GENERAL EDUCTIONASSESSMENT REPORT – 2012/2013 ACADEMIC YEAR
Gen. Ed. Category
Natural Sciences
Gen. Ed. Outcome Statement:
Incorporate empirical evidence in the analysis of the cause and consequences of natural phenomena
Approved Courses addressing
this Outcome Statement:
BIOL104*, BIOL 105, BIOL 131, BIOL 122, BIOL 204*, CHEM 105, CHEM 108 and CHEM 109,
CHEM 115, CHEM 116, GEOL 115, GEOL 121, GEOL 122, GEOG 106, GEOG 108, NSGE 100, NSCI
101, NSCI 102, NSCI 103 and NSCI 104, NSCI 110, NSCI 116, NSCI 119, PHYS 221, PHYS 231
*BIOL104 was added starting Spring 2012; BIOL204 will be removed starting Fall 2012
Person submitting this report
(name and e-mail):
Date submitted:
K. Arend, D. Wright, H. Henderson, C. Lee, R. Hutchins
Final report for the 2011-2012 academic year, submitted 10April 2013
Assessment Measurements Conducted During the Current Year
Assessment Tools:
Summary of Results
Biological
Sciences
program
and course
offerings
Student achievement of this outcome is measured using
quizzes, exams, laboratory exercises, and laboratory
reports and projects.
BIOL104, Spring 2013: 71% of students
achieved >80% final average score on their lab
open inquiry project.
See Recommendation #1 below
Physical
sciences
program
offerings
Various tools, including those specific to external
accreditation. Assessment activities have been ongoing
(see 2011 Natural Sciences General Education
report); however, some of these data have not yet been
compiled.
Data on course level assessment will be
submitted as part of course assessment activities
using tracdat during the 2012-2013 academic
year.
Currently being developed (see
Summary of Results).
Chemistry
course
offerings
Student achievement of this outcome is measured using
homework, quizzes, exams, laboratory reports, and the
American Chemistry Society (ACS) exam.
Extensive course and program assessment based
on available assessment data has been ongoing
and resulted in proposals for program and
course changes to the curriculum committee in
spring 2012. Several of the courses involved are
General Education courses.
Data on course level assessment will be
submitted as part of course assessment activities
using tracdat during the 2012-2013
1 2012 General Education Assessment Report: Natural Sciences
Recommendations
No recommendations provided
as of March 2012.
academicyear.
Geology
course
offerings
Student achievement of this outcome is measured using
homework, quizzes, exams, and laboratory reports.
Data on course level assessment will be
submitted as part of course assessment activities
using tracdat during the 2012-2013 academic
year.
No recommendations provided
as of March 2012.
Geography
course
offerings
Student achievement of this outcome is measured
usingquizzes, exams, and laboratory reports.
Data on course level assessment will be
submitted as part of course assessment activities
using tracdat during the 2012-2013 academic
year.
No recommendations provided
as of March 2012.
Natural
Sciences
course
offerings
Student achievement of this outcome is measured using
homework, quizzes, exams, and laboratory reports.
Data on course level assessment will be
submitted as part of course assessment activities
using tracdat during the 2012-2013 academic
year.
See Recommendation #2
below
Physics
course
offerings
Student achievement of this outcome is measured using
homework, quizzes, exams, and laboratory reports.
Data on course level assessment will be
submitted as part of course assessment activities
using tracdat during the 2012-2013 academic
year.
No recommendations provided
as of March 2012.
Externally- Student achievement of this outcome is measured using
ETS test performance for all entering Freshman and
based
exiting Seniors.
General
Education
Assessment
Activities
Freshman
Fall 2009: LSSU score, 114.02(stdev:4.80; 95%
CI: 113-115); National score, 113.1
Fall 2010: LSSU, 114.75 (stdev: 5.32; 95% CI:
114-116); National, 113.1
Fall 2011: LSSU, 115.08 (stdev: 5.24; 95% CI:
114-116), National, 113.4
Students appear to be
performing on par with
comparable
schools(Baccalaureate [Liberal
Arts] Colleges I and II),
nationwide. Senior and
Freshman data cannot be
compared because we have not
had a cohort of Freshman who
completed the ETS test take the
test as graduating seniors.
Seniors
Spring 2010: LSSU, 115.98 (stdev: 5.70; 95%
CI: 115-117); National, 115.9
Spring 2011: LSSU, 115.57 (stdev: 6.45; 95%
CI: 114-117); National, 115.66
Fall 2011: LSSU, 116.19 (stdev: 4.98; 95% CI:
115-118); National, 115.66
Spring 2012: LSSU, 117.51 (stdev: 5.41; 95%
CI: 116-119); National, 115.84
2 2012 General Education Assessment Report: Natural Sciences
Student assessment of this outcome is measured using
Studentthe senior exit surveys that were completedduring
based
spring semester 2012.
General
Education
Assessment
Activities
Course
syllabi
outcome
statement
compliance
Syllabi for Fall 2011 and Spring 2012 courses that
address this outcome statement were reviewed for
compliance with explicitly including the outcome
statement and relevant student learning outcomes.
67 students evaluated this outcome as follows;
well prepared = 34.3%; adequately prepared =
41.8%; neutral = 20.9%; 3.0% = Poorly
prepared; 0.0% = Not prepared at all.
The courses selected as having been taken to
complete the requirements included: BIOL105
(16.9%); BIOL122 (3.1%); BIOL131 (23.1%);
CHEM105 (1.5%); CHEM115 (9.2%);
CHEM116 (1.5%); GEOG106 (1.5%);
GEOG108 (1.5%); NSCI101 (7.7%); NSCI102
(18.5%); NSCI103/104 (12.3%); NSCI 110
(1.5%); PHYS221 (1.5%)
Fall 2011: 10 of 18 (55%) included this outcome
statement; 1 of 17 syllabi was not available for
review. This represents an improvement from
0% (0 of 15) compliance in Fall 2010.
Spring 2012: 10 of 15 (67%) syllabi included
this outcome statement. This represents a
decline from 100% (11 of 11) compliance in
Spring 2011.
We recommend the courses
continue with assessment and
modification as needed. The
majority of students (76%) feel
that their courses prepared them
to accomplish this outcome. The
Natural Sciences learning
outcome was rankedcomparably
to the other General Education
learning outcomes.
Dean Barb Keller wasasked to
forward an email to all faculty
in the College of Natural and
Mathematic Sciences that asked
those teaching General
Education courses to include the
General Education Natural
Sciences outcome in their
syllabi. The statement was
provided for their convenience.
Recommendations
1. BIOL104 (“Survey of General Biology”) was proposed and approved for addition as a new General Education course that addresses
the Natural Sciences outcome statement. This is a new (Spring 2012) course targeting non-major and Elementary Education students.
The course provides a survey of the entire range of biology (cells through biomes), with student outcomes appropriate for non-majors
and for meeting the State of Michigan benchmarks for training elementary school teachers in the biological sciences. Other Biological
Sciences General Education courses address student outcomes more specific to a particular area or subset of biology. BIOL204 was
proposed and approved for removal from the General Education courses that address the Natural Sciences outcome statement starting
Fall 2012. The School of Biological Sciences determined that very few students choose to take this course to meet their General
Education requirement, outside of their major or minor program requirements. A review of programs that require BIOL204, revealed
that the removal of BIOL204 as a Natural Sciences Education course will not affect any students’ ability to fulfill the Natural Sciences
General Education requirement.
2. NSCI101, 102, and 116 syllabi were updated to explicitly identify the relevant State of Michigan benchmarks for training elementary
school teachers in the physical sciences. NSCI101 has been modified to include a heavier focus on astronomy.
3 2012 General Education Assessment Report: Natural Sciences
Methods Used for Sharing Assessment Information:Methods
for sharing course assessment information will be based upon and
coordinated with university-wide course assessment procedures. These procedures currently are being developed with implementation
starting Spring 2012. School of Physical Sciences has an assessment plan in place that has been put on hold pending the
implementation of university-wide course assessment procedures.
Next Steps: The Natural
Sciences General Education sub-committee will meet with Dean Barb Keller, department chairs, and faculty
teaching courses that address the Natural Sciences General Education outcome, to discuss how they can incorporate assessment of this
outcome into the annual course assessment they will be required to report to the LSSU Office of Assessment.
Additional Comments:
No additional comments.
HLC Six Fundamental Questions
1. How are your stated student learning outcomes appropriate to your mission, programs, degrees, and students?
2. What evidence do you have that students achieve your stated learning outcomes?
3. In what ways do you analyze and use evidence of student learning?
4. How do you ensure shared responsibility for student learning and for assessment of student learning?
5. How do you evaluate and improve the effectiveness of your efforts to assess and improve student learning?
6. In what ways do you inform the public and other stakeholders about what and how well your students are learning?
4 2012 General Education Assessment Report: Natural Sciences