Los Medanos College - Program Assessment Results

 

2011-12

 

Program-Level Student Learning Outcomes (PSLOs)

 

At the completion of the Travel Marketing Program, the student should:

 

  1. Be academically prepared to obtain an entry-level or a mid-level position in the travel industry.
  2. Demonstrate the skills and knowledge necessary to take and pass national travel certification exams for career advancement in the travel industry.
  3. Apply critical thinking to research, evaluate, analyze and synthesize travel-related information.
  4. Demonstrate excellent communication skills (oral and/or written) as well as excellent soft skills in a sales and business environment.
  5. Demonstrate knowledge of travel industry technology and apply the technological skills necessary to succeed in the travel industry.

 

 

PSLO Assessment Report Summary

 

What we looked at:  Our assessment research focused on PSLO #3.   TRAVL 95 is our capstone course for the Travel Marketing Program.  As such, most students are either already working in the travel industry, or they are planning for that next step.  The major course project for TRAVL 95 is a student-choice project, and it falls into one of two categories:  marketing or research.  Typical projects include:  investigating and interviewing host agencies, creating a newsletter to market a travel specialty, creating a basic website, researching a travel niche, and investigating ways to use social networking to market and promote their travel business.  Students are expected to apply what they have learned in TRAVL 95 and other courses as they complete their project (utilizing critical thinking skills). 

 

The first step is to complete a planning form, which includes:  project description, statement of objectives, description of steps to take in completing the project, and project timeline.  All projects are posted in the online classroom where students give feedback.  Each student fills out a rubric as self-assessment.  This rubric is posted in the online classroom along with instructions for the project.  Work is assessed on the basis of:  professional presentation, practical application/ adding value, creativity, effective use of resources, and achievement of objectives.

 

What we found:  Most of the students turned in excellent work, demonstrating above-average critical thinking skills.  Out of 28 students who completed course projects, 19 earned at least 90% of the total points.  Nine of those student received 100%.  For the nine students who achieved less than 90%, the rubric for their project indicated more work was needed in the following areas:

 

    • Practical/adds value – failed to draw conclusions, needed more detailed support for conclusions, and/or application of courses concepts was weak.
    • Effective use of resources – failed to identify resources and/or use them appropriately.
    • Achievement of objectives – either didn’t follow through with some objectives listed on the student planning form and/or objectives weren’t clearly related to the planning form.

 

What we are planning to work on:  We plan to hold online meetings where students can ask questions in real time (in advance of completing their projects).  We will consider introducing the course project earlier in the semester so that students can start thinking about it earlier.  We will consider modifying the student planning sheet to reflect different types of course projects; e.g., different “flavors” of the planning sheet for marketing-related projects versus research-related projects.  We will also consider forming support “teams” to give informal feedback and suggestions as the students work on their projects.