Bachelor of Science in Conservation Biology (CB) December 30, 2008 (J. Gibbs)
Learning Outcome
(what students should be able to do upon
completion of the program)
Where Addressed in the Program1
How Assessed2
Assessment
Results
(see following
narrative)
Response to
Results
(see following
narrative)
These assessment
methods will be
applied to students
for the first time in
the Summer and
Fall of 2009.
As in 1.
Revised
performance
tracking in
relevant
assessment areas
1.
Articulate the goals of conservation
biology, that is, to maintain biological
diversity in all its expressions
EFB120; EFB320; EFB413: Intro. Cons.
Biol.; EFB414: Senior Synthesis
EFB419: Problem-solving Cons. Biol.;
Directed Electives (Applied conservation
biology; Human dimensions)
Performance on (1) specific questions intended to
measure learning outcome that are embedded in
exams internal to Intro. Conservation Biology and
(2) specific, relevant exercise modules within
Problem-solving course
2.
Describe the concept of biodiversity and
its key component concepts of taxonomy,
ecology, genetics, geography, and
evolution
EFB101-104; EFB 202; EFB307; EFB308;
EFB311; EFB320; EFB413: Intro. Cons.
Biol.; EFB419: Problem-solving Cons. Biol.;
Directed Electives (Organismal diversity;
Field experience elective)
Performance on (1) specific questions intended to
measure learning outcome that are embedded in
exams internal to Intro. Conservation Biology and
(2) course-specific grades among the “Organismal
diversity” electives and other relevant courses
3.
Explain why biological diversity is
important, that is, nature’s intrinsic and
instrumental values
EFB413: Intro. Cons. Biol.;
EFB419: Problem-solving Cons. Biol.
As in 1.
As in 1.
4.
Describe the threats to biological
diversity, that is, direct harvesting,
habitat destruction, and introduction of
non-native species, among others, and
their interactions
EFB120; EFB 202; EFB413: Intro. Cons.
Biol.; EFB419: Problem-solving Cons. Biol.;
Directed Electives (Organismal diversity
Applied conservation biology; Field
experience elective)
Performance on (1) specific questions intended to
measure learning outcome that are embedded in
exams internal to Intro. Conservation Biology and
(2) specific, relevant exercise modules within
Problem-solving course
Performance on (1) specific questions intended to
measure learning outcome that are embedded in
exams internal to Intro. Conservation Biology and
(2) specific, relevant exercise modules within
Problem-solving course
As in 1.
As in 1.
5.
Specify context- appropriate actions
needed to protect and restore biological
diversity, that is, endangered species
recovery, designating ecological
reserves, ecosystem restoration, captive
breeding, population management,
invasive species management, interfacing
with in the policy-making process,
educating others, and combinations
thereof.
Directed Electives (Organismal diversity;
Applied conservation biology; Human
dimensions)
Performance on (1) specific questions intended to
measure learning outcome that are embedded in
exams internal to Intro. Conservation Biology and
(2) specific, relevant exercise modules within
Problem-solving course
As in 1.
As in 1.
6.
Be effective as a conservation biology
professional by having mastered basic
competencies: natural history broadly
speaking, field methods, quantitative
assessment and data analysis, taxonomic
expertise in at least one major group of
organisms, written and oral
communication in technical-, popular-
EFB 202; EFB414: Senior synthesis;
EFB419: Problem-solving Cons. Biol.;
EFB420/498: Internship or Research
Experience; Directed Electives (Human
dimensions; Communications; Technical
skills; Field experience elective); APM 105;
APM391
Assessment of performance in professional capacity
during (1) Internships/Research experience and (2)
capstone project for Senior synthesis
As in 1.
As in 1.
As in 1.
and policy-specific genres, familiarity
with relevant policy, law and government
at local, regional, national and
international levels, ability to critique of
evidence/research
products/proposals/work plans/budgets,
and awareness of issues of professional
conduct and ethics.
1
This list includes the key program components that deal with the listed outcome. An online Appendix includes a full matrix of courses and outcomes at
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX and a full explanation of program requirements is given in the Curriculum Plan Sheet, at XXXXXXXX.
2
Performance standards are based on the average grade of Conservation Biology students in the indicated outcome-focused embedded exercise, question or question subset, or the final course grade (if
the entire course focused on the learning outcome) scaled as follows: F does not meet the standard; D, C- are approaching the standard; C, C+, B-, B meet the standard; B+, A-, A exceed the standard.
Explanation
History. The B.S. in Conservation Biology was first offered to ESF students in the Fall semester
2004 in response to (1) an increased desire among undergraduates for training focused on
conservation of biological diversity, (2) increased recognition at the societal level of the need to
address the biodiversity crisis and (3) realization that EFB was somewhat uniquely positioned at
the national level in terms of existing capacity to mount a new undergraduate major in this area.
Assessment cycle. Data used to assess each learning outcome will be collected annually,
beginning in 2009. Full program assessment will occur at 3-year intervals, beginning in 2012,
but we will evaluate our assessment methods in 2010.
Results of previous assessment. Formal learning outcomes have been established only recently,
so no assessment has yet focused on them. However, we have undertaken unstructured
assessments involving faculty discussions and received much feedback from students. Based on
this feedback a few minor changes have been made or are being made:
1. Dropped freshman seminar in conservation biology. At its inception the conservation
biology major had as a requirement a 1-hour freshman seminar intended to introduce new
students to the topic area and facilitate them establishing relationships with other students
enrolled in the major. After two years we determined that the seminar competed and was
somewhat redundant with the EFB-wide freshman seminar (EFB 132) that also was
initiated at the same time and that our enrollees were also required to take. Therefore we
decided to drop the freshman seminar in conservation biology as a requirement and to
discontinue offering it, thereby also freeing up the faculty member teaching the course to
offer another advanced course suitable for many students in the major.
2. Developed a more structured evaluation procedure for required internship/research
experience . The required internship/research experience has unique assessment value in
that outside practitioners can objectively judge the professional capacities of our students.
However, no formal procedure for obtaining and comparing such information has existed.
Now, field supervisors of all students enrolled in credit-bearing internship or research
experiences must complete a detailed evaluation form that is designed with assessment in
mind.
3. Developed detailed grading rubrics for each exercise in the Problem-solving in
Conservation Biology course. The Problem-solving in Conservation Biology course is
an integrative experience based on a series of exercises that cover a wide-range of topics
and focuses on skill-development in many different areas relevant to conservation
biology. After 5 years of teaching the course we realized that a carefully structured
assessment of student performance on each of the subcomponents of every exercise could
provide us with much useful information on student learning gains. Therefore two years
ago we developed detailed grading rubrics for each exercise that we can now summarize
by student or by skill/knowledge area and thereby provide feedback about student
performance useful for adapting our teaching program to benefit students’ progress.
These will be first used during the Spring 2009 semester, giving us the requisite stability
to generate comparative assessment data about student performance by skill and
knowledge area for use in the 2012 assessment.