1	Assessment at the UPRMC Biology Department Vivian Navas PROMISE-CARE Coordinator Department Assessment Committee Coordinator March, 2004
2	Objectives Introduction Graduating Student profile Faculty profile-course profile Course Portfolio Example of Assessment Results
3	Biology Department Assessment Activities PROMISE Program Department Assessment Committee (TEAM)
4	PROMISE
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6	PROMISE Program 3.5 years Results Posters PROMISE Annual Reports (www.uprm.edu/promise/reports)
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8	"Vivian Navas - Coordinator" Vivian Navas - Coordinator Inés Sastre Carlos Ríos Velázquez Ana Vélez Donato Seguí Allen Lewis
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10	"Implement a systematic assessment plan..." Implement a systematic assessment plan throughout the curriculum Disseminate assessment tools and assessment results among faculty Revise courses and curriculum according to assessment results Provide evidence of the excellence in the teaching/ learning process in the Biology Department.
11	Assessment Program I- Program Assessment Course/Student Profile Correlation Senior students and alumni perception of the curriculum Student and Mentor Undergraduate research assessment PROMISE Assessment Data (2000, 2001 and 2002 PROMISE Progress Reports)
12	"II Teaching/Learning Assessment" II Teaching/Learning Assessment Course Portfolio Skills and knowledge course assessment Department faculty and course evaluation forms Laboratory coordinators and TA’S assessment PROMISE/CARE laboratory assessment-Portfolio Undergraduate seminar course assessment Pre and Post General Biology test
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14	Misión Departmental El Departamento de Biología desarrollará en cada profesor y alumno el pensamiento crítico, el entusiasmo, la iniciativa y las destrezas necesarias para que sea un eterno estudioso de la Biología. Se hará énfasis en los conceptos básicos y la investigación en un ambiente que promueva el desarrollo de profesionales con sensibilidad social, cultural y humanística, y con profundos valores éticos. Así aportará al enriquecimiento de la ciencia y la sociedad mediante la creación y diseminación de nuevo conocimiento a través de la investigación científica.
15	Graduating Biology Student Profile Skills and Values Critical thinking and problem solving Team work Communication Computer and its scientific applications Up to date scientific tools and techniques Contemporary scientific issues Ethical implications in science Lifelong learners) Scientific concepts Cell structure and physiology Organismal biology (zoology, botany and microbiology) Genetics: classical, population and molecular Chemical, physical and mathematical applications to biology Ecology Evolution as a unifying science
16	Exercise 1- Design a Graduating Student Profile Form Prepare a skills and knowledge profile of your graduating student The students in the _____ Department will master the following skills and knowledge upon completing our curriculum. What do the potential employees look for in your students? Profile should correlate with departamental and institutional missions Everything in the profile must be assessable.
17	Graduating Biology Student Profile Skills and Values Critical thinking and problem solving through the scientific method Team work Communication skills in Spanish and English Computer literacy and its scientific applications Knowledge of up to date scientific tools and techniques Awareness of contemporary scientific issues Awareness of ethical implications in science Ability to learn by him/herself (lifelong learning) Other ____________________ ____________________
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19	Correlation of Student Profile with departmental courses
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21	Results 25/39 faculty members (64%) and 2 laboratory coordinators ten core courses twenty- two biology elective courses When more than one professor for the same course completed the form, only those items marked by all involved, was included.
22	Results Critical thinking skills and contemporary scientific issues awareness were identified as developed in all ten-core courses Communication and computer skills were identified as developed in 9 out of 10 core courses. All other skills were developed in at least 60% of the core courses. Organismal biology, genetics and science applications were included in at least 80% of the core courses. Cell and ecology concepts were included in 7 of the core courses. Skills were identified as developed in 60 to 90% of the elective courses.
23	Conclusions
24	Exercise 2- Correlate course and profile Form To what part of the profile does your course contribute to?
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26	Student´s Perception of the Biology Curriculum
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29	What’s Missing? Faculty says yes Students say yes We need to gather the EVIDENCE
30	Course Portfolio
31	Course Portfolio Contents Syllabus with measurable objectives Evidence: the best and worst Exam Homework Course projects Laboratory reports Assessment forms: Skills and knowledge course assessment Institution faculty and course assessment Other assessment (example): Pre and post test Written or oral report Teamwork One minute paper Number of critical thinking questions in exam answered correctly Actions taken according to assessment results to improve or correct misunderstanding Any pertinent discussion Averages and/or grades w/o names
32	Course Portfolio Handout
33	Assessment Tool Boxes www.uprm.edu/promise/assessment Engineering Assessment Tool Box
34	Handouts Biology graduating student profile Graduating student profile form Course/student profile Correlation Course/student profile Correlation Form Portfolio Contents Course assessment form Curriculum assessment form TEAM and Promise web addresses TEAM Brochure
35	See more Departmental Results Available at: PROMISE Annual Reports (www.uprm.edu/promise/reports/) TEAM Annual Report (Soon in TEAM Web Site)
36	PROMISE Assessment Tool Box Teamwork, ethics, Oral Presentation and Written Report Workshop Course Assessment Form Undergraduate Research Assessment Form (faculty) Undergraduate Research Assessment Form (student) Assessing Faculty Knowledge in Computer Instrumentación y Técnicas en Investigación Biológica Summer Workshop Avalúo de laboratorio Curriculum Assessment of Skills and Knowledge
37	In Progress Continue to gain course information from each professor Complete the course and student profile correlation Disseminate the graduating student profile among faculty and students Offer students a general assessment form for their perception of how the course assisted in their profile development Tabulate gathered data Inform faculty of results Course Portfolio
38	"Other Results" Other Results
39	Undergraduate Research Data Undergraduate Research Form RETO/MARC/SLOAN student assessment RETO Mentor assessment Off Campus Mentor assessment Research Workshop Assessment
40	Undergraduate Research Conclusions All students were evaluated as excellent in ability to follow scientific methodology, organization, quality of contribution and skills such as teamwork and communication Mentors considered students had a great potential for scientific presentation All would want students again in their lab They evaluated the UPRM student’s performance as excellent. Recommendations: Improve written and oral English communication skills
41	Other Results Faculty and course evaluation 39 Departmental faculty members obtained a final average of above 3 in a 1-4 scale Action: The evaluation results were returned by the director to the faculty with the questionnaire for their evaluation and proper action. The Departmental Assessment Committee developed a new form where students will evaluate how each course contributed to them attaining the student profile skills and knowledge. This will be correlated with the faculty answers regarding the skills and knowledge their course aim to develop.
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43	Laboratory Coordinators 43 teaching assistants evaluated effectiveness of their laboratory coordinators (8 department faculty and 2 non teaching personnel) Effectiveness of TA meetings, supervision and organization 8 out of 10 coordinators were evaluated above 3 in a 1-4 scale.
44	Teaching Assistants In 2003, 51 out of the 55 teaching assistants Evaluated by the students regarding teaching performance All 51 teaching assistants were rated above 3 in a scale of 1-4 where 4 is best. Action: PROMISE and the Department has been offering teaching assistants workshops on improving the teaching/learning process and on incorporating ethics and technology into the courses.
45	TA’s Diagnostic Tests 50% of the students failed question 15 on meiosis. 0- 70 % of the students failed 6 other questions. In the General Biology II the average grade was ____ Three questions were only less than 35% of the teaching assistants answered correctly. Ten out of 19 questions were answered corrected by less than 70% of the population. Action: Offer the exam to the entire teaching assistants population The questions in the exam will be reviewed and modified as necessary. Possible actions are to require TAs to attend the lectures of their laboratories to assist them in gaining the knowledge. Another possibility is to offer entering graduate students workshops on general concepts to assist them in their teaching as well as graduate studies.
46	Student Learning Component Data from the first year (Table __) show great improvement in knowledge after taking the course. A detailed assessment report of this activity is present in the PROMISE 2003 annual report.
47	"Objectives:" Objectives: Systematically improve the teaching learning process in the Biology curriculum by: Acquiring updated laboratory equipment Modifying laboratory exercises to include computer-assisted learning strategies and skills development activities
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51	General Biology for majors Fifteen laboratory exercises, out of the 23 offered in a year, were modified and/or created Photosynthesis, cellular respiration and Ecology - CBL technology Genetics -Computer technology and hands on Human Genome Project Interactive Exercise Microscope- use of internet resources Microbiology- hands-on exercise to identify antibiotic resistance Simplified molecular biology exercise
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