Evaluation 2017
Evaluation results - Adult Education Academy (former Winter School) 2017
Extraction of the external evaluation results,
which was conducted by German Institute for Adult Education, Susanne Lattke
COMPALL- Project Coordinator: Julius-Maximilian University Würzburg, Prof. Dr. Regina Egetenmeyer
Participation in the 2017 Evaluation
The Winter School Evaluation 2017 is based on the paper questionnaire which was distributed by the working group leaders to all participants on the final day of Winter School.
The number of filled questionnaires also amounted to 84, so that the response rate would be 100%. Master students were with 50 respondents the biggest group compared to 32 PhD students. Two respondents chose not to indicate their study level in the questionnaire. (Master students: 59, 5 %, PhD students: 38, 1, other/no answer: 2,4%).
Participants‘ Satisfaction
The overall assessment shows that the participants’ general satisfaction with the International Winter School was very high. The mean value was 4.24 which is almost exactly the same as in 2016 (4.20).
Again, participants‘ satisfaction turned out to be very high for all aspects with means ranging between 3.8 and 4.15 for almost all aspects. There were only a few comments given in the questionnaire regarding the preparatory phase. Nevertheless, one should note, that especially the preparatory phase is still under development and new features, such as online tutorials, were newly introduced and piloted fort the first time in 2017.
Participants‘ Competence Developement
The ratings are very similar to 2016. In a general perspective, participants judged their academic and personal outcomes from the International Winter School very positively. Regarding specific competences, respondents clearly feel that the International Winter School has considerably contributed to their competence development in many different regards, including both “soft” skills” like intercultural competence and “hard” academic skills like methodological research skills.
Impact Career on Career Chances
The career relevance of the Winter School have been rated very high. It shows that the competences which the International Winter School addresses are considered by the participants as highly relevant for their career chances.
Summary of external evaluation
As in 2016, the findings from the Winter School evaluation provide a very positive overall picture. Regarding the perspectives for the future development of the International Winter School, one can conclude that the overall concept of the Winter School seems highly sustainable and should not be changed in a substantial way. By way of a concluding overall appreciation, it can be stated that the International Winter School obviously provides a very attractive and highly effective opportunity to students from (potentially) all over the world to learn and develop as an individual and as a (future) professional in the field of adult education in an increasingly globalized context. Most participants had already dealt with international topics at least to some extent, but for about one half of the participants this was their first international study mobility. Participants’ motivations for attending the International Winter School were multidimensional but the desire to meet people from other countries and to learn about other countries were particularly stressed. Regarding participant satisfaction and impact, the evaluation shows that the International Winter School has succeeded in maintaining the very high level of the previous year in all respects. The Winter School provides a multifaceted and at the same time coherent learning opportunity which makes a valuable contribution to the participants’ both personal and professional development as adult education researchers or experts.
