Assessment of the Majors – Department of Biological Sciences, WMU

Introduction:

Within the Department of Biological Sciences, 19 faculty members teach, advise and mentor 900 undergraduate majors distributed among 3 topic areas, and 70 graduates in one doctoral and two master’s programs. In addition, we serve minors and both liberal and general education distributions throughout the university.

Assessment of our programs takes the form of how effectively we meet our intended student learning outcomes, and how we use this information to improve the design and implementation of our curricula and departmental infrastructure. We view assessment as a continual process of program design based on a clear mission with implementable goals, objectives and student learning outcomes. This plan is followed by application of assessment tools, followed by data collection and analysis that leads to program revision and redesign as illustrated in Figure 1.

Figure 1. Assessment cycles leading to Departmental program quality improvement.

Our definitions of goals and objectives and their relationship to our mission are given in Appendix 1. In this plan we present our timeline for implementation of assessment tools to measure the effectiveness of our student learning outcomes in both undergraduate and graduate programs.

Our three undergraduate majors with approximately 900 students are:
(1) Biology, (2) Biomedical Sciences and (3) Biology-Secondary Education.

Our 70 graduate students are distributed among three programs:
(1) Master of Science in Biological Sciences, (2) Master of Science in Molecular Biotechnology, and (3) Doctor of Philosophy in Biological Sciences.

This gives a total of six programs with student learning outcomes that are included in this assessment plan.

1. Biology Major (BIO): 32 hours of BIOS courses with cognates in chemistry, physics and mathematics. Biology courses include 2 introductory, 4 intermediate level, 2 advanced interest courses and a capstone experience.

Undergraduate Catalog (2001-2003): “The Biology Major explores the broad spectrum of the life sciences with opportunities to study botany, zoology, ecology, and physiology. Students completing this major should be prepared for one or more of the following goals: (1) graduate study toward an advanced degree in the Biological Sciences, i.e. M.S., or PhD.; (2) employment in state or federal government service, industry, laboratory or technical work; (3) advanced study at the professional level.”

2. Biomedical Sciences Major (BMS): 34 hours of BIOS courses with cognates in chemistry, physics and mathematics. Biology courses include 2 introductory, 4 intermediate level, 2 advanced interest courses and a capstone experience.

Undergraduate Catalog (2001-2003): “The Biomedical Sciences Major is designed to explore the human, molecular, and cellular aspects of the life sciences, with the opportunity to study cell biology, genetics, microbiology, molecular biology, neurobiology, and physiology.

The specific objectives of the Biomedical Sciences major include: (1) providing basic training for employment in clinics and basic research laboratories, industrial laboratories, as well as state and federal agencies; (2) producing highly qualified students for advanced training at the graduate-professional levels, i.e. M.S., Ph.D., M.D., D.D.S., D.O.M., D.P.M., or D.V.M.; and (3) pre-professional training for such clinical areas as physician assistant, pharmacy, and physical therapy.”

3. Biology Major – Secondary education curriculum (SED): 36 hours of BIOS courses, including 2 introductory, 6 intermediate level, 1 advanced interest course and a capstone experience.

4. Master of Science in Biological Sciences: through either thesis or non-thesis options with 33 hours of course work, including 3 out of 6 core courses and a colloquium requirement (11 h), electives (16h) and research (6h).

Graduate Catalog (2002-2004): “The Master of Science in Biological Sciences enhances students’ ability to plan, conduct, analyze, and report original research. Course work increases students’ scientific preparation and supports their research. Through the advice of the student’s major advisor, efforts are made to choose courses to meet individual needs and interests. The degree may serve as preparation for continued graduate or professional study or for positions in the private or public sector. Thesis and non-thesis options are offered.

5. Master of Science in Molecular Biotechnology: (High throughput screening option) 33 hours of course work with 11 h of required courses in biology, chemistry and statistics, 16 h of electives and 6h of research including an internship.

Graduate Catalog (2002-2004): “The Master of Science in Molecular Biotechnology is designed to provide students with training and experience in areas of biology and health sciences that require cross-disciplinary skills due to the large volumes of information collected during research. The High Throughput Screening Option provides training and experience in concepts and methods from molecular and cellular biology, chemistry, instrumentation, and statistics to rapidly screen vast chemical libraries for biological activities. This process is an important component of pharmaceutical and biotechnology research and development.

6. Doctor of Philosophy in Biological Sciences: 61 hours of course work, including 4 out of 6 core courses (12h), electives (9h), a colloquium requirement (3h), laboratory rotations (3h), teaching experience (4h) and research (30h).

Graduate Catalog (2002-2004): “The Doctor of Philosophy in Biological Sciences at Western Michigan University offers a unique combination of traditional research experience, breadth of course work, and training in effective communication of scientific concepts. This program is specifically designed for students who wish to pursue careers in the biological sciences that require excellence in both teaching and research. In addition, the pedagogy requirements also provide excellent training for careers in government and industry.

1. Departmental Mission Statement:

Our mission is to provide the best possible education in the biological sciences that emphasizes breadth of student learning through the evaluation, analysis and application of comprehended knowledge. We intend that our students will become productive and informed participants in society and that they will be appreciated for their skills and ability to understand and communicate the significance of biological concepts, techniques and applications.

Departmental Goals:

(a) To generate a strong appreciation for:

• research and scientific methodology

• the nature of living organisms

• mechanisms of life function

• interactions among organisms and with their environments

(b) To promote understanding of:

• hierarchical levels of organization

• diversity

• evolutionary change

(c) To develop:

• critical thinking

• skills necessary for continued intellectual growth

• desire for lifelong learning

2. Program quality objectives:

Students completing degree programs in Biological Sciences at WMU will have basic knowledge of factual and conceptual information in biology, and they will know how to critically interpret that information with the help of the “scientific method.” Students will also learn how to retrieve and evaluate scientific information and to keep abreast of new sources of information being made available by advancing technology. These skills will be used to develop the ability to communicate the biological sciences effectively through oral, written and visual media in both informal and formal settings.

Our specific objectives for all majors and graduate programs are:

1. Provide knowledge content across the full range of biology.

2. Generate understanding of concepts in biology.

3. Integrate knowledge across biological sub disciplines.

4. Understand and use scientific methodology.

5. Foster critical thinking.

6. Propose ways to advance knowledge in biology (graduate only).

7. Rewarding career development and interest in lifelong learning.

Descriptions of our objectives:

1. Provide knowledge content across the full range of biology.

Biological Sciences majors and graduate students will be knowledgeable about molecular, cellular, physiological, behavioral, ecological and evolutionary levels of biological organization. Knowledge emphases will be relevant to each of the six programs in Biological Sciences.

2. Generate understanding of concepts in biology.

Students will understand the concepts that structure our understanding of biological function within this organizational hierarchy. Our students will also garner a perspective for the historical development of understanding through the investigative use of science.

3. Integrate knowledge across biological sub disciplines.

Through our curriculum structure we intend that our students will make links among classes to understand how knowledge can be used to promote application, analysis, synthesis and evaluation of concepts towards deeper appreciation for the nature of life on earth.

4. Understand and use scientific methodology.

Biological Sciences students will have a fundamental understanding of how to apply the Scientific Method of investigation to hypothesis generation, testing, analysis and communication, and develop basic laboratory or field skills in their area of interest or expertise. Students will be expected to communicate effectively in oral, written and visual forums with use of writing, speaking and technological techniques. Students will be expected to be able to communicate syntheses of biological materials as well as critiques and the results of their own investigations.

5. Foster critical thinking.

Biological Sciences students will be expected to develop problem-solving skills through the use of critical thinking, quantitative measurement and analysis in seminar classes, laboratory classes, writing exercises in lecture classes, and in mentored research experiences.

6. Propose ways to advance knowledge in biology.

Students in our graduate programs will be expected to be able to write research proposals to fund new research or develop new programs that apply biological concepts and knowledge. Our students will also be encouraged to appreciate ownership of their own intellectual property through recognition of their abilities and efforts to generate ideas, research, concepts and knowledge.

7. Generate rewarding career development and interest in lifelong learning.

Graduates of both our undergraduate and graduate programs will be expected to use their learning to develop a rewarding career with an emphasis on some aspect of biology and an interest in continued learning throughout their lives.

3. Student learning outcomes:

Our student learning outcomes have been developed based on Bloom’s hierarchical taxonomy of the cognitive domain as summarized in Appendix 2.

Using this structure we have developed a classification of our learning objectives and expected outcomes that are common to all of our six programs (Table 1).

These objectives and their learning outcomes have then been used to generate course matrices for our undergraduate and graduate programs as shown in Appendix 3. These matrices help us to identify redundancies or duplications in our learning programs.

Table 1. Goals/objectives, expected outcomes and level of knowing. Objectives are ordered according to increasing levels of Bloom’s cognitive hierarchy.

Goal/objective	Expected outcome	*Level of Knowing*
1. Provide knowledge content across the full range of biology	1. Demonstrated knowledge of form, function, mechanism, organization, scale, hierarchy, diversity and evolution	1. Knowledge
	2. Ability to retrieve information from databases	1. Knowledge 2. Comprehension
2. Generate understanding of concepts in biology	1. Ability to use knowledge foundation to illustrate concepts and compare examples.	2. Comprehension 3. Application 4. Analysis
	2. Ability to communicate knowledge and concepts both in writing and orally.	1. Knowledge 2. Comprehension 3. Application
3. Integrate knowledge across biological sub disciplines.	1. Ability to make links among classes and sub disciplines so that information can be used for deeper comprehension.	2. Comprehension 3. Application
4. Understand and use scientific methodology	1. Ability to interpret observations through the creation, testing, analysis and communication of parsimonious hypotheses.	4. Analysis
	2. Ability to design both laboratory and field experiments	1. Knowledge 2. Comprehension 3. Application
	3. Ability to perform Good Laboratory Practice.	2. Comprehension 3. Application 4. Analysis
	4. Ability to inspect data and apply basic statistics to their analysis and communication.	1. Knowledge 2. Comprehension 3. Application 4. Analysis
	5. Appreciation for ethical conduct in science.	1. Knowledge 2. Comprehension 3. Application 4. Analysis 5. Evaluation
	6. Promote familiarity with a range of methods and techniques relevant to application of the biological sciences.	1. Knowledge 2. Comprehension 3. Application
	7. Ability to reflect upon and discuss the nature of biology as a science and its historical, philosophical and ethical impact on humanity and the environment.	5. Synthesis 5. Evaluation
5. Foster critical thinking	1. Ability to determine the veracity and value of published information	5. Evaluation
6. Propose ways to advance knowledge in biology	1. Ability to write proposals to fund research or develop new programs that apply biological concepts and knowledge	5. Synthesis
	2. Foster ownership of ideas, research, concepts, knowledge and effort.	5. Evaluation

1.1. Demonstrated knowledge of form, function, mechanism, organization, scale, hierarchy, diversity and evolution

This learning outcome is based on knowledge content within each of our six programs. Each program varies according to this knowledge base and so assessment will be program-specific.

1.2. Ability to retrieve information from databases.

Information Retrieval: Student abilities to find and evaluate information are an integral part of preparing scientific papers and seminars. This skill will be assessed as part of the writing-intensive classes (BIOS 301, 319 or 350) and with an information literacy test prepared in collaboration with the Waldo Library.

2.1. Ability to use knowledge foundation to illustrate concepts and compare examples.

This learning outcome is based on the integration of knowledge content to develop and illustrate biological concepts.

2.2. Ability to communicate knowledge and concepts both in writing and orally.

Student progress in communication skills will be assessed by instructors in the designated writing intensive courses at the sophomore/junior level (highlighted 300-level courses in Appendix 3) and again at the senior level (senior seminar). Oral communication skills will be assessed by incorporating a public presentation component into the capstone experience that will be evaluated by faculty.

3.1. Ability to make links among classes and sub disciplines so that information can be used for deeper comprehension.

This learning outcome is an important reflection of curriculum structure. We think it is important to integrate information, concepts and applications across classes to promote deeper comprehension and synthesis.

4.1. Ability to interpret observations through the creation, testing, analysis and communication of parsimonious hypotheses.

Will be assessed with course-embedded measures and surveys of employers and alumni once students use their expertise in employment or graduate school.

Student, Alumni, and Employer Surveys: To further assess our objectives, we will administer surveys to beginning students to determine their goals and aspirations. The students will be surveyed again at the time of graduation to determine their perception of how the biological sciences major curriculum has advanced them toward their goals. After students graduate, we will also survey their employers/major advisors following graduation to assess their perception of our graduates.

4.2. Ability to design both laboratory and field experiments.