# What Counts As Success? Assessing The Impact Of Civics In Higher Ed | Hoover Institution Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=54N5vYvKHbg Recap page: https://rapidrecap.app/video/54N5vYvKHbg Generated: 2026-02-20T10:32:27.002+00:00 --- ## Quick Overview The discussion on assessing the impact of civics in higher education centered on navigating the tension between needing measurement to scale and improve civic education efforts, as articulated by Tony Bry's maxim, and the risk of corrupting those processes through high-stakes measurement, summarized by Campbell's Law; panelists ultimately advocated for nuanced measurement strategies that prioritize professional community, reflection, and developmental evaluation over simple, high-stakes accountability measures. **Key Points:** - Joe Khan emphasizes using measurement to study impacts, highlighting the need to measure learning opportunities, which educators control, rather than just outcomes, to inform practice. - Trigg Throntite defines 'Third Way Civics' (3WC) as a project to provide nuanced history/politics education that transcends 'history and civics wars' while habituating students to collaborative inquiry and acting on learning. - Rachel Wall found that structured dialogues, even without shifting political beliefs, dramatically shifted students' feelings about disagreeing peers, leading to recognition of shared humanity and well-intentioned motivations. - The panel directly addressed the conflict between the idea that 'you have to measure to make social change' and Campbell's Law: 'the more any quantitative social indicator is used for decision-making, the more subject it will be to corruption pressures and the more apt it will be to distort and corrupt the social processes it is intended to measure.' - Joe Khan used the Chicago Public Schools example where simple indicators on teacher/school responsiveness to student concerns opened conversations and helped secure funding because attendance improved at responsive schools. - The Alliance for Civics in the Academy's strategic action should involve sharing means of measurement, including both quantitative and qualitative tools, in an easily accessible inventory for faculty members. - Rachel Wall advocates for a research approach focused on understanding the meaning students construct from experiences individually, emphasizing qualitative, small-N research to avoid measuring only predetermined outcomes. **Context:** This webinar, hosted by Peter Lavine from Tufts University's Tish College of Civic Life for the Alliance for Civics in the Academy, focused on establishing metrics and assessing the effectiveness of civic education within higher education. The discussion featured panelists Joe Khan, Trigg Throntite, and Rachel Wall, all prominent researchers in civic engagement and education policy, to explore different models of civic instruction, the necessity of measurement, and the potential pitfalls associated with assessment strategies, especially in politically charged environments. ## Detailed Analysis The core of the discussion revolved around defining what constitutes success in civic education and how to measure it without undermining the goals themselves. Joe Khan argued for measuring learning opportunities alongside outcomes, stressing that evidence should inform practice, especially where funding for civics research is slim, and noted that careful measurement can foster professional reflection. Trigg Throntite introduced 'Third Way Civics' (3WC), a pedagogical approach focused on changing instructor behavior to promote independent and collaborative wrestling with information, measuring success through enrollment data, student feedback, and faculty observations to demonstrate value beyond job credentials. Rachel Wall presented qualitative findings showing that structured dialogue primarily changes students' feelings toward ideological opponents, fostering personalization and recognition of others' moral sources, which can reduce tendencies toward violence and support for disenfranchisement policies. The panel grappled with the dichotomy between the necessity of measurement for scaling change (Bry's maxim) and the danger of measurement corruption (Campbell's Law), concluding that a nuanced stance is required, one that builds professional community and uses developmental evaluation rather than relying on high-stakes testing. Khan illustrated this with Chicago schools, where low-stakes indicators on student voice responsiveness provided leverage for improvement without imposing external control, suggesting that trust in professionals, combined with accountability, is crucial. ### Alliance Activities and Context - The Alliance for Civics in the Academy offers seed grants, disseminates resources like syllabi, and hosts webinars, promoting a diverse community for civic education conversations - The next webinar focuses on the nexus between higher education and K12 civic education strengthening. ### Measurement Philosophies - Joe Khan champions measuring learning opportunities to drive practice, viewing careful measurement as a tool for reflection - Trigg Throntite measures 3WC success via enrollment, student feedback, and faculty observation to prove students value civic character development. ### Outcomes of Deliberative Practice - Rachel Wall's qualitative research reveals structured dialogue shifts students' feelings toward out-groups, making them 'morally recognizable' and potentially reducing support for disenfranchisement. ### The Measurement Dilemma - The panel debated Tony Bry's view that measurement is essential for scaling change against Donald T. Campbell's Law warning that indicators become corrupted when used for high-stakes decision-making. ### Strategies for Nuanced Assessment - Panelists favored a nuanced approach trusting professionals, utilizing developmental evaluation, and focusing on community engagement rather than solely relying on high-stakes exams that invite box-checking behavior. ### Strategic Role for the Alliance - The group concluded the Alliance should prioritize creating an easily accessible inventory of both quantitative and qualitative measures that faculty members can voluntarily adopt in their classrooms.