Assessment Report Department of the Earth Sciences School of Science and Mathematics

1. Assessment ReportDepartment of the Earth SciencesSchool of Science and Mathematics James Zollweg Chair + Assessment Coordinator

2. What was AssessedSLOs - Geology • G1: Be familiar with the geological time scale including explain how it relates to major events in the history of Earth and life on Earth. • G2: Explain the larger-scale physical processes of the Earth including plate tectonics and crustal deformation and apply to new problems. • G3: Explain the Earth’s processes that shape the surface and near-surface environment; Apply these concepts to real-world problems. • G4: Evaluate the physical and chemical properties of rocks and minerals and explain how these properties reflect their behavior in the geologic environment.

3. What was AssessedSLOs - Earth Sciences • E1: Explain the processes that affect the solid earth and the time scales in which they operate; describe how these processes have shaped earth history. • E2: Explain the hydrologic cycle, and analyze it using standard quantitative methods. • E3: Explain the physical laws governing atmospheric phenomena.

4. What was AssessedSLOs - Water Resources • W1: Interpret the structure and physical properties of hydrostratigraphic units and explain how they influence the movement of water. • W2: Evaluate and analyze, for natural and anthropogenic influences, hydrological systems and processes for the purpose of water resources assessment and management. • W3: Quantify and interpret the hydrologic cycle using standard tools and techniques (field instrumentation, GIS, mathematical/computer models).

5. What was AssessedSLOs - Meteorology • M1: Interpret the physical laws governing atmospheric phenomena. • M2: Explain the principles behind, and use of, meteorological instrumentation. • M3: Use critical and analytical skills to interpret and predict weather systems using weather information (model data, maps, remote sensing imagery). • M4: Describe the physical controls of the climate system.

6. What was AssessedSLOs - All Majors • A1: Interpret Earth science data, including both qualitative and quantitative analyses. • A2: Employ the scientific method with competency and precision. • A3: Locate, evaluate and interpret scientific literature. • A4: Effectively express earth science concepts and research results both orally and in writing.

7. Assessment Methodology • ESC 418 – Watershed Science Course Project • Develop a complete GIS-based watershed inventory for a study watershed and use it to: • Create a standard watershed map set • Do three environmental or water quality related analyses • Run a watershed simulation model • Approaching: 2/3 items substantially complete • Meets: 3/3 items substantially complete • Exceeds: 3/3 items fully complete • Number of students: 13 (all eligible students)

8. Assessment Results • Percent exceeding: 23 • Percent meeting: 62 • Percent approaching: • Percent not meeting: 15

9. Assessment Methodology • ESC 495 – Senior Seminar • Oral Presentation: success determined by consensus from attending faculty. • Research Paper: success determined by evaluation from two faculty members. • Number of students: 20 (all eligible students)

10. Assessment Results • Percent exceeding:20 • Percent meeting:65 • Percent approaching: • Percent not meeting:15

11. Assessment Methodology • ESC 420 – Radar and Satellite Meteorology Final Exam • Use appropriately chosen remotely sensed data to identify important weather phenomena, and state the reasoning to support the interpretations. • Heavy Rain • Tornadoes • Hailstorms • Gust fronts • Fog • Approaching: 60%, Meets: 80%, Exceeds: 100% • Number of students: 27 (all eligible students)

12. Assessment Results • Percent exceeding: 41 • Percent meeting: 29 • Percent approaching: • Percent not meeting:30

13. Lessons Learned • The primary reason for not meeting outcomes in senior research / senior seminar is neglecting to analyze and interpret their project results and relate their findings to broader scientific concepts. • All the students were at least minimally competent in the mechanics of a watershed report, however the “DNMs” and three “marginal meets” did not do an adequate job of evaluating and applying the results of their data collection/organizing efforts.

14. Action Plan/Data Driven Decision: • Pay special attention to these important principles throughout senior level courses

15. Lessons Learned • A large portion of the class was very successful (and probably under-challenged), and an unacceptably large portion of the class did not have a satisfactory outcome. Spring 2013 was the first time we have attempted to make ESC420 very inclusive by encouraging non-meteorology science majors and underclass meteorology majors to take the course. Apparently, this was too diverse a population: senior majors were not challenged, and the others were over their heads.

16. Action Plan/Data Driven Decision: • In the future, we will offer a rigorous treatment of this course for upperclass meteorology majors only (alternate years).

17. What resources were applied or are needed to close the loop • None explicitly. However we will have a slightly tougher time meeting SCH ratio and course diversity goals