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Examples of Assessment by Institution |
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Austin College’s Strategic Plan (2005-2010) refers frequently to its diverse student body and commitment to international experience. Austin first examined items on the NSSE (National Survey of Student Experience) that pertain to openness to diversity both on campus and abroad. For example, some questions ask how frequently students experience diverse perspectives in class discussion have “serious discussion with students who differ from them in race or ethnicity,” or serious discussion with students who differ from them “in religious beliefs, political opinion or personal values.” Other questions ask the extent to which students perceive the institution as encouraging “contact among students from different economic, social and racial backgrounds.” The College has comparisons for two cohorts of first year and senior students as well as longitudinal data from one recent graduating class. Comparisons can be made of students’ responses to those of students from a peer group similar to Austin in size and mission, a larger group of peers in its Carnegie classification, and the entire national sample. These data illustrate clear evidence of greater openness to diversity on campus and internationally. In order to further study effects of international experience, the College administered the CCAI (Cross Cultural Adaptability Inventory) to close to 200 students examining scores on the inventory in relation to international travel experience. Austin found significant correlations between experience with both international January terms and study abroad and subscale scores on emotional resilience, flexibility and openness, and perceptual acuity. The College is now collecting pre-departure and post-return data on the CCAI for students who study abroad.
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Austin College |
