How do we know if it's working? Assessing study abroad curriculum integration

ROUNDTABLE # 15
Facilitator: Diane Nemec Ignashev
Participants: Margaret Riley, David Rudd, Sara Tully, Margaret Wiedenhoeft, Peggy Retka

1. Is assessment of study abroad curriculum integration important? If yes, why?
• Different models of curricular integration work for different schools and programs: at our table we had representatives from larger universities (Duke & UW-Milwaukee), as well as from the liberal arts institutions (Kalamazoo, St. John's & St. Benedict's, Carleton), and from Arcadia.
2. Who are the potential beneficiaries of study abroad integration?
• Study-abroad offices facilitate the integration of study-abroad work into curricula, but ultimately this is negotiated by the faculty in departments.
3. How do we define the goals of study abroad curriculum integration?
4. What are the potential outcomes of integrating study abroad into the curriculum? How might we measure the outcomes of study abroad integration quantitatively and qualitatively?
• Instruments for assessing student progress abroad in terms of cross-cultural understanding are a) expensive and b) potentially offensive to some students.
5. How can the assessment of data around curriculum integration be used to strengthen the study abroad experience and its impact on the campus?