Fernando Gilbes SantaellaFernando Gilbes Santaella

Assessment CoordinatorAssessment Coordinator

UPRM-Department of Geology UPRM-Department of Geology

gilbes@cacique.uprm.edugilbes@cacique.uprm.edu

Some Facts of the Department

Founded in 1967 by Dr. John D. WeaverGraduate program started in 1995It currently has 11 professorsWith over 100 undergraduate students and around 20 graduate students

Students graduated in the Department of Geology during the last 11 years

3

1

2

8

2

1

8

9

2

7

9

2

4

1

2

4

3

6

5

8

6

0

10

5

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005

Year

Nu

m.

of

Stu

de

nt

Male (=54)

Female (=54)

Geology Department Vision

The Geology Department of the University of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez seeks to provide the highest levels of education through continuous revision and expansion of our educational, research, and outreach programs in order to produce well-trained, competent, academic and professional geoscientists capable of responding to societal needs.

Geology Department Mission

The Geology Department will develop in each student, critical thinking, enthusiasm, initiative and the necessary skills to become lifelong students of Earth Sciences. Emphasis will be placed on learning basic concepts and techniques through research, in an environment that promotes the development of professionals with social, cultural and humanistic sensibility as well as profound ethical values.

Geology Student Profile Skills and Values

1. Critical thinking and problem solving skills2. Team working skills3. Communication skills in Spanish and English4. Computer literacy and its scientific applications5. Knowledge of up-to-date scientific tools and techniques6. Awareness of contemporary scientific issues7. Awareness of ethical implications in science8. Ability to learn by him/herself (lifelong learners)9. Knowledge

Scientific Concepts1. Paleontology2. Sedimentology and Stratigraphy3. Structure &Tectonics4. Igneous and Metamorphic Petrology (including volcanology)5. Geomorphology and Quaternary Geology6. Hydrogeology7. Geophysics and Seismology8. Environmental Geology9. Geochemistry10. Engineering Geology11. Mineralogy12. Knowledge of the Geology of Puerto Rico

Assessment of student learningAs first step, we prepared a questionnaire focused on the curriculum

Three major areas were evaluated:

(1) skills and values(2) scientific knowledge(3) overall performance

Recommendation were generated for closing the loop of assessment.

The questionnaire was submitted to 44 junior and senior students

29 students enrolled in fall 2004Geol 4045 (Petrogenesis of Crystalline Rocks)Geol 4046 (Sedimentary Env. and Lithogenesis)Geol 5026 (Tectonics)

15 students enrolled in spring 2005Geol 4009 (Stratigraphy)Geol 4057 (Environmental Geophysics)Geol 5006 (Sedimentation)

The average enrollment in the Geology Department is 100 students per semester, which means that the collected data represented around 29 % in fall 2004 and 15% in spring 2005 of the entire students’ population.

Effectiveness of the curriculum in developing skills and values

19

47

29

50

64

30

41 0

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

Excellent Good Average Poor Deficient

Level of effectiveness

Perc

en

t (%

) o

f s

tud

en

ts Dec 04

May 05

Effectiveness of the curriculum in developing scientific knowledge

11

36

27

16

9

26

42

12 12

8

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

Excellent Good Average Poor Deficient

Level of effectiveness

Perc

en

t (%

) o

f s

tud

en

ts

Dec 04

May 05

Percent (%) of students that consider as poor or deficient the effectiveness of the curriculum in developing the knowledge of

specific fields in the Geology Department Field Area Dec 04 May 05

Paleontology 26 27

Sedimentology and Stratigraphy 0 13

Structure &Tectonics 15 20

Igneous and Metamorphic Petrology 7 20

Geomorphology and Quaternary Geology 4 13

Hydrogeology 44 27

Geophysics and Seismology 41 7

Environmental Geology 11 20

Geochemistry 63 54

Engineering Geology 44 13

Mineralogy 11 20

Geology of Puerto Rico 37 7

Performance of the Geology Department according to the interviewed students

Criteria Dec 04 May 05

Variety of Courses C C

Laboratory Equipment and Facilities C C

Faculty B B

Flexible Curriculum C B

Courses Content B B

Research Opportunities C B

OVERALL PERFORMANCE C B

Main Conclusions of the Curriculum Assessment

In the last 11 years we have graduated 108 students, of which 50% have been Hispanic females (an underrepresented group in US).Our curriculum is strong in developing skills and values. But, scientific tools and techniques, and ethics must be improved. The curriculum is strong in sedimentology, stratigraphy, geophysics, seismology, geomorphology, and mineralogy. However, according to students it is poor or deficient in geochemistry.The overall performance was graded B+, which demonstrate that we are okay, but must improve certain areas.

Closing the Assessment Loop in Geochemistry

Hired a geochemistry professor in fall 2005.

Specific assessment for geochemistry topics in spring 2006.AS

SE

SS

ME

NT

IMP

RO

VE

ME

NT

Four main areas were selected with a total of 67 topics.

phase diagrams/phase equilibria (22 topics)

thermodynamics (9 topics)

igneous/metamorphic petrology (26 topics)

stable isotope geochemistry (10 topics)

A similar questionnaire with geochemistry topics was submitted to all faculty and 14 senior students registered in the Caribbean Geology course

* The main areas and topics were suggested by the new geochemistry professor.

Examples of Questionnaire

Thermodynamics

Topic Not covered Briefly mentioned Covered in detail

Ideal Gas Law

Law’s of Thermodynamics

Equilibrium Constant

Thermodynamics

Topic Never heard ofFamiliar, but don’t

remember I know this well

Ideal Gas Law

Law’s of Thermodynamics

Equilibrium Constant

For Faculty

For Students

Faculty Results

0

105

1

10

65

5

20

90

25

90

79

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

Phase diagrams Phase equilibria

Thermodynamics Igneous/MetamorphicPetrology

Stable IsotopeGeochemistry

Topics

Per

cen

t (%

)

Not coveredBriefly mentionedCovered in detailed

Students Results

20

6

2725

36

58

5255

44

37

21 20

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

Phase diagrams Phase equilibria

Thermodynamics Igneous/MetamorphicPetrology

Stable IsotopeGeochemistry

Topics

Per

cen

t o

f st

ud

ents

(%

)

Never hear ofFamiliar, but don’t rememberI know this well

63

54

25

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

Pe

rce

nt

of

Stu

de

nts

(%

)

Dec 04 May 05 May 06

Percent (%) of students that consider as poor or deficient the effectiveness of the Geology curriculum in developing the geochemistry knowledge

New professorin geochemistry

Final Conclusions/Further Steps

Additional assessments suggest that our deficiency in geochemistry is due to the wrong impression produced by lacking a professor in that area.

Many geochemistry topics are part of current courses, but apparently the students do not recognize them as part of their scientific knowledge in that specific area.

Since there is not a specific course in geochemistry the students think they are not receiving that knowledge. A course in geochemistry will be offered in spring of 2007.

Geology Symposium in Geochemistry.

Next Step in Assessment

Undergraduate ResearchTwo semesters vs. one semesterTime table for proposal, research, written report and oral presentationAmount of students per professorSelected areas of researchProfessors vs. students expectations

Next semester we will start the analyses of the data already collected during the last two years.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Faculty of the Geology Department

Johannes Schellekens (Department’s Director)

Wilson Ramirez (member of the assessment committee)

Aaron Cavosie (geochemistry professor)

“Oficina de Avalúo para el Aprendizaje y Mejoramiento Continuo” of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences