A Review of the Evidence of Students’ Civic Learning in College

1. A Review of the Evidence of Students’
Civic Learning in College
Prepared for the Presidents’ Trust
by
Carol Schneider, Association of American
College & Universities
Liberal Education & Civic Capacity: We
Are Only Half-Way There

2. National Survey of Student Engagement 2009 –
Students Reporting Small or No Gains
in the Following Areas
Personal and Social Responsibility:
Understanding people of other racial and
ethnic backgrounds 44%
Developing a personal code of values and
ethics 42%
Contributing to the welfare of your
community 52%
Never participated in a community-based
project related to a course 53%

3. Current academic standing % “Strongly Agree”
First Year 41.3
Sophomore 33.4
Junior 32.1
Senior 31.1
“This campus has helped me expand my own awareness
of the importance of being involved in the community
and contributing to the greater good”
AAC&U
Personal & Social Responsibility
Inventory
Dimension: Contributing to a Larger Community
Student sample: N = 23,950
Source: R. Reason, pers. comm., 2010. Analysis of 2007 data gathered
from 23 institutions.

4. Current academic standing % “Strongly Agree”
First Year 52.7
Sophomore 53.2
Junior 54.3
Senior 56.8
“I have developed an increased ability to learn from
diverse perspectives during the time I have been in
college”
Student sample: N = 23,950
Source: R. Reason, pers. comm., 2010. Analysis of 2007 data gathered
from 23 institutions.
AAC&U
Personal & Social Responsibility
Inventory
Dimension: Taking Seriously the Perspective of Others

5. Current academic standing % “Strongly Agree”
First Year 43.0
Sophomore 32.1
Junior 29.8
Senior 27.2
“Helping students recognize the importance of taking
seriously the perspective of others is a major focus of
this campus”
Student sample: N = 23,950
Source: R. Reason, pers. comm., 2010. Analysis of 2007 data gathered
from 23 institutions.
AAC&U
Personal & Social Responsibility
Inventory
Dimension: Taking Seriously the Perspective of Others

6. For further details, please see the following
publications, authored by Eric L. Dey and
Associates, for AAC&U’s initiative “Core
Commitments: Educating Students for
Personal and Social Responsibility”:
Engaging Diverse Viewpoints: What Is the Campus
Civic Responsibility: What Is the Campus Climate fo

7. Many Students Are
Developing Civic,
Diversity and
Democratic Capacities,
But Too Many Are Not

8. Less than Half of the Public
Considers Civic Engagement
as an “Essential Outcome of
College” (Public Agenda, 2000)

9. So, as a Democracy, We
Have Educational Work to Do
– Work that Is Fundamental—
to America’s Future and the
World’s As Well

10. What Next?

11. Your Institution’s Goals...
 President fills in