Assessment: Course Four · PDF fileDrift Theory and the break-up of Pangaea), ... cooling on a mountain), #8 ... Related Documents: Geography 1 SLO 2.pdf

El Camino: Course SLOs (NSC) - Earth Sciences (Geography, Geology, Oceanography)

SPRING / SUMMER 2016Assessment: Course Four Column

ECC: GEOG 1:Physical Elements

Course SLOs Assessment MethodDescription Results Actions

SLO #1 Basic Knowledge - Studentscan identify the salient features of thebasic concepts of physical geography.(This includes the ability to recall thedefinitions of the specializedvocabulary of physical geography.)

Course SLO Assessment Cycle: 2015-16 (Spring 2016)

Course SLO Status: Active

Input Date: 11/08/2013

Standard and Target for Success:50% of the students will achieve ascore of 7 or higher on theassessment.80% of students will achieve a scoreof 5 or higher on the assessment.(The assessment has 10 questions.)

Action: For the two questions thatstudents scored lowest on, facultywill need to spend more timelecturing on the differences betweenlatitude and longitude (question #1)and stream erosion and deposition(question #7). Furthermore, theseconcepts need to be tied in betterwith the existing demos used in class.An illuminated globe (currently usedfor illustrating earth-sun relations)could also be used to show thehighest degrees of the coordinates,possibly with students getting out oftheir seats to stand over the demo.The stream table (currently used forillustrating the geomorphic cycle)could also be used to show thedifference between a stream-carvedvalley and a delta. (09/16/2017)Action Category: TeachingStrategiesAction: Greater emphasis will beplaced in class on the topics fromquestions #3, #8, #9, and #10.Because the answers on these were

Semester and Year Assessment Conducted: 2015-16(Spring 2016)Standard Met? : Standard MetStudents did meet the standard: 77.6% got a score of 7 orhigher, well above the 50% target.

The average score was 7.79 with a standard deviation ofabout 1.59. The median score was 8.

Students performed best on questions #2 (processes of thehydrologic cycle), #4 (the climate type associated with therainforest biome), #5 (rock classes), and #6 (ContinentalDrift Theory and the break-up of Pangaea), with correctresponses >90% of the time. These questions can beremoved and replaced with new questions about conceptswhere more improvement is possible.

Satisfactory responses were given to questions #3 (adiabaticcooling on a mountain), #8 (limestone as the primary rockdissolved underground), #9 (sand dunes being formed bywind instead of water), and #10 (striations as an indicator ofpast glaciations). These four questions yielded correctanswers 70-89% of the time. More focus in lecture and labwill be given to these topics to ensure above average

Exam/Test/Quiz - Students weregiven a list of 10 multiple-choicequestions about basic concepts andvocabulary in geography. Studentsalso answered one survey questionabout the amount of experiencethey have had in earth scienceclasses.

The assessment was given at the endof the semester (week 16).

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Faculty Assessment Leader: Julienne GardFaculty Contributing to Assessment: Matt Ebiner andRebecca DoneganRelated Documents:2016_BasicKnowledgeSLOassessment_Geog1.pdfGeog-1.pdfGeography 1 Data

still average or slightly aboveaverage, only a little moreexplanation, illustration on thewhiteboard, and/or inclusion in anassignment should be necessary forimprovement. (09/16/2017)Action Category: TeachingStrategiesAction: Questions #2, #4, #5, and #6will be replaced with new questionswhere more improvement ispossible. (09/16/2017)Action Category: SLO/PLOAssessment Process

comprehension in the future.

The lowest scoring questions were #1 (identifying thehighest degree of latitude) and #7 (river deltas as adepositional landform). The poor performance on #1 (48.4%correct) is particularly disappointing because latitude is aconcept introduced in the first week and reiteratedthroughout the semester. Most of the incorrect answerswere “180,” which is the highest degree of longitude. Thelow average for #7 (53.7%) was clearly due to studentsconfusing deposition with erosion because 30% thatselected incorrectly chose the next best answer – valley –which is a prominent erosional landform created bystreams. Greater explanation of these concepts in class andthe use of models/demos to illustrate them will be added toGeography 1. (09/16/2016)

SLO #2 Relationship with TheirEnvironment - Students recognizeand can accurately articulate howtheir physical environment affectshumans’ lives and how humanactivities affect their physicalenvironment.




Exam/Test/Quiz - Students weregiven 14 multiple choice questionsabout the impact humans have onthe environment and vice versa.They were then asked to give awritten response for three of fourshort essay questions, approximatelyone paragraph per question. Theassessment was given during thefinal week of the semester (Week16). The assessment also askedabout the extent of students’experience with the department’scourses.


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Standard and Target for Success:70% of the students will achieve ascore of 70% or higher (10 of 14correct multiple choice) on theassessment.Related Documents:Geography 1 SLO 2.pdf

SLO #3 Nature of Science - Studentscan identify the key elements of thescientific method (hypotheses, tests,observations,conclusions/interpretation ofobservations) in popular accounts ofscientific research in magazines,newspapers, etc.




Standard and Target for Success:80% of the students will achieve ascore of 80% or higher on theassessment.Related Documents:S14-SLO3-Sci-assessment.pdf

Exam/Test/Quiz - Students weregiven a list of 10 statements andwere asked to identify whether eachstatement was an example of ahypothesis, an observation, a test, ora theory/conclusion. The assessmentwas given at both the beginning andend of the semester.The post-assessment also askedabout the extent of students’experience with the department’scourses.


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ECC: GEOG 2:Cultural Geography


SLO #1 Basic Knowledge - Studentscan identify the salient features of thebasic concepts of cultural geography.(This includes the ability to recall thedefinitions of the specializedvocabulary of cultural geography.)





Action: There should be greatercoordination between CulturalGeography instructors in the futureto ensure that all important conceptsare taught during the semester(09/27/2017)Action Category: TeachingStrategiesAction: Greater emphasis will beplaced in class on the topics fromquestions #1 and #10. Because theanswers on these were still averageor slightly above average, only a littlemore explanation, illustration on thewhiteboard, and/or inclusion in anassignment should be necessary forimprovement. (09/27/2017)Action Category: TeachingStrategiesAction: Questions 5, 6, and 8 wereanswered correctly by the greatmajority of students, so thesequestions can be removed andreplaced with new questions aboutdifferent concepts. (09/27/2017)Action Category: SLO/PLOAssessment Process

Semester and Year Assessment Conducted: 2015-16(Spring 2016)Standard Met? : Standard Not MetStudents did not meet the standard: 22% got a score of 7 orhigher, not 50%. Only 44% of students achieved a score of 5or higher, not 80%.


Students performed best on questions #5 (Irish immigrationto USA), #6 (Latin & religion), and #8 (Jerusalemneighborhoods), with correct responses >80% of the time.These questions can be removed and replaced with newquestions about concepts where more improvement ispossible.

Satisfactory responses were given to questions #1 (worldpopulation) and #10 (Vietnamese in Orange County). Thesetwo questions yielded correct answers 70-79% of the time.More focus in lecture will be given to these topics to ensureabove average comprehension in the future.

The lowest scoring questions were #4 (Romance languages),#7 (Indonesia as the largest Muslim country), and #9 (urbanpopulation of the world). These questions had fewer than40% of the students knowing the correct answer. Greaterexplanation of these topics in class will be added toGeography 2.

Improvement on future SLO assessments should beexpected if there is greater coordination between CulturalGeography instructors in the future, which is essential toensure that all important concepts are taught during the

Exam/Test/Quiz - Students weregiven a list of 10 multiple-choicequestions about basic concepts andvocabulary in cultural geography.Students also answered one surveyquestion about the amount ofexperience they have had in earthscience classes.

The assessment was given at the endof the semester (week 15 or 16).



Faculty Assessment Leader: Matthew EbinerFaculty Contributing to Assessment: Rebecca DoneganRelated Documents:2016 Geog 2 - Basic Knowledge SLO.pdf2016 Geog 2 - Basic SLO Results.pdf

semester. Additionally, students should take the SLOassessment more seriously in order to get the best results.When the students are told that the SLO will not affect theirgrade, some seem to spend little time on it, possibly evengiving random answers without much thought at all. It isprobably best to count the SLO assessment as part of thecourse grade.

(09/16/2016)

SLO #2 Relationship with TheirEnvironment - Students recognizeand can accurately articulate howtheir cultural environment affectshumans’ lives and how humanactivities affect their culturalenvironment.




Standard and Target for Success:70% of the students will achieve ascore of 70% or higher (7 of 10correct multiple choice) on theassessment.Related Documents:S15-SLO-Rel-Assessment-Geog-2.doc

Exam/Test/Quiz - Students weregiven 10 multiple choice questionsabout the impact humans have onthe environment and vice versa.They were then asked to give awritten response for a short essayquestion. The assessment was givenduring the final week of thesemester (Week 16). Theassessment also asked about theextent of students’ experience withthe department’s courses.

SLO #3 Nature of Science - Studentscan identify the key elements of thescientific method (hypotheses, tests,

Exam/Test/Quiz - Students weregiven a list of 10 statements andwere asked to identify whether each


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observations,conclusions/interpretation ofobservations) in popular accounts ofscientific research in magazines,newspapers, etc.





statement was an example of ahypothesis, an observation, a test, ora theory/conclusion. The assessmentwas given at both the beginning andend of the semester.The post-assessment also askedabout the extent of students’experience with the department’scourses.


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ECC: GEOG 5:World Regional Geography


SLO #1 Basic Knowledge - Studentscan identify the salient features of thebasic concepts of physical geography.(This includes the ability to recall thedefinitions of the specializedvocabulary of cultural geography.)



Input Date: 11/08/2013Standard and Target for Success:50% of the students will achieve ascore of 7 or higher on theassessment.80% of students will achieve a scoreof 5 or higher on the assessment.(The assessment has 10 questions.)

Related Documents:2016 Geog 5 - Basic KnowledgeSLO.pdf2016 Geog 5 - Basic SLO Results.pdf

Action: Improve coordination andcommunication between WorldRegional Geography instructors toensure that all important conceptsare taught during the semester(09/27/2017)Action Category: TeachingStrategiesAction: Spend more time in lectureemphasizing places in questions 1, 2,3, 9, and 10. (09/27/2017)Action Category: TeachingStrategiesAction: Remove question #7 since92% of the students answered itcorrectly. Replace with a morechallenging question. (09/27/2017)Action Category: SLO/PLOAssessment Process

Semester and Year Assessment Conducted: 2015-16(Spring 2016)Standard Met? : Standard Not MetStudents did not quite meet the standard: 48% got a scoreof 7 or higher, just short of our goal of 50%. There were 74%of students that achieved a score of 5 or higher, a bit shortof our goal of 80%.


Students performed best on questions #6 (Guatemala), #7(Sahara), and #8 (New Zealand), with correct responses>80% of the time. Question #7 (Sahara) can be removedsince 92% of the students answered it correctly. It can bereplaced with a more challenging question.

Satisfactory responses were given to questions #1(Himalayas), #2 (Buenos Aires) and #3 (Alps). Thesequestions yielded correct answers 63-79% of the time.Instructors can spend a bit more time in lecture to thesetopics to ensure above average knowledge in the future.

The lowest scoring questions were #9 (Iraq) and #10 (largestcity in the world). These questions had fewer than 55% ofthe students knowing the correct answer. These placesshould be emphasized a little more in future classes.

Improvement on future SLO assessments should beexpected if there is greater coordination between WorldRegional Geography instructors, which is essential to ensurethat all important concepts are taught during the semester.Additionally, students should take the SLO assessment moreseriously in order to get the best results. When thestudents are told that the SLO will not affect their grade,some seem to spend little time on it, possibly even givingrandom answers without much thought at all. It is probably

Exam/Test/Quiz - Students weregiven 10 multiple-choice questionsabout world map locations. Studentsalso answered one survey questionabout the amount of experiencethey have had in earth scienceclasses.



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Faculty Assessment Leader: Matthew EbinerFaculty Contributing to Assessment: Kris Jones

best to count the SLO assessment as part of the coursegrade. (09/16/2016)

SLO #2 Relationship with TheirEnvironment - Students recognizeand can accurately articulate howtheir cultural environment affectshumans’ lives and how humanactivities affect their culturalenvironment.




Standard and Target for Success:70% of the students will achieve ascore of 70% or higher (7 of 10correct multiple choice) on theassessment.Related Documents:S15-SLO2-Rel-Assessment-Geog-5.doc






Standard and Target for Success:

Exam/Test/Quiz - Students weregiven a list of 10 statements andwere asked to identify whether eachstatement was an example of ahypothesis, an observation, a test, ora theory/conclusion. The assessmentwas given at both the beginning andend of the semester.The post-assessment also askedabout the extent of students’experience with the department’scourses.


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80% of the students will achieve ascore of 80% or higher on theassessment.Related Documents:S14-SLO3-Sci-assessment.pdf


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ECC: GEOG 6:Physical Geography Laboratory





Input Date: 11/08/2013Standard and Target for Success:50% of the students will achieve ascore of 7 or higher on theassessment.80% of students will achieve a scoreof 5 or higher on the assessment.(The assessment has 10 questions.)

Action: Spend more lab time on thetopics of map scale and topographicmaps (including contour lines).(09/27/2017)Action Category: TeachingStrategies

Semester and Year Assessment Conducted: 2015-16(Spring 2016)Standard Met? : Standard Not MetStudents did not meet the standard: 32% got a score of 7 orhigher, short of our goal of 50%. There were 66% ofstudents that achieved a score of 5 or higher, which wasshort of our goal of 80%.


Students performed best on questions #1 (Longitude) and#8 (Volcanoes), with correct responses >78% of the time.These questions should be retained for the next SLOassessment since there is still room for improvement.

Satisfactory responses were given to questions #5 (mapscale), #7 (sedimentary rocks) and #9 (topographic map).These questions yielded correct answers 65-79% of thetime. Instructors can spend a bit more time in lecture onthese topics to ensure above average knowledge in thefuture.

The lowest scoring questions were #3 (Vertical Sun Angle)and #10 (reading contour lines). These questions had fewerthan 50% of the students knowing the correct answer.These concepts should be emphasized a little more in futureclasses.

Improvement on future SLO assessments should beexpected if there is greater coordination between PhysicalGeography Lab instructors, which is essential to ensure thatall important concepts are taught during the semester.Additionally, students should take the SLO assessment moreseriously in order to have the best results. When thestudents are told that the SLO will not affect their grade,some seem to spend little time on it, possibly even giving

Exam/Test/Quiz - Students weregiven a list of 10 multiple-choicequestions about basic concepts ofphysical geography. Students alsoanswered one survey question aboutthe amount of experience they havehad in earth science classes.




Faculty Assessment Leader: Matthew EbinerFaculty Contributing to Assessment: Kris JonesRelated Documents:2016 Geog 6 - Basic Knowledge SLO.pdf2016 Geog 6 - Basic SLO Results.pdf

random answers without much thought at all. It is probablybest to count the SLO assessment as part of the coursegrade. (09/16/2016)


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ECC: GEOG 7:Geography of California







Action: Question #2 needs to be re-worded with more concrete answeroptions because the “All of theabove” and “None of the above” donot flow, and therefore mightconfuse, with the question.(09/16/2017)Action Category: SLO/PLOAssessment ProcessAction: Questions #2, #4 and #9 needmore elaboration in class. Forexample, a short video clip showingchaparral proliferating after awildfire can be included in lecture,with the idea that a strong visual willresonate more with students.(09/16/2017)Action Category: TeachingStrategiesAction: Questions #1, #3, #5, #6, #7,#8 and #10 will be replaced with newquestions where more improvementis possible. (09/16/2017)Action Category: SLO/PLOAssessment Process

Semester and Year Assessment Conducted: 2015-16(Spring 2016)Standard Met? : Standard MetStudents met the standard: 91.6% got a score of 7 or higher,much higher than the 50% target. Moreover, no studentsscored lower than at least 6 correct answers.

Students did very well on most of the ten questions. Theaverage score was 8.42 with a standard deviation of 1.15.The median score was 8.

Students performed best on questions #1 (California’sdiverse landscape), #3 (the state’s tectonic, coastal, andvolcanic forces), #5 (its lack of tropical climates), #6 (thecold California current), #7 (pollution associated with goldmining), #8 (water diversion from the Owens Valley), and#10 (fastest growing race/ethnicities in the state). Becauseresponse rates were >85% for all of these questions, theywill be removed and replaced with new questions aboutconcepts where more improvement is possible.

We were satisfied with students’ performance on questions#4 and #9. 78.3% responded correctly to the former,chaparral vegetation being adapted to fire. 78.3% alsoresponded correctly to the latter, secularization of themissions under Mexican leadership. These relatively strongresults indicate that a little more emphasis needs to beplaced on the concepts. For instance, mention of missionsecularization is made only once during a single lecture adthis clearly needs to be expanded.

Only one question (#2, about the role the Pacific Oceanplays on California’s climate and flow of goods) had a poor

Exam/Test/Quiz - Students weregiven a list of 10 multiple-choicequestions about basic concepts andvocabulary in geography. Studentsalso answered one survey questionabout the amount of experiencethey have had in earth scienceclasses.

The assessment was given at the endof the semester (week 16).



Faculty Assessment Leader: Julienne GardFaculty Contributing to Assessment: Matt Ebiner andRebecca DoneganRelated Documents:Geog-7.pdfGeography 7 Data2016_BasicKnowledgeSLOassessment_Geog7.pdfGeography 7 Assessment

response rate at 29.2%. Not only should this concept betaught more thoroughly, but the wording on theassessment needs to be improved since it tripped me upwhile reading it again for this report. (09/16/2016)

SLO #2 Relationship with TheirEnvironment - Students recognizeand can accurately articulate howtheir physical environment affectshumans’ lives and how humanactivities affect their physicalenvironment.




Standard and Target for Success:70% of the students will achieve ascore of 70% or higher (7 of 10correct multiple choice) on theassessment.



Exam/Test/Quiz - Students weregiven a list of 10 statements andwere asked to identify whether eachstatement was an example of ahypothesis, an observation, a test, ora theory/conclusion. The assessmentwas given at both the beginning andend of the semester.


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The post-assessment also askedabout the extent of students’experience with the department’scourses.


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ECC: GEOL 1:Physical Geology


SLO #1 Basic Knowledge - Studentsrecognize and can accuratelyarticulate how the Earth affectshumans’ lives and how humanactivities affect the Earth.




Action: Faculty will discuss how theyteach the volcano hazards, as well asthe differences between an element,a mineral, and a rock. They will thenidentify strategies to changeinstruction. (09/19/2017)Action Category: TeachingStrategies

Semester and Year Assessment Conducted: 2015-16(Spring 2016)Standard Met? : Standard Met

ASSESSMENT METHODS Assessment Method: Exam/Test/Quiz Assessment Method Description Students were given a list of 24 multiple-choice questionsabout basic concepts and vocabulary in geology. Studentsalso answered two survey questions about the amount ofexperience they have had in earth science classes.

The assessment was given at the end of the semester (week15 or 16). Standard/Target 50% of the students will achieve a score of 17 or higher onthe assessment.80% of students will achieve a score of 12 or higher on theassessment.(The assessment has 24 questions.) Related Documents: S16-SLO1-BK-Assessment-Geology-1.doc RESULTS Assessment Data and Analysis Students did meet the standard: 56.5% got a score of 17 orhigher, not 50%. Better yet, 80% of students did achieve ascore of 12 or higher.

Exam/Test/Quiz - The students fillout a multiple choice and essay testthat is given as a pre-test at thebeginning and post-test at the end ofthe semester.



Students did well on most of the 24 questions. The averagescore was 16.4 with a standard deviation of about 4. Themedian score was 17. Students did very well on questions #8 (California will neverfall into the ocean), #12 (no volcanoes can be in LA), and#14 (continents always move over time). These questionscan be removed and replaced with new questions aboutconcepts where more improvement is possible. We were satisfied with students performance on question#1 (how did earth form), # 2 (how old is the earth), # 9(cannot predict when quakes will occur), 15 (continentschange size over time), 16 (mountains mostly form at edgeof plates), #19 (basalt is a rock not mineral), # 21(groundwater is source of drinking water), and 23 (globalwarming will raise sea levels). Over 85% of students knewthe answers, so these questions should be removed orchanged to a different format (five multiple choice answersinstead of True/False questions). Some small improvement may be possible and desirable onquestion #32 (how moon originated) and 16 (quarts is amineral, not a rock). We expected better performance on question #4, #5, #6,#10, #13, #20, and #24, so improvement is possible. Students performed worst on questions #11, #18, and #22,so here are so thoughts about these questions: Question 11 (What is the most deadly feature of avolcano?).(90 = Number of Responses)20% a. lava flows31% * b. lahars (mudflows)36.7% c. pyroclastic flows (hot ash)4.4% d. steam and gas7.8% e. ash falls



This question needs the most improvement. Faculty willmeet to discuss how they teach the true dangers ofvolcanoes and identify strategies to change instruction.Perhaps the question should be rewritten. Question 18) What is calcium? (134 = Number of Responses) 1.5% a) a rock 29.1% b) a mineral 69.4% * c) an element The response to this question suggests that students thinkthat calcium is a mineral. Faculty will meet to discuss howthey discuss elements versus minerals and any strategies tochange instruction. Question 22) What is the most effective way to slow down alandslide is to remove water from the slide?(135 = Number of Responses)67.4% * a) True32.6% b) False Most students know that we remove water from the slideto slow it down, but maybe we could use the term“groundwater” instead.

Semester and Year the Assessment was conducted: Spring2016 Standard Met?: Yes Related Documents: S16-SLO1-BK-Data-Geo-1.txt ACTIONS Action #1: SLO Assessment Questions #8, #12, and #14 will be replaced with new



Faculty Assessment Leader: Joseph HollidayFaculty Contributing to Assessment: Robin Bouse, Sara DiFiori, Jennifer Hill, Chuck HerzigReviewer's Comments: Action #1: SLO Assessment Questions #8, #12, and #14 will be replaced with newquestions where more improvement is possible. Action #2: Teaching Strategies Questions #11, #18, and #22 will be covered in greaterdepth, by the instructors modifying their lessons to putgreater emphasis on these topics. Action #3: Teaching Strategies Faculty will discuss how they teach the volcano hazards, aswell as the differences between an element, a mineral, anda rock. They will then identify strategies to changeinstruction.Related Documents:S16-SLO1-BK-Data-Geol-1.pdf

questions where more improvement is possible. Action #2: Teaching Strategies Questions #11, #18, and #22 will be covered in greaterdepth, by the instructors modifying their lessons to putgreater emphasis on these topics. Action #3: Teaching Strategies Faculty will discuss how they teach the volcano hazards, aswell as the differences between an element, a mineral, anda rock. They will then identify strategies to changeinstruction. (09/16/2016)

SLO #2 Relationship with TheirEnvironment - Students can identify

Exam/Test/Quiz - The students fillout a multiple choice and essay test


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the salient features of the basicconcepts of geology. (This includesthe ability to recall the definitions ofthe specialized vocabulary ofgeology.)




that is given at the end of thesemester.


Exam/Test/Quiz - Students weregiven a list of 9 multiple-choicequestions about relationshipsbetween the earth and humans.Then, the students answered anessay question asking them todiscuss the relationships betweenhumans and changes carbon dioxidelevels in the atmosphere.






Standard and Target for Success:60% of the students will achieve ascore of 60% or higher on the

Exam/Test/Quiz - Students weregiven a list of 10 statements andwere asked to identify whether eachstatementwas an example of a hypothesis, anobservation, a test, or atheory/conclusion. The assessmentwas given at both the beginning andend of the semester. The post-assessment also asked about theextent of students’ experience withthe department’s courses.



assessment.Related Documents:S14-SLO-Sci-ASSESSMENT-KEY.docxExam/Test/Quiz - The students fillout a multiple choice and essay testthat is given as a pre-test at thebeginning and post-test at the end ofthe semester.


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ECC: GEOL 15:Natural Disasters


SLO #1 Basic Knowledge - Studentscan identify the salient features of thebasic concepts of geology. (Thisincludes the ability to recall thedefinitions of the specializedvocabulary of geology.)





Related Documents:spr16 basic knowledge assesmentgeo15.docx

Faculty Assessment Leader: Sara Di FioriFaculty Contributing to Assessment: Sara Di FioriReviewer's Comments: This is the first time class wastaught using the modern "flipped" environment.Related Documents:Geol-15.pdf

Action: Ideally the “flipped”environment will transform further,and this spring Geology 15 will beoffered as an online course.(09/14/2017)Action Category: TeachingStrategiesAction: This is the first time I havetaught this class in a “flipped”environment, listed in the catalogueas “web enhanced.” The results areencouraging, and I am pleased withthe application of modern pedagogyto enhance student learning.(09/14/2017)Action Category: TeachingStrategiesAction: Assessment will remainunchanged until students canproperly answer all questions. Theassessment is a good representationof the course material, and uponcompleting the course, ECC studentsshould be able to answer morequestions correctly. (09/14/2017)Action Category: SLO/PLOAssessment Process

Semester and Year Assessment Conducted: 2015-16(Spring 2016)Standard Met? : Standard MetStudents met the standard: 95% got a score of 13 or higher(more than 50% of the 25 questions.)

Students did well on most of the questions. The averagescore was 16 with a standard deviation of about 4. Themedian score was 16.Students did very well on questions on major takeawayconcepts, such as Question 6, which stated (falsely) that thekind of geologic material a community is built on (e.g. soil,granite, etc.) has no effect on the amount of shaking. 95%of students in Natural Disasters immediately recognized thetruth about soils, as we had a learning based moduleexploring this concept earlier in the semester.Students performed worst on questions #7 and #13.Question 7) Landslides only happen when there is anearthquake.Question 13) The large tsunami that hit Japan could becaused by a fault likethe San Andreas.?Both of these questions target the interrelationships ofnatural disasters, suggesting that the connections betweendiscreet lessons should be analyzed. (09/14/2016)

Exam/Test/Quiz - Students weregiven a list of 25 multiple-choicequestions about basic concepts andvocabulary in Natural Disasters.Students also answered one surveyquestion about the amount ofexperience they have had in earthscience classes.

The assessment was given at the endof the semester.

Essay/Written Assignment -Students were given a list of 25multiple-choice questions aboutbasic concepts and vocabulary inNatural Disasters. Students also


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answered one survey question aboutthe amount of experience they havehad in earth science classes.

The assessment was given at the endof the semester.

SLO #2 Relationship with TheirEnvironment - Students recognizeand can accurately articulate how theEarth affects humans’ lives and howhuman activities affect the Earth.





Exam/Test/Quiz - Students weregiven a list of 9 multiple-choicequestions about relationshipsbetween the earth and humans.Then, the students answered anessay question asking them todiscuss the relationships betweenhumans and changes carbon dioxidelevels in the atmosphere.


SLO #3 Nature of Science - Studentscan identify the key elements of the

Exam/Test/Quiz - Students weregiven a list of 10 statements and



scientific method (hypotheses, tests,observations,conclusions/interpretation ofobservations) in popular accounts ofscientific research in magazines,newspapers, etc.




Standard and Target for Success:Standard/Target?80% of thestudents will achieve a score of 80%or higher on the assessment.Related Documents:Earth Science Assessement

were asked to identify whether eachstatement was an example of anhypothesis, an observation, a test, ora theory/conclusion. The assessmentwas given at both the beginning andend of the semester.The post-assessment also askedabout the extent of students’experience with the department’scourses.


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ECC: GEOL 3:Physical Geology Laboratory






Standard and Target for Success: Itis expected that 50 % or better ofthe students will answer 50 % orbetter of the questions correctly.

Faculty Assessment Leader: Herzig

Action: Design a new teachingstrategy to assist students withretaining important information andconcepts about rocks and minerals.The activities in the laboratoryexercises are already hands on,where the students handle geologicspecimens, but it is necessary tocreate new activities that assiststudents with committing theinformation about rocks and mineralsto their long-term memories.Perhaps adding some game-typesituations might be a possibility. Orusing the rocks and minerals duringthe entire length of the semesterrather than just a one-timelaboratory exercise for each rocktype and the minerals might be agood idea. (06/09/2017)Action Category: TeachingStrategies

Semester and Year Assessment Conducted: 2015-16(Spring 2016)Standard Met? : Standard Met56 % of the students scored overall 50 % or better on theBasic Knowledge assessment. 71 % of the questions wereanswered at a 50 % success rate or better by the students.Large-scale concepts regarding plate tectonics, San Andreasfault, relative age dating, rivers and contour maps appear tobe well-understood by the students based upon the highnumber of correct answers (50% to 82 %) for questionsrelated to these topics. Concepts regarding rocks, mineralsand elements continue to be elusive for the students basedupon very low scores for correct answers (in some cases, 0% correct). However, it is unusual that students knowabout basalt, granite and sandstone, while struggling withlimestone and quartzite. Perhaps it is necessary toemphasize the rocks and minerals more. Or, it is more likelythat these are not popular topics with the students somaybe some new teaching strategies are necessary to makethe material more accessible. (10/01/2016)

Exam/Test/Quiz - Students weregiven a multiple choice and T/F quiz.





Standard and Target for Success:

Exam/Test/Quiz - Students weregiven a list of nine multiple choicequestions about the relationshipbetween the earth and humans. Thelast four questions were aboutcarbon dioxide and global climatechange. Then, the studentsanswered an essay questiondiscussing the relationships betweenhumans, carbon dioxide, and theearth. The assessment was given atthe end of the semester during week15 or 16.



50% of the students will achieve ascore of seven or higher on theassessment.80% of the students will achieve ascore of four or higher on theassessment.

Related Documents:SLO 2015 Rel-Assessement-Geol-3.docSLO 2015 Rubric Geology 3.docx

Reviewer's Comments: This lab classconsisted of about half studentstaking the geology 1 lecture classconcurrently and about half havingalready finished the geology 1lecture class.





Standard and Target for Success:50% of the students will achieve ascore of 80% or higher on theassessment.Related Documents:S14-SLO-Sci-ASSESSMENT-KEY.docx

Exam/Test/Quiz - Students weregiven a list of 10 statements andwere asked to identify whether eachstatement was an example of ahypothesis, an observation, a test, ora theory/conclusion. Theassessment was given at both thebeginning and end of the semester.



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ECC: GEOL 6:Earth Science in Education






Standard and Target for Success: Itis expected that 85 % of the studentswill score 60 % or above on this SLO.

Faculty Assessment Leader: HerzigFaculty Contributing to Assessment: Herzig

Action: Overall the studentsunderstood the prompt for this SLO.However, it may be necessary toprovide more detail descriptions inthe curricula regarding the specificroles that carbon dioxide plays in theenvironment. (06/16/2017)Action Category: TeachingStrategiesAction: Overall the teachingstrategies in the class are good, butperhaps emphasize specific topics.(06/15/2017)Action Category: TeachingStrategies

Semester and Year Assessment Conducted: 2015-16(Spring 2016)Standard Met? : Standard Met91 % of the students in the Geology 6 class answered 60 %of the questions correctly. Questions 1 through 8 wereanswered correctly by 60 % or more of the students.Question 9 regarding volcanoes was answered correctly byonly 40 % of the students - perhaps this topic requiresbetter explanation in class, or the question was poorlyworded. Questions 10-13 were answered correctly by morethan 70 % of the students. Question # 14 was answeredcorrectly by less than 50 % of the students - this conceptrequires more detailed explanation in class. Question 15was answered by more than 90 % of the students. Overall,the students' performance was remarkable considering that74 % of them reported that this is the first Earth Scienceclass. Overall the SLO activity is a success. (09/17/2016)

Exam/Test/Quiz - The Assessment isa 16 question survey (quiz) of someof the basic concepts of geology.





Standard and Target for Success: Itis expected that 75 % of the studentswill score 60 % or above on the SLOactivity.

Faculty Assessment Leader: Herzig

Action: In the future, more detailswill be integrated into the curriculumregarding the specific relationshipbetween carbon dioxide, theenvironment, and human activities.It may also be a good idea to bemore explicit over the course of theentire semester regarding carbondioxide, instead of only during thebeginning and the very end of thesemester. (06/15/2017)Action Category: TeachingStrategies

Semester and Year Assessment Conducted: 2015-16(Spring 2016)Standard Met? : Standard Met78 % of the students answered 71 % of the questionscorrectly. This is a good result for this SLO activity. Allquestions were answered individually by 50 % or more ofthe students correctly with the exception of question # 3.This is a difficult question and the success rate was verylow, only 12 % of the students answered this questioncorrectly. The classroom instruction for this material mustbe enhanced in the future. In the essay response 50 % ormore of the students correctly answered the prompt bymentioning the following: increasing carbon dioxide levels,a warmer Earth, caused by human activities, the polarregions will be most affected, and the result will be habitatchanges and extinction. 84 % of the students answered 60% of the topics correctly. (09/17/2016)

Exam/Test/Quiz - Students weregiven a 9 question survey and a shortessay response question.



Faculty Contributing to Assessment: Herzig





Standard and Target for Success: Itis expected that 60 % of the studentswill score 50 % or above on this SLO.

Faculty Assessment Leader: HerzigFaculty Contributing to Assessment: Herzig

Action: The scientific method istaught and emphasized as a part ofthe curriculum only during the firsttwo to three weeks of the semester.After this time, the scientific methodis not explicitly taught during theremainder of the semester. Becausethe SLO was given to the students atthe end of the semester, long afterthe material was taught, the resultsof this SLO indicate that the scientificmethod should be integratedthroughout the curricula over thecourse of the entire semester.However, all things considered inhow little was mentioned about thescientific method and so early on inthe semester, the studentsperformed well. (06/15/2017)Action Category: TeachingStrategies

Semester and Year Assessment Conducted: 2015-16(Spring 2016)Standard Met? : Standard MetThe results of the assessment indicate that 63 % of thestudents answered 53 % of the questions correctly on theSLO. 73 % of the questions were answered by 50 % or moreof the students correctly. Questions where studentsstruggled involved understanding the definition of a theory.(09/17/2016)

Exam/Test/Quiz - Students weregiven a 15 question quiz that appliesthe different steps of the scientificmethod to continental drift.


ECC: OCEA 10:Introduction to Oceanography


SLO #1 Basic Knowledge - Studentscan identify the salient features of thebasic concepts of oceanography. Thisincludes the ability to recall thedefinitions of the specializedvocabulary of oceanography.





Action: Faculty will discuss how theyteach the formation of the solarsystem and the distribution of waterwithin it, and then identify strategiesto change instruction.

Faculty will also examine how theydiscuss “plankton” in class, and howto more clearly distinguish betweenphytoplankton and plankton ingeneral. (09/16/2016)Action Category: TeachingStrategiesAction: Questions #4, #5, #8, and #9can be covered at several places inthe lab manual. The manual will bemodified to putter greater emphasison these topics. (09/16/2016)Action Category: TeachingStrategiesAction: Questions #1, #3, #7, and #10will be replaced with new questionswhere more improvement ispossible. (09/16/2016)Action Category: SLO/PLOAssessment Process

Semester and Year Assessment Conducted: 2015-16(Spring 2016)Standard Met? : Standard Not MetStudents did not (quite) meet the standard: 47% got a scoreof 7 or higher, not 50%. However, 80% of students didachieve a score of 5 or higher.

Students did well on most of the ten questions. The averagescore was 6.3 with a standard deviation of about 2. Themedian score was 6.

Students did very well on questions #1 (about 70% of theplanet covered by the ocean), #3 (gravitational pull of theMoon is the main cause of the tides), #7 (what El Nino is),and #10 (new ocean floor is created at the mid-oceanridge). These questions can be removed and replaced withnew questions about concepts where more improvement ispossible.

We were satisfied with students performance on question#9 (most life in the ocean is found at the surface and nearthe coast) which showed that more than 80% of studentsknew that most life is near the surface and more than 80%of students knew that most life is near the coast - but oftendid not get both right at the same time. This question canbe removed and replaced with a new question where moreimprovement is possible.Some small improvement may be possible and desirable onquestion #2 (most sand on beaches come from rivers and ispushed down the coast by waves). About 10% of studentsstill think it comes from shells, and 20% from cliffs.

We expected better performance on question #4, #5, #6,and #8, and improvement is possible.

Students performed worst on questions #5 and #8.

Exam/Test/Quiz - Students weregiven a list of 10 multiple-choicequestions about basic concepts andvocabulary in oceanography.Students also answered one surveyquestion about the amount ofexperience they have had in earthscience classes.




Question 5) Water (in the form of vapor, liquid, or ice) isfound in many places in the universe. The Earth is not aspecial place in the universe just because it has lots ofwater. (130) (Number of Responses) 50.0% *a) true 50.0% b) false

This question needs the most improvement. Faculty willmeet to discuss how they teach the formation of the solarsystem and the distribution of water within it, and thenidentify strategies to change instruction. Perhaps thequestion should be rewritten.

Question 8) Are jellies (“jellyfish”) plankton? Why or whynot? (Select 1 answer.) (211) (Number of Responses) 7.1% a) yes: cannot swim 44.1% *b) yes: floaters 8.1% c) no: too big 40.8% d) no: cannot carry out photosynthesis

The response to this question suggests that students thinkthat the world “plankton” is the same as “phytoplankton.”Faculty will meet to discuss how they discuss plankton inclass, and then identify strategies to change instruction.

Question 4) When are tide conditions best for “tidepooling” (visiting tide pools to see marine life up close)? (216) (Number of Responses) 17.1% a) high tide when there is a full moon 1.4% b) high tide when there is a half moon 50.5% *c) low tide when there is a full moon 31.0% d) low tide when there is a half moon

Most students know low tide is the best time for tidepooling, and most know that full moon is the best time fortide pooling – but not that the best time is when bothcoincide.



Faculty Assessment Leader: Thomas James NoyesFaculty Contributing to Assessment: Robin Bouse, Sara DiFiori, Charles Dong, Joe Holliday, Chuck HerzigRelated Documents:Ocea-10.txt

Question 6) The California Current makes California’sclimate: (191) (Number of Responses) 11.0% a) warmer and more humid 19.9% b) warmer and less humid 6.8% c) cooler and more humid 62.3% *d) cooler and less humid

Most students know that California Current makes ourclimate less humid, but should know that it is a cold watercurrent.

Questions #4, #5, #8, and #9 can be covered at severalplaces in the lab manual. The manual will be modified toputter greater emphasis on these topics. (09/16/2016)

SLO #2 Relationship with TheirEnvironment - Students recognizeand can accurately articulate how theocean affects humans’ lives and howhuman activities affect the ocean.




Standard and Target for Success:50% of the students will achieve ascore of 7 or higher on theassessment.

Exam/Test/Quiz - Students weregiven a list of 9 multiple-choicequestions about relationshipsbetween the ocean and humans. Thelast 4 questions were about carbondioxide in the ocean. Then, thestudents answered an essayquestion asking them to discussrelationships between humans,carbon dioxide, and the ocean.Students also answered two surveyquestions.



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80% of students will achieve a scoreof 4 or higher on the assessment.(The assessment has 9 questions.)Related Documents:S15-SLO-Rel-Assessment-Ocea-02Feb-05.doc

SLO #3 Nature of Science - Studentscan identify the key elements of thescientific method in popular accountsof scientific research in magazines,newspapers, etc.




Standard and Target for Success:50% of the students will achieve ascore of 80% or higher on theassessment.80% of students will achieve a scoreof 50% or higher on the assessment.Related Documents:S14-SLO3-Sci-assessment.pdf

Exam/Test/Quiz - Students weregiven a list of 10 statements andwere asked to identify whether eachstatement was an example of ahypothesis, an observation, a test, ora theory/conclusion. The assessmentwas given at both the beginning andend of the semester.



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