LATIN AMERICAN AREA STUDIES DISCIPLINE ASSESSMENT

1. Assessment of the discipline as a whole:

     a. Who is the person responsible for program assessment, data

        gathering and analysis in your discipline?

Donna Chollett

     b. What are the stated goals of your discipline?

The objectives of the Latin American Area Studies program are:

• To provide a basic introduction to the cultures and societies of Latin America

• To provide the means essential to gain an understanding of Latin America and its diverse peoples

• To place Latin America in a comparative perspective.

     c. How do you assess whether your discipline is achieving its goals?

LAAS Students and Compliance with North Central Association of Colleges

And Schools’ Emphasis on Additional Assessment of Student Learning

Basically, the NCA wants to know if you’re learning anything. Towards that end each student enrolled in LAAS will need to do and/or provide the following:

• For Learning Objective 1: To provide a basic introduction to the cultures and societies of Latin America

• Expected Outcome 1: A basic acquaintance with Latin American cultures and societies, past and present.

(1) At the completion of each unit of LAAS 3100, in addition to handing in your

journal, prepare a separate typed list of the essays you read. A typical entry would read “Geog Area: Mexico; Source: Proceso (19 May 1999); Subject: PAN and Sonora elections. If you made an oral report on, please place an asterisk at beginning of item, e.g., “*Geog…”

(2) For the final semester you’re enrolled in LAAS 3100, your journal will not be

returned, but retained as an example of the level of sophistication you’ve achieved.

(3) Your final take home exam for Hist 1601 will be retained.

(4) The list of topics developed for LAAS 4101, and the final list of topics and books

read on those topics you’ve selected, will be typed up and submitted.

• For Learning Objective 2: To provide the means essential to gain an understanding of Latin America and its diverse peoples

• Expected Outcome 2: Acquisition of the means necessary to successfully study and understand Latin America and its diverse peoples.

(1) Maintain a cumulative list of those periodical and reference sources used in

preparing LAAS assignments. This list might well begin with those examined in LAAS 3201. To be submitted prior to graduation.

(2) Maintain a cumulative list of Internet sites searched in preparing LAAS

assignments. Due prior to graduation.

(3) Submit a list of all courses taken for LAAS major. List should demonstrate that

courses have been taken in 3 or more disciplines.

(4) If you have had one or more study abroad experiences in Latin America or

internships working with US based Hispanics, please prepare a brief (not more than 1 page) description of that experience and relate how it enhanced your “understanding of Latin America and its diverse peoples.”

• For Learning Objective 3: To place Latin America in a comparative perspective.

• Expected Outcome 3: To be able to meaningfully compare Latin America with other world areas and for students to be able to empathize with Latin Americans.

(1) Prior to graduation make sure an up-to-date APAS is filed with the LAAS

coordinator. This will demonstrate your course work which provides a basis for comparisons.

(2) Same as No. 4 under Objective 2, but add comments on how your frame(s) of

comparison have deepened your understanding and on how your ability to empathize with Latin Americans has been enhanced.

(3) Same as No. 2 under Objective 1.

In addition to the above, we’ll need to maintain a number of lists (probably will be updated at the end of each semester):

(1) UROPs and MAPs relating to Latin America undertaken by LAAS majors.

(2) LAAS student presentations relating to major.

(3) Honors and awards won by LAAS majors relative to major.

(4) LAAS majors participation in discipline related study abroad experiences or

internships.

     d. Has your discipline modified it's curriculum and/or teaching as a

        result of your assessment results, and if so, how?

The basic curriculum requirements remain the same, as they have worked quit well in preparing students to meet the stated objectives. The LAAS major has experienced a transition, however. I (Donna Chollett) assumed the coordinator position in the fall of 2001. Our interdisciplinary major is strengthened by the hiring of new faculty and broadening of our course offerings. We now have 13 faculty who teach LAAS-related courses in seven different disciplines. This allowed us to add a number of new courses to our electives, while it provides role models from a greater diversity of backgrounds. One of our Spanish professors teaches a course on Portuguese and our Dean teaches a course on Nahuatl; these additions have greatly enriched our course offerings. We expect also to place more emphasis on encouraging study abroad for our LAAS majors.

2. Assessment of your upper level seminar/capstone project or course:

     a.  What are your goals for this course?

The primary goal of our Senior Tutorial (LAAS 4101) is to round out the student’s preparation in Latin American Area Studies by involving them in reading and research on previously unstudied or understudied geographical areas. Students identify those areas they have not studied and undertake readings of book-length works in each of these areas.

     b.  How do you measure whether a student has achieved these goals?

Students submit a written report that is evaluated by the instructor. Because this is a tutorial, the instructor and student work closely together, providing ample opportunity for assessment of the student’s progress. For academic year 2002-03, we graduated one student as an LAAS major. All of the above-identified materials are on file in my office.

     c.  As a discipline, are you satisfied with your

         assessment of this course?  If not, how might you improve it?

Yes.