SLOs for the BS Minor Program

  • SLO1: Students who earn the Plant Pathology Minor will possess a basic understanding of plant diseases, their causes, effects and controls.
  • SLO2: Students who earn the Plant Pathology Minor will integrate plant pathology principles into the understanding of their major discipline(s) through the study of agronomic diseases, horticultural diseases, turf diseases, entomology, applied microbiology, biotechnology and other relevant career fields.

Assessment of student learning report 2018-2019

Automated data collection for plant pathology minor assessment was tested on the capstone course, PLPTH 500 (Principles of Plant Pathology). Based on this test run, we learned that 48% students achieved proficiency (≥80% score in exam questions aligned with SLO1) in SLO1, while 52% students had a proficiency level under developing (70 to 79% score in exam questions aligned with SLO1) category. Based on exit survey, students feel confident in integrating plant pathology principles and techniques into their major field of study and also exhibit a high level of career preparedness.

Assessments from two more plant pathology undergraduate capstone courses, PLPTH 590 (a spring semester course) and PLPTH 585 (a fall semester course), will be aligned with SLO2 of plant pathology minor to get a better picture of students’ performance in both SLOs.

Assessment of student learning report 2017-2018

Pre- and post-survey were conducted for the required plant pathology minor course, PLPTH 500 (Principles of Plant Pathology). The results showed that that on an average there was a 20% increase in the student knowledge as a result of taking this course. The survey was also given to students at the beginning of PLPTH 585 course (one of capstone course of Plant Pathology minor), and the results indicated that the knowledge gained from the required principles course was retained. Going forward, the process of assessment will be automated by linking student learning outcomes with assessments on CANVAS (K-State Online). This automation will be tested in PLPTH 500 and PLPTH 590 in spring 2019.