1. CURRICULUM & STUDENT ASSESSMENT; ROUTES TO RECRUITMENT W. Hoyt, G. Baird, J. Elkins, S. Anderson, L. Shellito, B. Straw, E. Evanoff University of Northern Colorado, DEPARTMENT OF EARTH AND ATMOSPHERIC SCIENCES No Annual Cycle With Annual Cycle Overview CURRICULUM MAP-GEOL/ENVIRONMENTAL SHOWING CONTENT AND PROFESSIONAL SKILLS Geology Assessment Four student learning outcomes (SLOs) for geosciences students were crafted by the Department of Earth & Atmospheric Sciences during the first year of the Assessment Leadership Institute (ALI): SLOs based on the reviews of desired outcomes for Bachelor of Science graduates in geology (Table 1). Preliminary measures were implemented in classes during the second year (Fall 2014), primarily in upper-level undergraduate courses. Geology SLO’s 1)Students will be able to interpret the formation processes of earth materials. 2)Students will be able to interpret the formation processes of earth features. 3)Students will be able to generate knowledge using geoscientific methodologies. 4)Student will be able to communicate scientific arguments with evidence. Summary, Conclusions, Future Work Table 1. Summary of SLOs developed for geology. Assessment performed in GEOL 201 as an exam question given at the end of the semester Students were given rock samples (fig. 1) and asked the following: a) Identify the sample (provide the most accurate name for the sample). b) What are the distinguishing characteristics of the sample (what do you see that led to the above answer)? c) Interpret the sample (how/where did it form). SLO 1 ASSESSMENT RUBRIC FOR GEOLOGY Granite (sample A) Sandstone (sample B) Marble (sample C ) Sample A a) Granite (2 points) b) Interlocking grains (1 point), no layering (1 point), mostly felsic minerals (1 point), grains visible to the naked eye (1 point) c) The crystallization of a felsic magma within the crust (3 points) Sample B a) Sandstone (2 points) b) Planar layering (bedding), rounded (quartz) grains, sand sized grains (3 points) c) Lithification of sand sediment deposited in a river, beach or desert environment (3 points) Sample C a) Marble (2 points) b) Large, interlocking, calcite grains (2 points) c) Metamorphism (recrystallization due to elevated pressure and temperature) of limestone (2 points) SLO 1 Results Sample A Identification Characteristics Interpretation Figure 1. Samples used by students to answer questions a-c in table 2. Scale is in cm. Table 2. Assessment rubric SLO 1 ASSESSMENT Figure 2. Student responses for Geology SLO 1. Sample B Sample C For geology, students are generally quite good at identification of most common rocks, but independent of being able to identify a rock, they struggle with articulating the characteristics of the rock and understanding how the rock was formed. Attention needs to focus in the curriculum more on formation processes of earth materials. The CURRICULUM MAP (Table 2) shows 25 geology/environmental geosciences courses plotted against 28 science content skills and 20 professional skills. Science content skills that emphasize forward-looking consideration of sustainability include geology and society, climate change, and fossil fuels. Professional skills that we have recently begun to address include extensive use of spreadsheets, vector and raster image software, data manipulation, experimental data collection, quality of evidence, science as a way of knowing, communication, collaboration, and professionalism. Though the CURRICULUM MAP needs to be completed still and the data analyzed and reduced to meaningful findings, preliminary results suggest that the top three skills addressed in the curriculum are observation and interpretation, rocks, and regional geology. The highest three levels of treatment for skills on average were oral presentation, topographic cross-sections, and glaciers. Future work on the Student Learning Outcomes needs to be done for SLO #3 (using geoscientific methodologies) and #4 (communicating scientific arguments). Year1-22-3-4 Electives and Other Classes SemesterF/S SFFSSFFS Course Name General Geology Our Geologic Environment Physical Geology Historical Geology Mineralogy Paleontology Geomorphology Igneous and Metamorphic Petrology Sedimentology & Stratigraphy Structural Geology Geologic Field Techniques Scientific Writing Colorado Geology Groundwater Geology Ore Geology Vertebrate Paleontology Glacial and Quaternary Geology Volcanic Geology Tectonics Principles of Hydrology Seminar in Earth Sciences Physical and Chemical Oceanography Geological and Biological Oceanography Petroleum and Energy Soils Course Number Geol 100Geol 110Geol 201Geol 202Geol 320Geol 340Geol 460Geol 421Geol 450Geol 470Geol 481 Sci 291 Geol 390Geol 410Geol 415Geol 445Geol 464Geol 467Geol 485 Esci 474 ESCI 599 Ocn 301Ocn 302 Geol 486Geol 483 Course Content SumCountAverageMaximum Big Bang 1 0.5 2 1 Solar System Formation 1 0.51.5 2 221 Minerals 1 1 1.52222 222 2 1 12212 10.561.752 Rocks 1 121.5223312 1-22222 1 2 22 17.591.9444443 Rock cycle 1 121.5 222 2 2 222 10.561.752 Plate Tectonics 1112 2221.5 2 2 2 3 2 21 10.561.752 Principles of Stratigraphy 1 2 22 3 1 22 22 2 222 9.551.93 Fossils 110.51 3 2 2 3 2 11 6.541.6253 Radiometric dating 1 2 2 1-2 22 2 1 3.521.752 Geology and society 11-2121.5 3 2 222 1 2 22 9.551.93 Regional Geology 1 111.5232222.5 222 2 22 1791.8888893 Interpretation of Earth Materials 1 121 322 2 2222 122 1371.8571433 Interpretation of Earth Features 1112 2 3222 2 2 1.5 112 14723 Topographic maps 1 1 233 2 22 22 2 11 1152.23 Topographic cross-section 1 1 33 2 2 21222 732.3333333 Remote Sensing 1.5 2 2 1 11 1 Geologic maps 12 22221.52 21 2 1 1 22 14.581.81252 Geologic cross section 12 22 1.51 22 1 222 96 2 Brunton compass use 1 212 641.52 Geologic mapping 1 12 2 1 431.3333332 Climate Change 1 12 2222 21 1-2 21211 1161.8333332 Fossil fuels 1 12 2 2 1 13 531.6666672 Geologic Time 11.50.52 22 31.5 21-2 2 1 11 12.571.7857143 Mineral Resources 1 0.521.5 222 1 211 431.3333332 Streams 11.51 332 22 1 942.253 Glaciers 1 1 33 2 2-3 1 1 732.3333333 Volcanoes 11.51 3 2 1 1 1 1 5.531.8333333 Earthquakes 11.51 32 2 1 1 6323 Professional Skills Computer Spreadsheets, equations 1 12 2211 2 2 2 961.52 Spreadsheets, graphs 1 12 22 1 2 2 851.62 Word processors, advanced 1.5 22 1 1 2 1111 5.531.8333332 Vector and Raster image software 1.5 1 1 1 Data manipulation 1 1 2 2 1111 641.52 Scientific Methodologies Observation and interpretation 121232222 21 2 211 16.591.8333333 Using math to solve a problem 121 2 1 2 22 1 1 641.52 Experimental data collection 1 12 221.5 2 22 12 9.561.5833332 Note taking 1 1.522 222.51 2 2 1 14.581.81252.5 Photography 1.52 2 2 2 1 7.541.8752 Sketches 1222222 2 2 11 1371.8571432 Quality of evidence 0.521 1 2 1 2 2 6.551.32 Science as a way of knowing 0.52 132 12 2 2 8.551.73 Communication Plagiarism and citation 0.5 2 1.5 2 1 2 11 431.3333332 Oral presentation 3 2 1 2 2.5 22 52 3 Poster presentation 1 2 2 2 2 2 531.6666672 Formal Lab Report 2 112 2122 Primary Literature Synthesis Paper 2 2 2 2 11 2122 Description writing 1122222222 2 2 11 1481.752 Collaboration 12123 2 122 2 22 1271.7142863 Professionalism 1 1 322222 22 21121 1371.8571433 1-Introduced 2-Reinforced 3-Mastery