The document discusses civic engagement in higher education, emphasizing the importance of preparing students to contribute positively to society through ethical decision-making and active participation. It addresses the complexities of assessing civic engagement, including defining what counts as engagement and measuring its impact on students and communities. The workshop aims to identify strengths and improve assessment processes while fostering collaboration among educational institutions.

1. Assessment of Civic Engagement Northfield, MN February 25-26, 2011 MN Campus Compact

2. Civic Engagement & the Academy "The cultivation of virtues associated with . . . 'personal and social responsibility’ was a guiding principle for the original American liberal arts colleges." "A recent study of 331 mission statements from top-ranked colleges and universities suggests that one-third of the campuses currently address values, character, ethical challenges, and/or social justice in their mission.” Hersh and Schneider, 2005

3. Civic Engagement & the Academy “ [M]any view colleges and universities as having an obligation to prepare morally astute individuals who will positively contribute to the communities in which they will participate” Hersh and Schneider, 2005 "[E]ducators must equip students with the values, skills and knowledge to become complex thinkers and ethical decision-makers in a society currently plagued with conflict and inequality.” Sylvia Hurtado, 2009

4. What is “Civic Engagement”? “ For some it denotes any activity that involves groups or communities external to the academy. Others equate it with the cultivation of political knowledge or of political processes, and perhaps even a sense of political agency. Still others use the term to describe the development of democratic, creative, caring, committed citizens who actively contribute to creating a democratic society.” Harkavy and Hartley, 2008

5. Civic Engagement? Source: jumahmonitor.com

6. Civic Engagement? Source: onlineusanews.com

7. Who decides? Source: Source: 1001zones.com NY Times

8. Who’s more engaged? Source: Source: thirdage.com biglicknews.blogspot.com

9. Civic Engagement? What is it? Who decides? What “counts” as civic engagement? Who counts it? How? These Questions = Assessment

10. What is CE on Your Campus? Service learning Volunteerism Community partnerships Course content Assignments General Education or MN Transfer Curriculum Student perceptions, attitudes, beliefs

11. What to Assess? Student learning? Student perceptions? Number of projects on campus? Quality of projects on campus? Impact of projects on campus? Community perceptions of institution? Number of relationships to community partners? Quality of relationships? Impact of relationships?

12. Where to Assess? In assignments? At course level? In projects/partnerships? At program/department level? In the community? At the institutional level?

13. How to Assess? Student learning outcomes Tests Rubrics Random samplings Perceptions Interviews Surveys Number/Nature of activities Inventories Checklists Impact of efforts Dollars Hours Testimonials Focus groups

14. Challenges to Assessing Engagement in the Academy "Assessing these institutionally specific[engagement] goals [. . . ] is often a complex task.” "[D]ifficulty arises from our tendency to 'compartmentalize' assessments, employing one set of instruments for the climate, another for student outcomes.” Sylvia Hurtado, 2009

15. Overcoming Challenges Breathe deeply Start with whatever you have: Good teaching/learning (assignments) Existing connections to community partners Institutional goals in place Exploit opportunities Direct measures (observable, rubrics, learning) Indirect measures (perceptions, inferences) Embrace complexity Move slowly but INTENTIONALLY Review effective practices/models

16. Assessment as Process Definitions Institution-wide In programs, departments and courses In assignments Measures/Outcomes Data collection tools Rubrics (e.g., VALUE from AAC&U) Surveys (NSSE, Noel-Levitz, ACT) Closing the loop Iterative

17. Goals of Workshop Identify strengths and opportunities of own situation Move your own process to next level Connect with and learn from other teams Identify allies at own campuses Use facilitators as a resource Engage yourself with engagement and assessment

18. Format of Workshop Concurrent sessions repeated Time for individual team work Time for networking Time to plan, review, evaluate Time to enjoy

19. Engage! Assessment: Enables creation of concrete tools that explicitly define, teach and measure these skills Provides evidence/data of impact and effectiveness of CE efforts Allows for more nuanced and effective discourse around these issues “ Educating for personal and social responsibility will take nothing less than a pervasive cultural shift within the academy.” Hersh and Schneider, 2005