Assessment grants help faculty strengthen their courses in ways that enhance student learning. By supporting evidence‑based reflection, these grants encourage meaningful improvements to the curriculum. The Office of Assessment and Accreditation spoke with Dr. Nancy Kageyama, Assistant Professor of Hospitality Leadership, about how an assessment grant supported her work with intercultural learning. Dr. Kageyama used this opportunity to identify ways to strengthen the virtual exchange project and better support students. These updates will help improve coordination, boost engagement, and better align the course with the university’s public affairs mission.

Assessing Cultural Competence in Virtual Exchange

OAA: You described your project as assessing the impact of international virtual exchange projects on students’ cultural competence.  What drew you to this focus?

NK: As technology becomes more common in international learning, I felt it was important to look more closely at its impact. If we are positioning virtual exchange as a high-impact practice that supports intercultural learning and the public affairs mission, we need clearer evidence of its effectiveness. By examining students’ experiences, I gained clearer insight into which aspects of the exchange foster meaningful intercultural growth, where gaps may exist, and how to improve the structure of the interaction. Ultimately, my goal was to ensure that the project was intentionally designed to develop the cultural competence we value as an institution.

OAA: In Assessment we hope these grants provide room for projects faculty might not otherwise be able to pursue. What was your process for examining the issue, and how did the assessment grant support your efforts?

NK: I measured students’ cultural competence before and after the international virtual exchange and reviewed their reflective responses to better understand their learning experiences and challenges. The assessment grant made this work possible by funding both the assessment process and a book resource focused on working effectively with culturally diverse teams in a business setting. The grant also helped lay the groundwork for a follow-up study on intercultural communication to further examine experiential learning initiatives such as virtual exchange, and support student learning.

Key Insights from the Project

OAA: Assessment benefits from the process of using evidence to improve learning, though it’s always helpful to see the outcomes. What changes came about because of your project?

NK: After reviewing students’ reflections, I identified several challenges that informed revisions to the project design. To support smoother collaboration, I plan to incorporate a preparation week before formally launching the exchange so students can connect and build rapport early. Because building relationships across countries takes time, this early engagement should strengthen teamwork and communication. I also plan to maintain more consistent communication with partner faculty to ensure students on both sides have clear expectations throughout the project.

OAA: What are your next steps, and has this work raised new questions for you?

NK: I am interested in further exploring how experiential learning initiatives, such as the International Virtual Exchange, contribute to the development of cultural competence. Building on the initial assessment, my partner faculty member and I plan to examine the student outcomes more systematically. We plan to conduct a comparative study using the same interview questions with students from both countries to better understand their shared experiences and the differences in how they perceive and engage with the exchange.

Interested in an Assessment Grant? Here’s How to Apply

Faculty interested in applying for an Assessment Grant can submit a proposal outlining their project goals and assessment plan.