Assessment Plan for Off-Campus Study

DRAFT

Mission:The Office of Off-Campus Study supports the mission of WellsCollege to prepare students to live in interdependent worlds.This is achieved by providing opportunities for members of the College community to develop intercultural knowledge and competency.

The Office works collaboratively across the College to connect the local community with intercultural experiences on-campus and abroad.It oversees the administrative and health/safety aspects of programs abroad and seeks to further the mission of the college through study abroad programming and the creation of programs for non-matriculated international students on-campus.The Office is also responsible for advising students on study abroad options, preparing students for study abroad experiences and providing a structured means of reflecting on their learning experiences.Through collaboration with other key offices, the office also provides support for the internationalization of curriculum, international students on-campus, and initiatives related to campus diversity.

The Goals of the Office of Off-Campus Study include:

  • Support the educational mission of Wells College by integrating study abroad into the academic requirements of majors and concentrations.
  • Assure that opportunities for developing intercultural knowledge and competency are accessible to all students.
  • Meet the standards of good practice for programs abroad as set out by the Forum on Education Abroad.
  • Support the College financially in order to further the mission of the institution.
  • Provide structured opportunities for cultural reflection for all members of the campus community.

Specific Activities of the Office of Off-Campus Study

  • Advising students on study abroad options and assisting them with the application process.
  • Supporting faculty members who are interested in developing study abroad programs.
  • Supporting students’ cultural preparation for study abroad and reflection of the cultural learning through offering OCS 271 and OCS 272 and other campus activities and groups.
  •  Establishing consistent standards of health and safety as well as emergency management plans for all study abroad programs.
  • Promoting the availability of study abroad programs across the campus community and to prospective students.
  • Advising campus community about funding opportunities for international study and research, including, but not limited to, Fulbright Grants, and Gilman Scholarships.
  • Promoting Flagship study abroad programs (DakarFlorence, Mumbai, ParisSevilla, and Zaragoza) to students from other colleges in the US.
  • Improving administrative procedures for accepting and tracking students participating in study abroad programs through the use of Jenzebar EX.
  • Participating in activities related to greater campus diversity and interculturalization including, but not limited to, speakers, student clubs and organizations, and campus-wide committees.

Means of Assessing the Office’s Impact:

  • Participation rate in study abroad programs by Wells students over time. The accepted statistic in the field tends to be the percentage of the graduating class having earned credits abroad. Data will be compiled for the last five years to note trends in study abroad participation.
  • Student evaluations of the study abroad programs including self-identified goals and how well they achieved those goals and the support provided by the Office of Off-Campus Study. These evaluations will be conducted before and after students participate in programs starting with students going abroad in Spring 2008. A summary of results from Spring 2007 for Wells students on non-Flagship programs is included with this draft.
  • Implementation of BEVI as an assessment instrument to judge how study abroad has impacted on cultural beliefs, values, and views. All students going abroad will take this on-line survey starting with the Spring 2008 group.
  • Self-study of programs and office compared to Standards of Good Practice established by the Forum on Education Abroad.
  • Enrollment of non-Wells students in flagship study abroad programs.
  • Work with Program Directors for SevillaParis, Mumbai, Dakar, and Florence to develop clear missions and learning objectives for the programs and a means to evaluate those programs.