1. Director of Civic Learning and Engagement
What Happens to Students When They Take Our Courses? Tools for Assessing the Impacts of Civic Learning Courses on Students
John Reiff
Director of Civic Learning and Engagement

2. What is needed for students to be prepared to participate effectively in civic life?
Civic knowledge, skills, & values
Civic engagement

3. How Can We Assess What Students Have Learned?
Telling vs. Showing: Student report vs. student performance
Using an Assessment Rubric:
Overall concept,
components,
performance levels,
performance descriptors
AMCOA and AAC&U VALUE Rubrics as examples
Civic Knowledge and Civic Values Rubrics

4. Civic Values Rubric
What social and political values underlying democratic structures and practices do citizens need to understand?
Sources for the DHE Rubrics: Preparing Citizens, the 2014 report of the Study Group on Civic Learning and Engagement, Appendix B, which draws on
AAC&U’s A Crucible Moment: Higher Education & Democracy’s Future, p. 4, 2012.

5. Civic Values Rubric Capstone (4) Milestone (3) Milestone (2)
Capstone (4)
Milestone (3)
Milestone (2)
Benchmark (1)
Empathy
Open-
mindedness
Civic Negotiation
Diversity
Human Dignity
Social Justice
Public Good

6. Civic Knowledge Rubric
4 Capstone
3 Milestones
2 Milestones
1 Benchmark
Key Concepts Underlying Democratic Societies
Forces That Shape Civic Life
Integrated Identity Concerning Civic Rights and Responsibilities
Relationships Between Government and Systems of Belief
Political Systems and Levers of Power
Social Movements

7. Following Up
Civic Learning Rubrics may be accessed at: civiclearningrubrics.wordpress.com.
We encourage you to test out the rubrics with a group of colleagues and samples of student work.
You can reach John Reiff to get support and provide feedback at