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Assessing Student Leadership: Research with a few unexpected perks. Alexis Kanda-Olmstead Office of Student Leadership, Involvement & Community Engagement Colorado State University March 27, 2008. Presentation Outline. Assessment fears National and in-house leadership assessments
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Assessing Student Leadership: Research with a few unexpected perks Alexis Kanda-Olmstead Office of Student Leadership, Involvement & Community Engagement Colorado State University March 27, 2008
Presentation Outline • Assessment fears • National and in-house leadership assessments • Key findings • Unexpected perks
Assessment Fears • Fear of the Unknown • Research • Statistics • Oh my! • Fear of the Known • Time commitment • Results and their implications
National Leadership Assessment Multi-Institutional Study of Leadership (MSL) • Purpose – To examine student leadership values (outcomes) at both the institutional (CSU) and national levels with specific attention to the environmental factors that influence leadership development in college students. • 55 campuses participated • 63,000 students completed the survey (37% return rate)
Working Definition of Leadershipfor the MSL “Leadership is a relational process of people together attempting to accomplishchange or make a difference to benefit the common good.” - Susan Komives, Nance Lucas, & Timothy McMahon Exploring Leadership: For College Students Who Want to Make a Difference (1998)
Framework of the MSL Theoretical Framework: Social Change Model of Leadership Development (HERI, 1996) Conceptual Framework: I-E-O College Impact Model (Inputs-Environment-Outcomes) (Astin, 1993, 2001)
MSL Key Findings • Pre-college experience matters • Leadership shows moderate gender differences • Openness to change is greater for marginalized students • Service and internship experiences develop student leadership • Racial and ethnic groups differ
MSL Key Findings (Continued) • Mentoring develops leadership outcomes and leadership efficacy • Depthof involvement is better than breadth of involvement • Discussions about socio-cultural issues are powerful leadership development experiences
In-House Leadership Assessment • Alumni Leadership Development Survey • Purpose: Investigate long-term affect of leadership programs/classes on CSU alumni • Method: Student Voice survey based on outcomes identified by the leadership program administrators • Student Leadership Assessment • Purpose: Research the leadership development of CSU students enrolled in academic leadership classes • Method: Student Voice survey based on Kouzes and Posner’s Student Leadership Practices Inventory (SLPI)
In-House Leadership Assessment • Leadership Resources Inventory • Purpose: Catalog leadership programs/activities across campus to eliminate redundancy • Method: Student Voice survey based on leadership outcomes determined by a CSU faculty and staff work group (Leadership Education Advisory Board) • PLP CAS Standards Assessment • Purpose: Benchmark survey for the President’s Leadership Program • Method: In-class paper survey based on 2003 CAS standards for leadership programs
Key Findings:Alumni Leadership Development Survey • Collaboration skills • Understanding group dynamics • Teambuilding • Enhanced self-esteem • Leadership development • Intellectual growth • Exploring career choices • Learning healthy behaviors • Developing spiritual awareness • Leading change • Assessing org effectiveness Highest Mean Scores Lowest Mean Scores
Key Findings:Student Leadership Assessment Gender Differences • “I describe a compelling image of what our future could be like.” • 81% of males • 51% of females • “I support the decisions that people make on their own.” • 86% of females • 72% of males • “I challenge people to try out innovative approaches to their work.” • 63% of males • 44% of females
Key Findings:Leadership Resources Inventory • 69% of the respondents offer academic/curricular leadership development opportunities • 64% of the respondents offer co-curricular leadership development opportunities • 80% of the respondents offer leadership development opportunities through student employment • There is a lot of leadership development going on across campus.
Key Findings:PLP CAS Standards Assessment • Students selected “Agree” to “Strongly Agree” for 17 of the 20 statements related to the CAS standards. • Lowest scores were in the following areas: • Clarification of career choices and options • Importance of a healthy lifestyle • Critical thinking skills
Benefits • Results are more credible • Opportunity to network with experts in the field • Professional development • Someone else designs the instrument and analyzes the data • Focused on your research questions/areas of interest • Opportunity to network with colleagues across campus • Control of the data and its dissemination National Leadership Assessment In-House Leadership Assessment
Challenges • Labor intensive • Cost • Difficult to correct mistakes • Bureaucratic hoops • Validity • Reliability • Expectation that you do something • Political hoops National Leadership Assessment In-House Leadership Assessment