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 plant and soil science including properties of water.
Indicator
Advanced Plant And Soil Science Assignment Rubric
All students enrolled in the program must complete the advanced Plant and Soil Science course in their final year of enrollment. Advanced PLSC courses address key concepts and skills relevant to the field of plant science. Five randomly selected student assignments from PLSC 3440 will be reviewed by faculty members with expertise in the field of plant and soil science. 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
PLSC Assessment
Only 5 Plant Science students were enrolled in the course during this assessment period. The finding from these 5 reviews was a 3.9 on a scale of 1-5. 80% of the PLSC students scored higher than a 3.5. Knowledge of soil water, soil chemistry, and application of plant and soil science knowledge.
Action
Continued Improvements
The topic of soil water will have more in-depth explanation in lecture and lab, improved demonstrations of soil water concepts with different practice problems in the lab and course. Graduate assistance teaching labs will receive additional instruction from the faculty for continuous improvements. Goal will remain the same.
Goal
Develop Professional Skills
Students completing the BS in Plant and Soil Science will learn the skills necessary for seeking job placement and technical writing in the work place.
Objective
Development Of Professional Writing Skills
Students completing the BS in Plant and Soil Science will will demonstrate skills necessary to compete in the professional marketplace. Content knowledge along with writing skills will be assessed.
Indicator
AGRI 4120 Assignment Rubric
All students seeking a degree in Plant and Soil Science will be required to complete AGRI 4120 during their senior year. The course addresses essential skills necessary for job placement in the workforce for agriculture employment - resume preparation, interview skills, technical writing 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 Agriculture students enrolled in AGRI 4120 will perform at an acceptable level and score a 3 (meets expectations) or higher on a scale of 1-5. Technical writing skills with emphasis on cohesiveness and concise writing were concerns from previous evaluation and continues to be an area addressed.
Finding
Professional Skills And Writing
The goal for Plant and Soil Science students was achieved with an average score of 4 out of a possible 5.0. However, only 1 student was with a PLSC degree was enrolled in the course.
Action
Improvement In Technical Writing
No change in action due to low enrollment. Concise writing will continue to be assessed.