Assessment of Module Goals

Below, you will find a list of assessments for each unit of the module, as well an assessment for the module as a whole. Each unit has associated with it formative and/or summative assessments to measure student progress toward individual unit learning outcomes.

Overall Module Assessments

Summative Assessment

The authentic assessment for this module is the creation of a community or regional action plan and will be submitted in Unit 6. Each team will submit their individual action plan, and are grouped by region. In Unit 6, students will participate in a gallery walk, and see how socioeconomic and environmental characteristics of each region require different solutions. Learners will complete a summative essay after the gallery walk. A checklist is provided for use in the evaluation process. It is recommended that the checklist be distributed to students by Unit 4 so that they can begin to plan their final project. Checklist for Final Team Project (Microsoft Word 2007 (.docx) 306kB Nov28 16) The grading rubric for the instructor can be found in Unit 6.

Formative Assessments

A universal rubric for evaluating homework and classroom products for Units 1-4 is provided, and can be used by students and instructors to ensure that learning goals have been met. A copy of the universal rubric for Units 1-4 can be found here: universal rubric for evaluating student work Units 1-4 (Excel 2007 (.xlsx) 41kB Nov28 16)

Unit Assessments

Note: Rubrics for these unit assessments are also presented on the individual unit pages.

Unit 1 Assessments:

Learning Goal 1: Define food security.

Learning Goal 2: List five contributing factors to food (in)security.

Learning Goal 3: Describe the three components of malnutrition.

Learning Goals 1-3: Students will reinforce their understanding of the assigned PDF reading by taking a quiz before class: Professors can utilize the multiple choice quiz by uploading it to their online learning platform or give the students the quiz at the start of class. Unit 1 Pre-class quiz: Quiz Instructor Version With Answers (Microsoft Word 2007 (.docx) 67kB Dec1 16)

Learning Goal 4: Define and describe components of the global food system.

Students will create a map describing the global food system through the case study of chocolate.

Learning Goal 5: Create a simple map using ArcGIS Online.

Students will create a map describing the global food system through the case study of chocolate.

Unit 2 Assessments:

Learning Goal 1: Describe the major components of the Earth system.

Learning Goal 2:Identify the parts of a system: flux, reservoirs, residence time, cycles and feedback loop.

A formative assessment of Learning Goals 1 and 2 will be assessed through questions in the Unit 2 Homework Organizer. This document can either be used by the student in class discussion or submitted to the instructor. Diagrams created in the group work activity in class serves as a summative assessment of these concepts

Learning Goal 3: Apply systems thinking to wicked problems like global food security.

Learning Goal 4: Create a diagram that identifies connections between the Earth system and the global food system.

A formative assessment of goals 3 and 4 can be assessed through questions in the Unit 2 Homework Organizer. This document can either be used by the student in class discussion or submitted to the instructor. Diagrams created in the group work activity in class serves as a summative assessment of Learning Goals 3 and 4.

Unit 3 Assessments:

Learning Goal 1: Describe how the broad features of the global distribution of climate zones are the result of uneven heating of the Earth's surface by the Sun.

Learning Goal 1 will be assessed through questions in the Unit 3 Homework Organizer. This document can either be used by the student in class discussion or submitted to the instructor.

Learning Goal 2: Describe the climatic conditions required for cocoa production, and identify regions on the globe where these conditions are found, using the Köppen Climate Classification System.

Learning Goal 3: Create a time aware map application using ArcGIS Online to explore the projected impacts of climate change on cocoa production in Africa.

Learning Goal 4: Assess the past, present and future impact of cocoa production on West African landscapes through analysis of map data and its impact on local food security.

Learning Goals 3, 4, and 5 are assessed by the successful completion of a time-aware map service using ArcGIS Online showing changes in climate from 1900 to present, and projected to 2100, and a short reflection discussing their interpretation of the map data. A rubric is supplied to assist in student self evaluation and instructor evaluation of these products.

Units 4, 5, and 6 Assessment:

Learning Goal 1: Brainstorm solution(s) to the wicked problem of food security using spatial tools

Learning Goal 2: Synthesize multiple data sets and types of background material

Learning Goal 3: Describe the various factors that influence food security in three different regional contexts

Learning Goal 4: Make connections between the Earth system and cultural, economic, and political processes to understand the wicked problem of food security

The authentic assessment for this module is the creation of a community or regional action plan and will be submitted in Unit 6. Each team will submit their individual action plan, and are grouped by region. In Unit 6, students will participate in a gallery walk, and see how socioeconomic and environmental characteristics of each region require different solutions. Learners will complete a summative essay after the gallery walk. A checklist is provided for use in the evaluation process. It is recommended that the checklist be distributed to students by Unit 4 so that they can begin to plan their final project. Checklist for Final Team Project (Microsoft Word 2007 (.docx) 306kB Nov28 16) The grading rubric for the instructor can be found in Unit 6.

Sample Assessment Questions for this Module:

Draw a diagram of the food system that resulted in the production of a chocolate bar.

a. Give an example of a real world system and describe its parts. Be sure to include economic, social, political, and environmental (Earth system) components in your model.

b. Explain how parts of the system interact. Use system concepts in your explanation, and give one example of each of the following: reservoirs, fluxes, positive or negative feedback, residence time.

c. Using your example system, select one component and discuss how an effect in one part of that system can be influenced by multiple causal factors.

Scoring:

• 1 Point: Student correctly identifies and describes a real-world system including its parts.
• 1 Point: Student correctly describes how a change in one part of the system, in turn, alters other parts of the system.
• 1 Point: Student correctly explains how parts of the system interact using systems concepts such as feedbacks, equilibrium, rates, etc.
• 1 Point: Student describes how an effect can be influenced by multiple causal factors.

Compare and contrast a food security issue in your assigned region with one identified by another team from a different region. How do changes in the Earth system potentially improve or exacerbate these issues?

Scoring:

o 1 Point: Student correctly states and suitably describes two food security issues from two regions.

o 1 Point: Student correctly identifies and explains one or more scientific implications related to each of the issues compared.

o 1 Point: Student appropriately connects the science to economic, social and/or political decisions to each of the issues compared.

o 1 Point: Student appropriately connects the two issues from two regions to Earth system science, using systems thinking.