Validation of the programmatic assessment survey for college students’ expectations and perceptions of the integrative studies curriculum

This study evaluates the validity and reliability of a programmatic assessment survey to measure students’ expectations and perceptions of general education curriculum, and considers the extent to which scales are related to non-cognitive variables. The results showed that the scales are valid from both theoretical and statistical perspectives and highly reliable. Hierarchical linear models were applied to understand whether students’ perceptions of the curriculum vary as a function of gender, ethnicity, major, and length of study in college. Students’ perceptions of the curriculum were discovered to be insignificantly different from each other, and students with higher expectations of the curriculum had significantly higher perceptions of it. This research provides a significant addition to studies surrounding liberal learning. Understanding students’ expectations and perceptions of the curriculum provides insight into their underlying value system, and assists educational practitioners to measure the overall efficacy of the curriculum in general education.