Development and validation of an assessment tool for higher education learning abroad programs: A qualitative Delphi study

Bronwyn A Kosman; Daniela Castro de Jong; Catherine R Knight-Agarwal; Lucy S Chipchase; Naroa Etxebarria

doi:10.1016/j.nedt.2023.106030

Development and validation of an assessment tool for higher education learning abroad programs: A qualitative Delphi study

Nurse Educ Today. 2024 Jan:132:106030. doi: 10.1016/j.nedt.2023.106030. Epub 2023 Nov 11.

Authors

Bronwyn A Kosman¹, Daniela Castro de Jong², Catherine R Knight-Agarwal³, Lucy S Chipchase⁴, Naroa Etxebarria⁵

Affiliations

¹ Faculty of Health, University of Canberra, 11 Kirinari Street, Bruce, ACT 2617, Australia. Electronic address: bronwyn.kosman@gmail.com.
² Faculty of Health, University of Canberra, 11 Kirinari Street, Bruce, ACT 2617, Australia. Electronic address: daniela.castrodejong@canberra.edu.au.
³ Faculty of Health, University of Canberra, 11 Kirinari Street, Bruce, ACT 2617, Australia. Electronic address: cathy.knight-agarwal@canberra.edu.au.
⁴ College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Flinders University, GPO Box 2100, Adelaide, SA 5001, Australia. Electronic address: lucy.chipchase@flinders.edu.au.
⁵ Faculty of Health, University of Canberra, 11 Kirinari Street, Bruce, ACT 2617, Australia. Electronic address: Naroa.Etxebarria@canberra.edu.au.

PMID: 37979243
DOI: 10.1016/j.nedt.2023.106030

Abstract

Background: Higher education learning abroad programs provide many benefits to healthcare students. However, inadequate preparation prior to their international travel, and misdirected motivations for their participation, can jeopardise the benefits and increase the risks. While it is pivotal to objectively evaluate pre-departure student preparation and the impact the programs have on students, existing assessment questionnaires fail to inform these aspects.

Objectives: To develop an assessment tool (two surveys) to holistically evaluate learning abroad programs for higher education healthcare students.

Design: A qualitative Delphi technique.

Participants: A total of 24 experts who had designed, managed, participated in, hosted, funded, and/or researched Australian learning abroad programs for higher education students.

Methods: The study was conducted over a 4-month period. An initial set of pre-departure and post-program questions was developed through a review of the existing literature and from a post-program survey previously used at an Australian higher education institution. Subsequently, experts provided constructive and practical feedback on the questions to be included in the two surveys.

Results: The experts reached consensus on the 26 questions to be included in the pre-departure survey and the 16 questions in the post-program survey after three Delphi rounds. Key areas of interest to the experts were mitigating student risk, improving effectiveness of pre-departure briefings, gaining a better insight into student motivations for participation, and understanding the impact the programs have on students.

Conclusions: The development of this valid assessment tool (two surveys) will provide higher education institutions and program leaders with the ability to better evaluate the effectiveness of the pre-departure preparation they provide to students, understand the motivations of students who participate, as well as assessing the impact these programs have on students. The insights gathered can be used to improve future program offerings and maximise the benefits to healthcare students while reducing the risks.

Keywords: Delphi technique; Healthcare students; Study abroad; Surveys.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Australia
Delphi Technique
Education, Nursing, Baccalaureate* / methods
Humans
Learning
Students*