International Students
Global Learning
- International student admission
- international student services and advising
- study abroad programming and advising
- the English Language Acquisition course sequence
Locations: Cedar Rapids- Main Campus (Iowa Hall) and KRCUI
Rubric for Evaluation
Rating Scale:
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- 3 – Excellent. This resource goes above and beyond in this area.
- 2 – Adequate. Efforts are being made but more could be done to make it more accessible.
- 1 – Insufficient. This resource is not accessible in this way.
- N/A – not applicable for this resource.
| Current Use/Reflection | Notes |
| Who is the target audience for this resource? | (1) All students – The mission of Global Learning at Kirkwood is to ensure that every Kirkwood student engage in a global learning experience positively impacting our local and global communities
(2) English Language Learners who are planning to take credit classes at Kirkwood (3) International students (defined as students at Kirkwood on an F-1 or J-1 student visa) (4) Study abroad students (defined as students who are participating in a Kirkwood study abroad program) (5) Students engaged in on-campus global learning experiences such as K-ACE, Virtual Exchange, Internationalization of the Curriculum, etc. |
| What are the services being offered by the resource? | English Language Acquisition students instruction and advising
International Student Services:
–Newsletter –Field Trips and Excursions with Groups –Service Learning Projects
International Transcript Evaluation Study abroad advising, orientation, referrals and transcript evaluation |
| Are there known barriers or stigma that may prevent students from accessing the resource? | Awareness of Study Abroad options and scholarships – Despite broad promotion, there are still students who are not aware. |
| Is there any data available regarding student perceptions/use of this resource? | Annual Student Surveys (about preferred mode of instruction)
Global Learning Dean Focus Groups – Generally once a semester gathering ELA students to talk about what they like and do not like about ELA course sequence Study Abroad surveys and learning outcome assessments of each program International Student Satisfaction surveys The survey data from study abroad is complex and extensive. Results of the learning outcome assessment generally indicates a pronounced growth in learning the 3 learning outcomes of Kirkwood Study Abroad. Study Abroad satisfaction surveys also indicate students self-report great learning from study abroad and nearly 100% would recommend study abroad to other students. The survey data from ELA and international students has generally shown that students are very satisfied with the services of both of these components of Global Learning. |
| Rating | Notes | |
| Physical Accessibility | ||
| Is the physical location accessible to the student population it serves? | 2 | Where is the resource located? Is this location appropriate for the population served? Why or why not?
Some specific comments about current accessibility
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| Are the resource’s visual images adequate in clearly communicating services, etc.? | 3 | A Kirkwood welcome desk is outside the office in both Cedar Rapids (Iowa Hall) and KRCUI locations.
Maps. More accessibility would be provided by creating some multilingual signage in some areas since many ELA students have limited English. Signage in some areas of campus is “wordy” and should be redesigned to utilize icons / images / or translations |
| Wayfinding signage leading to the resource is visible, high contrast, and easy to identify. | 3 | The info desk is good but would be helpful again to have translations and more translated materials into most popular languages: i.e. Arabic, French, Spanish
We do have some translated materials but we recommend a more comprehensive analysis of what materials and signage on campus could be translated. |
| Scheduling/Time Accessibility | ||
| Do the resource hours and timing of programming meet student needs? | 3 | 8 am -5 pm, with 9 a,m. – 2 pm as “high traffic” hours for the resource.
In terms of students, we get the high traffic close to registration and orientation periods. Some ELA students are interested in night classes, but there is not enough interest to schedule them |
| Does the resource offer an on-demand option for face-to-face and online students? | 3 | Yes – there are online ELA classes and online ELA tutoring available, and most instructors include “By appointment” option in their office hours
International student advisors and Study Abroad Advisors utilize a QR code so students can make appointments on Calendly easily. |
| Do students have the ability to easily self-schedule at a time convenient for them? | 3 | Calendly (for advising and testing) |
| Digital Accessibility | ||
| Are available online resources easy to locate and user-friendly? | 3 | Talon, Kirkwood website, Facebook.
Study Abroad website is accessible from MyHub, however, the application process is not tied to Kirkwood system – See https://kirkwood.studioabroad.com/ International Student Portal is also accessible from MyHub but not tied to Kirkwood system directly during the international admission process. |
| Are necessary print resources available in digital formats? | 3 | Yes, they are |
| Collaboration Support | ||
| Does the resource help students communicate, collaborate, work, or share information about academic content? | 2 | Students have access to large open spaces in the Iowa Hall Student Center also meet in the lounges adjacent to the offices in both locations
Facebook and Instagram sites regularly report activities and updates about global learning and student activities Global Learning also has a podcast series where we share student/faculty/staff perspectives and experiences with Global Learning |
| Multilingual Accessibility | ||
| Does the resource currently provide or have access to translation tools or reference materials in commonly spoken languages by Kirkwood ELLs? | 3 | Global Learning has some materials that are translated into commonly spoken languages such as Arabic, French, Spanish, etc.
Also, there is a link to Google Translate on the website Study abroad website is available only in English since it is housed on a third-party software system. This is true also of the International Student Portal. |
| Does the resource use clear language and avoid jargon? | 3 | All the language for international students and ELA students is clear as it is targeted primarily towards non-native speakers of English.
Study abroad application language is also designed to be clear to all students. We constantly update to improve. |
| Feedback | ||
| Is there a system in place for students and staff to provide feedback on services? | 2 | Student feedback:
Annual Student Surveys (about preferred mode of instruction) DAWN: Global Learning Dean’s listening posts (conversations with students) Post study abroad student survey. Post faculty leader study abroad evaluation report Faculty retreats Post-retreat questionnaires |
| Is there a process for periodic reviews of the resource and ongoing improvement? | 2 | Yes, continuous improvement is always a goal and with each survey collected we have debriefs set up with the team involved with that particular data point. |
| Inclusivity | ||
| Does the resource actively engage with traditionally underserved populations? | 3 | These are exactly the students we serve ( students of color, international students, low income, students with children), students with disabilities and LGTBQ among them.
Study abroad works closely with the Pride club and TRIO to make our service accessible to underrepresented groups. There is a genuine commitment to our mission that ALL Kirkwood students participate in Global Learning experiences |
| Does the resource take measures to ensure traditionally underserved populations feel welcome? | 3 | We provide the information in different languages, organizing all kinds of events to promote inclusivity.
We regularly revisit our service procedures to make improvements and ask students for feedback. |
| Are there events and activities that promote inclusivity? | 3 | Multicultural festivals
International Education Week Lunch and Learn series Spotlight country series Conversation meetups KPACE (interaction between native and non-native speakers in class settings and beyond) DEI Fellows |
| Are staff trained in cultural competence and inclusivity? | 3 | Multiple training sessions
KCELT sessions Several Global Learning faculty participated in a 10-hour microcredential course about inclusive teaching and equitable learning (provided by the Association of College & University Educators). One faculty member recently served a 2-year term on the DEI Faculty Fellows, a group dedicated to faculty development in the area of DEI. All faculty participated in a Kirkwood session on culturally responsive teaching within the last two years on Assessment Day. One faculty has just completed a 10-hour antiracist praxis study circle. One or more faculty members have participated in a book / study circle on the role of translanguaging in an inclusive classroom. Several faculty members have developed cultural competence through participation in multiple semester courses on Arabic language & culture, in addition to language and culture courses they may have taken in other languages. Several staff participate in conferences such as NAFSA, Forum on Education Abroad, etc. where inclusivity and DEI sessions are regular parts of the conference. Faculty and staff participate in Collaborative Learning Days activities Faculty and staff are encouraged to share their learning and/or try out new techniques with the team (i.e. story circles intercultural competence tool that the team engaged in) |
| Communication/Marketing | ||
| Which channels of communication are used to share services/programs | 3 | Website and Community Connections
Newsletter (for international and ELA students) emailed to students and faculty Emails with information Flyers Teachers advertising in classes Flyers in Sudanese American Association and Pheasant Ridge Neighborhood center (marketed as a stepping stone to Kirkwood credit programs/majors) ELA teachers in high schools International students : resource fairs, College fairs, Education USA GoogleVoice |
| Is there a proactive strategy in place to ensure students and faculty are aware of resource materials/events/opportunities? | 2 | Regular Have You Heard messages and involvement in campus committees by all faculty/staff teams. |
| Does the resource market itself to students appropriately? | 3 | Yes, promotion of global learning is part of our mission to ensure all students engage in Global Learning. We utilize Talon, the student email newsletter, social media (Facebook and Instagram), Communique, posters, etc. to market all of our events and services. |
| Academic Resource: Action Steps and Recommendations |
collaboration at a department level
students to provide accessibility-related feedback |
| Institutional Action Steps | Institutional collaborative dialogues about global learning
More open houses at Global Learning More announcements in HYH (although we already do a lot here) Engage new employees and students more at orientation and onboarding |