ASSESSMENT METHODS FOR UNDERGRADUATE STEM COURSES INTEGRATING GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES

Assessing learning outcomes is an integral component of evaluating departmental program and course success being used across campuses. Assessment is also valuable for evaluating student preparation for the workforce. In particular, recent findings from workforce surveys have identified the desired skills and abilities of undergraduate students from STEM disciplines with geographic information technology skills entering the workforce. A common core element of these surveys is demonstration of knowledge, skills, and abilities in spatial analysis and visualization as derived from use of GIS and statistical software packages. To address these common core elements, GIS faculty selected artifacts of learning, final project reports and related assignments from students who have completed courses in GIS and Spatial Analysis, in order to determine students’ ability to collect, analyze, and display spatial information using advanced geographic information technologies. Artifacts from three semesters of geographic information technology courses were each analyzed using a rubric based on multiple dimensions of learning and three levels of mastery of each dimension. After all artifacts were independently assessed with the rubric, the faculty compared outcomes and settled on final performance measures. Findings from the study indicate the majority of students attain adequate levels of mastery of spatial analysis and visualization, with a small number of outstanding and very few poor levels of mastery. Results from these findings will be used in further evaluating ideal methods for teaching spatial analysis and visualization content in geographic information technology courses as well as in a planned departmental review.