InTeGrate Modules and Courses >Mapping the Environment with Sensory Perception > Assessment
 Earth-focused Modules and Courses for the Undergraduate Classroom
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These materials are part of a collection of classroom-tested modules and courses developed by InTeGrate. The materials engage students in understanding the earth system as it intertwines with key societal issues. The materials are free and ready to be adapted by undergraduate educators across a range of courses including: general education or majors courses in Earth-focused disciplines such as geoscience or environmental science, social science, engineering, and other sciences, as well as courses for interdisciplinary programs.
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Initial Publication Date: July 15, 2016

Assessment of Module Goals

The module contains opportunities for both formative and summative assessments of student learning. The overarching goal of the module is for students to develop more expert views on the nature of science, systems thinking, and more expert scientific habits of mind by collecting and analyzing sensory data, comparing it with geoscientific data, and using appropriate data to characterize the environmental impact of a selected site or sites in a community that is a part of a larger system. To that end, students will submit three assignments for summative grading. The first is a one-page reflection paper on a sensory log and data assigned near the beginning of the module; it is intended to assess their evolving views on their understanding of the different types of data and their ability to collect and record sensory data. The second is a two-page reflection paper on a case study analysis assigned near the mid-point of the module to further assess student understanding of different types of data and the implications of their use in environmental characterization. The final assessment is a map and short paper describing the author's justification for data selection and map design assigned at the conclusion of the module; it assesses students' ability to collect and analyze sensory data and use it to characterize a selected site or sites in a community.

Within the module, there are six designated opportunities for formative assessment, when students work with materials and report out to class. While the instructor should also monitor student understanding and progress throughout the module, these formative waypoints are amenable to discussion and clarification that include the entire class. In each instance, the instructor should assess student understanding and extend and guide the discussion as necessary to ensure student understanding. In each of these opportunities, the initial assessment should be student-driven, with students providing each other with feedback and the instructor guiding the discussion and feedback as necessary to meet the goals of the unit.

Formative Assessment opportunities:

Rubrics for the summative assessments should be shared with the students in order to provide additional guidance as they prepare their work for submission to the instructor. Recommended rubrics for each are attached below.

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These materials are part of a collection of classroom-tested modules and courses developed by InTeGrate. The materials engage students in understanding the earth system as it intertwines with key societal issues. The collection is freely available and ready to be adapted by undergraduate educators across a range of courses including: general education or majors courses in Earth-focused disciplines such as geoscience or environmental science, social science, engineering, and other sciences, as well as courses for interdisciplinary programs.
Explore the Collection »