MARTIN COMMUNITY COLLEGE 

ACHIEVING THE DREAMCOMMUNITY COLLEGES COUNT

 IIPS Conference

Charlotte, North CarolinaJuly 24-26, 2006

Session: AtD – Use of DataSession: AtD – Use of Data

Mary M. CauleyMary M. Cauley

AtD Colleges must use data relative to AtD Colleges must use data relative to student success to plan and evaluate student success to plan and evaluate interventions.interventions.

Martin Community College (MCC) used Martin Community College (MCC) used student engagement data in plans to student engagement data in plans to increase student success.increase student success.

MCC is a small, rural, single-campus institution with fewer than 1,000 students.

Research shows that the more actively engaged students are - -

with faculty and staff ־

with other students ־

- - with the subject matter they study ־ 

the more likely they are to learn and to stay in college until they achieve their academic goals.

Student engagement is a valuable yardstick for assessing whether and to what extent an institution’s educational practices are likely to produce successful results.

The term “successful results” is defined as more students across all groups learning at higher levels and achieving their academic goals.

MCC wanted to know:MCC wanted to know:

if our students are actively engaged in the if our students are actively engaged in the ־־institution, and if so,institution, and if so,

- at what level they are engaged.- at what level they are engaged.

To do this, we asked our students about their level To do this, we asked our students about their level of engagement.of engagement.

We listened to student voices through the We listened to student voices through the administration of the Community College Survey administration of the Community College Survey of Student Engagement (CCSSE)of Student Engagement (CCSSE)

A growing body of research has identified A growing body of research has identified institutional practices and student behaviors institutional practices and student behaviors that promote student engagement.that promote student engagement.

The CCSSE survey targets these areas for The CCSSE survey targets these areas for improvement.improvement.

Good practice in undergraduate education: Encourages student-faculty contact.Encourages student-faculty contact. Develops reciprocity and cooperation among Develops reciprocity and cooperation among

students.students. Encourages active learning.Encourages active learning. Gives prompt feedback.Gives prompt feedback. Emphasizes time on task.Emphasizes time on task. Communicates high expectations.Communicates high expectations. Respects diverse talents and ways of knowing.Respects diverse talents and ways of knowing.

CCSSE measures students’ levels of engagement CCSSE measures students’ levels of engagement in good educational practices and what they gain in good educational practices and what they gain from their college experience.from their college experience.

   The good practices in undergraduate education are The good practices in undergraduate education are

used as benchmarks.used as benchmarks.

Benchmarks are groups of conceptually related Benchmarks are groups of conceptually related items that address key areas of student items that address key areas of student engagement, learning, and persistence.engagement, learning, and persistence.

CCSSE’s 5 benchmarks denote areas that CCSSE’s 5 benchmarks denote areas that educational research has shown to be important in educational research has shown to be important in quality educational practice.quality educational practice.

Benchmarks of effective educational practice:Benchmarks of effective educational practice:

1. Active and collaborative learning.1. Active and collaborative learning.

2. Student effort.2. Student effort.

3. Academic challenge.3. Academic challenge.

4. Student-faculty interaction.4. Student-faculty interaction.

5. Support for learners.5. Support for learners.

Benchmark No. 1Active and Collaborative Learning

4a. Asked questions in class or contributed to class discussions.4a. Asked questions in class or contributed to class discussions. 4b. Made a class presentation.4b. Made a class presentation. 4f. Worked with other students on projects during class.4f. Worked with other students on projects during class. 4g. Worked with classmates outside of class to prepare class 4g. Worked with classmates outside of class to prepare class

assignments.assignments. 4h. Tutored or taught other students4h. Tutored or taught other students 4i. Participated in a community based project as a part of a 4i. Participated in a community based project as a part of a

regular course.regular course. 4r. Discussed ideas from your readings or classes with others 4r. Discussed ideas from your readings or classes with others

outside of class (students, family members, co-workers, etc.)outside of class (students, family members, co-workers, etc.)

These benchmarks are tools that can be These benchmarks are tools that can be used to compare college performance across used to compare college performance across benchmarks, to similarly-sized institutions, benchmarks, to similarly-sized institutions, and to the full CCSSE population of and to the full CCSSE population of community colleges.community colleges.

Part-time vs. full-time student enrollment status:Part-time vs. full-time student enrollment status:

Research samples are based on classes not Research samples are based on classes not students.students.

CCSSE samples entire classes of students.CCSSE samples entire classes of students. Therefore, more full-time students are selected for Therefore, more full-time students are selected for

the surveys, simply because the full-time students the surveys, simply because the full-time students are enrolled in more classes than part-time are enrolled in more classes than part-time students. Thus, the full-time students are more students. Thus, the full-time students are more likely to be selected.likely to be selected.

While 2/3 of the students attending participating While 2/3 of the students attending participating community colleges attend part time, the survey community colleges attend part time, the survey showed the opposite.showed the opposite.

CCSSE assigns weights to responses based on CCSSE assigns weights to responses based on respondents’ enrollment status, thereby producing respondents’ enrollment status, thereby producing more accurate measures of student engagement.more accurate measures of student engagement.

When aggregate data are reported for both part-When aggregate data are reported for both part-time and full-time students, it is weighted by time and full-time students, it is weighted by enrollment status. enrollment status.

Goal: To increase community college student Goal: To increase community college student engagement and ultimately completion rates.engagement and ultimately completion rates.

We can use survey results to improve our We can use survey results to improve our programs and services for students.programs and services for students.

CCSSE 2005 CCSSE 2005 SurveySurvey

MCC MCC RespondentsRespondents

CCSSE CCSSE Colleges Colleges PopulationPopulation

GenderGender

MaleMale 15.2%15.2% 40.7%40.7%

FemaleFemale 84.8%84.8% 59.3%59.3%

CCSSE 2005 CCSSE 2005 SurveySurvey

MCC MCC RespondentsRespondents

CCSSE CCSSE Colleges Colleges PopulationPopulation

Enrollment Enrollment StatusStatus

Full timeFull time 77.5%77.5% 40.2%40.2%

Part timePart time 22.5%22.5% 59.8%59.8%

Five ways you can analyze and interpret your Five ways you can analyze and interpret your CCSSE results:CCSSE results:

(Consider the results in terms of your own (Consider the results in terms of your own college mission, institutional focus, and college mission, institutional focus, and student characteristics.)student characteristics.)

1. Compare your college to the national 1. Compare your college to the national average. (Look at areas in which you are average. (Look at areas in which you are most different. Then identify strengths and most different. Then identify strengths and areas for improvement.)areas for improvement.)

2. Compare your college to “high performing 2. Compare your college to “high performing colleges.”colleges.”

3. Measure your college’s performance in terms of 3. Measure your college’s performance in terms of your least-engaged student group.your least-engaged student group.You can use your raw data file to look atYou can use your raw data file to look at

a.a. first-generation studentsfirst-generation studentsb.b. developmental studentsdevelopmental studentsc.c. high-risk students (single parents, having to care high-risk students (single parents, having to care

for dependents attending college part time, low for dependents attending college part time, low income, etc.)income, etc.)

You can also compare engagement levels of You can also compare engagement levels of a.a. minority groupsminority groupsb.b. returning female studentsreturning female studentsc.c. other groupsother groups

4. Gauge work in areas most strongly valued. 4. Gauge work in areas most strongly valued. Examine results in light of your institution’s Examine results in light of your institution’s vision, mission, and/or strategic objectives. vision, mission, and/or strategic objectives. Which of the benchmarks are most important to Which of the benchmarks are most important to your college?your college?

5. Compare where you are now with where you want 5. Compare where you are now with where you want to be. Perform a gap analysis—where you are now to be. Perform a gap analysis—where you are now versus where you want to be. What issues have versus where you want to be. What issues have been identified for your college through self-study been identified for your college through self-study for reaffirmation of accreditation? Or for reaffirmation of accreditation? Or recommendations from the visiting team?recommendations from the visiting team?

Report to the faculty and to the college Report to the faculty and to the college community on actions taken in response to community on actions taken in response to the survey results.the survey results.

Involve your students in discussions about Involve your students in discussions about your CCSSE survey results. The survey your CCSSE survey results. The survey emphasizes that students have a role to play emphasizes that students have a role to play in their own learning, and these are their in their own learning, and these are their observation on their educational observation on their educational experiences. Encourage student-faculty experiences. Encourage student-faculty discussions.discussions.

Both positive and negative survey data can Both positive and negative survey data can help improve educational practice and help improve educational practice and performance. Use the positive data to performance. Use the positive data to showcase your college’s best practices.showcase your college’s best practices.

Sources of ResearchSources of Research 1984 – National Institute of Education1984 – National Institute of Education 1987 – “Seven Principles for Good Practice 1987 – “Seven Principles for Good Practice

in Undergraduate Education. Chickering in Undergraduate Education. Chickering and Gamsonand Gamson

1991- How College Affects Students. 1991- How College Affects Students. Pascarella and TeranziniPascarella and Teranzini

1993 – Leaving College. Tinto1993 – Leaving College. Tinto

Thank you Thank you