Student Learning Outcomes

Students will be able to write with clarity in English:

1. Develop an effective thesis and support it well with evidence.

2. Formulate well-organized and coherent essays.

3. Write with clarity and precision using appropriate tone and diction.

4. Apply conventions of standard U.S. English concerning grammar, syntax, spelling, punctuation, and mechanics.

5. Cite sources accurately and in current MLA style.

1. Students will be able to develop a research question; to identify potential sources; to evaluate the selected sources for currency, relevance, authority, and purpose relative to the research question; to provide citations using appropriate style and mechanics.

1.1: Develop a research question.

1.2: Identify potential sources.

1.3: Evaluate the selected sources for currency, relevance, authority, and purpose relative to the research question.

1.4: Provide citations using appropriate style and mechanics.

2. Students will become familiar with some of the out-of-class learning tools and resources available at Hood College.

Students will be able to interpret and manipulate quantitative data arising in a variety of contexts using elementary mathematical tools and communicate arguments in many ways – using tables, graphs, mathematical expressions, and words:

1. Interpret quantitative data arising in a variety of contexts.

2. Demonstrate computational fluency, including the use of technology as appropriate.

3. Communicate arguments using quantitative tools such as tables, graphs, and mathematical expressions.

4. Communicate arguments through the narrative analysis.

Students will be able to function successfully using the four skills (listening, speaking, reading and writing) of a foreign language and develop awareness of a foreign culture:

Listening Comprehension

1.1: Students are able to understand some information from sentence-length speech in basic personal and social contexts.

Spoken Communication

2.1: Students are able to handle a limited number of uncomplicated communicative tasks by creating with the language in straightforward social situations (including but not limited to basic personal information and basic needs).

2.2: Students can answer direct questions or request for information with some difficulty.

Written Communication

3.1: Students can formulate questions based upon familiar material.

3.2: Students can write short and simple sentences on topics tied to highly predictable content areas and personal information.

Reading

4.1: Students can understand simple facts and information presented in short, uncomplicated texts.

4.2: Students can understand key words, cognates, and formulaic phrases in contextualized texts.

1. Identify and evaluate credible sources for researching topics on health, wellness, and physical activities.

2. Communicate or demonstrate knowledge of best practices regarding topics on health, wellness, and physical activity.

3. Assess their own habits and abilities in relation to best practices for achieving health and wellness and/or a physical activity.

4. Develop a plan for continuous improvement of health and wellness habits and/or a physical activity.

1.1: Critically examines a text, discourse, artifact, or institution of global significance in its historical, cultural, economic, and/or political context.

1.2: Analyze a cultural, ideological, or institutional process and/or impact that transcends two or more boundaries in space and/or time.

2.1: Writes about global issues and processes with clarity.

2.2: Develops a thesis statement that responds to global issues and problems.

2.3: Utilizes appropriate citation format.

1. Appropriately identify and analyze primary sources.

2. Place significant works in their proper historical and cultural context.

3. Assess the complex relationship between historical events and the human condition.

4. Chronologically order major events and the development of key social and political institutions for at least one period of history.

5. Explain the significance of major events and the development of key social and political institutions for at least one period of history.

1. Read with perception the literature they have studied.

2. Analyze significant aspects of literature.

3. Intelligently discuss relationships between the literature and human experience.

Students will be able to i) analyze, in a preliminary way, questions about reality, meaning or value; ii) discuss some of the traditional views on such questions; and iii) develop criteria to arbitrate differences between conflicting normative claims about thought or behavior.

1. Salient Features: Accurately describe the salient features of either (a) some major (e.g., historically significant) ethical values or (b) some major theories of ethical value.

1.1: Comprehends central issues

1.2: Uses disciplinary terms appropriately

1.3: Appreciates intentional/explicit reasoning

2. Persuasively Analyzes: Persuasively analyze either (a) how some major ethical values are informed or not informed by some major theories of ethical value or (b) how some major ethical values recommend or do not recommend certain individual behaviors, societal norms, and/or states of affairs.

2.1: Provides context or background for the Issue

2.2: Provides critical commentary

2.3: Careful reading of source material

​​​​​​​2.4: Analytical organization/cohesiveness

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​3. Constructing Arguments: Offer rationally constructed arguments about the strengths and/or weaknesses of either (a) how some major ethical values are informed by or not sufficiently informed by some major theories of ethical value or (b) how some major ethical values recommend or do not recommend enough certain individual behaviors, societal norms, and/or states of affairs.

​​​​​​​3.1: Thesis statement and organization plan​​​​​​​

3.2: ​​​​​​​Plausible argument​​​​​​​

3.3: Limitations of the argument​​​​​​​

4. Mechanics: Writing style, sources, and citations.

4.1: ​​​​​​​Writes with clarity

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​4.2: Uses sources appropriately

4.3: ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Uses appropriate citations

Students will be able to i) understand from a nonprofessional perspective the scientific concepts, laws, and principles that affect current societal issues and assess the impact of scientific or technological maters on society and the environment; and ii) use scientific tools and techniques to measure and analyze the systems under study:

1. The student shows proficiency in understanding and appreciation of fundamental concepts in a scientific discipline.

2. (Non-Lab) The student describes the importance of science and technology on society.

3. (Lab) Hands-on laboratory experience using the scientific approach to problem solving.

3.1: (Lab) Shows proficiency in using tools and techniques in the scientific approach to problem solving.

3.2: (Lab) Shows proficiency in analyzing data and in drawing the appropriate conclusions in the scientific approach to problem solving.

Social and Behavioral Analysis courses introduce students to the study of human behavior and/or the structures of society by acquainting students with the methods used for solving problems in the social or behavioral sciences.

Upon satisfactory completion of this requirement, students will be able to identify the essential features of society and culture or the major factors of human behavior, either in general or as they apply to particular social, political or economic issues; describe the structures and functions of some major social institution or analyze the effect of social structures on their own and others’ attitudes and behavior; analyze and synthesize information that deals with social or behavioral issues, distinguish between relevant and irrelevant information and lines of reasoning and form appropriate conclusions.

1. Identify: Identify the essential features of society/culture, or the major factors of human behavior, either in general or as they apply to particular social, political or economic issues.

1a. Identify the essential features of society/culture either in general or as they apply to particular social, political or economic issues.

2b. Identify the major factors of human behavior, either in general or as they apply to particular social, political or economic issues.

2. Analyze: Analyze the structures/functions of some major social institution, or the effect of social structures on individuals’ attitudes and behaviors.

​​​​​​2a. Analyze the structures/functions of some major social institution.

2a.1: Demonstrates an understanding of disciplinary concepts associated with a major institution.

2a.2: Appropriately applies disciplinary concepts associated with a major institution.

​​​​​​2​​​​​​​b. ​​​​​​​Analyze the effect of social structures on individuals’ attitudes and behaviors.

​​​​​​​2b.1: ​​​​​​​Demonstrates an understanding of disciplinary concepts associated with behaviors.​​​​​​​

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​2b.2: ​​​​​​​Appropriately applies disciplinary concepts associated with behaviors.

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​3. Identify Methods​​​​​​​: Identify the methods used to address questions related to structures of society and/or human behavior.

Allow students to explore the creation of art from a variety of perspectives (expectation of behavior needed). As delineated in the catalog, courses in this area of the core primarily fit into one of two categories: Analytical and Practicum. Thus, the numbering is slightly different for this section.

1a. Analyze a work/piece/site in terms of its cultural role, content, meaning, significance, and/or influence.

2a. Analyze a particular figure and/or their work(s) in terms of their cultural role, content, meaning, significance, and/or influence.

3a. Demonstrate the ability to use and appropriately apply methods and/or vocabulary appropriate to the discipline.

1p. Demonstrate technical skill(s), including an understanding of the fundamental techniques and/or tools of the discipline.

2p. Demonstrate the ability to communicate original ideas in creative, discipline-specific ways.

3p. Demonstrate the ability to use and appropriately apply methods of work and/or vocabulary appropriate to the discipline.