Civic learning program policy compliance by a state department of higher education: an evaluation study

2019-02-21Since 2010, numerous reports have shown an increasing lack of knowledge surrounding civic learning and college students. To mitigate this growing national problem, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts passed a state-wide Policy on Civic Learning that requires all undergraduate students graduating from a public 2- or 4-year institution be civic-minded upon commencement. This purpose of this study was to evaluate the degree to which the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education was meeting its civic learning policy compliance goal. Using the Clarke and Estes (2008) gap analysis as a framework to identify the knowledge, motivation, and organizational influences that impact successful completion of the identified goal, this study interviewed Policymakers associated with creating the state public policy. Five themes emerged from interviews and document analysis, focusing on one identified knowledge influence gap and three identified organizational influence gaps. This study also created a recommended implementation and evaluation plan for a learning program that addresses the identified gaps and that can be used by other states seeking to create a similar state policy. Following Kirkpatrick and Kirkpatrick’s (2016) New World Order plan, four levels of evaluation were completed. Evaluation tools were created to effectively assess the completion of successful policy implementation