Nassau Community CollegeTHE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK

G eneral

E ducation

A ssessment

R eview

Kumkum Prabhakar, Assistant Professor of Biology

General EducationFaculty Study Group

Cluster CurriculumMapping

Cluster CurriculumMapping

Cluster CurriculumMapping

Identity Outcome Behaviors

Definition and AssessmentOf Institutional Gen Ed

Goals

Gen Ed SubcommitteeNatural Science

College Wide Assessment Committee

Gen Ed SubcommitteeCommunications

Identity Outcome Behaviors

Gen Ed SubcommitteeInformation Mgmt.

Identity Outcome Behaviors

Classroom Assessments

Classroom Assessments

Classroom Assessments

Cluster of CoursesCommunication

Cluster of CoursesNatural Sciences

Cluster of CoursesInformation Mgmt

44

4

3

2

1 11

22 33

Modification

Evaluation

Measurements

Outcome Behaviors

Teaching Goals

GOAL:

STUDENTS WILL:

PRODUCE COHERENT TEXTS WITHIN COMMON COLLEGE-LEVEL WRITTEN FORMS;

DEMONSTRATE THE ABILITY TO REVISE & IMPROVE SUCH TEXTS;

RESEARCH A TOPIC, DEVELOP AN ARGUMENT, & ORGANIZE SUPPORTING DETAILS;

DEVELOP PROFICIENCY IN ORAL DISCOURSE;

EVALUATE AN ORAL PRESENTATION ACCORDING TO ESTABLISHED CRITERIA.

COURSES:

COMMUNICATIONS & ENGLISH

SUNY General Education Knowledge and Skills Area:

SUNY General Education Competency Area:

GOAL:

STUDENTS WILL:

PERFORM THE BASIC OPERATIONS OF PERSONAL COMPUTER USE;

UNDERSTAND AND USE BASIC RESEARCH TECHNIQUES;

LOCATE, EVALUATE AND SYNTHESIZE INFORMATION FROM A VARIETY OF SOURCES.

COURSES:

ALL

SUNY General Education Knowledge & Skills Area:

GOAL:

STUDENTS WILL DEMONSTRATE…

UNDERSTANDING OF THE METHODS SCIENTISTS USE TO EXPLORE NATURAL PHENOMENA, INCLUDING:

OBSERVATION

HYPOTHESIS DEVELOPMENT

MEASUREMENT & DATA COLLECTION

EXPERIMENTATION

EVALUATION OF EVIDENCE

EMPLOYMENT OF MATHEMATICAL ANALYSIS

APPLICATION OF SCIENTIFIC DATA, CONCEPTS, AND MODELS INONE OF THE NATURAL SCIENCES

COURSES:

Allied Health Science

General Science

Science

Biology

Multidiscipline Studies

Chemistry

Physics

SUNY General Education Subcommittee

Deciding Upon Learning OutcomesRecognizing Measurable Learning ObjectivesCreating a Menu of Measuring ToolsSubcommittee Plan Submission by January 15, 2002Launching Pilot during spring 2002College – wide Implementation: fall 2002

Natural Sciences: Observation – Measuring Tool

A. Recording Visual Features of Specimen A & B (correct answer is worth .5)

Specimen A Specimen B Unable to: 0

Somewhat:0.5

Exactly:1

Exceeding:Bonus

1 a. b.

2 a. b.

3. a. b.

4. a. b.

B. Reporting Relationship Between A & B (correct answer is worth 1 point)

Differences, Similarities, Connections and Others

Unable to: 0

Somewhat:0.5

Exactly:1

Exceeding:Bonus

1

2

3.

4.

General Education AssessmentLearning Outcome Observation

Biology 124: Plants and Society

General Education Learning Outcome

Grade MeanOutcome Behaviors

Performance Mean

Recording Features Relationshi

p

Observation 78.00 1.95 3.12 2.54Performance Key: 1.0 – 1.4 = Not Meeting

1.5 – 2.4 = Approaching

2.5 – 3.4 = Meeting

3.5 – 4.0 = Exceeding

It is strongly recommended that:

Initial lab exercises should emphasize skills for critical observation

Observation should be reinforced in activities during lecture and lab sessions

Students be asked to read and analyze articles such as Louis Agassiz as a Teacher by Lane Cooper

Instructional strategy should include reference to history of universal theories based on the power of observation proposed by scientists such as Darwin, Newton and Mendel

Pre and post-test model should be designed to help student self-assess their ability to observe critically