Weber State University   

Botany

Results of Assessment

2005-2006 (submitted 05/15/06)

OVERVIEW:

Steady progress is being made in implementing the Botany Department Assessment Plan drawn up five years ago. The portfolio remains the keystone of the student’s botanical experience at Weber State University and has gained the respect of everyone involved. This could not have been said three years ago. Given that the plan is now into its fifth year the faculty will evaluate the entire plan in depth during the next academic year.

Three major challenges continue to weigh heavily on our time and resources. These are: (1) under-prepared students coming to college with respect to certain important skills including critical thinking, problem-solving, writing, information gathering, and mathematical computation; (2) more students who place college studies at an ever lower priority due to complicated lives involving family and work obligations; and (3) increased emphasis upon undergraduate research with the concomitant need for research methodology development through an already crowded and taxing curriculum.

Departmental self-assessment and graduating student exit interviews are the ways we gather data on the efficacy of the Assessment Plan. The exit interviews this year were especially illuminating since we had a near record number of graduates. Eleven very competent students graduated this year, a number surpassed only once in the last forty years.

RESULTS:

a. Students during the exit interviews reported that the program and the department were great, small in size which was attractive, personable with concerned faculty and staff that go the extra mile to assist students whenever they needed advice or help. The environment in the department is inviting, inclusive, not intimidating, with extraordinary support for students, where everyone shows respect for others and everyone is treated as an equal. Students unanimously reported that this environment is at once empowering and nurturing while providing opportunities to learn.

b. Both students and faculty were encouraged to see so many unfilled temporary and permanent positions in both the public and private sector for which we had notices posted. This portends great opportunities for our graduates. The challenge here is for us to get the word out so that prospective majors know this fact.

c. Students reported that they very much appreciated the choice of three Tracks for the major.  Discussion during exit interviews, however, did draw attention to the problem of reduced quantitative course requirements for Track B having a negative impact upon students who wish to get into graduate programs. It appears that graduate schools continue to emphasize two years of Chemistry, one year of Physics and Mathematics through calculus for entry into virtually any life science discipline at the advanced degree level.

d. Students reported unanimously that the range of courses offered by our small department was tremendously helpful in preparing them for the job-market. Some helpful suggestions were made to enhance the curriculum. These included: (i) adding a Biometrics or Applied Statistics course for the students in any of the life sciences, (ii) provide research opportunities early in the student’s program of studies, (iii) provide more guidance during Portfolio development, and (iv) a few students reported that they would like to see even more courses offered in ecology or environmental science.

PLANNED IMPROVEMENTS:

(a) Review the capstone experiences offered the students and explore the possibility that the Portfolio become the one major focus for such experiences. This may mean the elimination of the Senior Seminar course and replacing it with a summative Portfolio course.

(b)  Evaluate the results of the experimental course offered last semester that centered around the formative Portfolio development. Preliminary results suggest that such a class is very much needed especially for students that need to tie concepts together, to develop the big picture, to properly annotate artifacts included in their portfolios as evidence of skills development, self-assessment, creativity, etc. 

(c) Coordinate these two new course possibilities with the existing Botany 2121, “Career Planning for Botanists” course to make transitions seamless and more appropriately place students in the beginning class on the right track to developing the best possible Portfolio. 

(d) Review total Assessment Plan and update after fifth year of implementation.

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