All of the Students Will Be Assessed on Their Ability to Write Essays on Exams, Lab Reports

All of the Students Will Be Assessed on Their Ability to Write Essays on Exams, Lab Reports

2006-2007

BIOLOGY (BS/BA)

Intended Program Outcomes / Methods of Assessment and Criteria for Success
Direct Measures / Indirect Measures
1. Graduates will be able to demonstrate specific content knowledge, concepts, principles, and theories of biological sciences. / • Students majoring in Biology must successfully complete all Biology classes with a “C” or better, therefore it is expected that they will have a 70% average of Biology tests. All students enrolled in Plant Biology will take a mid-point evaluation that assesses their knowledge of fundamental concepts taught in BSC1010 and BSC1011. Prior to graduation all students will be evaluated based on their performance of a national standardized exam (Major Field Test).
All students will complete the following:
• National standardized exam (Major Field Test) (BSC4930) and 70% of Biology Majors will score 50% or better on the Biology Major Field Test (ETS designed test).
• Class exams in all Biology classes will measure content knowledge.
• A test which covers the fundamental concepts of biology will be given in Plant Biology. 70% of students will achieve a 65% of higher.
• Class projects that involve reading scientific literature and critically assessing specific biological phenomena will be required in two classes (BSC1011L, BSC4930). / All of the students graduating with a B.S. in Biology will have a minimum 2.0 in all biology core classes. Surveys will be conducted annually to determine that the overall perception of the student’s experience is positive.
• All of the students graduating with a B.S. in Biology will have a minimum 2.0 in all biology core classes.
• All of the program outcomes will be assessed by an exit interview and an exit survey.
• Students completing 45 hours will also be given a survey regarding their perception of the department. Responding to the survey, 70% of the students will indicate that they are being well prepared professional or graduate school, or the workplace.
• Responding to an Exit Interview, 60% of the graduating students will indicate that they are satisfied or very satisfied with performance on the ETS standardized exam.
2. Students will demonstrate communication skills which include - reading, speaking, writing, questioning, listening, and making presentations about issues related to life sciences.
Student will be able to use technology and primary literature resources efficiently and effectively to conduct and present research. /
  • All of the students will be assessed on their ability to write essays on exams, lab reports, and complete projects. All students will give an oral scientific presentation at least 3 times prior to graduation. Students should be able to proficiently write and present a scientific paper.
• Every student will present orally in at least 4 classes. Presentation will be graded using a presentation rubric. (BSC1010L, BSC1011L, MCB3010, BSC4930).
• Every graduating student will receive a mean score of 75% in the Oral Presentation Exit Exam graded by a team of faculty members using an appropriate rubric. (BSC4930)
• Students will be required to complete written lab reports, critically critique scientific literature, or research papers (BSC1010L, PCB3063, MCB3010, PCB2033, BOT2313, BOT3303).
• Students will write a scientific paper that includes an abstract, introduction, materials and methods, results, discussion (BSC4930). / All of the students graduating with a B.S. in Biology will have a minimum 2.0 in all biology core classes. Surveys will be conducted annually to determine that the overall perception of the student’s experience is positive.
• All of the students graduating with a B.S. in Biology will have a minimum 2.0 in all Biology core classes.
• All of the program outcomes will be assessed by an exit interview and an exit survey.
• Responding to an Exit Interview, 80% of the graduating students will indicate that the biology department has helped them improve their oral and written communication skills.
• Responding to an Exit Survey, 80% of the graduating students will indicate that they feel confident in their ability to write a scientific paper.
• Responding to the Exit Survey, 70% of the students will indicate that are satisfied or well satisfied with their ability to scientifically communicate in both verbal and written communication.
3. Graduates will be able to demonstrate the ability to use critical and creative thinking in designing and conducting experiments, analyzing results, and solve problems in the biological sciences. /
  • All of the students will be assessed on their ability to write essays requiring critical thinking on exams, lab reports, and complete projects. Students will also be evaluated on their ability to think critically by the Major Field Test.
• Case studies, scientific projects, biological simulations and lab exercises will be required in ALL biology courses.
• A subset of question in the Major Field Test will be used to assess the students’ ability to think critically. / All of the students graduating with a B.S. in Biology will have a minimum 2.0 in all biology core classes. Surveys will be conducted annually to determine that the overall perception of the student’s experience is positive.
• All of the students graduating with a B.S. in Biology will have a minimum 2.0 in all Biology core classes.
• All of the program outcomes will be assessed by an exit interview and an exit survey.
• Students completing 45 hours will also be given a survey regarding their perception of the department. Responding to the survey, 70% of the students will indicate that they are being well prepared to assess problems using the scientific method.
Responding to an Exit Interview, 80% of the graduating students will indicate that they are satisfied or very satisfied with their ability to think critically.
4. Students will demonstrate the ability to successfully work collaboratively and independently in a variety of academic settings. / All of the students will be assessed on their ability to work collaboratively in groups. Students will be expected to work with different cultures and personalities to see to the completion of several major scientific projects
• Students will be required to work in groups in all laboratory classes.
• Success completion of projects including Identification of microbial unknown, Drosophila genetic crosses, DNA fingerprinting, and anatomy dissections require successful group interaction (MCB3010, PCB3063, PCB3723, PCB4023, ZOO3713).
• Groups/Collaboration skills will graded using a Collaboration Rubric in two biology classes (ZOO3713, PCB3723). / All of the students graduating with a B.S. in Biology will have a minimum 2.0 in all biology core classes. Surveys will be conducted annually to determine that the overall perception of the student’s experience is positive.
• All of the program outcomes will be assessed by an exit interview and an exit survey.
• Students completing 45 hours will also be given a survey regarding their perception of the department. Responding to the survey, 70% will respond positively that their experience in the department has enhanced their ability to work collaboratively with members of other departments and with peers.
• Responding to an Exit Interview, 70% will respond positively that their experience in the department has prepared them to work in a team setting.
5. Graduates will be able to demonstrate biological laboratory and field skills. /
  • All of the students will be assessed on their ability to work in a laboratory. They should be able to use major biological pieces of equipment and have skills that would allow them to work in a scientific laboratory.
• All students will score a 100% on the mastery test of correct laboratory procedures. Each student may retake the test until a score of 100% is earned (BSC1011L).
• All students (100%) will earn a ‘satisfactory’ or higher on laboratory procedures. Laboratory skills will graded using a Scientific Procedures Rubric in three biology classes (PCB2033, PCB3723, BOT2013, BOT3303). / All of the students graduating with a B.S. in Biology will have a minimum 2.0 in all biology core classes. Surveys will be conducted annually to determine that the overall perception of the student’s experience is positive.
• All of the students graduating with a B.S. in Biology will have a minimum 2.0 in all Biology core classes.
• All of the program outcomes will be assessed by an exit interview and an exit survey.
• Students completing 45 hours will also be given a survey regarding their perception of the department. Responding to the survey, 70% will respond positively that their experience in the department has enhanced their ability to work in a laboratory setting.
• Responding to an Exit Interview, 70% will respond positively that their experience in the department has prepared them to work in a laboratory or field biology.