Program Goals and Learning Outcomes

       Science Education & Environmental Studies

            Program Goals and Learning Outcomes

Listed Graduate Programs:
MS Science Education,
MS Environmental Education,
Institute for Science Instruction and Study (ISIS - 6th yr)

Listed Undergraduate Programs:
Environmental Studies,
Marine Studies

Certification Program:
Science Education


                Graduate Program Goals and Learning Outcomes

MS Science Education Program Goals:
1. To engage students in discussions and reflection about the history and philosophy of science as it relates to scientific research and education.
2. To engage students in inquiry based science activities that integrate scientific disciplines.
3. To provide opportunities for peer teaching and reflection on teaching practices.
4. To provide students with skills and knowledge necessary to effectively use technology in science education.
5. To provide students with information regarding federal, state, and local initiatives in science education for their review and critical analysis.
6. To strengthen and broaden student understanding in content areas of science - biology, chemistry, physics and the earth sciences.

Learning Outcomes:
1. Actively participate in hands-on science investigations and inquiry-based science activities.
2. Review and critically analyze science education reform initiatives, assessment strategies, and curriculum and instruction.
3. Demonstrate the ability to effectively use technology (media and laboratory) to enhance learning in the science classroom.
4. Design lesson and unit plans and curriculum that reflects a variety of teaching methodologies, assessment strategies that are aligned with national and state standards and frameworks.



MS Environmental Education Program Goals:
1. To provide opportunities for students to learn scientific, economic, and political principles as they pertain to environmental education.
2, Enable students to critically analyze, revise and develop appropriate curriculum and teaching methods in environmental education.
3. Provide field experiences to enrich students' experience in both local and global environmental concerns.
4. Encourage students to progress from a level of Awareness, to Knowledge and finally to Action -following recommendations from the International Tblisi Declaration)

Learning Outcomes:
1. Integrate information and concepts from a variety of disciplines including the sciences, economics, politics, and behavioral studies as they relate to current environmental issues.
2. Identify a variety of methodologies and program designs for investigating a range of environmental issues and concerns.
3. Critically analyze curriculum and develop instructional tools (lessons) suitable for teaching and learning in a variety of formal and non-formal educational venues.
4. Conduct hands-on investigations in environmental science in which students gather and analyze data and produce reports in written and oral formats.



ISIS 6th Yr Program Goals:
1. To provide opportunities for students to learn about new scientific research findings in a variety of science disciplines from reading in research, and distinguished speaker presentations.
2. Provide science research apprenticeship experiences in order to immerse students in the process of research in a variety of science fields.
3. Provide opportunities for students to identify the process and products of current scientific research and their value / implications for classroom teaching and learning.

Learning Outcomes:
1. Critically evaluate scientific articles in order to identify their potential implications for society and education.
2. Synthesize and communicate in written and oral formats information on current scientific research, and their applications and implications for society.
3. Develop a written article of "publishable quality" in the field of scientific research or science education.
4. Develop appropriate science inquiry-based classroom activities that are an outcome  of scientist/teacher interactions.
5. Distinguish and describe how developments in one field of scientific research help advance efforts in other research disciplines.

              Undergraduate Program Goals and Learning Outcomes

Science Certification Program Goals:
1. To provide students with skills and knowledge necessary to safely and effectively teach science in diverse classrooms.
2. To engage students in discussions and reflection about the history and philosophy of science and science teaching.
3. To engage students in inquiry-based science activities that integrate scientific disciplines (STEM).
4. To provide students with information regarding federal, state, and local initiatives and their implications for classroom teaching.
5. To provide students with field experiences to enhance their understanding of teaching methodology and pedagogy.
6. To engage students in experiences and activities that strengthen their developing teaching skills through lesson planning, laboratory preparation (including safety and ethical treatment of animals) and development and implementation of assessment strategies.

Learning Outcomes:
1. Students develop, implement and evaluate lesson plans and curriculum that is aligned with state and national frameworks and standards.
2. Students provide a safe and challenging learning environment that includes a variety of teaching methodologies and addresses the needs of a diverse group of learners.
3. Demonstrate a depth of understanding in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) - related fields of inquiry.
4. Demonstrate a personal commitment to the teaching profession through participation in teaching professional society activities and/or developing written statements of personal science teaching philosophy that are grounded in an understanding of best-practices.
5. Critically evaluate science teaching articles in order to identify their potential for promoting best-practices in classroom teaching.



Environmental Studies Program Goals:
1. To enhance student understanding of important local ecosystems and global environmental processes, issues and concerns through classroom, laboratory and field experiences.
2. To provide students with extensive opportunities to demonstrate the complexities of environmental decision-making through reflective writing, development and conducting presentations. Through these experiences students will enhance their environmental literacy, communication skills, as well as their abilities to work effectively with peers.
3. To actively engage students in interdisciplinary-science based experiences including but not limited to sample collection, data analysis and the development of written reports.

Learning Outcomes:
1. Students acquire skill in retrieving and evaluating (for veracity, objectivity and completeness) available information on current environmental issues.
2. Students will demonstrate ability to describe/explain, both in writing and orally, major current environmental issues, including the main arguments on both sides of these issues, and the positions of affected stakeholders.
3. Students will collect, analyze and report on atmospheric, hydrological, biological and geological aspects of local environmental field sites using appropriate field and laboratory tools and techniques.
4. Demonstrate a foundation of understanding of the complexities and interrelatedness of environmental issues, and the need to invoke elements of science, economics, law, politics, and ethics when formulating solutions.
5. Students will demonstrate knowledge gained from first-hand experience in addressing the practical aspects of making environmental decisions through exposure to professional outside lecturers, and/or attendance of local wetland or zoning board committee meetings.



Marine Studies Program Goals:
1. To actively engage students in learning experiences in the physical, chemical, and biological sciences including research, field sample collection, data analysis and the development of written reports.
2. To help students develop an understanding of the complex interactions of various natural cycles as well as human impacts on marine environments.
3. To provide students with extensive opportunities to demonstrate the complexities of environmental decision-making through reflective writing, development and conducting presentations. Through these experiences students will enhance their environmental literacy, communication skills, as well as their abilities to work effectively with peers.
4. Through field site visits and investigations, the program provides students with opportunities for enhancing their understanding of the ecology of diverse coastal habitats and the dynamic processes and resources they support.

Learning Outcomes:
1. Students demonstrate an ability to identify organisms and unique characteristics of local and global marine habitats including beach and nearshore, rocky intertidal zones, salt marshes and wetlands.
2. Students will describe the chemical and physical processes and properties that effect the distribution of marine organisms within coastal habitats.
3. Students demonstrate ability to identify important contemporary issues/problems (contaminants, eutrophication, economic development, etc.) associated with the deterioration of coastal resources and evaluate possible solutions the problems identified.
4. Students demonstrate ability to use appropriate laboratory and field techniques to examine biological, geological, physical and chemical aspects of local and regional coastal marine environments.
5. Students demonstrate an ability to identify specific sources, transport and fates of metals, solid waste, nutrients, pesticides, and petroleum hydrocarbons entering marine waters.
6. Develop oral and written communication skills that demonstrate knowledge of the objectives of management strategies in a broad range of issues and for a diverse group of stakeholders.