1. Stony Brook Model for General Education Assessment Pilot Report November 13, 2003 GEAR as a Catalyst for Change Beginning to Build a Campus- Wide Culture of Assessment

2. BIO 150: Gateway to the Sciences Ideal for Gen Ed Assessment. Critical Foundational Course for sciences. Prerequisite to all biology major courses. Strategically positioned to capture most science majors at the beginning of their academic careers. 1,000 students per year or approximately 40% of the freshman class. Success: Achieving the learning outcomes of the course, particularly growing fundamental skills, is critical for student success.

3. General Education Goal for Natural Sciences Demonstrate understanding of methods scientists use to explore natural phenomena

4. General Education Areas Assessed in BIO 150 Critical Thinking Natural Sciences Writing Basic Communication Information Management Mathematics

5. Shared BIO 150 and General Education Goals Scientific Method Reading, Writing, Problem Solving Computation, Graphing Laboratory skills and tools, Technology Working in Groups, Oral Communication Observation and Hypotheses Experiment Design, Data Analysis Critical Thinking Fundamental concepts in biology

7. BIO 150 Aquatic Ecology Experiment Observations, hypothesis formulation, experimental design, recording, data analysis, reporting, revisions

8. Measurement and Data Collection Experimentation Observation

9. Preparing Students for Research Projects Inductive reasoning activity: Draw conclusions from observations Reading methodology: Practice on a published scientific paper Further activities elicit and elevate critical thinking Laboratory tool methodology: Develops ability to work with new laboratory tools safely and effectively Data tabling and graphing skills:

10. Group Work Group project planning Shared data records Scheduling Recording consistency Interpersonal communication skills

11. Data interpretation culminating in a written report

12. Learning Outcomes Assessed in Pilot Project Natural Sciences (8 Criteria) Critical Thinking ( 2 Criteria) Writing and Communication (6 Criteria) Information Management (3 Criteria)

13. Criteria Not Meeting 1 Approaching 3 Meeting 5 Observation Important characteristics of objects being studied are missed Thin on detail. Most essential aspects of an object are identified and documented Critical and related details of objects are documented meaningfully in descriptive language Goals and Rubrics: Natural Sciences

14. Criteria Not Meeting 1 Approaching 3 Meeting 5 Identify, analyze, and evaluate arguments Student accepts all information as equally valid Values substantive knowledge Critically assesses outside knowledge and information Develop an argument Uses false premises and invalid deductions Selectively uses premises to evolve simple, mostly error- free arguments Uses appropriate and valid premises and tested and validated logic Goals and Rubrics: Critical Thinking

16. BIO 150 Laboratory Report Assessment Pilot Project Freshmen: Entry-level assessment Sample size – S mall (6%) Most categories “Approaching” Critical Thinking - Area for Greatest Improvement

17. Summary of Preliminary Data BIO 150 Laboratory Report Pilot Study

18. 1: Observation2: Questioning 3: Measurement and data collection 4: Experimentation 5: Mathematical analysis 6: Evaluation of evidence 7: Self-evaluates quality of lab process 8: Concepts and modeling 1=Not Meeting 3 = Approaching 5 = Meeting 7 = Exceeding

19. NAME Rating 1 = Not meeting 3 = Approaching 5 = Meeting 7 = Exceeding

20. 1=Not Meeting 3 = Approaching 5 = Meeting 7 = Exceeding

21. General Education Assessment at Stony Brook University Focused on learning outcomes and improving student performance Improve teaching effectiveness Increase interdisciplinary communication Assessment for State General Education requirements

22. Improving Learning Outcomes Coordinate learning goals across undergraduate academic programs Build skills important to future success within academic field Develop learning skills

23. Assessment Program Define and test rubrics Cycle for improvement, assessment and curriculum changes Improve alignment of course goals and measures

24. Why a Culture of Assessment? Opportunities –Faculty dialogue –Community-building / Teaching network –Enhanced learning outcomes –Student engagement Process –Early adopters (personal touch) –Growing cadre (peer encouragement) –Integrated Network (“Tipping Point”, Malcolm Gladwell) –Sustained culture of assessment (campus framework)

25. Contact Information Stony Brook University Manuel London, Associate Provost manuel.london@stonybrook.edu manuel.london@stonybrook.edu Janice Grackin, Center for Excellence in Learning and Teaching, janice.grackin@stonybrook.edu janice.grackin@stonybrook.edu William Collins, Director Undergraduate Biology, william.collins@stonybrook.eduwilliam.collins@stonybrook.edu Joan Miyazaki, Undergraduate Biology, joan.miyazaki@stonybrook.edu joan.miyazaki@stonybrook.edu