Metro State University of Denver
Assessment Report Template
Fall 2013
Program Name _______Land Use________________________________________________________
Program Description – include a brief description of the program including a list of majors, minors, concentrations as applicable and
the number of students in each, and the number of faculty by category.
The Land Use program (LUS) is part of the Earth and Atmospheric Sciences Department. The mission program is to
provide a multidisciplinary professional education that integrates physical and social science with policy and spatial
analysis as a foundation for understanding problems and implementing solutions in sustainable land use development.
The land use curriculum combines general planning courses with a focused area of study (concentration), including
environment and resources, geographic information systems, geology, or urban land use planning, linked by the vital
thread of land use management. There are seven (7) tenure-line faculty dedicated to the Land Use program for about 139
majors (Fall 2012 data).
Program Goals
1. To prepare students for a professional practice that stresses critical analysis, innovation in problem solving, and
sustainability.
2. To introduce students to the multidisciplinary approach in the sciences to address land development questions.
3. To train students in the interactions between the physical and human environments for sustainable land
development.
4. To develop a competency in both comprehension and presentation of scientific communication.
Majors (Fall 2012 data)
 Land Use: no concentration declared - 51 students
 Land Use: Urban Land Use – 9 students
 Land Use: Environment & Resources– 35 students
 Land Use: Geology – 23 students
 Land Use: Geographic Information Systems– 21 students
Minors (Fall 2012 data)
 Geography – 14 students
 Geology – 7 students
 Geographic Information Systems – 5 Students
Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs)
These are measurable statements of students’ learning and development reflecting what the program would like students to know, be
able to do and/or value. Please insert the appropriate number of rows in the table and letter or number the SLOs for easier reference
to data collection and findings.
Land Use Program Student Learning Outcomes
Graduating students should be able to:
1. Knowledge: Identify the relation between human and physical patterns, and examine how and why patterns
vary across the surface of the Earth.
2. Comprehension: Discuss the interaction among socio-economic, physical, and cultural factors and explain
their joint influence on the context and evolution of land use patterns.
3. Application: Demonstrate competency in both writing and oral presentation of scientific information using
appropriate multimedia resources.
4. Analysis: Select and apply an array of analytic tools ranging from earth systems techniques to culturalsocio-economic and ecological approaches to analyze specific land use issues, problems, and conflicts.
5. Synthesis and evaluation: Design, plan, and evaluate solutions for complex multi-dimensional land use
problems.
Data collection
Describe the source(s) of evidence and/or
type of measure, and in what course or other
activity, by course number and term as
applicable, it is administered. Clearly link
each source of evidence to one or more
student learning outcomes by letter or
number
SLO: 1 Knowledge
GEG 3610 Research paper
Findings
Target/Expectation
Action and
Rationale
Briefly describe findings,
linked explicitly to one or
more student learning
outcomes by letter or
number. Identify strengths
and areas for improvement.
Include trend analyses
wherever possible.
Indicate the
aggregate score
and/or qualitative
expectation
desired by the
faculty for this
outcome.
Based on the
findings,
describe the
action(s), if
any, that will
be taken and
the rationale
for this/these
action(s).
A grading rubric is used to
evaluate research papers for
GEG 3610. An average of
4.79 was achieved (about 96
%). This is 10% higher than
last year (4.35).
Our goal is to
average 4.5 (90%)
for this learning
outcome. Our goal
was met.
Students averaged 4.7 (94%)
in those learning objectives
that measure competences in
knowledge and
comprehension, but average
4.3 (87%) in the competences
that require higher level of
competencies such as
application, analysis and
synthesis.
We would like to
average at least
90% for the
learning objectives
of application,
analysis, synthesis
and evaluation.
We will develop
formative
learning
activities to
enhance
students’
abilities to
demonstrate,
explain and
integrate
knowledge.
SLO: 2 Comprehension
GEG 3610 Research paper
SLO: 3 Application
GEG 3610 Research paper
SLO: 4 Analysis
GEG 3610 Research paper
SLS: 5 Synthesis and evaluation
GEG 3610 Research paper
A grading rubric is used to
evaluate research papers for
GEG 3610. An average of 4.6
was achieved (92%); 4%
higher than last year (4.4).
We would like to
average 4.5 (90%)
for this learning
outcome. Our goal
was met.
A grading rubric is used to
evaluate research papers for
GEG 3610. An average of
4.52 was achieved; 4% higher
than last year (4.3).
Our goal is to
achieve an average
of 4.5 (90%) for
this learning
score. Our goal
was met.
A grading rubric is used to
evaluate research papers for
GEG 3610. An average of 4.3
was achieved; 3% higher than
last year (4.15).
Our goal is to
achieve an average
of 4.25 (85%) for
this learning
score. Our goal
was met.
A grading rubric is used to
evaluate research papers for
GEG 3610. An average of
4.26 was achieved; 1.2%
higher than last year (4.1).
Our goal is to
achieve an average
of 4.25 (85%) for
this learning
score. Our goal
was met.
Process for interpretation of findings – Describe the structure of responsibilities for program assessment. Specify processes
undertaken for faculty review of findings prior to submission of this report. How did the program come to the decisions it made?
Land Use faculty (Dr. Bellisario) as well as Dr. Janke (chair) have reviewed and discussed this report. We will share the
results with all Land Use faculty. We are in the process of implementing a department-wide Assessment Committee.
This committee will set up procedures for comprehensive assessment and develop plans for action and implementation.
Response to prior peer review report(s) - Describe the ways in which the program has responded to any prior year’s peer review
report. What kind of continuous improvement cycle are you using?
The report is the second yearly review undertaken by the Land Use Program. We acknowledge that there is much work to
be completed to have a have a comprehensive system of assessment based on Student Learning Outcomes providing both
clear expectations for students and feedback to teachers to improve their practice. See below for the specific challenges
and actions plans.
Plans for the program assessment process – To what extent does the program assessment process need modifications? Describe
any plans for modifying the program assessment process. Is it the program’s intent to gather data about every outcome every year? If
not, what is the proposed data collection cycle?
The newly crafted SLOs will provide clear and measurable objectives for faculty to craft assessments and to collect data
on students’ academic growth. Currently, only half of faculty are familiar with the LUS SLOs; and the large majority of
LUS faculty members do not gather assessment data. These are the specific measures needed to enhance program
assessment:





Familiarize faculty with the LUS SLOs to create greater buy-in for the assessment culture.
Expand the assessment over the current year for at least two other courses (1000 and 4000 level) in order to track
student progress and devise actions to increase student retention and success.
Design and implement a comprehensive yearly review assessment plan that includes all courses and the majority
of LUS faculty.
Develop the curriculum maps for Geography, Geology and Geographic Information Systems linking course
prefixes, SLOs and measurement tools.
Develop the assessments (data collection methods) and the analysis (rubrics, etc.) to begin collecting
comprehensive data for the majority of GEL, GEG, and GIS courses. After collecting sufficient data we can take an


informed decision regarding what modifications can be made.
Improve the ratings of the LUS program assessment from the Peer Review to at least the Established category, and
Support the institutional assessment program for the GEG and GEL General Studies courses with appropriate
assignments in all sections and coordinate collection of assessment artifacts.
Implementation plan for applicable program changes - , Summarize the changes described in the Action and Rationale columns
above and specify the implementation plan including a timeline.
 Additional sophomore, Junior and Senior level classes must be be evaluated in the future.
 Develop learning activities to enhance students’ abilities to demonstrate, explain and integrate knowledge.
Appendix
Summary data for each learning outcome according to one course are shown.
An example of instructions for a research paper
Assignment: Final Project
Research AND class presentation: regional impacts of anthropogenic-induced climate change on human and natural systems.
Students have two choices for the final product of their research (1) they might want to write a paper of about 8 to 10 pages long or (ii) they might want to
deliver their research in any multimedia format (posters, digital story, voice thread, jing videos, podcast, and web page).
1. CONTENT INSTRUCTIONS
International position: you will choose a single country/nation to examine critically its international response or perspective to both climate change
and the Kyoto Protocol. As a foundation for your critical thinking, you will assess the nation's perspective on the Protocol while considering some of the
key forces driving its greenhouse gas emissions and the concept of international equity.
Public opinion within the country: you will examine critically various perspectives on climatic change. Discuss the debate (different positions) on the
potential ecological, social, and economic impacts of climate change in your case study and the various responses being considered.
Climate change effects: You will study the current observable effects that climate change is having on human and natural systems in your case study,
such as water scarcity due to prolonged drought, food scarcity, glacier retreat, shifting of plant and animal ranges, changes in the timing of the seasons
(trees and plants might be flowering sooner), loss of sea ice, sea level rise, growing intensity and frequency of heat waves and storms. You will provide
an in-depth analysis of the effect(s) of climate change in one specific region of your country.
Mitigation and adaptation: Discuss various mitigation measures aimed at reducing carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and identify the advantages and
disadvantages (being argued in your country) of selected carbon-free energy technologies. You will then address the adaptation actions that your case
study has taken to address the potential and actual impacts of climatic change.
FORMAT INSTRUCTIONS
I am providing you with an outline and a set of questions to develop the structure of your research. A good argument explains the main idea with reasons
presenting evidence that supports the logical argument of the author.
I.
Introduction: This section should have general information presenting the topic, interesting information to draw the reader into reading the paper
further, the research question, the rationale, and the thesis statement. Make sure you cover the following:
1. The Topic: Choose a specific topic/issue you want to learn more about.
2. The Context or Background: Provide the general and interesting information for your inquiry: the where, when, and how.
3. Your Research Question: Translate the topic into a central question to do your research: what is the question you are attempting to answer?
4. Your Rationale: Tell us why this question is worth studying? (Or why should we care about this issue?)
5. Your Argument: Provide the thesis statement for the paper. The thesis statement is the main idea developed in the paper (the argument or the main
point). The thesis statement should not only encapsulate the main idea, but it should also explain the main reasons or arguments supporting the
main idea. The thesis statement is where the author argues her point and provides supporting evidence for her position.
II.
Analysis: This is the main component of the paper, or its body: here is the place where you develop a methodology: that is, the tools and the system
for analyzing the data and answering your research question in order to provide a logical explanation or answer to your inquiry. Make sure you cover
the following:
1. Review of Literature: Search and read academic sources that deal specifically with your topic (at least three journal articles). You should
provide the first pages of the articles as an addendum to your paper.
2. Tell us about your method-approach (literature reviews or original research).
3. Tell us the results of the review of the data (If you are not doing original research, leave this section out.)
4. Analysis- Discussion: This is the place where you should address the research question(s): That is to provide the answer to your question. It is also
the place where you should discuss what was learned in the previous sections, and the implications of that knowledge. Also tell us what your
informed ideas are about the issue/problem. Probably you won’t be doing original research; most likely you will carry out a literature review to
answer your question. Therefore, I am providing you with a set of questions to engage with the literature: What are the main ideas raised in the
literature regarding the issue in question? Or, in other words, what are the main arguments raised by the author(s)? What are the cause(s) of the
issues thus identified? What are the consequences of the issues? What evidence is provided? What are the assumptions? What are the
commonalities and differences of argument? According to the authors, what is their specific or unique contribution? What solutions, if any, do
they propose? What do you think about the consistence of the authors’ argument? What data do they use to back up their arguments? And, what do
you think of their arguments? How would you evaluate their contribution?
III.
Conclusions and Recommendations: State the overall conclusions; mention the shortcoming of your study, and provide recommendations for
future research on this topic.
An example of a grading rubric (Page 1)
An example of a grading rubric (Page 2)