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Undergraduate Curricular Program Assessment Plan

Program Name: Geographical Information Science

Applicable Major(s)/Degree(s): GIS Bachelor of Science

Date: May 4th, 2020

Section 1: Program Learning Outcomes and Assessment Methods

This table summarizes all program learning outcomes and related details for each outcome. Program learning outcomes identify what students will know and do as a result of

completing the program.

Program Learning Outcome(s) Campus SLO

Alignment

Assessment

Year Assessment Methods/Measures Performance Indicators

1- Graduates will demonstrate the theoretical

knowledge expected from an early-career GISP

1 Every year Test 90% of graduating seniors score 70%

or higher in each area of knowledge

2- Graduates will acquire, edit, query, analyze and

visualize spatial data and automate tasks in the

context of larger projects, at the level of an early- career GISP

2 Every year Demonstrated in portfolio 90% of portfolios contain at least 2

demonstrations of each set of skills

3- Graduates will be able to analyze a spatial

question or problem, formalize a strategy, then

design and implement a workflow, at the level of

an early-career GISP

3 Every year Demonstrated in portfolio 90% of portfolios contain at least 3

entries demonstrating the entire

chain of reasoning

4- Graduates will communicate their work

effectively, through writing and producing effective

visual representations of geographical information

and analysis results

6a Every year Portfolio (see detailed measures next

section)

- 4 writing criteria relative to

invention, arrangement, style

and delivery

- 5 cartography criteria

● 90% of portfolios meet the 4

writing criteria

● Cartography criteria met for

90% of maps in 90% of

portfolios

5- Graduates will articulate their personal strengths

and skills as early-career GISPs as well as areas they

wish grow in, and identify resources available to

them for self-development

5 Every year Personal statement reflecting on

current level of performance,

identifying growth area and

establishing a plausible growth plan

90% of statements are coherent and

convincing

6- Graduates will demonstrate behavioral

dispositions expected from GIS professionals

9 Every year Questionnaire sent to internship

supervisor and instructors

90% of graduating seniors exhibit

positive examples of each behavior

7- When confronted with professional situations,

graduates will make decisions that conform to the

GISP code of ethics

4 Every year Case study write-up:

● identify ethical problems

● propose ethical action

90% of graduating seniors properly

identify problems and propose

acceptable action

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Section 2: Program Assessment Data Analysis and Results

In this section, information is provided regarding who conducts the program’s assessment, who compiles assessment data, who reviews assessment results, and general ways

the program uses assessment results to improve teaching and learning. Information includes ways in which students and individuals/groups outside of the program are involved

in the program’s assessment process, if applicable.

In order to produce a meaningful assessment of the GIS BS program that is co-constructed by students, faculty and professionals, we moved away from a model where

specific outcomes are assessed through specific courses along the curriculum, and use summative assessment instead. For this purpose, we designed a 1-credit course that

is a hybrid between a seminar and a workshop class, which graduating seniors take in their last semester. In this course, under their instructor’s supervision, students 1/

construct individual portfolios; 2/ take a summative test based on professional standards; 3/ reflect on GISP ethics through case studies; 4/ collectively review portfolios

and test results to identify strengths and weaknesses both in themselves and in the instruction they received in the program and at UMD, propose personal and

institutional improvement plans (other GIS faculty invited) and build narratives; 5/ confront their narratives to the professional world through mock interviews with GISP.

Following the interviews, faculty, students and other invitees sit together with the invited GISPs to share feedback as well as the program assessment co-constructed by

students during the course. All the program outcomes are evaluated through the work done in this course, but one. The outcome regarding behavioral dispositions is

evaluated through questionnaires sent to internship supervisors and last semester instructors for each graduating student.

This method of assessment is in its 5th year (2020) and as already led to significant changes to the program.

Outcome 1 Test - parsed in 7 areas of knowledge. Target is 90% score 70% or higher in each area

Outcome 2 Evaluated from portfolios work samples using a standard rubric for 6 skill areas. First evaluation is conducted by peers, then evaluations are confirmed

by the instructor. Target is to have 90% of portfolios featuring 2 demonstrations of each skill.

Outcome 3 Evaluated from portfolios work samples using a standard rubric for a 4-step reasoning chain. First evaluation is conducted by peers, then evaluations

are confirmed by the instructor. Target is to have 90% of portfolios featuring at least 3 entries with complete reasoning chains.

Outcome 4 Evaluated from portfolios work samples using standard rubrics for written communication and cartographic communication. First evaluation is

conducted by peers, then evaluations are confirmed by the instructor. Target is to have 90% of portfolios at satisfactory level on each rubric

component.

Outcome 5 Evaluated from portfolios (personal statements) using a standard rubric. First evaluation is conducted by peers, then evaluations are confirmed by the

instructor. Target is to have 90% of statements at satisfactory level on each rubric component

Outcome 6 Evaluated from internship supervisor questionnaires. Each question targets a specific disposition, within four areas. Target is to have 90% of students

exhibiting each desired behavior.

Outcome 7 Evaluated from an ethics case study paper using a standard rubric. First evaluation is conducted by peers, then evaluations are confirmed by the

instructor. Target is to have 90% of papers at satisfactory level on each rubric component.

All 7 outcomes are evaluated annually and discussed during the senior course. Each time a deficiency is detected, proposals are made by students and their instructor,

along with other faculty input, for remediation. If a deficiency has been detected in previous years and remedial actions taken (see action plan), these actions are also to be

reviewed: should they be maintained, modified, reinforced, abandoned?

Assessment results and remedial proposals are discussed during a retreat organized at the end of the year, where all GIS students, faculty and the GISPs involved in the

assessment are invited. The goal of this retreat is to agree on an action plan. The action plan consists in 1/ the new action proposals adopted during the retreat; 2/ old

action steps that should be carried on, with or without modifications. This process ensures an annual revision of the action plan, with the adhesion of all parties involved.

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Section 3: Alignment of Courses to Program Learning Outcomes

This table lists all courses taught for the program and shows the alignment with the program learning outcomes.

● Courses are listed in order by course level, beginning with 1xxx courses.

● * denotes required courses.

● Course-to-program learning outcome alignment is noted as: B: basic; I: intermediary, A: advanced

● Courses used as part of Program Assessment are noted by: P = Program Assessment Reporting.

Course Number Course Title Program Learning Outcomes

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

GEOG 1414/GEOL

1110*

Physical Geography or Geology and Earth Systems B

GEOG

1202/1304/2305*

World Regional Geography or Human Geography or Geography of

Cultural Diversity

B

GEOG/GIS 2552* Introduction to Maps and Geospatial Information B B B

GIS 3563* GIS I I I B I B

GIS 3564* GIS II I/A I/A I I B B

GIS 3580* Earth Imagery I I B I B

GEOG 3532* Map Design and Geovisualization I A B

GIS 3597* Internship in GIS I/A I/A I/A I/A B I/A/P B

GEOG 4612* Field Techniques I/A A A I I

GIS 4585 Applied Statistics for GIS A I/A A A I

GIS 4909* Professional Preparedness in GIS P* P* P* A/P I/P I I/P

GIS 4533 Distributed Geographic Information Services: Mobile and Web Based

Solutions

A A A

GIS 4586 Geoprocessing with Python A A A

GIS 5571 Geographic Information Science in Urban Analysis I I/A A A I I

GIS 5572 Environmental Application of GIS A I/A A

GIS 5573 GIScience in Regional Sustainability Applications I I/A A A I I

GIS 5581 Digital Image Processing and Analysis A A I/A I/A

*outcomes 1 thru 3 are developed throughout the curriculum. They are assessed at the end of the curriculum in the senior capstone class, where students reflect back on their

past work.