11/29/05

TO: = ; Assessment Reviewers

FROM: &nb= sp; Department of Chemistry

RE: = ; Departmental Learning Outcome Report

The learning outcomes for all courses in the undergraduate curriculum and select research materials (non-thesis papers, theses and dissertations) in the graduate program have been evaluated. The time-frame of the assessments includes representative sections of all courses taught from Fall ’04 through Spring ’05.

A learning outcome assessment Committee of the Whole was selected that covered all areas of the department with Dr. Franklin, Director of Undergraduate Studies, as the chair (Appendix I). Six subcommittees with chairs were set = up: (1) Freshman Chemistry, (2) Organic sequence, (3) Analytical and P. Chem lab sequence, (4) Upper Division (Major)/ACS certification courses, (5) Undergraduate research courses (capstone courses), and (6) Graduate Program. Each area was further subdivided into working subgroups when necessary (see Appendix II)

The Committee of the Whole developed and voted on the standards which would be = used to evaluate learning outcomes for each of the five areas assessed for the undergraduate portions and the graduate program. A six point rating system = was developed for which “3” (for good) was assigned as an appro-priate standard based upon the departmental lea= rning outcome rubric. If a category were to fail to meet the appropriate outcomes standard, the committee would investigate items and suggest action for improvement.

Assessment data were assigned as follows on a 1-6 scale for all categories.

6=3Doutstanding = ; = 3=3Dgood

5=3Dexcellent &= nbsp; &nbs= p; 2=3Dpoor

4=3Dvery good &= nbsp; &nbs= p; 1=3Dunacceptable

Five categories were assessed:

A) = ; Communication/writing skills/oral skills

B) = ; Technology—use of computers/access of chemical literature and chemical databases/word proc= essing skills

C) = ; Quantitative skills

D) = ; Contemporary issues—Safety and waste control/how chemistry affects society

E) = ; Critical thinking (previously completed and submitted for Area D chemistry classes)<= /p>

Categories A, B, D and E were assessed in the working groups based on evaluation of a representative random sample of final reports, class assignments/examination scores including the final exam, etc. for each course. Category C was assig= ned based on an average median score of ACS national chemistry exams appropriat= e to the courses. Median scores of top 40% nationally were assigned a 5, top 50%= a 4, and so on. Category C for the capstone undergraduate research courses is based on “final” report sampling. The overall assessments were collected, examined by the Committee of the Whole and accepted by vote. See below for a complete listing of the assessment outcome evaluation (Table 1)= .

Tabl= e 1

Aver= age Evaluations for the Following Courses Based on the Criteria Listed Above

	Category
Area	Course	A	B	C	D	E	Comments
Freshman	Chem 1101K-1102K Chem 1151K-1152K (Allied Health Freshman sequence)	4.2	4.0	4.5	4.0	3.8	Solid outcomes
Freshman	Chem 1211K-1212K-2010 (Science Major Freshman sequence)	3.9	4.3	3.5	3.1	4.1	Chem 1212K ACS scores slightly low
Organic	Chem 2400/3100	4.5	3.9	NA^a	3.5	4.3	Solid outcome
Organic	Chem 3410/3110/4330	4.3	3.9	4.5	3.5	4.3	Solid outcome
Upper level	Chem 4000	3.4	3.7	NA^a	3.1	3.2	Outcome satisfactory but lowest rated course in dept.
Upper level	Chem 4110/4010	4.4	5.0	4.0	3.5	4.2	Solid outcome
Upper level	Chem 4120/4190/4210	4.4	4.5	3.5	3.2	3.7	Solid outcome
Upper level	Chem 4600/4610	NA	4.6	4.5	4.3	5.0	Excellent outcome
Undergrad Senior Research	Chem 4160	4.7	5.0	4.5	4.6	4.7	Excellent outcome
(Capstone Courses)	Chem 4170^b	5.0	5.0	5.0	5.0	4.8	Excellent outcome
Graduate Program	Graduate MS and PhD work	5.0	5.3	4.5	5.4	5.5	Excellent outcome

a) ACS exams given at end of sequence; b) only the best undergraduates complete the 2^nd term of undergraduate research

Summary: All scores were within the expecta= tions of the Committee of the Whole listed above. All courses have met the commit= tee approved standards. Category C for Chem 1212K, while still within standards, was the lowest overall. The committee recommends that additional effort be placed on the tutorial courses to strengthen this outcome. Chem 4000, while satisfactory, was the lowest rated course in the major. The committee recommended improvements in equipment and the addition of a tutorial course. These recommendations have been accepted and acted on by the department, hopefully leading to improved outcomes in the future. Previously, added tutorial courses in support of Chem 4110 and 4120 have resulted in increased outcomes for these courses.

Appe= ndix I

Depa= rtment of Chemistry Learning Outcomes Assessment

Comm= ittee of the Whole

Allison, S.

Baumstark, A.

Breyer, E.

D= ixon, D.

Franklin, P. (Chair of committee)

Gadda, G.

Germann, M.

Grant, K.

Huang, Z.

Kennedy, D.

Netzel, T.

Pascoe, K.

Patonay, G.

Shamsi, S.

Smith, J.

Strekowski, L.

Wang, B.

W= ilson, D.

Yang, J.

Appe= ndix II

Six Functional Subcommittees

1.&n= bsp; Freshman Chemistry (subcommittee chair-Franklin)

a. Working Groups

Chem 1101K/1102K General evaluation

Chem 1151K/1152K

Kibler-Herzog, L (chair of working group)

Barrow, D.

Strekowski, L.

Kennedy, D.

Chem 1211K/1212K

Kennedy, D. (chair of working group)

Barrow, D. (and Franklin)

Hamilton, D.

Chem 2010

Vasquez, P. (ad hoc member)

Franklin, P. (chair of working group)

2.&n= bsp; Organic Sequence (subcommittee chair-Pascoe)

Chem 2400/3410

Chem 3100/3110

Franklin, P.

Baumstark, A.

Huang, Z.

3.&n= bsp; Analytical and P. Chem Lab Sequence (subcommittee chair-Patonay)

a. Working Groups

Chem 4000

Smith, J.

Hamilton, D.

Barrow, D. (chair of working group)

Chem 4010

Shamsi, S. (chair of working group)

Patonay, G.

Chem 4190

Netzel, T. (chair of working group)

Allison, S.

4.&n= bsp; Upper Division (Major)/ACS Certification Courses (subcommittee chair-Franklin)

a. Working Groups

Chem 4210

Grant, K. (chair of working group)

Wang, S. (ad hoc member)

Chem 4110/4120

Germann, M.

Smith, J.

Allison, S. (chair of working group)

Chem 4330

Strekowski, L. (chair of working group)

Wang, B.

Chem 4600/4610

Dixon, D. (chair = of working group)

Gadda, G.

Breyer, E.

5.&n= bsp; Undergraduate Research Courses (Capstone Courses) (subcommittee chair-Franklin)

Chem 4160/4170

Wilson, D.

Yang, J.

6.&n= bsp; Graduate Program (subcommittee chair-Germann)

Ph.D., M.S.-thesis, M.S.-non-thesis

Members of all thesis and dissertation defense committees and non-thesis research p= aper advisors completed the evaluation forms.