Program Assessment
Recent events, including the tragic earthquake in Haiti and the financial crisis of 2008, only serve to reinforce once more the increasing inter-connectedness of peoples and societies around the globe.
In response to these new realities, Washington State University leadership has emphasized the importance of WSU becoming a global land grant university. In turn, the education that we provide to our students must be infused with the theoretical background and experiential opportunities that will afford students global understanding and a cross-cultural skill set.
While almost every study abroad participant will rank the abroad experience as one of, if not the most, important academic experience in which they participated, students may not be able to articulate exactly what it was they learned. Educators and education abroad professionals, too, grapple with articulating and documenting learning outcomes for the study abroad experience.
In 2005 WSU faculty were asked to prioritize a list of learning outcomes developed by the American Council on Education (ACE) and five universities as part of a FIPSE Grant focused on education abroad assessment. Based on faculty feedback, the Education Abroad Office and The Office of Assessment and Innovation have articulated seven learning outcomes and rubrics to guide assessment.
Blog Squad Project
The Education Abroad Office’s new “Cougs Abroad Blog Squad” project provides student with a forum for reflection to encourage academic and personal growth while abroad. Blog Squad participants are asked to respond to eight thought-provoking evaluative questions spaced throughout their time abroad. By responding to questions that acknowledge and accept cultural difference and place an emphasis on growth and learning (as opposed to similarity and satisfaction), students gain a better understanding of the kind of learning that is possible when abroad and the choices, behaviors, and good risks that maximize such learning.
By their very nature, these blogs become deeply personal and enable students to inform family and friends about the richness of the abroad experience. We also hope our students’ blogs provide students who are considering going abroad with insight into the experience and, ultimately, the benefits of studying abroad!
Outcomes
Global Learning Outcomes & RubricsFaculty
WSU Faculty developing faculty led programs are encouraged to use these global learning outcomes as a focus in developing their curriculum for courses taught abroad and the rubrics to assess student learning.