DFB8-1B0C-47FF-8CC42BBC52FC96FB:Core4GlobalAwarenessAssmntAnalysisForm.docx
Next Step in the Classroom
to Improve Student Learning
How might student performance
be improved?
Check all the items faculty/staff
felt would help them address
the needs and issues that were
revealed by the assessment.
When filling out this form
on a computer, please
indicate selections by
deleting unselected items.
Next Step in the Department
to Improve Student Learning
Check all that the department
felt would help them improve
student learning.
When filling out this form
on a computer, please
indicate selections by
deleting unselected items.
Priorities to Improve Student
Learning
(List the top 3-6 things
faculty/staff felt would most
improve student learning)
collection and graphing. Additional field equipment
(stadia rods. Eye-levels, Bull’s Eye Levels) is needed for
collection of topographic data for graphing and analysis.
o State goals or objectives of assignment/activity more
explicitly
o Revise content of assignment/activities
o Revise activities leading up to and/or supporting
assignment/activities
o Increase in-class discussions and activities
o Increase field activities
o Increase student collaboration
o Increase guidance for students as they work on
assignments
o State criteria for grading more explicitly
o Collect more data
o Other (please describe)—promote activities that are
more student-centered, discovery-based learning such
as data-collection, graphing of data, and discussion
and analysis of data.
o Write collaborative grants to fund departmental
projects to improve teaching
o Have binder available for rubrics and results
o Analyze course curriculum,, so that the department
can build a progression of skills as students advance
through courses
o Other (please describe)—fund student assistants to
work in class and in the field with data collection and
graphing.
1) Develop hands-on activities such as data
collection both in the field and online, that allow
students to get experience with and improve their
understanding of the scientific method.
2) Purchase computers for the classroom and field
equipment for the collection of geographic and
meteorological data
3) Fund student assistants to help facilitate data
collection, graphing and analysis during class as
this will increase guidance for students as they
work on these scientific method-based
assignments.
Revised December, 2010
Macintosh HD:Users:dscholar:Library:Containers:com.apple.mail:Data:Library:Mail Downloads:6AD3DFB8-1B0C-47FF-8CC42BBC52FC96FB:Core4GlobalAwarenessAssmntAnalysisForm.docx
Implementation
(List the departmental plans to
implement these priorities)
Timeline for Implementation
(Make a timeline for
implementation of your top
priorities)
Research funding options. Apply for grants. List needs
clearly in Program Plan Report.
Fall 2014 secure funding for student assistants.
Spring 2015 plan purchase of computer stations for
classroom.
Revised December, 2010
Macintosh HD:Users:dscholar:Library:Containers:com.apple.mail:Data:Library:Mail Downloads:6AD3DFB8-1B0C-47FF-8CC42BBC52FC96FB:Core4GlobalAwarenessAssmntAnalysisForm.docx
Transfer and Basic Skills
Departmental Assessment Analysis Form
Note: Individual Assessment Form precedes this form.
Use the form below to summarize the results of the department meeting in
which you discussed the core competency assessment process or the
assessment of course SLOs. Append this form to your Instructional Plan
and incorporate the results into the narrative of your plan.
Department
Geography & Meteorology
Meeting Date
8/26/13
FULL-TIME
Number of Faculty/Staff
participating in dialogue
Number of Faculty/Staff sharing
Assessment Results
Total number of faculty/staff in
department
Core Competency or Course
SLOs measured
ADJUNCT
2
1
1
2
1
2
Global Awareness
Assessment Tools
(Give examples of major
assignments your faculty/staff
used to measure the
competency or course SLOs)
Four discussion board questions in METEO1 online
An 11-question quiz on chapter 2 in METEO1
Set of 10 exam questions in GEOG1L
Set of 10 exam questions on final exam in GEOG1
Assessment Results
(Summarize the overall results
of your department
Overall results were satisfactory—success on the
assessment tools listed above ranged from 70% to 82%
success rates.
More practice with the scientific method is needed in
class through hands-on activities such as students
collecting data both online and in the field. Graphing of
data and discussion of graphs by the students would be
an effective way to improve student experience with and
knowledge of the scientific method. This could be
improved by having computer stations in the classroom
for such activities (6-8 computers to be used by
students). Also, such activities will require at least one
student assistant in the class to help facilitate data
What student needs and issues
were revealed?
Were there any areas where
student performance was
outstanding?
Any areas where it can be
improved?
Revised December, 2010
Macintosh HD:Users:dscholar:Library:Containers:com.apple.mail:Data:Library:Mail Downloads:6AD3DFB8-1B0C-47FF-8CC42BBC52FC96FB:Core4GlobalAwarenessAssmntAnalysisForm.docx
Next Step in the Classroom
to Improve Student Learning
How might student performance
be improved?
Check all the items faculty/staff
felt would help them address
the needs and issues that were
revealed by the assessment.
When filling out this form
on a computer, please
indicate selections by
deleting unselected items.
Next Step in the Department
to Improve Student Learning
Check all that the department
felt would help them improve
student learning.
When filling out this form
on a computer, please
indicate selections by
deleting unselected items.
Priorities to Improve Student
Learning
(List the top 3-6 things
faculty/staff felt would most
improve student learning)
collection and graphing. Additional field equipment
(stadia rods. Eye-levels, Bull’s Eye Levels) is needed for
collection of topographic data for graphing and analysis.
o State goals or objectives of assignment/activity more
explicitly
o Revise content of assignment/activities
o Revise activities leading up to and/or supporting
assignment/activities
o Increase in-class discussions and activities
o Increase field activities
o Increase student collaboration
o Increase guidance for students as they work on
assignments
o State criteria for grading more explicitly
o Collect more data
o Other (please describe)—promote activities that are
more student-centered, discovery-based learning such
as data-collection, graphing of data, and discussion
and analysis of data.
o Write collaborative grants to fund departmental
projects to improve teaching
o Have binder available for rubrics and results
o Analyze course curriculum,, so that the department
can build a progression of skills as students advance
through courses
o Other (please describe)—fund student assistants to
work in class and in the field with data collection and
graphing.
1) Develop hands-on activities such as data
collection both in the field and online, that allow
students to get experience with and improve their
understanding of the scientific method.
2) Purchase computers for the classroom and field
equipment for the collection of geographic and
meteorological data
3) Fund student assistants to help facilitate data
collection, graphing and analysis during class as
this will increase guidance for students as they
work on these scientific method-based
assignments.
Revised December, 2010
Macintosh HD:Users:dscholar:Library:Containers:com.apple.mail:Data:Library:Mail Downloads:6AD3DFB8-1B0C-47FF-8CC42BBC52FC96FB:Core4GlobalAwarenessAssmntAnalysisForm.docx
Implementation
(List the departmental plans to
implement these priorities)
Timeline for Implementation
(Make a timeline for
implementation of your top
priorities)
Research funding options. Apply for grants. List needs
clearly in Program Plan Report.
Fall 2014 secure funding for student assistants.
Spring 2015 plan purchase of computer stations for
classroom.
Revised December, 2010
Macintosh HD:Users:dscholar:Library:Containers:com.apple.mail:Data:Library:Mail Downloads:6AD3DFB8-1B0C-47FF-8CC42BBC52FC96FB:Core4GlobalAwarenessAssmntAnalysisForm.docx
Course SLO Departmental Assessment Analysis Form
Department
Geography-Meteorology
Meeting Date
12/2/13
FULLTIME
1
Number of Faculty/Staff
participating in dialogue
Number of Faculty/Staff sharing
Assessment Results
Total number of faculty/staff in
department
ADJUNCT
0
1
1
1
2
Course SLOs measured
List the courses SLOs whose
assessment results were
discussed in this meeting
Geography 2 SLO#1 (GEOG2 has only 1 SLO)
Geography 5 SLO# 1 & 2 (GEOG5 has 2 SLOs)
Assessment Tools
(Give examples of major
assignments your faculty used to
measure the course SLOs)
Assessment Results
(Summarize the overall results of
your department)
In general, how did students do on
the assignment?
Sets of multiple choice exam questions.
Essay questions on exam.
What student needs and issues
were revealed?
Were there any areas where
student performance was
outstanding?
Any areas where it can be
improved?
The results varied from 67.4% success to 90%
success.
More practice with maps in identifying landforms,
resources, and climates is needed during class time,
study sessions, and on HW assignments. Students
need out-of-class field trips/field experience where
they have opportunities to identify landforms,
resources, and climate distribution in conjunction
with maps.
In areas where students scored very high on the
assessment, the questions may have been too general
or easy or not designed well enough to adequately
assess the SLO. We need to refine assessment tools so
that they better reflect mastery of the SLOs.
Next Step in the Classroom
to Improve Student Learning
o
How might student performance be
improved?
o
o
Go through list. Highlight what
items faculty felt would help them
address the needs and issues that
were revealed by the assessment.
Delete the rest.
o
State goals or objectives of assignment/activity more
explicitly
Revise content of assignment/activities to include
more hands-on map activities.
Revise activities leading up to and/or supporting
assignment/activities such as including field trips into
our courses. One all-day Saturday field trip per
semester could provide students the experience they
need to achieve mastery of course SLOs.
Increase in-class discussions and activities
o
o
o
Next Step in the Department
to Improve Student Learning
Go through list. Highlight what
items faculty felt would help them
address the needs and issues that
were revealed by the assessment.
Delete the rest.
o
o
o
o
o
Priorities to Improve Student
Learning
(List the top 3-6 things faculty/staff
felt would most improve student
learning)
Provide more frequent or more comprehensive
feedback on student progress by using the clicker
system during class discussions.
Revise/refine assessment tools to better measure
course SLOs.
Collect more data after assessment tools are
revised/refined.
Revise in-class activities to incorporate more handson map activities in which students identify
landforms and locate resources.
Develop paired reading assignments and discussions
based on current issues relating to SLO#2 in GEOG5.
Develop activities that foster competency such as
field trips to see/experience examples of human
impacts on development and natural resources in
Central California.
Revise course curriculum to incorporate one all-day
Saturday field trip each semester.
Other (please describe) Fund student assistants to
attend field trips and conduct study sessions to
promote mastery of SLOs.
1) Revise/refine assessment tools to better
measure student success on SLOs.
2) Develop hands-on activities for in-class
lectures such as the use of maps for identifying
landforms and resources,
3) Acquire a clicker system to use in-class to
provide students with more frequent feedback
and to provide instructor with a better gauge
on student learning prior to an
exam/assessment.
4) Revise course curriculum to include one field
trip each semester in GEOG5 to promote
mastery of both course SLOs.
5) Fund student assistants to attend field trips
and hold study sessions.
Implementation
(List the departmental plans to
implement these priorities)
1) Department is currently pursuing options to
acquire a clicker system.
2) Department is currently in discussion with Dale
Attias in curriculum and HASS Dean Isabel
O’Connor as to options for incorporating one all-day
Saturday field trip into GEOG5.
3) Department is currently writing program plan and
one of the top goals/recommendations is to fund
student assistants for all of our classes.
4) Have departmental flex activities/workshops to
develop hands-on activities for in-class/lectures.
Timeline for Implementation
Priority # 1 in Fall 2014
(Make a timeline for
implementation of your top
priorities)
Priority # 2 During Flex week in Spring 2015
Priority #3 in Fall 2014
Priority #4: Department is currently in discussion
with Dale Attias in curriculum and HASS Dean
Isabel O’Connor as to options for incorporating one
all-day Saturday field trip into GEOG5. Goal is to
have n place by Fall 2014.
Priority #5: Hopefully by Fall 2014 if Program Plan
Committee agrees that this goal/recommendation
should be funded by the division or college.
Cabrillo College Catalog–2013-2014
GEOGRAPHY
Model Program for Geography
An Associate Degree requires 60 units appropriate to your educational
goal, to include general education and at least 18 units in a major.
Courses should be selected to meet the lower-division major preparation requirements at your intended transfer university-these specific
requirements can be found at www.assist.org for 4-year public institutions in California. Please see a counselor for advisement to ensure you
are taking the best possible courses given your goal.
The department presents the following suggested model program for
this major. The courses listed below may or may not be appropriate
depending on your specific goal. Please see a counselor for advisement
for transfer to any 4-year institution.
A.A. General Education
30 Units
Human Arts and Social Sciences Division
Isabel O'Connor, Division Dean
Division Office, Room 420
Rory O’Brien, Program Chair, (831) 479-6443
Aptos Counselor: (831) 479-6274 for appointment
Watsonville Counselor: (831) 786-4734
Call (831) 479-6297 for more information
http://www.cabrillo.edu/programs
Geography A.A. Degree
Core Courses (9-14 Units)
Units
GEOG 1
Physical Geography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
GEOG 2
Cultural Geography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Highly Recommended
MATH 12
Elementary Statistics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
or
MATH 12H
Honors Elementary Statistics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Plus one course chosen from the following:
GEOG 4
World Regional Geography. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
GEOG 5
California Geography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
OCEAN 10
Introduction to Oceanography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Approved Geography electives (6-10 Units) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Units
Electives:
(Any Course Numbered 1-99). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-11
Total Units
60
Any courses listed in Area D on the A.A. Degree requirements will satisfy additional Geography elective requirements for the A.A. Degree.
Prospective Geography majors are encouraged to consult a Geography
instructor regarding recommended elective courses.
Program Description:
Geography studies Earth's natural and cultural systems, integrating
data from the physical sciences, social sciences and humanities.
Geographers make maps and use maps as tools of learning and for
interpreting the physical and cultural aspects of Earth. Geographic
studies are critical for understanding the international-global arena;
past, present and future. A degree in geography provides excellent
opportunities for careers with city, county and state governments in
geographic information systems (GIS), urban planning, land use management, and environmental consulting. On a national level, many
geographers are employed at the United States Geological Survey's
national mapping program. Geographers with advanced degrees may
find positions in research or college-level teaching.
Geography Courses
GEOG 1
Physical Geography
3 units; 4 hours Lecture
Recommended Preparation: Eligibility for ENGL 100 and READ 100.
Repeatability: May be taken 1 time.
Studies Earth's dynamic physical systems and processes, including
Earth-sun geometry, weather, climate, water, landforms, soil and the
biosphere. Emphasizes interrelationships between human and environmental systems. May be offered in a Distance-Learning Format.
Transfer Credit: Transfers to CSU; UC.
GEOG 1L
Physical Geography Laboratory
1 unit; 3 hours Laboratory
Recommended Preparation: Eligibility for ENGL 100 and READ 100; Eligibility
for MATH 154
Hybrid Requisite: Completion of or concurrent enrollment in GEOG 1.
Repeatability: May be taken 1 time.
Provides experiments and exercises relating to topics presented in
GEOG 1-Physical Geography, including maps and mapping, the seasons,
weather, geomorphology, and location drills.
Transfer Credit: Transfers to CSU; UC.
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Cabrillo College Catalog–2013-2014
GEOG 2
Cultural Geography
3 units; 3 hours Lecture
Recommended Preparation: Eligibility for ENGL 100 and READ 100.
Repeatability: May be taken 1 time.
Introduces the geography of culture including population dynamics,
social customs, language, religion, political organization, agricultural
systems, cities, industry, and environmental impacts.
Transfer Credit: Transfers to CSU; UC.
GEOG 3A
Map Reading
1 unit; 3 hours Laboratory
Recommended Preparation: Eligibility for ENGL 100 and READ 100.
Repeatability: May be taken 1 time.
Teaches map reading techniques, especially USGS quadrangles, the
use and organization of the world atlas, gazetteer, and the construction
of terrain profiles.
Transfer Credit: Transfers to CSU.
GEOG 4
World Regional Geography
3 units; 3 hours Lecture
Recommended Preparation: Eligibility for ENGL 100 and READ 100.
Repeatability: May be taken 1 time.
Surveys the world's geographic regions including historical development, cultures, economics, and spatial relationship of the geographic
realms.
Transfer Credit: Transfers to CSU; UC.
GEOG 5
California Geography
3 units; 3 hours Lecture
Recommended Preparation: Eligibility for ENGL 100 and READ 100.
Repeatability: May be taken 1 time.
Explores the physical and human landscapes of California and the
development of the state as a result of human interactions with the environment. Topics relevant to the state's development and to geography
are explored including: climate, landforms, natural vegetation, water
resources, cultural landscape, ethnic diversity, urban and agricultural
regions, and the economy.
Transfer Credit: Transfers to CSU; UC.
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Cabrillo College Catalog–2013-2014
METEOROLOGY
Human Arts and Social Sciences Division
Isabel O'Connor, Division Dean
Division Office, Room 420
Rory O’Brien, Program Chair, (831) 479-6443
Aptos Counselor: (831) 479-6274 for appointment
Watsonville Counselor: (831) 786-4734
Call (831) 479-6297 for more information
http://www.cabrillo.edu/programs
Meteorology Courses
METEO 1
Elementary Meteorology
3 units; 3 hours Lecture
Recommended Preparation: Eligibility for ENGL 100 and READ 100; Eligibility
for MATH 154.
Repeatability: May be taken 1 time.
Explores the composition, structure and motion of the atmosphere
including: weather systems, clouds and precipitation, radiation, upper
atmospheric phenomena, microclimates, meteorological instruments,
and observations. May be offered in a Distance-Learning Format.
Transfer Credit: Transfers to CSU; UC.
METEO 1L
Meteorology Laboratory
1 unit; 3 hours Laboratory
Recommended Preparation: Eligibility for ENGL 100 and READ 100.
Hybrid Requisite: Completion of or concurrent enrollment in METEO 1.
Repeatability: May be taken 1 time.
Emphasizes the nature and causes of weather and climate using exercises, weather data and hands-on instrument use.
Transfer Credit: Transfers to CSU; UC.
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