Research on the Assessment of Civic Engagement

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Research on the Assessment of Civic Engagement

• Linda J. Sax
• Director, Cooperative Institutional Research
  Program Associate Professor-in-Residence, UCLA

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Questions Addressed in HERI Research

• What do CIRP trends reveal about students civic
  engagement?
• How does participation in community service
  during college impact student outcomes?
• How does college impact students civic values
  and behaviors in the years after college?

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Major Findings from HERI Research

• Measures of civic engagement show contrasting
  trends over time
• Participation in service during college yields
  widespread benefits to students
• Student involvement during college plays a key
  role in predicting post-college civic engagement

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The CIRP Freshman Survey

• Largest and longest-running study of American
  college students
• Initiated in 1966 at the American Council on
  Education. Housed at HERI (UCLA) since 1973
• Administered annually to over 400,000 incoming
  freshmen at more than 700 colleges and
  universities nationwide

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The CIRP Freshman Survey

• Demographic Characteristics
• Expectations for College
• High School Experiences
• Degree Aspirations Career Plans
• College Finances
• Attitudes, Values, Life Goals
• Reasons for Attending College

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The I-E-O Model
Educational Environment
Student Inputs
Student Outcomes
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Two Approaches to the Study of Students Civic
Engagement

• Approach 1 Focus on environments

Community Service Participation
Student Inputs
Student Outcomes
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Two Approaches to the Study of Students Civic
Engagement

• Approach 2 Focus on outcomes

Educational Environment
Student Inputs
Civic Values and Behaviors
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Approach 1 Focus on Environments
How does participation in community service
during college impact student outcomes?
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Study Design

• CIRP Freshman Survey
• College Student Survey
• 3,450 students
• 42 Learn and Serve institutions
• 62 service participants
• 38 non-participants

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Types of Service
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Pre-college determinants of service participation
Commitment to the community Volunteer work in
high school Leadership self-confidence Religious
involvement Gender These differences needed
to be accounted for prior to assessing the
impact of service
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Impact of Service Participation
Positive on All Measures of Life Skills
Leadership ability Social self-confidence Critic
al thinking skills Conflict resolution
skills Understanding of national and community
problems
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Impact of Service Participation
Positive on All Measures of Educational Attainment

• Retention
• Grades
• Degree aspirations
• Academic self-concept
• General knowledge

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Impact of Service Participation
Positive on All Measures of Civic Responsibility
Commitment to Serving the community Helping
others in difficulty Cleaning up the
environment Influencing social
values Influencing the political
structure Belief that an individual can change
society
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Impact of Service Participation
Positive effects regardless of type of
service Education, Human Needs, Public
Safety, or Environment Extended duration of
service leads to stronger effects of service
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Approach 2 Focus on Outcomes

• How does college impact students civic values
  and behaviors in the years after college?

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Nine-Year Follow-up Survey

• Freshman Survey
• Follow-up Survey (College)
• Nine-Year Follow-up Survey (Post-College)
• 12,376 Respondents to all three surveys
• 209 Four-year colleges and universities

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Post-College Outcomes

• Social Activism
• Goal Helping others in difficulty
• Goal Influence social values
• Goal Participate in a community action program
• Goal Influence the political structure
• Sense of Empowerment
• Belief that an individual can change society
• Community Involvement
• Volunteerism

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Goal Helping Others in Difficulty
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Goal Participate in a Community Action Program
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Goal Influencing the Political Structure
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Goal Influence Social Values
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Belief that an Individual Can Change Society
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Performed Volunteer Work
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Consistency in Volunteerism Over Time

• Prior Likelihood of Volunteering
• Volunteerism In College After College
• High Yes 2 in 5 1
  in 2
• School No 1 in 4
  1 in 3
• College Yes -----
  1 in 2
• No -----
  1 in 3

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Commitment to Social Activism

• Positive
• Peer Group Commitment to Social Activism
• Performing Volunteer Work
• Attending Religious Services
• Attending Class
• Exercising/Sports
• Negative
• Engineering Major -
• Watching Television -

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Belief that an Individual Can Change Society

• Positive
• Peer Group Socioeconomic Status
• Socializing with Students from Different Racial/
• Ethnic Backgrounds
• Discussing Political and Social Issues
• Attending Religious Services
• Negative
• Feeling Depressed -
• Believing that College Administrators do not
• Care About Student Concerns -

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Participation in Volunteer Work After College

• Positive
• Peer Group Commitment to Social Activism
  
• Performing Volunteer Work
• Attending Religious Services
• Attending Racial/Cultural Awareness Workshops
  
• Socializing with Students from Different Racial/
• Ethnic Backgrounds
• Talking with Faculty Outside of Class
• Working Full-Time

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Summary of Key Influences on Civic Outcomes

• Volunteerism During College
• Religious Involvement
• Diversity Experiences

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The HERI Faculty Survey and the Assessment of
Civic Engagement

• Professional activities
• Taught a service-learning class
• Engaged in teaching or research with a community
  partner
• Used your scholarship to address issues in the
  local community
• Given talks to local community organizations
• Performed unpaid consulting work
•  
• Faculty attitudes and values
• Colleges should facilitate student involvement in
  community service
• Colleges have a responsibility to work with the
  local community to address issues
• Colleges should be preparing students for
  responsible citizenship
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The HERI Faculty Survey

• 35,000 faculty at over 350 institutions
  triennially
• Registration open for 2004-05
• Special services for ADP and Campus Compact
  institutions
• Institutional data file
• Special institutional report on community
  engagement practices and beliefs
• American Democracy Project Consortium report,
  comparing your institution to other ADP Schools
• See http//www.gseis.ucla.edu/heri/faculty.html
  for more information