Development of an Assessment Plan for a General Education Course

General Education course:  Chemistry 104, Introduction to Chemistry of Materials

Step 1.  Identify which goals are related to the course.

The ten goals for general education are:

1. Effective written and oral communication
2. Skills related to critical thinking, problem solving, and creativity
3. Heightened intellectual, cultural, and humane understanding and sensitivity
4. The ability to manipulate symbol systems and use quantitative methods
5. Skills associated with the scientific method including rational inquiry, data collection, analysis, theory formulation and hypothesis testing
6. An understanding of world history, civilizations, and political processes
7. An understanding of economics and social sciences
8. An understanding of the interdependence of humankind and the natural world
9. An understanding of the principles of mathematics and the sciences
10. An understanding of literature, the arts, and systems of human thought

The five goals in boldface are related to general education science courses.
 
Step 2.  Develop specific objectives for student learning to be assessed for each goal.
Step 3.  Identify at least one assignment relating to each objective for student learning.

In this example, many of the objectives are things students learn in all of the chemistry department's
general education courses (101, 103, 104, 105) but the assignments would vary for each course.  

goal
 specific objectives
 assignment
2
 use reference data to solve problems
4
 use chemical symbols and formulas for compounds
 exam 1,2

write balanced chemical equations
 exam 1, 2

draw and interpret Lewis structures
 exam 2

create 3 dimensional models from Lewis structures
 polymer lab

use algebraic equations to calculate properties
 exam 1, lab 1

interpret a graph 
 paper 2, light worksheet
5
 make observations
 concrete lab, exam 3

generate a hypothesis
 concrete lab, exam 3

design experiment to test hypothesis
 concrete lab, exam 3

carry out experiment and collect data 
 concrete lab

analyze results of experiment
 concrete lab
8
 know sources of raw materials
 exam 1

know methods to transform raw materials
 exam 1, 2, 3
9
 classification of matter
 exam 1

atomic structure
 exam 1

measure samples
 exam 1, lab 1

use the Periodic Table
 exam 1

conservation of matter / balance equations
 exam 1

types of chemical bonds
 exam 1, 2

interaction of light with matter
 exam 2, 3, light worksheet

role of energy in structure and reactivity
 exam 1
                            

Step 4.  Evaluate the students' accomplishment of the objective.
Statistics will be collected for exam questions.
For the laboratory experiences, the instructor will observe the students' work and notes.         

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Last updated: May 26, 2004