results of the 2003 nsse and fsse: implications for student affairs bowling green state university

Results of the 2003 NSSE and FSSE:Results of the 2003 NSSE and FSSE:

Implications for Student AffairsImplications for Student Affairs

Bowling Green State UniversityBowling Green State University

HighlightsHighlights

Why is Engagement Important?Why is Engagement Important? What is the National Survey of What is the National Survey of

Student Engagement?Student Engagement? NSSE 2003 NSSE 2003 FSSE 2003FSSE 2003 Using NSSE and FSSE DataUsing NSSE and FSSE Data

San Francisco ChronicleSan Francisco Chronicle

"As an educator, it's an embarrassment that we "As an educator, it's an embarrassment that we can tell people almost anything about can tell people almost anything about education except how well students are education except how well students are learning."learning." – Patrick M. Callan, president of the National Center for Patrick M. Callan, president of the National Center for

Public Policy and Higher Education (January 2001)Public Policy and Higher Education (January 2001)

What What ReallyReally Matters in College: Matters in College: EngagementEngagement

““The research is unequivocal: students The research is unequivocal: students who are actively involved in both who are actively involved in both academic and out-of-class activities academic and out-of-class activities gain more from the college experience gain more from the college experience than those who are not so involved.”than those who are not so involved.”

Ernest T. Pascarella & Patrick T. Terenzini, Ernest T. Pascarella & Patrick T. Terenzini, How College Affects StudentsHow College Affects Students

Good Educational PracticesGood Educational Practices

““Seven principles of good practice in undergraduate Seven principles of good practice in undergraduate education”education” (Chickering and Gamson, 1987) (Chickering and Gamson, 1987)

Student-faculty contactStudent-faculty contact

Cooperation among studentsCooperation among students

Active learningActive learning

Prompt feedbackPrompt feedback

Time on taskTime on task

High expectationsHigh expectations

Respect for diverse talents and ways of learningRespect for diverse talents and ways of learning

Looking Behind Student OutcomesLooking Behind Student Outcomes

What do we know What do we know about students who about students who enter our institution?enter our institution?

How are various How are various student experiences student experiences (e.g., course-taking (e.g., course-taking patterns, leadership patterns, leadership roles) related to roles) related to outcomes?outcomes?

What is the student’s What is the student’s contribution to contribution to learning?learning?

What do students learn What do students learn over time in a program over time in a program of study?of study?

How do out-of-class How do out-of-class experiences contribute experiences contribute to learning?to learning?

What are students able What are students able to do with what they to do with what they know?know?

What judgments can What judgments can students make about students make about their learning?their learning?

From Hutchings (1989)From Hutchings (1989)

What is the NSSE?What is the NSSE?(pronounced “nessie”)(pronounced “nessie”)

College student survey that assesses the extent to College student survey that assesses the extent to which students engage in educational practices which students engage in educational practices associated with high levels of learning and associated with high levels of learning and developmentdevelopment

NSSE is supported by a grant from The Pew NSSE is supported by a grant from The Pew Charitable TrustsCharitable Trusts

Co-sponsored by The Carnegie Foundation for the Co-sponsored by The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and The Pew Forum on Advancement of Teaching and The Pew Forum on Undergraduate LearningUndergraduate Learning

Why Another National Survey?Why Another National Survey?

Refocus conversations about quality in Refocus conversations about quality in undergraduate educationundergraduate education

Enhance institutional improvement effortsEnhance institutional improvement efforts

Foster comparative & consortial activityFoster comparative & consortial activity

Inform accountability Inform accountability

Provide systematic national data on “good Provide systematic national data on “good educational practices”educational practices”

NSSE Design ParametersNSSE Design Parameters

Relatively short survey Relatively short survey

Items directly related to Items directly related to college outcomescollege outcomes

Administered to first-year Administered to first-year and senior students at and senior students at public and private 4-yr public and private 4-yr institutionsinstitutions

Administered directly by Administered directly by credible third-party credible third-party survey organizationsurvey organization

NSSE Project ScopeNSSE Project Scope

Highly representative by region, Carnegie Highly representative by region, Carnegie classification, public-private, urban-ruralclassification, public-private, urban-rural

50 states, DC & Puerto Rico50 states, DC & Puerto Rico

127 institutions in 14 self-selected consortia127 institutions in 14 self-selected consortia

Data from more than 348,000 studentsData from more than 348,000 students

Survey Total Institutions Web-Only

NSSE 2000 276 53

NSSE 2001 321 60

NSSE 2003 437 119

Use and Validity of Self-ReportsUse and Validity of Self-Reports

Accuracy depends on:Accuracy depends on: Ability of respondents to provide Ability of respondents to provide

accurate informationaccurate information

Willingness of respondents to Willingness of respondents to provide accurate informationprovide accurate information

People generally respond People generally respond accurately when questions:accurately when questions: Are about past behaviorAre about past behavior

Do not explore sensitive, Do not explore sensitive, potentially embarrassing areaspotentially embarrassing areas

Self-Reports are Valid When:Self-Reports are Valid When:

Requested information is known to Requested information is known to the respondentsthe respondents

Questions are phrased clearly and Questions are phrased clearly and unambiguouslyunambiguously

Respondents take the questions Respondents take the questions seriously and thoughtfullyseriously and thoughtfully

Answering does not threaten, Answering does not threaten, embarrass, or violate privacy or embarrass, or violate privacy or compel a socially desirable responsecompel a socially desirable response

The NSSE survey, The College Student Report,was designed by national assessment experts

to meet all these conditions

What Does What Does The College Student ReportThe College Student Report Cover? Cover?

Student Behaviors in College

Institutional Actions & Requirements

Student Reactions to College

Student BackgroundInformation

Student Student Learning & Learning &

DevelopmentDevelopment

Survey AdministrationSurvey Administration

Administered to Administered to random sample of first-random sample of first-year & senior students year & senior students

Standard paper survey Standard paper survey or Web-based versionor Web-based version

Flexible in design to Flexible in design to accommodate accommodate consortium questionsconsortium questions

Multiple follow-ups to Multiple follow-ups to increase response ratesincrease response rates

BGSU’s BGSU’s response rate =response rate = 41%41% 42% overall for all NSSE 2003 42% overall for all NSSE 2003

institutionsinstitutions Females (71% respondents vs. 56% Females (71% respondents vs. 56%

population), seniors (50% population), seniors (50% respondents vs. 43% population), respondents vs. 43% population), and students in Musical Arts (4% and students in Musical Arts (4% respondents vs. 2% population) were respondents vs. 2% population) were over-represented. over-represented.

NSSE 2003 Response RatesNSSE 2003 Response Rates

AnalysesAnalyses

Frequencies and cross-tabulationsFrequencies and cross-tabulations Comparisons between first year students Comparisons between first year students

vs. seniors, by gender, by race, by college, vs. seniors, by gender, by race, by college, by full-time vs. part-timeby full-time vs. part-time

Comparisons with peer universities: Comparisons with peer universities: George Mason University George Mason University Illinois State UniversityIllinois State UniversityIndiana State UniversityIndiana State UniversityMiami University of OhioMiami University of OhioNorthern Arizona UniversityNorthern Arizona UniversityUniversity of Missouri-Kansas CityUniversity of Missouri-Kansas City

Selected ResultsSelected Results

What percent of What percent of BGSU’s 1st-year BGSU’s 1st-year students spent more students spent more than 26 hours per than 26 hours per week preparing for week preparing for class?class?

Only Only 7%7%

What about our What about our seniors?seniors?

12%12%


What percent of What percent of BGSU’s 1st-year BGSU’s 1st-year students spent more students spent more than 26 hours per than 26 hours per week relaxing and week relaxing and socializing?socializing?

1414%%


11%11%


What percent of What percent of BGSU’s 1st-year BGSU’s 1st-year students spent 0 students spent 0 hours per week hours per week participating in co-participating in co-curricular activities?curricular activities?

3838%%


32%32%


What percent of BGSU’s What percent of BGSU’s 1st-year students often 1st-year students often had serious had serious conversations with conversations with students of another students of another race/ethnicity?race/ethnicity?

4141%%


42%42%


What percent of BGSU’s What percent of BGSU’s 1st-year students often 1st-year students often had serious had serious conversations with conversations with students of different students of different beliefs or values?beliefs or values?

5151%%


52%52%


What percent of What percent of BGSU’s 1st-year BGSU’s 1st-year students plan to do students plan to do community service community service or volunteer work?or volunteer work?

7777%%

What percent of BGSU What percent of BGSU seniors actually report seniors actually report doing it?doing it?

67%67%


What percent of What percent of BGSU’s 1st-year BGSU’s 1st-year students report students report participating in a participating in a learning learning community?community?

3535%%


27%27%


Learning and Development

0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%

Workingeffectively with

others

Understandingpeople of other

racial andethnic

backgrounds

Developing apersonal codeof value and

ethics

Improving thewelfare of your

community

Voting in local,state, ornational

elections

Seniors BGSU

Seniors Peers


BGSU emphasises . ..

0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%

Providing the supportyou need to help you

succeedacademically

Attending campusevents and activities(special speakers,

culturalperformances,

athletic events, etc.)

Encouraging contactamong students fromdifferent economic,social, and racial orethnic backgrounds

Providing the supportyou need to thrive

socially

Helping you copewith your non-

academicresponsibilities

(work, family, etc.)

Seniors BGSU

Seniors Peers


Very Positive Relationships With (Spring 2003)

0%10%20%30%40%

50%60%70%80%

other students faculty members administrative ofices

Freshmen BGSU

Freshmen Peers

Seniors BGSU

Seniors Peers


Good or Excellent Educational Experience

78%

80%

82%

84%

86%

88%

90%

Spring 2000 Spring 2001 Spring 2003

Freshmen BGSU

Freshmen Peers

Seniors BGSU

Seniors Peers


NSSE Institutional Engagement Index Spring 2003

0.010.020.030.040.050.060.070.0

Level of AcademicChallenge

Active andCollaborative

Learning

Student Interactionswith Faculty

Members

EnrichingEducationalExperiences

Supportive CampusEnvironment

Freshmen Predicted

Freshmen Actual

Seniors Predicted

Seniors Actual

Group DifferencesGroup Differences

Students of color were more likely to reportStudents of color were more likely to report– having serious conversations with students of a having serious conversations with students of a

different race or ethnicity than their owndifferent race or ethnicity than their own– doing community service or volunteer workdoing community service or volunteer work– that the academic advising they received was that the academic advising they received was

good or excellentgood or excellent– making progress in understanding people of other making progress in understanding people of other

racial backgroundsracial backgrounds– that BGSU emphasizes encouraging contact that BGSU emphasizes encouraging contact

among students from different economic, social, among students from different economic, social, and ethnic backgroundsand ethnic backgrounds


Females were more likely to report making Females were more likely to report making progress inprogress in– acquiring a broad general educationacquiring a broad general education– working effectively with othersworking effectively with others– learning effectively on their ownlearning effectively on their own– understanding themselvesunderstanding themselves– developing a personal code of values and ethicsdeveloping a personal code of values and ethics– contributing to the welfare of their community contributing to the welfare of their community


Females perceived BGSU as having Females perceived BGSU as having more emphasis on spending significant more emphasis on spending significant amounts of time studying and attending amounts of time studying and attending campus events. campus events.

NSSE 2003NSSE 2003Promising Findings (Compared to Peers)Promising Findings (Compared to Peers)

BGSU’s first year students were more likely to work on a paper BGSU’s first year students were more likely to work on a paper or project that required integrating ideas or information from or project that required integrating ideas or information from various sources, prepare two or more drafts of a paper or various sources, prepare two or more drafts of a paper or assignment before tuning it in, and discuss grades or assignment before tuning it in, and discuss grades or assignments with an instructor.assignments with an instructor.

BGSU seniors BGSU seniors were more likely to work with other students on were more likely to work with other students on projects during class; to complete a practicum, internship, field projects during class; to complete a practicum, internship, field experience, co-op experience, or clinical assignment; to agree experience, co-op experience, or clinical assignment; to agree that BGSU encouraged them to attend campus events and that BGSU encouraged them to attend campus events and activities; and to state that their college experience contributed activities; and to state that their college experience contributed quite a bit or very much to acquiring job or work-related quite a bit or very much to acquiring job or work-related

knowledge and skills.knowledge and skills.

NSSE 2003NSSE 2003Disappointing Findings Disappointing Findings

(Compared to Peers)(Compared to Peers) BGSU students were less likely to take foreign language BGSU students were less likely to take foreign language

coursework, to study abroad, and to complete culminating coursework, to study abroad, and to complete culminating senior experiences.senior experiences.

BGSU first year students made fewer class presentations and BGSU first year students made fewer class presentations and read fewer unassigned books a year than did first year read fewer unassigned books a year than did first year students in the peer universities. They were also less likely students in the peer universities. They were also less likely than their counterparts to report that BGSU emphasized than their counterparts to report that BGSU emphasized analysis skills quite a bit or very much.analysis skills quite a bit or very much.

BGSU seniors were less likely to BGSU seniors were less likely to use an electronic medium use an electronic medium (list-serv, chat group, Internet, etc.) to discuss or complete an (list-serv, chat group, Internet, etc.) to discuss or complete an assignment than were the seniors in peer universities. They assignment than were the seniors in peer universities. They were also less likely than their counterparts to report that their were also less likely than their counterparts to report that their university encouraged them to contact students with university encouraged them to contact students with different backgrounds from their own.different backgrounds from their own.

Faculty Survey of Student Faculty Survey of Student Engagement (FSSE)Engagement (FSSE)

National pilot test in 2003National pilot test in 2003 Focuses on: (1) Faculty perceptions of how often Focuses on: (1) Faculty perceptions of how often

their students engage in different activities; (2) The their students engage in different activities; (2) The importance that faculty place on various areas of importance that faculty place on various areas of learning and development; (3) The nature and learning and development; (3) The nature and frequency of faculty-student interactions; and (4) How frequency of faculty-student interactions; and (4) How faculty members organize class time and related faculty members organize class time and related activities activities

FSSE MethodologyFSSE Methodology

BGSU faculty who subscribed to the BGSU faculty who subscribed to the faculty listproc were asked to respond faculty listproc were asked to respond to the survey online last spring. A total to the survey online last spring. A total of 270 of the surveys were completed. of 270 of the surveys were completed. The response rate is about 25%, which The response rate is about 25%, which is lower than the estimated average is lower than the estimated average institution response rate of 43%. institution response rate of 43%.

FSSE MethodologyFSSE Methodology

Responses were comparedResponses were compared– Between faculty teaching lower-division Between faculty teaching lower-division

and upper-division coursesand upper-division courses– With responses from faculty at two peer With responses from faculty at two peer

universities (George Mason University and universities (George Mason University and Northern Arizona University)Northern Arizona University)

– With first year and senior student With first year and senior student responses to the NSSEresponses to the NSSE


Had serious conversations with students of a different race or ethnicity than your own

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

First Year LD Faculty Senior UD Faculty


Had serious conversations with students who are very different from you in terms of their religious beliefs, political opinions, or personal values

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

First Year LD Faculty Senior UD Faculty


Perform Community Service or Volunteer Work

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

LD Faculty Freshmen UD Faculty Seniors

Using NSSE DataUsing NSSE Data Discover current levels of Discover current levels of

engagement (institution, major engagement (institution, major field, year in school)field, year in school)

Determine if current levels are Determine if current levels are satisfactory (criterion reference, satisfactory (criterion reference, normative or peer comparison)normative or peer comparison)

Target areas for improvement Target areas for improvement Modify programs and policies Modify programs and policies

accordingly accordingly Teach students what is required to Teach students what is required to

“succeed” “succeed” Monitor student and institutional Monitor student and institutional

performanceperformance

Areas of Areas of EffectiveEffective

EducationalEducationalPracticePractice

Areas for Areas for Institutional Institutional ImprovementImprovement

Institutional Institutional ImprovementImprovement

11stst Year Year & Senior & Senior

ExperienceExperience

GeneralGeneralAssessmentAssessment

StudentStudentAffairsAffairs

LearningLearningCommunitiesCommunities

Faculty Faculty DevelopmtDevelopmt

InstitutionalInstitutionalResearchResearch

EnrollmentEnrollment ManagemtManagemt

PeerPeerComparisonComparison

AcademicAcademicAdvisingAdvising

AcademicAcademicAffairsAffairs

Campus UsesCampus Uses(Internal)(Internal)

Gauge status on campus Gauge status on campus prioritiespriorities

Assess student growth Assess student growth (first to senior years)(first to senior years)

Assess campus progress Assess campus progress over timeover time

Encourage dialogue Encourage dialogue about good practiceabout good practice

Link with other data to Link with other data to test hypotheses, evaluate test hypotheses, evaluate programsprograms

Improve curricula, Improve curricula, instruction, servicesinstruction, services

How Do I Find Out More?How Do I Find Out More?

NSSE WebsiteNSSE Website www.indiana.edu/~nssewww.indiana.edu/~nsse

Office of Institutional ResearchOffice of Institutional Research

[email protected]@bgnet.bgsu.edu

How Do I Find Out More?How Do I Find Out More?

The Academic Assessment Office at The Academic Assessment Office at Southwest Texas University has provided a Southwest Texas University has provided a web site with an annotated bibliography web site with an annotated bibliography relates peer reviewed research studies to relates peer reviewed research studies to each of the NSSE items.each of the NSSE items.

results of the 2003 nsse and fsse: implications for student affairs bowling green state university

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