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Sample Analysis and Strategies for Interpretation

International learning outcomes assessment allows faculty to examine important questions about student learning. A primary application of the ePortfolio/SPIF assessment approach includes combining data from the ePortfolio ratings and the SPIF to examine the linkage between specific student international experiences (i.e., study abroad, courses with global content, service learning) and outcomes.

There are many questions that can be asked of the data, and these questions can be adapted to be institution-specific. The ones below are general questions that may serve as a starting point for institutional or program analysis.

• Do students who have studied abroad tend to have higher scores on all learning outcomes? In particular areas, such as the attitudes outcomes?
• Do students who have traveled abroad tend to have higher scores on all learning outcomes? In a particular area, such as the attitudes outcomes?
• Do students who have worked abroad tend to have higher scores on all learning outcomes? In a particular area, such as the skills outcomes?
• Do students who have taken a course with an international/global focus tend to have higher scores on all learning outcomes? In a particular area, such as the knowledge outcomes?
• Do students taking a higher number of classes with an international/multicultural/global focus tend to have higher scores on all learning outcomes? How many classes does it take for students to score higher?
• Do students majoring in a particular discipline tend to have higher scores on all learning outcomes?
• Is language study correlated with higher scores across all learning outcomes? In a particular area?
• Do students with many years or semesters of foreign language study score higher across all learning outcomes?
• Does community based learning (inside or outside the US) contribute to higher scores across all learning outcomes? In a particular area, such as the skills outcomes?
• Does service learning outside the US lead to higher scores across all learning outcomes? In a particular area, such as the skills outcomes?
• Does participation in on-campus international/multicultural events lead to higher scores across all learning outcomes? In a particular area, such as the attitude outcomes?

Ultimately, the questions above can be used to frame statistical queries of the data from the ePortfolio ratings and the SPIF. The results can be compiled in table format by using SPSS or other statistical software.

For more on sample analysis and queries, and for sample data tabulations, please access the Data Analysis and Interpretation Overview or an executive one-page summary of this document.

What Faculty Can Do with Results

Some possible applications of the assessment include:

• Allow faculty to examine the linkage between specific student international experiences (i.e., study abroad, courses with a global context, service learning) and outcomes.
• Highlight weaknesses in student learning and opportunities for faculty to align assignments with desired learning outcomes.
• Reevaluate how language and culture are being taught on campus and propose revisions.
• Integrate ePortfolios or other assessment methods as part of a course or program.
• Consider how different international learning opportunities might be integrated to enhance student learning

Please direct questions about this page to:
international@ace.nche.edu
This page last updated on: 09/03/2008