Undergraduate Program Assessment

The departments of Crop and Soil Sciences and Horticulture and Landscape Architecture began to work together in 2004 to assess how well our students were meeting university and program learning goals. This process was initiated by the upcoming university accreditation, and the need to re-evaluate the learning goals of our three degree programs (Crops, Soils, and Horticulture) and align them with the six newly developed Learning Goals of the Baccalaureate.

We had also recently combined several course offerings to improve the efficiency of course delivery and increase attractiveness of our courses to undergraduate students, further emphasizing the need to begin the process of developing a comprehensive learning assessment model for the two departments. A team of teaching faculty, department chairs, and curriculum committee chairs from both departments was formed. (Note: the Landscape Architecture curriculum was not assessed as part of this plan).

Our Objectives

• Develop a list of program learning goals for each of our degree programs.
• Align the program learning outcomes with the Six Learning Goals of the Baccalaureate.
• Identify our assessment needs.
• Develop collective participation by our faculty.
• Inventory existing activities and assignments that can be used for program-level assessment.
• Develop and implement a program level assessment plan.

What We Did

2004-2005 – Identified strengths and needed changes in the curriculum
An undergraduate curriculum survey was distributed to the teaching faculty in both departments. The purpose of the survey was to help faculty become more aware of what they are teaching in their programs and to provide a starting point for discussions about improving teaching and learning goals among colleagues
           
Teaching faculty were surveyed about how much they address the Six Learning Goals of the Baccalaureate in each of the courses they teach.  The courses were assessed separately for each program.  Each goal was rated from 1 (“not applicable”) to 5 (“essential”).

2005-2006 – Developed and implemented an assessment plan
Based on the results of the curriculum mapping survey and discussion among assessment team members, sophomore and senior course level assessment were developed and implemented in spring 2006.  Rubrics were designed to emphasize progress in areas of the Six Learning Goals of the Baccalaureate.

Sophomore level course assessment: HORT/CROPS 202 - Crop Growth and Development (required for all Horticulture, Crop Science, and Soil Science majors).
            Assignment: Students will research, implement, analyze, document, and disseminate information for a group research project relating to plant growth and development.  Projects will be presented in a scientific poster at the end of the semester.

Posters were assessed by fellow students, faculty, and employers. Each poster was rated on the seven “dimensions” of a rubric using a scale ranging from 1 to 6.  All evaluators used the same rubric. 

Senior level course assessment: The two departments will use different classes and assignments for their assessments at this level.
            Crop and Soil Sciences: SOILS 441 - Soil Fertility. Students will develop a group project centered on fertility management recommendations for the plant-soil system of their choice. The project and recommendations will be communicated through an oral presentation and written paper.
            Horticulture: HORT 418 - Postharvest Physiology. Students will conduct a group research project relating to postharvest physiology.  The project will be presented as a written paper.

Presentations were assessed by faculty and employers using a rubric similar to that used for the sophomore level assessment. All evaluators used the same rubric. 

Our assessment work is supported by the WSU Center for Teaching, Learning, and Technology and WSU Office of Undergraduate Education.