George D. KuhGeorge D. KuhU of Maine SystemU of Maine System
March 20, 2007March 20, 2007
Strengthening Institutional Strengthening Institutional Responsibility for Student Responsibility for Student
Success:Success:Lessons from NSSELessons from NSSE
We all want the same thing—an We all want the same thing—an undergraduate experience that undergraduate experience that results in high levels of learning results in high levels of learning and personal development for all and personal development for all students.students.
OverviewOverview
Students today Why engagement matters Rethinking classroom
practices Conversation
Advance OrganizersAdvance Organizers
To what extent do your students To what extent do your students engage in productive learning engage in productive learning activities, inside activities, inside andand outside the outside the classroom? classroom?
How do you know? How do you know? What must you do differently -- or What must you do differently -- or
better -- to enhance student better -- to enhance student success? success?
Student Success in CollegeStudent Success in College
Academic achievement, Academic achievement, engagement in engagement in educationally purposeful educationally purposeful activities, satisfaction, activities, satisfaction, acquisition of desired acquisition of desired knowledge, skills and knowledge, skills and competencies, competencies, persistence, attainment persistence, attainment of educational of educational objectives, and post-objectives, and post-college performancecollege performance
Students Today
Entitlement mentality
Trends in High School Grades
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
1969 1974 1979 1984 1989 1994 2006
A- or better
C+ or less
Student Success QuizStudent Success Quiz
What percent of high school What percent of high school seniors have college-level seniors have college-level reading skills?reading skills?
(a) 51% (b) 59% (c) 68% (d) 77% (a) 51% (b) 59% (c) 68% (d) 77% (e) none of the above(e) none of the above
a. 5151%% (ACTACT, 2006)
Student Success QuizStudent Success Quiz
True or false:True or false:
26% of first-year first-time frosh 26% of first-year first-time frosh take one or more remedial take one or more remedial courses in college.courses in college.
FalseFalse. 40%. 40%
Student Success QuizStudent Success Quiz
What percent of students who What percent of students who take at least one remedial course take at least one remedial course in in readingreading do do notnot earn a earn a certificate or degree within 8 certificate or degree within 8 years of first enrollment? years of first enrollment?
(a) 18% (b) 33% (c) 43% (a) 18% (b) 33% (c) 43% (d) 61% (e) 70%(d) 61% (e) 70%
e. e. 7070%%
Student Success QuizStudent Success Quiz
True or false:True or false:
About $300 million is spent About $300 million is spent annually on postsecondary annually on postsecondary remediation coursework.remediation coursework.
FalseFalse. $1+ . $1+ billionbillion
Students Today
Entitlement mentality
Cumulative deficit re: attitudes, study habits, academic skills
What to Do?!?What to Do?!?
Student success requires that Student success requires that professors explain more things professors explain more things to today’s students that we once to today’s students that we once took for granted – took for granted –
““You must buy the book, you You must buy the book, you must read it and come to class, must read it and come to class, you must observe deadlines or you must observe deadlines or make special arrangements make special arrangements when you miss one”when you miss one”Prof. Richard Turner (1998, p.4)
Students Today
More diverse than previous cohorts
Techno-savvy “NetGens”
Lessons from National Center for Lessons from National Center for Academic TransformationAcademic Transformation
If doing something is important, If doing something is important, require it (first-year students require it (first-year students don’t do ‘optional’)don’t do ‘optional’)
Assign course points to the Assign course points to the activityactivity
Monitor and intervene when Monitor and intervene when necessarynecessary
http://www.thencat.org/Newsletters/Apr06.htm#1http://www.thencat.org/Newsletters/Apr06.htm#1
Factors That Threaten Persistence and Factors That Threaten Persistence and Graduation from College Graduation from College
academically underprepared for academically underprepared for college-level workcollege-level work
first-generation college studentfirst-generation college student gap between high school and college gap between high school and college 30+ hours working per week30+ hours working per week part-time enrollmentpart-time enrollment single parentsingle parent financially independentfinancially independent children at homechildren at home
What Really Matters in College: What Really Matters in College: Student EngagementStudent Engagement
Because iBecause individual effort and ndividual effort and involvement are the critical involvement are the critical determinants of impact, determinants of impact, institutions should focus on institutions should focus on the ways they can shape their the ways they can shape their academic, interpersonal, and academic, interpersonal, and extracurricular offerings to extracurricular offerings to encourage encourage student student engagementengagement. .
Pascarella & Terenzini, Pascarella & Terenzini, How College How College Affects StudentsAffects Students, 2005, p. 602, 2005, p. 602
Foundations of Student EngagementFoundations of Student Engagement
Time on task Time on task (Tyler, 1930s)(Tyler, 1930s)
Quality of effort Quality of effort (Pace, 1960-70s)(Pace, 1960-70s)
Student involvement Student involvement (Astin, 1984)(Astin, 1984)
Social, academic integration Social, academic integration (Tinto,1987, 1993)(Tinto,1987, 1993)
Good practices in Good practices in undergraduate education undergraduate education (Chickering & Gamson, 1987)(Chickering & Gamson, 1987)
Outcomes Outcomes (Pascarella, 1985)(Pascarella, 1985)
Student engagement Student engagement (Kuh, 1991, (Kuh, 1991, 2005)2005)
Student Engagement TrinityStudent Engagement Trinity
What students What students dodo -- time and energy -- time and energy devoted to educationally purposeful devoted to educationally purposeful activitiesactivities
What institutions What institutions dodo -- using -- using effective educational practices to effective educational practices to induce students to do the right induce students to do the right thingsthings
Educationally effective institutions Educationally effective institutions channel student energy toward channel student energy toward the the right activitiesright activities
Good Practices in Good Practices in Undergraduate EducationUndergraduate Education
(Chickering & Gamson, 1987; (Chickering & Gamson, 1987; Pascarella & Terenzini, 2005)Pascarella & Terenzini, 2005)
Student-faculty contactStudent-faculty contact Active learningActive learning Prompt feedbackPrompt feedback Time on taskTime on task High expectationsHigh expectations Respect for diverse learning stylesRespect for diverse learning styles Cooperation among studentsCooperation among students
National Survey of National Survey of Student EngagementStudent Engagement(pronounced “nessie”)
Community College Community College Survey of Student Survey of Student EngagementEngagement(pronounced “cessie”)
College student surveys that assess the extent to which students engage in educational practices associated with high levels of learning and development
NSSE Project ScopeNSSE Project Scope
One million+ students from One million+ students from 1,100 different schools 1,100 different schools
80% of 4-yr U.S. undergraduate 80% of 4-yr U.S. undergraduate FTE FTE
50 states, Puerto Rico50 states, Puerto Rico
35 Canadian universities35 Canadian universities
100+ consortia100+ consortia
NSSE SurveyNSSE Survey
Student Behaviors
Institutional Actions & Requirements
Reactions to People & Environment
Student BackgroundInformation
Student Learning &
Development
In your experience at your institution during the current school year, about how often have you done each of the following?
1
Effective Educational PracticesEffective Educational Practices
Level of Level of Academic Academic ChallengeChallenge
Active & Active & Collaborative Collaborative
LearningLearning
EnrichingEnrichingEducational Educational ExperiencesExperiences
SupportiveSupportiveCampusCampus
EnvironmentEnvironment
Student-Student-Faculty Faculty
InteractionInteraction
Grades, persistence, Grades, persistence, student satisfaction, student satisfaction, and engagement go and engagement go hand in handhand in hand
Student engagement varies Student engagement varies more more withinwithin than between than between institutions.institutions.
Level of Academic Challenge: Seniors at Doc-Extensive Schools
0
20
40
60
80
100
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
Doc-Extensive Institutions
Percentile 10
Percentile 50
Percentile 90
Academic Challenge by Institutional TypeAcademic Challenge by Institutional Type
Seniors
25
30
35
40
45
50
55
60
65
70
75
DocExt
DocInt
MABacLA
BacGen Nation
First-Year Students
25
30
35
40
45
50
55
60
65
70
75
DocExt
DocInt
MA BacLA
Bac Gen
Nation
Ben
chm
ark
Sco
res
Worth PonderingWorth Pondering
How do we reach How do we reach our least engaged our least engaged students?students?
Behold the Behold the compensatorycompensatory effects of engagementeffects of engagement
What Are Faculty Telling Us?What Are Faculty Telling Us?
Faculty Survey of Faculty Survey of Student EngagementStudent Engagement
(pronounced “fessie”)
FSSE measures FSSE measures faculty faculty expectations and expectations and activities related activities related to student to student engagement in engagement in effective effective educational educational practicespractices
FSSE and NSSE Point to FSSE and NSSE Point to “Disorienting Dilemmas”“Disorienting Dilemmas”
Situations in which usual perspectives or ways of responding do not work or don’t fit are more likely to motivate us to learn and change (Mezirow, 1990)
Course EmphasisCourse Emphasis
FACULTY report very FACULTY report very much or quite a bit of much or quite a bit of emphasis on memorizingemphasis on memorizing
STUDENTS report very STUDENTS report very much or quite a bit of much or quite a bit of emphasis on memorizingemphasis on memorizing
29% / 14%29% / 14%
Lower Lower DivisionDivision
Upper Upper DivisionDivision
65% / 63%65% / 63%
11stst yr. yr. StudentsStudents SeniorsSeniors
Prompt FeedbackPrompt Feedback
FACULTY gave prompt FACULTY gave prompt feedback often or very feedback often or very oftenoften
STUDENTS received prompt STUDENTS received prompt feedback often or very oftenfeedback often or very often
93% / 93%93% / 93%
Lower Lower DivisionDivision
Upper Upper DivisionDivision
64% / 76%64% / 76%
11stst yr. yr. StudentsStudents SeniorsSeniors
Association of American Colleges and Universities
Narrow Learning is Not EnoughNarrow Learning is Not Enough——The Essential Learning OutcomesThe Essential Learning Outcomes
Knowledge of Human Cultures Knowledge of Human Cultures and the and the Physical & Natural WorldPhysical & Natural World
Intellectual and Practical SkillsIntellectual and Practical Skills
Personal and Social ResponsibilityPersonal and Social Responsibility
Integrative LearningIntegrative Learning
Integrating ideas or information from various sources
Included diverse perspectives in class discussions/writing
Put together ideas from different courses
Discussed ideas with faculty members outside of class
Discussed ideas with others outside of class
Analyzing the basic elements of an idea, experience, or theory
Essential Learning Outcome: Integrative Learning
Synthesizing & organizing ideas, info., or experiences
Making judgments about the value of information
Applying theories to practical problems or in new situations
Examined the strengths and weaknesses of your own views
Tried to better understand someone else's views
Learned something that changed how you understand an issue
NSSE DEEP LEARNING SCALE
Essential Learning Outcome: Intellectual and Practical Skills
NSSE SELF-REPORTED GAINS Acquiring job or work-related knowledge and skills
Writing clearly and effectively
Speaking clearly and effectively
Thinking critically and analytically
Analyzing quantitative problems
Using computing and information technology
Working effectively with others
Solving complex real-world problems
NSSE SELF-REPORTED GAINS Voting in local, state, or national elections
Learning effectively on your own
Understanding yourself
Understanding people of other racial and ethnic backgrounds
Developing a personal code of values and ethics
Contributing to the welfare of your community
Developing a deepened sense of spirituality
Essential Learning Outcome: Personal & Social Responsibilities
Gains in Intellectual and Practical Skills by Deep Learning Quartiles
lowest second third highest
Deep Learning Quartiles
First-Year
Senior
Very much
Quite a bit
Some
Very little
Gains in Personal and Social Responsibilities by Deep Learning Quartiles
lowest second third highest
Deep Learning Quartiles
First-Year
Senior
Very much
Quite a bit
Some
Very little
Effective Educational PracticesEffective Educational Practices
First-Year Seminars and Experiences First-Year Seminars and Experiences Common Intellectual ExperiencesCommon Intellectual Experiences Learning CommunitiesLearning Communities Writing-Intensive CoursesWriting-Intensive Courses Collaborative Assignments and ProjectsCollaborative Assignments and Projects “ “Science as Science Is Done”; Science as Science Is Done”;
Undergraduate Research Undergraduate Research Diversity/Global LearningDiversity/Global Learning Service Learning, Community-Based Service Learning, Community-Based
Learning Learning InternshipsInternships Capstone Courses and ProjectsCapstone Courses and Projects
Effects of Learning Communities on EngagementEffects of Learning Communities on Engagement
Standardized Standardized Regression Regression CoefficientCoefficient Sig.Sig.
Y-Y-Standardized Standardized
Effect sizeEffect size
Standardized Standardized Regression Regression CoefficientCoefficient Sig.Sig.
Y-Y-Standardized Standardized
Effect sizeEffect size
Engagement ActivitiesEngagement Activities
Academic EffortsAcademic Efforts .16.16 ****** .32.32 .12.12 ****** .28.28
Higher Order ThinkingHigher Order Thinking .20.20 ****** .40.40 .15.15 ****** .35.35
Academic IntegrationAcademic Integration .19.19 ****** .39.39 .16.16 ****** .38.38
Active and Collaborative LearningActive and Collaborative Learning .26.26 ****** .53.53 .24.24 ****** .54.54
Interactions with FacultyInteractions with Faculty .30.30 ****** .60.60 .22.22 ****** .51.51
Diversity ExperiencesDiversity Experiences .21.21 ****** .41.41 .16.16 ****** .36.36
Perception of Campus EnvironmentPerception of Campus Environment
Quality of Academic AdvisingQuality of Academic Advising .12.12 ****** .23.23 .08.08 ****** .17.17
Supportive Campus EnvironmentSupportive Campus Environment .19.19 ****** .37.37 .14.14 ****** .32.32
SatisfactionSatisfaction .13.13 ****** .25.25 .10.10 ****** .23.23
Learning OutcomesLearning Outcomes
Gains in Personal and Social Gains in Personal and Social .24.24 ****** .48.48 .18.18 ****** .40.40
Gains in Practical CompetenceGains in Practical Competence .22.22 ****** .45.45 .16.16 ****** .36.36General Education GainsGeneral Education Gains .18.18 ****** .36.36 .11.11 ****** .24.24
First-yearFirst-year SeniorSenior
Diversity Diversity Diversity Diversity
Density Climate In Course- Diversity Density Climate In Course- Diversity
Dependent variable Index Diversity Work Press Index Diversity Work Press
Student Engagement
Academic challenge + + + Higher order thinking + + + + + +Active and Collaborative + + + + + +Diversity-related activities + + + + + + + +Supportive Campus Env.
Supportive Campus Env. + + Interpersonal - + Support for learning + + + + + +Satisfaction - + +Gains-Interpers. Dev.
Gains - Personal/social + + + + + + +Gains-Social Awareness
Gains-Understanding div. + + + + + + + +Gains -Cont. to community + + + + + +Gains-Understand self + + + + + +
First-year students Seniors
Faculty Time Devoted to Research and Faculty Time Devoted to Research and Probability of Students Doing ResearchProbability of Students Doing Research
0
0.13
0.25
0.38
0.50
Pro
bab
ilit
y o
f U
nd
erg
rad
uate
Researc
h
2.02 6.04 10.07 14.09 18.11
Faculty Research (hours)
Faculty Time on Research with Faculty Time on Research with Undergraduates and Probability of Student Undergraduates and Probability of Student
Participation in ResearchParticipation in Research
0
0.13
0.25
0.38
0.50
Pro
bab
ilit
y o
f U
nd
erg
rad
uate
R
esearc
h
0.91 2.17 3.42 4.68 5.93
Faculty Research with Undergraduates (hours)
Faculty View of Importance of Doing Research Faculty View of Importance of Doing Research with Students and Probability of Students Doing with Students and Probability of Students Doing
ResearchResearch
0.13
0.25
0.38
0.50
0Pro
bab
ilit
y o
f U
nd
erg
rad
uate
Researc
h
1.87 2.25 2.62 2.99 3.37
Importance of Undergraduate Research
Effective Educational Practices Increase Effective Educational Practices Increase Odds That Students Will:Odds That Students Will:
Invest time and effort Invest time and effort Interact with faculty and peers Interact with faculty and peers
about substantive mattersabout substantive matters Experience diversityExperience diversity Get more frequent feedbackGet more frequent feedback Discover relevance of their Discover relevance of their
learning through real-world learning through real-world applicationsapplications
Learning-intensive practicesLearning-intensive practices
George Mason requires every George Mason requires every student to take from 1-3 writing-student to take from 1-3 writing-intensive courses. Most DEEP intensive courses. Most DEEP schools have strong writing schools have strong writing centers to emphasize and support centers to emphasize and support the importance of good writing. the importance of good writing.
Technology enriched learningTechnology enriched learning
U of Kansas faculty make large U of Kansas faculty make large lecture classes engaging via lecture classes engaging via PowerPoint, Blackboard software, PowerPoint, Blackboard software, and other technology including and other technology including slides and videos, and “interactive slides and videos, and “interactive lecturing,” which incorporates lecturing,” which incorporates various opportunities for students various opportunities for students to participate. to participate.
Reasons for Taking Online CoursesReasons for Taking Online Courses
77%
70%
34%
27%
21%
8%
96%
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Convenience
Work at own pace
Prefer learning on own
Course NA nearby
Online learners my age
Less expensive
Easier grading
Comparison of Distance Education and Comparison of Distance Education and Campus-Based Learners Campus-Based Learners
Benchmarks of Effective Educational Practice
First-Year Senior
Level of academic challenge + +
Active & collaborative learning – –
Student-faculty interaction + =
Enriching educational experiences + =
Supportive campus environment = +
Comparison of Distance Education and Comparison of Distance Education and Campus-Based LearnersCampus-Based Learners
Gains
First-Year Senior
Practical competence + +
Personal & social devlpmt + +
General education = +
Satisfaction = +
Comparison of Distance Education and Comparison of Distance Education and Campus-Based LearnersCampus-Based Learners
Deep Learning
First-Year Senior
Higher-order learning = +
Integrative learning = =
Reflective learning + +
Faculty Priorities and Faculty Priorities and Student EngagementStudent Engagement
AVGAVG STUDENTSTUDENT
AVGAVG FACULTYFACULTY AcadAcad emicemic cchallhallengeenge
ActActiveive --ccollabollab
Diversity Diversity eexperiencesxperiences
StuStudentdent --ffacacultyulty
AAccadademicemic challchall engeenge emphemphasisasis
ActActiveive --collabcollab practicespractices
EmphEmph asisasis on diversityon diversity experiencesexperiences
EmphEmph asisasis on on hhigherigher orderorder thinkingthinking
ImpImportanceortance enrichingenriching ededucuc eexpxp erienceseriences
Faculty Who Value Faculty Who Value Effective Educational PracticesEffective Educational Practices
Areas of Emphasis
Characteristics
Academic
challenge
emphasis
Active-
collab
practices
Emphasis
on diversity
exp
Emphasis
higher order
thinking
Importance
enriching
educ exp
Faculty of color + + + a + +
Women + + + + +
Full- time facul ty + + +
Years teaching -- -
a Except for Asian/Pacific Islander faculty
What to Make of This? What to Make of This?
1.1. When faculty members When faculty members emphasize certain educational emphasize certain educational practices, students engage in practices, students engage in them to a greater extent than them to a greater extent than their peers elsewhere.their peers elsewhere.
2.2. Good things go togetherGood things go together
Focus on Student SuccessFocus on Student Success
““Sea change” at KU to emphasize Sea change” at KU to emphasize undergraduate instruction undergraduate instruction
Experienced instructors teach lower Experienced instructors teach lower division and introductory coursesdivision and introductory courses
Faculty members from each academic Faculty members from each academic unit serve as “Faculty Ambassadors” unit serve as “Faculty Ambassadors” to the Center for Teaching Excellence to the Center for Teaching Excellence
Course enrollments kept low in many Course enrollments kept low in many undergraduate courses; 80% have 30 undergraduate courses; 80% have 30 or fewer students; 93% 50 or fewer or fewer students; 93% 50 or fewer students.students.
Something Else That Something Else That Really MattersReally Matters in College in College
The greatest impact appears The greatest impact appears to stem from studentsto stem from students’’ total total levellevel of campus engagement, of campus engagement, particularly when academic, particularly when academic, interpersonal, and interpersonal, and extracurricular involvements extracurricular involvements are are mutually reinforcingmutually reinforcing……
Pascarella & Terenzini, Pascarella & Terenzini, How College How College Affects StudentsAffects Students, 2005, p. 647, 2005, p. 647
It Takes a Whole Campus It Takes a Whole Campus to Educate a Studentto Educate a Student
Difference MakersDifference Makers
Student success is the product of Student success is the product of thousands of small gestures thousands of small gestures extended on a daily basis by extended on a daily basis by caring, supportive educators caring, supportive educators sprinkled throughout the sprinkled throughout the institution who enact a talent institution who enact a talent development philosophy. development philosophy.
Creating Conditions That Matter to Creating Conditions That Matter to Student SuccessStudent Success
We can’t leave We can’t leave serendipity to chanceserendipity to chance
Institutional ReflectionInstitutional Reflection
Areas of Areas of EffectiveEffective
EducationalEducationalPracticePractice
Areas of Areas of Question or Question or ImprovementImprovement
Using Engagement and Other DataUsing Engagement and Other Data
How well do our programs work and how How well do our programs work and how do we know?do we know?
How many students do our efforts How many students do our efforts reach in meaningful ways and how reach in meaningful ways and how
do we do we know? know? To what degree are our programs and To what degree are our programs and
practices complementary and practices complementary and synergistic? synergistic?
What are we doing that is not What are we doing that is not represented among the DEEP represented among the DEEP practices? Should we continue practices? Should we continue
to do it?to do it? What are we not doing that we What are we not doing that we
should? should?
Last WordLast Word
Most institutions cannot change the Most institutions cannot change the lineage of their students. Campus lineage of their students. Campus cultures do not change easily or cultures do not change easily or willingly. But we can do far more to willingly. But we can do far more to shape the way students approach shape the way students approach college and what they do after they college and what they do after they arrive. arrive.
Do we have the Do we have the willwill to more to more consistently use promising policies consistently use promising policies and practices to increase the odds and practices to increase the odds that more students “get ready,” “get that more students “get ready,” “get in,” and “get through?”in,” and “get through?”
ConversationConversation
http://nsse.iub.edu/pdf/Connecting_the_Dots_Report.pdf
http://nces.ed.gov/npec/pdf/Kuh_Team_Report.pdf