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Historically, the field of education abroad has lacked extensive data demonstrating its outcomes – educational, professional, and personal. The committee addresses this need by encouraging and supporting research on and providing resources about the assessment of outcomes in education abroad.
The committee has compiled a chart of research studies on student learning abroad by members, to which members are invited to contribute. A more extensive database will be available in spring 2007.
The Guide to Outcomes Assessment in Education Abroad, provides tools for implementing outcomes assessment at your institution, is now available for purchase.
In addition, the Forum sponsors research studies for its members. For example, : the Forum (BEVI) Project, is a special collaboration with the International Beliefs and Values Institute (IBAVI) and the Office of International Programs (OIP) at James Madison University. This project offered selected Forum member institutions the state-of-the-art opportunity to validate a new outcomes assessment instrument, and then benefit from its first formal application. The project will be reporting out results of the final pilot phase in early 2009.
In another research opportunity for members, the Forum-SAGE Partnership, the Forum is collaborating with a research team at the University of Minnesota to offer members the opportunity to participate in Beyond Immediate Impact: Study Abroad for Global Engagement (SAGE), a research project that will document the long-term impact of the study abroad experience by surveying and interviewing study abroad alumni.
The committee has developed a series of four Position Papers discussing major issues and trends in assessment research.
The Forum's commitment to education outcomes of abroad experiences includes sponsorship of the Undergraduate Research Awards.
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