introduction
DESCRIPTION
Service and Diverse Interactions in College as Predictors of Civic Engagement in the Post-college Years: Differences Across Institutional Types Erica Yamamura, M.A. Nida Denson, M.A UCLA Higher Education Research Institute AIR Annual Forum San Diego, CA May 2005. Introduction. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Service and Diverse Interactions in College as Predictors of Civic Engagement in the
Post-college Years: Differences Across Institutional Types
Erica Yamamura, M.A.Nida Denson, M.A
UCLA Higher Education Research Institute
AIR Annual ForumSan Diego, CA
May 2005
Introduction
Shifts in community service and service learning (K-12 & Higher Education)
Increasingly diverse college campuses Impact of College on Volunteerism after
college
Background: Community Service and Service Learning
Few studies have looked at the long-term impact of college community service on post-college civic engagement. (Astin, Sax, & Avalos, 1999; Denson, Vogelgesang, & Saenz, 2005; Eyler, 2000)
Background: Racial Diversity in Higher Ed Types of Diversity
– Structural Diversity– Diversity Initiatives– Cross-racial Interaction(Hurtado, Milem, Clayton-Pedersen, & Allen,
1999; Milem, 2003)
Background: Cross-Racial Interaction Cross-racial interaction (CRI):
type of college diversity that looks directly at peer interaction with students of different racial and ethnic groups (Antonio, 1998; Milem, 2003).
Background: Cross-Racial Interaction Few studies have looked at the long-
term benefits of cross-racial interaction. A notable exception:
Bowen and Bok’s (1998) study of graduates of selective schools
Theoretical Framework:Institutional Type Analysis No current study on the impact of
college service and diversity on civic engagement post-college by institutional type
Institutional Types for Study:– Public– Private– Religious
Data Sources
CIRP 1994/1998 Data
2004 Post-College Follow Up Survey– supported by a three-year grant from the
Atlantic Philanthropies U.S.A., Inc
Method
Sample– 6,515 students from 138 institutions– 1994 SIF, 1998 CSS, 2004 PCFS
Analytic Approach– Hierarchical Linear Modeling (HLM)
Logic of Hierarchical Linear Modeling (Raudenbush & Bryk, 2002)
HLM decomposes relationships between variables into separate student-level and institution-level components
The different effects of a variable resulting from differing levels can be included in one model
Allows for formulation and testing of hypotheses about cross-level effects
Institution-level
Student-level
OutcomePost-College Volunteerism
Type AVG: service
AVG: CRI
Service CRI
% URM
Conceptual Framework
Research Question #1: Student-Level Effects
Institution-level
Student-level
Outcome Post-College Volunteerism
Type AVG: service
AVG: CRI
Service CRI
% URM
Research Question #2:Institution-Level Effect
Institution-level
Student-level
Outcome Post-College Volunteerism
Type AVG: service
AVG: CRI
Service CRI
% URM
Research Question #3: Institution-Level EffectsInstitution-level
Student-level
Outcome Post-College Volunteerism
Type AVG: service
AVG: CRI
Service CRI
% URM
Research Question #4: Cross-Level Effects
Institution-level
Student-level
OutcomePost-College Volunteerism
Type AVG: service
AVG: CRI
Service CRI
% URM
2004 Volunteerism Outcome (α=.81)12 Items- Frequency: performed volunteer work (.74)- HPW: volunteer work (.68)- Collect, prepare, distribute, or serve food (.60)- Collect, make or distribute clothing, crafts, or goods other
than food (.49)- Teach, tutor, mentor, coach, or referee (.56)- Fundraise or sell items to raise money (.54)- Supply transportation for people (.55)- Provide general office services (.49)- Provide information, be an usher, greeter or minister (.60)- Engage in music, performance, or other artistic activities
(.49)- Perform physical labor (.64)- Other (.49)
Variables of Interest Student-Level
– Service (no service, community service only, both community service and SL)
– Cross-racial interaction (CRI) Institution-Level
– Institutional type (public, private, religious)– Structural diversity (% URM)– Peer average levels of volunteerism– Peer average levels of CRI
Control Variables Student-Level
– Freshman pretest for volunteerism– Pre-college characteristics – College experiences
Institution-Level– Size, selectivity– Student-level aggregates (peer effects)
Sample – Percent by institutional type
05
101520253035404550
Public Private Religious
Service by Institutional Type
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
Public Private Religious
No service
Communityservice onlyBoth communityservice and SL
CRI by Institutional Type
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
Public Private Religious
Low CRIMedium CRIHigh CRI
2004 Volunteerism by Institutional type
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
Public Private Religious
Low VolunteerismMedium VolunteerismHigh Volunteerism
Student-Level Findings
Volunteer (+++)Volunteer & SL (+++)Cross-racial interaction (++)
* p <.05** p<.01*** p<.001
Student-Level Findings HS volunteering (+++) Curricular/co-curricular diversity acts
(+++) Attended religious services (+++) Leadership/honors acts (+++) Challenged prof’s ideas in class (+++)* p <.05** p<.01*** p<.001
Student-Level Findings
Asian/Asian-American (-)Joined a fraternity/sorority (-)
* p <.05** p<.01*** p<.001
Institution-level findings
Institutional type: private (ns) Institutional type: religious (ns) Structural diversity: %URM (ns) AVG: volunteerism (ns) AVG: CRI (ns)
* p <.05** p<.01*** p<.001
Institution-level findings
AVG: attended religious services (++)
* p <.05** p<.01*** p<.001
Cross-Level Findings
AVG: volunteerism (ns)
* p <.05** p<.01*** p<.001
Cross-Level Findings
Structural diversity: % URM (--)AVG: attended religious services (+
+)
* p <.05** p<.01*** p<.001
Summary
Student participation in service and/or cross-racial interaction in college positively influences volunteerism after college
Attending religious services also positively influences volunteerism after college
Summary
Student peer group influence plays a larger role than institutional type (i.e. religious colleges) in predicting volunteerism after college
Summary
Structural diversity (as measured by %URM) had a weakening effect on the CRI volunteerism relationship
Peer average levels of attending religious services had a strengthening effect on the CRI volunteerism effect
For copies of our presentation…
http://www.gseis.ucla.edu/heri
Question & Answer Session
Thank you!