The graduate faculty will revisit the MA, define goals, establish targets, and develop a curriculum for this degree.
Objective
Mastering Critical Thinking
Students will demonstrate an understanding of the new MA curriculum designed to incorporate critical learning into science education.
Indicator
Demonstrating Critical Thinking Skills
Students entering and exiting the MA program will take pre and post-test, respectively. These tests will examine critical thinking abilities and changes between tests will be used to gauge progress.
A committee to resurrect the MA program in biology is currently working on developing this assessment tool. Once completed this pre-test will be uploaded under this objective.
Criterion
Critical Thinking Evaluation
An average increase of 50% (pre to post-test) will be used as an acceptable level of understanding.
Finding
No New MA Students
The Department of Biological Sciences admitted no new MA students in 2012. Therefore, there are no findings for this criterion.
Action
Work To Develop MA Curriculum
We will work as a department to possibly develop a new MA curriculum that will help recruit students.
Objective
Disseminating Critical Thinking
Students leaving the MA program will demonstrate an ability to disseminate critical thinking skills in a classroom setting.
Indicator
Disseminating Critical Thinking
Students exiting the program will develop critical thinking curricula for a science classroom which will be evaluated by the MA committee composed of Biology faculty.
A committee to resurrect the MA program in biology is currently working on a rubric that will be used to evaluate student performance under this objective. Once completed this rubric will be posted with this objective.
Criterion
Evaluation Of Disseminating Skills
The curriculum developed by the MA student will be graded by the committee using a faculty defined rubric. An approval score of 80% by the faculty committee will be use as a criterion for passing.
Finding
No MA Students
The Department of Biological Sciences admitted no new MA students in 2012. Therefore, there are no findings for this criterion.
Action
Recruit MA Students
We will work as a department to possibly develop a new MA curriculum that will help recruit students.