Degree Name

MA in International Education

First Advisor

William Hoffa

Abstract

Curriculum Integration (CI) is the incorporation of study abroad into existing academic curricula through faculty and staff collaboration. The North Carolina State University (NCSU) CI program was initiated in 2008. Currently the NCSU Study Abroad Office (SAO) is working to update, define, and enhance the direction of this program. NCSU recently updated its strategic plans to include goals regarding campus internationalization and global engagement. The NCSU CI program is viewed as a means to accomplish these goals. However, four years after its inception, there is still no evaluation of any of the CI program initiatives. Assessment and evaluation are important practices to perform in order to determine the effectiveness and value of a program. To address the NCSU SAO need to develop a CI assessment plan, this paper outlines an evaluation plan for the current CI program, beginning with the history of CI at other universities. This evaluation plan focuses on three facets of the CI program: (1) student engagement, (2) program reach, and (3) curricular alignment. Student engagement encompasses the barriers preventing students from studying abroad. Program reach is the ability of CI efforts reach individuals across the NCSU campus. Curricular alignment addresses the quality of classes abroad compared to those offered at NCSU and the preparedness of returned study abroad participants for their next semester of classes at NCSU. This CI assessment plan is designed to determine the effectiveness and legitimacy of the NCSU SAO CI program efforts and to measure the value of the study abroad programs promoted through CI efforts for students in specific majors. The hope is that this evaluation design will be transferable to all NCSU academic departments and colleges that participate in the CI program as well as to other universities across the United States.

Disciplines

Curriculum and Instruction | Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research | Higher Education and Teaching | International and Comparative Education

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