Assessing Students’ Civic Agency Behavior, and Knowledge at 4 TDC Colleges

Assessing Students’ Civic AgencyBehavior, and Knowledge at 4 TDC Colleges

Carrie B. Kisker, Ph.D. Mallory Newell, Ed.D Bernie Ronan, Ph.D.Center for the Study Institutional Research Public Affairsof Community Colleges De Anza College Maricopa Community Colleges

Since entering this college, have you participated in the following activities?

“Beyond access to education itself, colleges and universities have an obligation to educate about democracy, to engage students in both an understanding of civic institutions and the practical experience of acting in the public arena. The American community colleges share this mission of educating about democracy, not least because we are the gateway to higher education for millions who might not otherwise get a postsecondary education. More critically, we are rooted deeply in local communities who badly need the civic leadership and practical democratic capacity of our students for their own political and social health.”

The Democracy Commitment Declaration, 2011

Why the Commitment?

Forms of Civic Engagement in Community Colleges

• Service learning continues as the modal civic activity• Deliberative dialogue and public forums• Community organizing and advocacy• Public achievement and civic agency programs• Voter registration and voter education • Candidate and issue forums• Opportunities to write or speak with legislators on issues of

concern to students• Curricular “infusion”

Civic Skills: Head, Heart, & Hands

Civic learning & democratic engagement involves the whole person:– Savvy, the head– Friendship, the heart– Action, the hands

The Civic Spectrum: How Students Become Engaged Citizens(www.kettering.org/publications/civic-spectrum/)

Since entering this college, have

• “Community colleges, based in and serving our nation’s diverse communities, are uniquely suited to civic engagement and the work of democracy. Our country urgently needs those attending these institutions—forty percent of all college students—to be informed and engaged citizens, skilled in democratic practices, knowledgeable about policy issues their communities confront, and committed to lifelong engagement” (Kisker & Ronan, 2012, p. 2).

• Many of the nation’s community colleges are deeply committed to this work

What We Know(And What We Don’t)

TDC’s Work in Assessing Civic Outcomes

• In 2013 TDC invited four California community colleges to participate in the refinement and pilot implementation of an instrument assessing students civic agency, abilities, behaviors, and knowledge

• The four colleges (Shasta College, Cañada College, De Anza College, San Diego Community College District) are currently in the process of administering the survey to their students

Brainstorming Civic Outcomes

What outcomes would we like to see from our colleges’ civic engagement efforts?

• Example: students knowledgeable about policy issues in their community

Preliminary Results from Survey Administration at

De Anza College in 2012 & 2013

Survey Respondents

• 2013 = 8% response rate (1,389)• 2012 = 5% response rate (1,107)

• Sample included: – More full-timers than part-timers– More women than men– More whites than students of color – Fewer students between the ages of 20 and 24 years old

• Survey results from 2012 and 2013 mirrored each other very closely

Ways in Which Students Engage

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

2012 2013

Civic Engagement by Subgroup

Full-Time Students Part-Time Students

Women Men

All Other GroupsAfrican American

Work On-Campus

Native English Speaker Non Native English Speaker

Work Off-Campus

Family Income Above $50,000 Family Income Below $50,000

Civic Agency

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

2012 2013

Civic Knowledge

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

2012 2013

Refinement of the De Anza Survey

• The De Anza Survey is one of the first attempts to measure the civic capacity of community college students, but it leaves us with more questions than answers. Thus, the collaboration with 3 other California TDC colleges.

• Two realizations:– We needed questions allowing us to assess the “value add” of college

(utilization of Astin’s theory of college impact or I-E-O model)– The outcomes generally fell into four categories, those related to:

• Civic behavior (activities in which students participate and changes in their ability to engage in diverse environments)

• Civic agency (students’ sense that they can do something positive in their community or in the world), and

• Civic knowledge (students’ understanding of global, national, and local issues)

Assessing Civic Behavior

1. Prior to entering this college, had you participated in any of the following activities? (Responses: Yes, No)• Joined a group or organization• Held a leadership role in an organization or club • Obtained news regularly (through Internet, television, newspaper, radio, etc.)• Discussed politics regularly• Worked without pay in your community to help others • Worked without pay in your community to help others as part of a class requirement• Worked on a local, state, or national campaign• Attended a march, rally, protest, or boycott• Signed a petition• Raised awareness about an issue, campaign, party, or group• Raised money for a campaign, party, or group• Persuaded others to vote for a particular candidate or party• Contacted public officials or the media (through Facebook, Twitter, email, phone, letter, etc.)• Registered to vote• Voted in a student election • Voted in a local, state or federal election 2. Since entering this college, have you participated in any of the following activities? (Responses: Yes, No)• [same list of activities/behaviors]

Assessing Civic Behavior (Cont.)

3. Since entering this college, I have increased my ability to: (Responses: Strongly Disagree, Disagree, Neither Agree nor Disagree, Agree, Strongly Agree)• Converse productively about controversial issues with someone whose background or views

are different than my own• Have my views challenged by others• Understand people from other cultures, races, or ethnicities• Work with others to make a difference in our community• Voice my opinions on campus, at work, or in my community

Assessing Civic Agency4. Since entering this college, I believe more now than I did before that: (Responses: Strongly Disagree, Disagree, Neither Agree nor Disagree, Agree, Strongly Agree)• I can learn a lot through my involvement in community or campus causes• I am just one person and my actions cannot change our government or social system• I have the tools to seek out information about social or political events to develop an informed position on the

issue• I have the tools to communicate with someone whose views are different than my own• I can be a part of something bigger than myself to effect change 5. I see myself: (Responses: Strongly Disagree, Disagree, Neither Agree nor Disagree, Agree, Strongly Agree)• As part of the campus community• As part of a community outside this college• As someone who values helping others• As an individual with limited impact on what happens in this country• As someone who has something to offer the world• As someone who has a voice 6. I believe that after leaving this college, I will: (Responses: Strongly Disagree, Disagree, Neither Agree nor Disagree, Agree, Strongly Agree)• Work with others to promote social or political change • Become a leader in my place of work • Help others who may not be as well off as myself• Be an integral part of society

Assessing Civic Knowledge7. Since entering this college, I have increased my knowledge of: (Responses: Strongly Disagree, Disagree, Neither Agree nor Disagree, Agree, Strongly Agree)• Global issues• National issues• Issues facing my community 8. What individual or group of individuals has the responsibility to make the final decision on whether a law is constitutional or not? (Select one)• The President of the United States• The Supreme Court• Congress• I don’t know 9. What day of the week are local, state, and federal elections held? (Select one)• Monday• Tuesday• Thursday• Saturday• I don’t know 10. Which organization functions the most like the legislative branch in local governments? (Select one)• The city council• The mayor• The police• I don’t know

What Are We Missing?

• How does this revised survey capture the desired civic outcomes we brainstormed?

• What, if anything, is missing?

• Have we conceptualized the outcomes and categories in a way that would be useful to you and your college?

• Would the results of our pilot implementation at 4 TDC colleges be useful on your campus?

THANK YOU!

For further information, please contact Carrie Kisker at 310-951-3565 or [email protected].

THANK YOU!

Please feel free to contact any of us with additional questions, comments, or ideas.

Carrie B. Kisker, Ph.D. Mallory Newell, Ed.D Bernie Ronan, Ph.D.Center for the Study Institutional Research Public Affairsof Community Colleges De Anza College Maricopa Community Colleges