ACE-FIPSE Grant Assessment of International Learning Project

The Office of International Programs was invited to join a six-institution project sponsored by the American Council of Education regarding the assessment of international learning. The six institutions which represent the spectrum of Carnegie designations - Dickinson College, James Madison University, Kalamazoo College, Kapi’olani Community College, Michigan State University and Palo Alto College are implementing assessment procedures that evaluate the following learning outcomes:

• Knowledge of one’s own beliefs, values and culture
• Knowledge of diverse work cultures/artifacts
• Knowledge of world issues, trends, and systems (e.g., UN, WTO, EU)
• Capacity for intercultural interpersonal relations
• Ability to communicate in a foreign language
• Capacity to perceive and use diverse cultural frames of reference

The assessment tools include a portfolio approach using a set of detailed rubrics and a quantitative measure of beliefs, life events, and values. Students who are studying abroad, living in Ashby Hall (the international residence hall), and participating in certain majors (e.g., international affairs) will be asked to join the assessment project. ACE submitted the proposal to the Fund for the Improvement of Post-Secondary Education, a branch of the U.S. Department of Education, where it was approved for funding in August 2004.

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