Nassau Community College THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK G eneral E ducation A ssessment R eview Kumkum Prabhakar, Assistant Professor of Biology

General Education Faculty Study Group Cluster Curriculum Mapping Cluster Curriculum Mapping Cluster Curriculum Mapping Identity Outcome Behaviors Definition and Assessment Of Institutional Gen Ed Goals Gen Ed Subcommittee Natural Science College Wide Assessment Committee Gen Ed Subcommittee Communications Identity Outcome Behaviors Gen Ed Subcommittee Information Mgmt. Identity Outcome Behaviors Classroom Assessments Classroom Assessments Classroom Assessments Cluster of Courses Communication Cluster of Courses Natural Sciences Cluster of Courses Information Mgmt

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 Outcomes Recognizing Measurable Learning Objectives Creating a Menu of Measuring Tools Subcommittee Plan Submission by January 15, 2002 Launching Pilot during spring 2002 College – wide Implementation: fall 2002

Natural Sciences: Observation – Measuring Tool A. Recording Visual Features of Specimen A & B (correct answer is worth.5) Specimen ASpecimen BUnable to: 0 Somewhat: 0.5 Exactly: 1 Exceeding: Bonus 1a.b. 2a.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

General Education Assessment Learning Outcome Observation Biology 124: Plants and Society General Education Learning Outcome Grade Mean Outcome Behaviors Performance Mean Recording Features Relationship Observation Performance 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