Jose L. Cruz
Program Outcomes and Artifacts
The assignments you see below are artifacts I have put together as evidence that I have completed all program outcomes. Program outcomes are similar to core skills, but are specific to a students program such as my Associates of Science. My Associates of Science program requires me to demonstrate communication competence, cultural competence, creative problem solving, and information and media literacy. Students who are enrolled in the AS degree must be able to learn and demonstrate these outcomes before graduation.
Communication Competence
Learners will become effective communicators and critics of communication in the written, oral, and visual contexts of their discipline.
I took COM-231, which is also known as Public speaking. This class has taught me what it means to be an effective communicator. I was required to write outlines for a speech, perfume it fluently in class, and critique other students speeches based on strict guidelines that the speech had to follow. For my artifact, I chose my speech on the consequences of depression and how people with depression can benefit from simple communication. I did not have someone to record my speech at the time, but instead I have attached the outline I created for my speech. My first program SMART goal was to become a better communicator under pressure. My second program SMART goal was to be able to critique more effectively by understanding the critical points of a spoken or written work.
Public speaking has allowed me to open up as a student and become more efficient at communicating a message in a scholarly tone. I did not consider myself a public speaker with confidence, and did not posses the skills needed to produce an effective speech. I chose this artifact from this class because I feel that the assignment as a whole allowed me to accomplish my two SMART goals. I accomplished my first goal by becoming a better communicator during the speech outline process. I was able to write down my key points of discussion and outline every informative detail I would need to know for my speech. This allowed me to show up to class prepared and feeling confident about presenting, and in fact I usually volunteered to go first due to the extra confidence. I also met my second SMART goal, because the assignment also required every student to critique another person’s speech. I had to do this a few times throughout that semester, but nonetheless I gained the skills needed to be able to critique oral and visual communication. I felt that by watching another person present their speech and being able to follow strict critiquing guidelines has allowed me to improve my ability to tell whether the speaker was effective or not.
I developed as a speaker through this assignment because I am now able to communicate with my audience and provide a brief statement that can be supported by evidence. I remember a lot of other assignments like this one but what makes the one I chose as an artifact stand out from the rest is that this one required me to do a lot of research that involved clinical depression and psychiatric medicine. Since I am going into the medical field after graduating my AS program I will definitely need to understand the research process that is required in the field of medical assisting. This is one of the main reasons why I chose this artifact to be presented on my program outcomes page.
Cultural Competence
Learners will recognize and adapt to various cultures, ideas, and practices within their discipline.
In the fall semester of 2015 I took ENG-113, which is also known as literature based research and analysis. I chose a group paper assignment as my artifact for cultural competence because the assignment was about a short story that took place in a time of cultural instability. The story is named a “raisin in the sun” written by Lorraine Hansberry. The paper was an analysis about the story and what events from the story can be interpreted as the author’s own experience. The paper had to be a minimum of seven pages, but the group collectively made nine pages of analytical work. The rubric was strict when it came to providing key events that the author created in the story that may portray actual experience that author has faced. My first goal for cultural competence was becoming more aware of the ideas a certain culture holds valuable. My second program SMART goal was to learn the roles of different cultural groups that may be different to my own.
The story “Raisin in the sun” was written in 1959, and portrayed different conflicts that ranged from personal, social, and even racial. This assignment has allowed me to look back half a century in time to read about the struggle of an African American family at the time. The class had the chance to watch the movie and get a feel as to what the characters reactions might have been at the time the story was written. I was able to accomplish my first SMART goal by becoming more aware of what a different culture values based on their position in the United States. Lorraine Hansberry wrote the story, but the class and this assignment opened my eyes to the practices that a typical African American family would have. I saw that racism and the various events of discrimination affected the family in a way that their expectations are not very high for themselves. My second goal was also accomplished because I was able to learn the role a group may have had and analyze the importance that these roles made for todays society. In the story several characters challenged racism by not giving in to the majority by not giving up their dignity and succeed as a minority. I analyzed events from the book to the events that take place in today’s society so I can compare and contrast the two. I learned a lot about how minority groups, such as my own, were mistreated back then to now where racism is very uncommon but still lingers throughout society.
I was able to gain a lot of knowledge about cultural issues that took place in the mid 1900’s and compare them to the events that take place now. North American culture has come a long way and by learning the different contributions to the change from what the U.S. used to be to now where basic human rights are protected no matter the culture, I am able to identify, and adapt to different cultural ideas. I will need this skill in order to be a successful Physician Assistant because I will be exposed to many different cultures in the medical field. Taking ENG-113 has helped me excel at cultural competence.
Creative Problem solving
Learners will apply appropriate techniques to solving problems within their discipline.
In BIO-112, also known as general biology II, I learned about the different processes that make up cellular division, respiration and organization. I took biology in the spring semester of 2015 and enjoyed the learning style that my instructor, Mr. Castle, had to offer. The artifact I chose to support creative problem solving is an assignment I had to do online. I had to follow the link on a document and research plant transpiration, which is a process that plants go through to conserve or release water through their leaf openings known as stomata’s. The assignment required me to find the tested data on various species of plants that were exposed to different temperatures. I had to read a few articles and learn about the reason for transpiration and what process that plants have to go through in order to survive. I made two SMART goals for creative problem solving that will allow me to succeed in and out of the lab room. My first SMART goal is to practice and improve my situation analysis. My second program SMART goal is to be able to interpret mathematical solutions and make an informative conclusion.
I felt very comfortable going into the assignment, as biology is one of my favorite subjects. I followed the instructions accordingly and managed to complete the chart and answer ten reflection questions. I was able to accomplish my first SMART goal through this assignment by practicing my situational analysis. Since I was required to read and understand the purpose of the assignment I was able to improve my self-learning skills and demonstrate that I can solve an experimental problem. I also accomplished my second SMART goal by making a conclusion based on the data that I gathered and using analytical techniques to answer the reflective questions.
Biology is one course that I enjoyed to take part of, and by taking a course like this I was able to gain problem-solving skills necessary to use appropriate techniques in order to find a solution. I learned about plants and how atmospheric temperatures affect their transpiration process. As a Physician Assistant I will need these types of skill to find a solution by using appropriate techniques to analyze the situation, develop a plan, and execute that plan. This will increase my effectiveness in the medical and will also help me make creative decision making while furthering my education.
Information and Media Literacy
Learners will demonstrate use of appropriate technology to locate, interpret, and make informed judgments about information and media within their discipline.
I took BIO-112 in the spring semester of 2015, which is also known as General Biology II. The class revolved around basic biology and learning about the cellular process’s that take place in organisms. I consider myself to be someone that enjoys science no matter what the topic may be, since I believe it is important to have the basic fundamentals in biology to understand the process of life. For Information and Media Literacy, I chose a paper that I wrote for the class that deals with analyzing a video and coming up with a personal opinion based off of the video itself. The rubric was very broad and only required about two pages of work. The video was called “Your inner fish” by Neil Shuben, and is about the comparisons that many animals have with humans that support evidence of evolution. The video came in three parts and every part became more detailed than the last inferring that humans evolved from simple cell organisms. My first SMART goal was to become more rehearsed at making a scientific claim and being able to support it with concrete evidence. My second smart goal is to use appropriate forms of research to look for a scientific explanation and make informed judgments that the information I find is credible.
I was able to complete a lot of my biology work by researching the sections online. I learned a lot in class but I felt that I needed to be more prepared when it came to understanding the concepts. I consider myself a science oriented student, and I am very curious when it comes to process’s that are not easily explained, so a science courses usually offer the answer to my curiosity. I chose the artifact you see here because it allowed me to accomplish my two program SMART goals. I was able to become more effective in gathering information and making my own interpretation by stating that evolution can be possible due to the substantial evidence found in the fossil record. I was also able to accomplish my second program SMART goal by researching the author, look at his credentials, and prove that his theory of evolution are supported by fossil evidence allowing me to also make the same interpretation of the data he has collected.
I can look back at this assignment and say that I have improved my skills in finding information by using the right technology and interpreting the information to make an informed judgment. I increased my awareness of the vast evidence that points to evolution and how humans and animals alike share a common ancestor. The biology classes that I have taken at South Piedmont have helped me grow into a scientific oriented student and this is important when it comes to working in the medical field. As a Physician’s Assistant, I will definitely see technology that will not only orient me into making an effective diagnosis, but will guide me to making wise decisions if I use it appropriatly.
Scientific literacy
Learners will demonstrate scientific literacy by explaining the process of scientific reasoning and applying scientific principles inside and outside of the laboratory or field setting.
In ENG-111, also known as Writing and Inquiry, I wrote a paper about the scientific process of aging. It was a topic I found to be very interesting because it allowed me to understand life and what can be done to extend the life span of an organism. I chose this paper as my artifact because it allowed me to explain a scientific process, and get a feel for what scientific literature should consist of. The requirements for this paper consisted of proper APA citation, informative and focused topic, and being able to appropriately interpret information from an informative source and apply it to a report. In the process of writing this report I was able to access the schools database and read long articles that informed me about my topic of age. The majority of the articles consisted of lab reports and experimental data. I feel that my strengths are science related and that my focus here was to scientifically explain the process of aging and how it can be extended. I made two SMART goals for scientific literacy so that my time at SPCC will benefit me in the long run. My first SMART goal was to practice in analyzing data from scholarly articles and use that to my advantage by correctly citing their work in my own. My second SMART goal is to be able to apply scientific principle to situations outside of the lab room.
I felt very confident going into this report because it was on a topic I was very eager to learn about. I was able to accomplish my first program SMART goal by being able to find and analyze scientific work and use that to support my claims that life can be extended through the study of fruit flies. It is true and scientists have been able to replicate their results successfully in the laboratory. In the process of writing this report I was able to accomplish my second SMART goal by learning about the different methods that scientist have claimed to help live longer. In doing so I learned a lot about the function of the human body and the organism of the fruit fly, which has helped me answer a lot of questions people have on what lifestyle choices they should make in order to live longer.
The process of writing this report was easy, finding a stopping point so that my work does not exceed the maximum page count was difficult. I feel that this assignment has improved my skills for scientific literacy and because of this I am able to apply these skills to my future career. As a Physician Assistant, I will need to be able to read information and determine if the author is credible or not. I will also need the skills to apply scientific principles in order to make appropriate informed judgments. The artifact is just one of many that have helped me grow as a students at South Piedmont Community College and has given me the skills I need to succeed in furthering my education.
Mathematical literacy
Learners will demonstrate mathematical literacy through solving problems, communicating concepts, reasoning mathematically, and applying mathematical or statistical methods, using multiple representations where applicable.
I took Math-152 in my final semester at SPCC in 2016. This class is also known as Introduction to Statistical analysis, which has actually helped me understand the basic concepts of stats, and how to implement those concepts to real life situations. I chose my first project as my artifact from this class that required me to conduct a survey among 40 individuals. I had to ask these random individuals their age and nothing else. After gathering the information I was instructed to create a Binomial chart that represented the age groups and appropriately had the mean, standard deviation, and variance coefficient. I was able to successfully create the charts with the help of an online learning tool called StatCrunch. This program was used throughout the course and was accessible to all students. I feel that the program allowed me to visually understand the different sections of statistics. I consider myself to be good at calculating numbers using an equation, and it is rare when I get an answer wrong because I calculated incorrectly. For Mathematic Literacy, I made two SMART goals to aim for when it came to applying math and statistical methods to scenarios. My first program SMART goal is to be able to identify what type of concept is needed to answer a problem. My second SMART goal is to adapt to the technology that SPCC offers in its math courses.
I took MAT-171, MAT-172, and MAT-152, because I felt that these courses would help me become more effective at using advanced methods to solve everyday situations. I learned a lot from these math courses during my time at South Piedmont, but I feel that statistics was always my strong suit when it came to learning on my own. I took statistics online because I felt that I had the capacity to learn the concepts on my own, and I was right. I chose this artifact because it allowed me to accomplish my SMART goals for Mathematic literacy. I was able to achieve the skills needed to identify the type of concept needed to solve a problem. These skills have come in handy while working with my father in his construction business. I am now able to read building plans more effectively and even figure out solutions quicker, which is impressive knowing he has done it far longer than I have. I was also able to accomplish my second SMART goal by implementing the technology offered in the math courses at South Piedmont. All of these courses required an online program that required a code to be able to access an e-textbook and tools that such as online tutors and calculators. I became more proficient in using technology to answer math problems, which I would have never imagined first entering as a freshman at SPCC.
I enjoyed learning math using the online resources and in fact was able to change my learning style and adapt to the programs. I will be able to use these skills in the future as a Physician Assistant by easily adapting to programs and being able to solve various problems using statistical methods.