Assessment2006

Department of Environmental Biology and Ecological Studies

Assessment Report 2006

Submitted by: Deborah L. Beal, Coordinator

The following questions will be addressed in this year's report:

1. What learning outcomes goals were the focus of your assessment efforts this academic year?
2. What methods did you use to determine student achievements?
3. What were the results?
4. How do you intend to use the results?

Introduction
Environmental Studies is an interdisciplinary major that integrates courses in the life sciences, physical sciences, and social sciences. Faculty from Environmental Science, Chemistry, Economics, Geography, International Studies, Ecological Psychology, Sociology and History participate in the the program. Additional coursework is required from the fields of Biology and Mathematics. The Environmental Studies program is now in it's fourth year of existance and has grown to over 40 majors. This year (May 2006), we graduated 16 students (15 majors and 1 minor). In addition to interdisciplinary course work, students have the opportunity to participate in field courses which travel offcampus, internships, independent study and research with professors, travel to scientific meetings and local community service projects such as cleaning up the Illinois River. (ENVS Program Description 2003)
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2006 Assesment
1. What learning outcomes goals were the focus of your assessment efforts this academic year?
<>Assessment this year has evaluated the current and future needs of the program. The ENVS committee decided to focus on defining the 3 tracks (Environmental Biology, Environmental Chemistry and Toxicology and Environmental Sociology) and evaluating courses taken for each track.   We recognized the need for more environmental sociology courses, a better defined track in Environmental justice and Peace studies and a need for a minor in Earth Science that would integrate Physics and Chemistry. This year's assessment has focused on the development of an Environmental Sociology course which will be taught by IC's new sociologist, Dr. Jan Burman.   The Environmental Biology and Ecological Studies committee members met with other interested faculty (Bill Cross, Linda Cockerill) several times in the fall of 2005 and once during the spring semester to discuss the need for additional environmental justice, peace studies courses for the ENVS major. All agreed that a new course would be great if Prof. Burman could fit it into her busy schedule. This was complicated by the lack of a replacement for former Chair of Sociology, Dr. Bill Cross, but with support from the current Chair of her department, Dr. Kelly Dagan, it was agreed that this type of course was needed and would be taught by Dr. Burman.
The course which developed from these discussions will be called "ENVS/SOC 197 Environment and Society" and will be taught on an experimental basis fall 2006.   It currently has 20 students enrolled with a 50/50 split between sociology majors and ENVS majors.   Thanks to all who attended the several meetings and gave input.

During these meetings, we also discussed the need to continue to develop the Social Science track in ENVS.   Futher discussions will take place fall 2006 with the intent of identifying a core group of courses for the social science track.   Also, with the addition of the Environment and Society course and a couple of new electives in Psychology and Geography, students will be able to choose among courses which should ease the course numbers especially in ECON 372 Environmental Economics.

Last, it was decided to wait until 2006-2007 to develop a minor in Earth Science and to involve faculty in Elementary Education, Physics and Chemistry in these discussions next year.

2. What methods did you use to determine student achievements? and 3. What were the results?
The primary method that was used to determine if an introductory Environmental Sociology course was warranted was based on several ENVS committee meetings which evaluated the current course offerings. It was decided at these meetings that a new course would be useful to students. In addition, Profs. Burman and Beal questioned students in introductory courses about their knowledge of and interest in Environmental Justice. By a show of hands, only 1 student in 22 Introductory Environmental Science students knew what Environmental justice was (but learned about it during the semester). About 1/2 thought it was a worthwhile topic for a course and several claimed they would take it if offered. Since the course is full at 20 students, we're fairly confident that there is enough student interest to justify offiering the class.

Course Description:
Fall 2006 SOC/ENVS 397 Section 000 ENVIRONMENT AND SOCIETY This course explores the relationship between human societies and the natural world. Examining the environment from a sociological perspective allows students to consider ways that individuals and societies affect both the natural and built environments, and reflect on the influence of these environments on human communities. This course also provides an opportunity to: assess the impacts of the built and natural environments on human behavior, social organizations, and social movements; examine the relationship of consumption patterns to existing environmental problems; explore the role of technology, both in creating and addressing environmental problems; and identify patterns of social organization and their impacts on resource use. PREREQUISITE: COMPLETION OF, OR CONCURRENT ENROLLMENT IN SOC 101.

4. How do you intend to use the results?
The results were used to propose ENVS/SOC 197 Environment and Society as a new experimental course to be offered fall 2006. Further assessment will occur at the end of the fall after the course has been taught.

In addition, it should be noted that due to high enrollment in the combined ENVS/SOC 197 course and the loss of Dr. William Cross, the Sociology department will need additional faculty to be able to continue to support the Environmental Biology and Ecological Studies Program. All ENVS committee members were grateful that Prof. Burman will be able to teach this course, but futher offerings will probably depend on the Soc department filling their vacant position. Given the numbers in Soc and ENVS, certainly fulling their empty position should be a priorty.
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