For more information, please contact Dr. Craig Zaspel | 406/683-7366 | c_zaspel@umwestern.edu.
The primary objective of the Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Interpretation program is to provide students with an understanding of the natural processes that create and shape Earth’s environments and the skills to communicate their understanding of these processes to a lay audience.
Students will become informed, critical thinkers capable of evaluating environmental processes and issues, and will develop the skills to communicate their understanding to other people, especially those with little formal training in the natural sciences. Student development occurs through a course of study that emphasizes interdisciplinary, field-based projects that have societal relevance and require them to communicate their understanding to others. Students gain authentic experience communicating their understanding of the natural world through internships that are supervised by faculty and/or non-academic mentors.
Discipline-specific knowledge, skills, and abilities
Demonstrate knowledge about the natural processes that create and shape our environment. (BIO 270, BIO 355, ENVS 260, ENVS 329, ENVS 372, ENVS 400, GEOL 230, PHYS 239, PHYS 240)
Communication skills
Acquire skills and methods necessary to communicate discipline-specific knowledge to others, especially those with little formal training in the natural sciences. (ENVS 329, ENVS 400, ENVS 480)
Problem-solving skills
Demonstrate knowledge of the concepts central to his/her field of study. Field of study includes Environmental Interpretation and a specific related area. (ENVS 329, ENVS 400, ENVS 480)
Acquire skills and methods necessary to communicate field of study knowledge to others. (ENVS 269, ENVS 329, ENVS 400, ENVS 480)
Discipline-specific knowledge, skills, and abilities
Environmental Interpretation professors assess students' discipline-specific knowledge, skills, and abilities via exams, reports, and feedback from internship supervisors during core courses within the Environmental Interpretation option area.
Specific courses and assessment activities
BIO 270, Conservation Biology: exams, oral presentations, written summaries, participation in discussions, field experiences.
BIO 355, Systematic Botany: field-based identification of plants, exams, oral presentations and independent projects.
ENVS 260, Wildlands Skills: demonstration of field-based skills in rock climbing, night sky interpretation, horsepacking, campfire programs, primitive living skills and others. Oral presentations, independent projects and exams.
ENVS 329, Natural Resource Issues: issues analysis report, written evaluations of readings, term paper focusing on in-depth analysis of a current environmental issue.
ENVS 372, Our WIldland Heritage: project-based assessment of written reports of “operating plans” and “risk management plans” for public and private land use involving groups. Oral presentations.
ENVS 400, Internship: Internship evaluation forms filled out by the supervisor and the student. All internships are presented orally at the “On the Rocks” speaker series on the UMW campus.
GEOL 230, Geology of the American West: field-based projects, oral presentations, written summaries and exams.
PHYS 239, Physical Meteorology: exams, written summaries, participation in discussions, lab-based reports.
PHYS 240, Astronomy: exams, written summaries, participation in discussion, lab-based reports.
Communication skills
Environmental Interpretation professors assess students' communication skills via lab and field-based oral presentations and reports, and feedback from thesis and/or internship supervisors.
Specific courses and assessment activities
ENVS 329, Natural Resource Issues: Students are evaluated on the basis of both written papers and oral presentations with the focus being on how thoroughly and thoughtfully each student has dissected each issue through a careful analysis of the arguments presented by both sides of the issue. Students complete weekly written analyses of the issue(s) presented in the assigned articles/books to be read that week. Students are also evaluated on his/her ability to clearly express orally these analytical concepts using "issue analysis method" during each week's in-class discussion. Teams of students orally present natural resource issues, then lead the class discussion of that issue(s) as their final product of the group project.
ENVS 400, Internship: Internship evaluation forms filled out by the supervisor and the student. All internships are presented orally at the “On the Rocks” speaker series on the UMW campus.
ENVS 480, Environmental Interpretation: students' communication skills are assessed via evaluation of presentation skills in field and lab-based settings. Students’ practice preparing and delivering interpretive programs that are enjoyable, thematic, organized. They are assessed by the professor and students in the class for their ability to balance the scientific basis of such programs with artistic delivery.
Problem-solving skills
Environmental Interpretation students' problem-solving skills, including critical thinking and decision making, are assessed in ENVS discipline-specific courses and ENVS interpretation courses.
Specific courses and assessment activities
ENVS 269, Wildlands Skills: Map, Compass, & GPS: homework assignments, written exams, field activities, final field exam.
ENVS 329, Natural Resource Issues: Students are expected to use analytical skills, particularly critical thinking skills, aimed at assessing the strengths and weaknesses of the arguments offered by the various writers of assigned readings.
ENVS 400, Internship: Students' internships are completed in actual work environments. Students must use critical thinking, reasoning, analysis, and decision making skills to effectively solve problems.
ENVS 480, Environmental Interpretation: students' problem solving skills are assessed via evaluation of their ability to adjust to varying audiences as they practice preparing and delivering interpretive programs.
Feedback from current students
Environmental Interpretation faculty receive program feedback from current students via the following venues:
UMW graduate/exit survey (new option area, currently no graduates)
Students presenting their internship experience at the "On the Rocks" forum are given opportunities to provide feedback on content knowledge, quality of presentation and preparedness for employment to ENVS faculty and other forum attendees.
Mid-point assessment: the student meets with his/her advisor for assessment of progress toward completion of the degree.
Capstone assessment: "On the Rocks" presentation following completion of internship in ENVS 400. Presentation of interpretive programs during ENVS480 -- assessed by peers and course instructor.
Feedback from outside constituencies
Feedback from outside constituencies is gathered in the following ways:
Feedback from internship supervisors
Survey feedback from graduates one year after graduation (Due to the newness of this option area, there currently are no graduates with the Environmental Interpretation option.)
Survey feedback from employers of graduates after one year of employment (Due to the newness of this option area, there currently are no graduates with the Environmental Interpretation option.)
Once this option area has graduates, the Employer and Graduate surveys will be distributed by and returned to the Career Services Office. After the data are compiled by Career Services, this information will be disseminated back to the Environmental Interpretation faculty for review and to assist with curriculum changes.
Additionally, the Environmental Interpretation option was developed with extensive written and oral input from professionals in the field of Environmental Interpretation.
Evaluation of teaching
During fall semester, the VCAA chooses the faculty member's course to be evaluated. Each Environmental Interpretation faculty member chooses a course during spring semester that s/he wants evaluated by students. Feedback is compiled and shared with the faculty member and VCAA. In addition, each faculty member also has at least one peer evaluation per year.
Curriculum Review
The curriculum for the BA: Environmental Interpretation option was reviewed extensively through the formal, on-campus curriculum evaluation and approval process. In addition, input was solicited from professionals working in the discipline of Environmental Interpretation. Faculty continue to review curriculum both formally and informally during departmental meetings.
Once the ENVS faculty begin receiving the results of employer and alumni surveys from the Career Services Office, they will review the information and make adjustments to the Environmental Interpretation option area as necessary.
Criteria and procedures for admission and retention of students
Currently, criteria and procedures for admission and retention of ENVS option students parallel the criteria and procedures for admission to UMW.
Appraisal of annual program goals and assessment of their success
Potential modification of curriculum based upon feedback from recent graduates, graduates following one year of employment or graduate school, employers, internship supervisors, and collected exhibits/artifacts.
Self-study or reports from program reviews
As part of UMW's systematic academic program review cycle, a self-study of the BA: Environmental Interpretation option will be prepared and completed prior to or during the 2009-10 academic year. An initial review of this academic program by an external reviewer(s) will occur during AY 2010 as well.
Description of program-specific curriculum development bodies and advisory groups
All faculty teaching in the Environmental Interpretation related areas assist with program-specific curriculum development. No other program-specific curriculum development bodies exist at this time.