Assessing Outcomes for Transformation and Citizenship in an International Education Setting

1. Assessing Outcomes for Transformation and Citizenship in an International Education Setting Loren Intolubbe-Chmil Carol Anne Spreen Robert Swap Inaugural Academic Symposium April 14, 2011 For more information please see: www.esavana.org

2. Internationalization, Transformation, Civic Identity Research Question(s) How does collaborative cross-cultural coursework operate as a model for transformative learning related to competencies and civic identity development in higher education? ---how do undergraduate participants talk about civic learning and civic identity development within an international education context? ---to what extent do participants relate these experiences to future aspirations? ---to what extent does institutional rhetoric and practice promote transformative learning? Purpose of the Study To understand the experiences of participants within an international education setting and how their perspectives are linked to transformation and civic identity development.

3. ESAVANA Consortium Eastern/Southern Africa Virginia Networks and Associations (ESAVANA) Evolving and expanding international consortium for more than a decade Guiding Principles: Relationship, Respect & Reciprocity Foundational coursework: Ethics, Practices & Protocols of International Research (January Term) 100 U.S. students and 40 southern African colleagues People, Culture & the Environment of Southern Africa (Study Abroad) 114 U.S. students and 32 international students Community-based research projects

5. Methods Document Collection and Analysis Institutional Mission statement Commission on the Future of the University Virginia 2020 Interviews Three interviews with 5 undergraduate participants; one interview with 1 undergraduate participant (cohorts 2007-2010) (electronic, in person, and skype) One interview with 3 institutional partners ; two interviews with 1 institutional partner (cohorts 2002-2010) (electronic) Illustrative documentation (reflection journals, articles for publication, grant reports) Modified survey instrument for undergraduate participants who were not part of the 2009 evaluation

6. Methods Course documents Syllabi Course descriptions Articles 2009 Formative Evaluation (archival data) PCESA study abroad course Pre/post surveys In-region and post travel interviews Qualitative coding of reflection paper assignments (pre/post) Field notes

8. Findings Institutional Goals and Mission Reactivity/response Increase in academic community engagement initiatives Tension with regard to the value of academic community engagement Language of the CINE Consortium Course Documents: cross-cultural, experiential, engaged Testimonials: Influence, distal outcomes Institutional Partners: Constructivist teaching, learning, and research; ongoing contribution to pedagogy and practice Participant Narratives Motivation/pathways for involvement Transformation Civic identity/citizenship

9. ESAVANA Consortium Model for Teaching, Learning, and Research Motivation Extrinsic Teaching Research Intrinsic Transactional ESAVANA Transformational Proximal Learning Distal Action

10. Transformation Constructivist Teaching, Learning & Research “I have learned a great deal about student experiences and interactions” “Joint multidisciplinary work is more productive that individual work as it allows for discussion and interaction” “ The opportunities for learning and for intelligent borrowing were just too many” Constructing Transformation “I am more hesitant to speak before I think…and I am more open to learning from mistakes, even in everyday life” “I was always good at school, I never questioned it much…now I see my education focusing more on experience” “My relationship with water will never be the same…” Restoration “ I learned that I am no less foreign in [the local] low-income housing [community] than I was in rural Africa”

11. Citizenship Kinship “We all connected well, whatever it is that ‘we’ were” “I was anxious to return to my dog and my life and my shower. .. [but] there was something here that felt like home” Paige and kinship ties with Zimbabwean family Social Responsibility “My responsibility was to strengthen the ties between my University and the local community” Jabba and African/U.S colleagues: co-authorship, mutual advocacy, and mentorship

12. The Network • IRES • ESWB Jabba • Nikon • Janis • Paul • Maria • Peter • Cora • Nola • Paige Garth • ASB • ADD • SB

13. Links and Future Directions Links Transdisciplinarity Citizenship Institutional Goals and Assessment Accountability Future Directions Expanding constructs of competencies Evaluation of January term 2011Civic Incubator Model

14. Acknowledgements NSF IRES Grant 0623522 Dissertation Acceleration Fellowship, Office of the Vice President for Research Jefferson Public Citizens & Academic Community Engagement, Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost University of Venda Rural Development andPoverty Alleviation Centre & the Global Sustainability Club Universities of Witwatersrand and Johannesburg Universidad Eduardo Mondlane Undergraduate, graduate student, faculty, administrative and community member colleagues Friends of ESAVANA, with special acknowledgement of Mr. T. Sieg