Deliver A Curriculum With Appropriate Discipline Specific Knowledge
Students will learn the appropriate advance Applied GIS knowledge and skills.
Objective
Demonstrate Advanced Applied GIS Knowledge And Skills
Each student will demonstrate the ability to communicate knowledge of advanced applied GIS.
Indicator
Mastery Of Advanced Applied GIS Knowledge - Written Comprehensive Exams
All graduate students will demonstrate a mastery of applied GIS knowledge through a set of written graduate comprehensive examinations, administered by a faculty committee. The examination will consist of questions about the practical and theoretical basis for the application of Geographic Information Systems and Remote Sensing techniques to real world problems. A committee of faculty members with expertise in the subject areas will evaluate students’ performance and give a mark of Fail, Pass, or High Pass in each examined area.
Criterion
80% First Time Pass Rate For Written Comprehensive Exams
Each student needs to earn at least a "Pass" mark in each examined area to pass the written comprehensive exams. Each student is allowed two attempts. Faculty expect that at least 80% of graduate students will pass their exam on their first attempt. 100% will pass on their second attempt.
Finding
Performance On Comprehensive Exam
6 students took the comprehensive exam in Fall 2014. Each student formed a comprehensive examination committee comprised of 3 GIS graduate faculty members selected by individual student. Thus the comprehensive exam had 3 sections based on questions submitted by 3 comprehensive exam committee members.
2 students scored ‘PASS’ in all three sections. 2 students scored ‘PASS’ in two sections and ‘PARTIAL PASS’ in one section. 1 student scored ‘HIGH PASS’ in one section, ‘PASS’ in one section and ‘PARTIAL PASS’ in one section. One student scored ‘HIGH PASS’ in two sections and ‘PASS’ in one section. Thus, 3 students scored ‘PARTIAL PASS’ in one section, 2 students scored ‘HIGH PASS’ in atleast one section and the remaining scored ‘PASS’ in all sections. All the three students with a ‘PARTIAL PASS’ scored it in same section and on re-taking that section passed it. Thus in Fall 2014 all the 6 students who took the comprehensive exam finally passed the exam with 2 students scoring ‘HIGH PASS’ in atleast one section.
In Spring 2015 6 students took the comprehensive exam. 3 students scored ‘HIGH PASS’ with one student scoring ‘HIGH PASS’ in all three sections and 2 students with a ‘HIGH PASS’ in one section. One student ‘FAILED’ two sections and will be re-taking the two sections in Fall 2015.
Action
Improving On Comprehensive Performance
Compared to previous years more students have scored ‘HIGH PASS’ in one or more section. All 3 student students who have scored ‘PARTIAL PASS’ was in the section related to Spatial Analysis. GIS faculty have introduced more introductory topics on Spatial Analysis in order to reinforce student knowledge and skillset and make them more proficient in that particular subject matter.