Students will be able to demonstrate competency develop knowledge and skills relevant to Plant and Soil Science.
Objective
Development Of Students' Knowledge And Skills
Students will be able to demonstrate competency in key areas of Horticulture and Crop Science including plant science and properties of soil.
Indicator
Advanced Horticulture And Crop Science Assignment Rubric
All students enrolled in the program must complete the advanced horticultural course in their final year of enrollment. Advanced horticultural courses address key concepts and skills relevant to the field of agriculture. Each semester seven randomly selected student assignments from advanced horticultural courses will be reviewed by faculty members with expertise in the field of agriculture. Faculty members will score the assignments using a scale of 1 - 5 with 3 "meets expectations," 4 "exceeds expectations," and 5 "far exceeds expectations."
Criterion
At Least 70% Rated As Meeting Expectations
There will be a general consensus among Plant Science Faculty members that at least 70% of the students project outcomes will meet an expectation of 3.5 or higher.
Finding
Plant And Soil Science Assessment
Assessment review revealed only 1 plant science student was in the course during the assessment period. The outcome though not valid was a 3.3 on key concepts outlined in the rubric. Other students in the course were non majors.
Action
Action For Improvement
Soil water concepts continues to be an area of concern. Faculty will provide more in-depth explanation in lecture and lab on key elements. Improve demonstrations on Soil Water concepts and different practice problems to enrich the learning process. Teaching assistants for the lab will receive additional instruction from the faculty on record for continuous improvement. Goal will remain the same.
Goal
Develop Professional Skills
Students will learn the skills necessary to compete in the professional marketplace.
Objective
Development Of Professional Writing Skills
Students completing the BS in Plant and Soil Science will demonstrate necessary writing skills to compete in the professional marketplace.
Indicator
AGRI 4120 Assignment Rubric
All students seeking a degree in Horticulture and Crop Science will be required to complete AGRI 4120 during their senior year. The course addresses essential skills necessary to compete in the market place for agriculture employment - resume preparation, interview skills, and employment opportunities. Faculty will review student assignments and access student performance on selected assignments using a faculty-developed rubric.
Criterion
70% Of Students Rated As Meeting Expectations
Faculty evaluations will indicate that at least 70% of the students enrolled in AGRI 4120 will perform at an acceptable level and score a 3.5 (meets expectations) or higher on a scale of 1-5, especially in clarity and organization which were areas assessed as weakness the previous year.
Finding
Professional Writing
Assessed documents were well written with excellent demonstration of writing for the professional field. Neatness could be improved. Due to low number of majors only 4 students were enrolled in the course. Therefore, reliability could be question since there was no random selection. Average score was 3.4 which was slightly short of the 3.5 goal.
Action
Professional Skills
No change in action will be addressed. Neatness and concise writing will continue since there was a small number of assessments.