Adding qualitative data to the assessment of alternative break programs: Three Suggestions for Success.

Higher education entices students to try new things and experience learning both in and out of the classroom through service-learning programs. When reporting outcomes, colleges and universities most often report quantitative data: volunteer hours logged, number of nonprofits served, projects completed, or funds raised. As these programs expand, both the individual and collective outcomes of student experiences must be assessed. Formal programmatic assessment is permeating other facets of university life, and student affairs professionals must prepare to answer questions regarding the value of experiential programs. As student affairs teams strategize the best ways to assess active learning, they should remember that more is always better. One potential strength in reporting assessment data is often overlooked: the collective, qualitative voice of the engaged student.