Weber State University   

Botany

Results of Assessment

2001-2002 (submitted 05/13/02)

This academic year represented the first full year of implementation of the department's new curriculum whose revision was inspired by the Assessment Plan development process begun two years ago. We are pleased with the progress the faculty are making in incorporating the various aspects of the Assessment Plan into their courses and student responses to the requirements demanded. Two major portions of the plan are the Student Portfolio and the Exit Interviews, both of which have had significant progress made in the results obtained.

The portfolio requirement for the seniors was a bit daunting inasmuch as they exhibited a tendency to delay completion rather late in the program. As a result of this the Exit Interviews demonstrated some negative reactions to the portfolio process for assessment. This situation should change significantly since we now have the Career Planning for Botanists (Botany 2121) course in place and devote more than half of the course time to the portfolio requirements.

Exit interviews were conducted using the following set of standard questions:

(a) How long did your degree studies take?

(b) What motivated you to choose Botany and how do you feel about having made that choice?

(c) What did you find most useful and least useful in your program of study?

(d) What recommendations do you have that would make the Botany curriculum more useful to students whose specific interests in Botany match yours? To students with other specific interests within Botany?

(e) How would you assess the advisement you received from all levels from the laboratory manager, to the professors, secretary, and advisement centers?

(f) How well could you assess yourself with regard to the three areas of expected learning outcomes identified by the Department of Botany? Did the keeping of a portfolio assist your self-assessment? If so, in what way?

(g) What are your future short-term and long-range plans?

(h) Are there any additional comments you wish to make?

The data collected from these exit interviews are summarized below as either (1) Pluses or Strengths of the Program and (2) Recommendations for Improvement:

Pluses/Strengths of the Program

1. Program of study can be completed in four years or even fewer depending on when the student declared Botany as a major (the later the declaration the longer the time necessary to complete the required courses).

2. Students were all very pleased with their major experiences and one highlighted her motivation to enter botany stemming from receiving a letter of commendation, from the Chair, for extraordinary effort expended in a general education Botany course.

3. Curricular requirements are very good, many courses offer a hands-on approach to learning, small class size is a real plus, and team-work is stressed, giving students a taste of the real world of work.

4. Assessment emphasis on both written and oral communication is a definite plus for the program.

5. Each student expressed confidence in their knowledge and comprehension of botany, especially those that have had an opportunity to compare their backgrounds to those of students from other universities.

6. Good advisement process throughout the department, though students needed more individual attention.

7. Portfolio requirement was an "awesome experience" for one.

8. Coming back after a 4-year hiatus was a very scary proposition because the student assumed that faculty would resent the "dropping" out. The experience of coming back to complete the degree requirements was made pleasant by the entire faculty who were very supportive.

Recommendations for Improvement

1. Some seniors did not see the full value of the portfolio, even though they highlighted the positive features of stressing written and oral communication skills development.

2. Need a more comprehensive mentoring program especially for those students needing an enhanced background of research experience. One student recommended that a specific advisor meet with their advisee twice each month as a minimum.

3. Need more courses with more doing than seeing, (ie. more hands-on experiences).

These recommendations will be discussed in the department during the fall semester, 2002.  The one disadvantage of the timing of the exit interviews is that a follow-up cannot take place until after the summer faculty diaspora.

Mission Statement / Student Learning Outcomes / Curriculum Grid / Assessment Plan / Contact Person