Developing Evaluation Methodologies for the Retreat Setting: A Case Study

Erin E. Block
2006 Journal of College and Character  
The current study employed an instrument developed with content experts to evaluate a student retreat experience. The purpose was to enhance future retreat experiences, aid in justifying funding, and provide an example to other program developers by stressing the importance of appropriate evaluation methodologies. The ability to apply evaluation models and appropriate methodologies for program developers in similar situations is emphasized.
more » ... ___________________________ ithin the modern university environment, the spiritual development of students is just beginning to be regarded with the interest given (traditionally) to consideration of their academic development. Many researchers and educators work to integrate these two often disparate aspects of student development (akin to the Jesuit philosophy of "educating the whole person"), and this integration is starting to appear more frequently in both educational and spiritual/ministerial literature. Rogers and Love (2006) , for example, provide an excellent discussion of the need for student affairs professionals to be cognizant of and prepared for spiritual discussions with students, and Norenberg, Buckley, and Dwyer (2006) describe two programs designed to aid students in understanding their spiritual beliefs and in placing those beliefs in a spiritual (and not specifically religious) context. W In addition to work done by scholars and educators, the Higher Education Research Institute (HERI) recently completed an investigation into spirituality in college students. Their initial findings suggest students are increasingly entering institutions of higher learning with "high levels of spirituality and religious involvement" (HERI, 2004, Spirituality in the Classroom, para. 3, cited in Norenberg, Buckley, & Dwyer, 2006), but finding in college "a sharp divide between [their] interests and what happens in classrooms" (HERI, 2004, Spirituality in the Classroom, para. 1, cited in Norenberg, Buckley, & Dwyer, 2006). These quantitative findings clearly illustrate the need for student development on campuses to include spiritual development if they are to succeed in providing students the best start on their careers and their lives.
doi:10.2202/1940-1639.1244 fatcat:adh2eqhfeja3vkkm2xu75yt6qa