student engagement: 2008 national survey of student engagement (nsse)

Student Engagement:

2008 National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE)

Office of Institutional Research and Planning

Presentation to SenateNovember 2008

2

What is NSSE?• Developed by the Indiana University Center for

Postsecondary Research

• Based on many years of US research into the outcomes of a high-quality education

• Survey items represent empirically confirmed good practices in undergraduate education

• In use in US since 1999 (769 universities in 2008)

• In use in Canada since 2004 (10 universities, including Carleton)

• All 19 Ontario Universities participated in 2008.

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What is NSSE’s focus?• First-year and graduating students are surveyed

• Questions address curricular (in-class) and co-curricular (out-of-class) experiences

• Questions include clusters addressing NSSE’s five Benchmarks of Effective Educational Practice: Level of Academic Challenge (LAC) Active and Collaborative Learning (ACL) Student-Faculty Interaction (SFI) Enriching Educational Experiences (EEE) Supportive Campus Environment (SCE)

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2008 NSSE at Carleton• In February 2008 Carleton participated in NSSE for the

fourth time.

• All first-year and final-year undergraduates were invited to complete the survey. A total of 3,774 students responded to the survey:

−49% response rate−2,103 first-year students, −1,671 final-year students

Large enough sample size to do analysis by subgroups

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Analysis done so far of 2008 NSSE

• Summary of Carleton Results Benchmarks, overall impressions, quality of relationships,

Ontario Consortium questions. Comparisons to Ontario Consortium and 2006

• Results by Academic Faculty Similar to analysis done in summary

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NSSE 2008: First-Year Mean Benchmark Scores

Carleton2008

Carleton2006

Rest of Ontario2008

Level of Academic Challenge

50.3 50.2 51.4

Active and Collaborative Learning

34.8 35.2 35.3

Student-Faculty Interaction 24.1 23.1 23.5

Enriching Educational Experiences

25.1 24.3 25.0

Supportive Campus Environment

56.8 56.5 55.9

Shading denotes a statistically significant difference from Carleton.

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NSSE 2008: Final-Year Mean Benchmark Scores

Carleton2008

Carleton2006

Rest of Ontario2008


57.3 55.5 55.8


42.6 42.8 44.1

Student-Faculty Interaction 32.4 30.2 32.8


33.3 32.7 34.9

Supportive Campus Environment

53.3 50.2 51.4

Shading denotes a statistically significant difference from Carleton.

NSSE 2008: How would you evaluate your entire educational experience at this institution?

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NSSE 2008: If you could start over again, would you choose the same institution?

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NSSE 2008: Quality of Relationships With…

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Differences in Quality of Relationships

• Other Students:2008 First-Year Carleton > 2008 Ontario First-Year

• Administrative Personnel and Offices:2008 Final-Year Carleton > 2008 Ontario Final-Year

AND2008 Final-Year Carleton > 2006 Carleton Final-Year

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Biggest Obstacle to Academic ProgressCarleton and the Rest of Ontario

First-Year Respondents

CarletonOntario

(excluding Carleton)

Financial pressures or work obligations 28% 24%

Your academic performance at university 25% 29%

Family/personal problems or obligations 12% 14%

Not applicable/you have faced no obstacles

13% 12%

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Biggest Obstacle to Academic ProgressCarleton, by Faculty

First-Year RespondentsArts& SocSc

Public Affairs Business Science Engineer.

& DesignFinancial/ work pressures

32% 28% 27% 26% 27%

Academic performance

21% 27% 26% 30% 26%

Family/personal problems or obligations

15% 11% 13% 9% 8%

Not applicable/ no obstacles

12% 12% 13% 10% 17%

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Biggest Obstacle to Academic ProgressCarleton and the Rest of Ontario

Final-Year Respondents

CarletonOntario

(excluding Carleton)

Financial pressures or work obligations 34% 29%

Family/personal problems or obligations 14% 14%

Your academic performance at university 12% 15%

Not applicable/you have faced no obstacles

11% 11%

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Biggest Obstacle to Academic ProgressCarleton, by Faculty

Fourth-Year RespondentsArts& SocSc

Public Affairs Business Science Engineer.

& DesignFinancial/ work pressures

40% 35% 24% 31% 33%

Family/personal problems or obligations

15% 13% 12% 16% 11%

Academic performance

10% 8% 12% 13% 11%

Not applicable/ no obstacles

11% 15% 16% 13% 16%

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University Most Needs to Address… in ClassFirst-Year Respondents

Carleton Ontario (excluding Carleton)

1 Improving the quality of teaching assistants (28%)

Ensuring a better fit between course content, assignments

and tests/exams (26%)

2 Improving the quality of course instruction by profs (24%)

Improving the quality of course instruction by profs (25%)

3Ensuring a better fit between course content, assignments


Improving the quality of teaching assistants (22%)

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University Most Needs to Address… in ClassRanked by Faculty for First-Year Respondents

Arts & Social Science Public Affairs Business Science Engineering

& Design

1Increase

courses in major (28%)

Better fit between

content/tests(23%)

Course instruction by profs (35%)

TAs(44%)

TAs(41%)

2 TAs (21%)

TAs(22%)

TAs(32%)


Course instruction by profs

(35%)

3

Better fit between

content/tests(20%)

Course instruction by profs (21%) Better fit

between content/tests

(20%)

Increase courses in

major (17%) Better fit between

content/tests(22%)

Increase courses in

major (21%)

Better fit between

content/tests(17%)

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University Most Needs to Address… in ClassFinal-Year Respondents


1 Increase course offerings in your major (35%)

Increase course offerings in your major (34%)

2Improving the quality of

course instruction by profs (28%)

Improving the quality of course instruction by profs (29%)

3Improving the quality of

teaching assistants(21%)

Ensuring a better fit between course content, assignments


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University Most Needs to Address… in ClassRanked by Faculty for Fourth-Year Respondents

Arts & Social Science Public Affairs Business Science Engineering &

Design

1Increase

courses in major (48%)

Increase courses in

major (30%)


Increase courses in

major (32%)

Course instruction by profs

(36%)

2Classrooms and lecture halls (21%)


Increase courses in

major (31%)

Improving quality of

labs (27%)

TAs(34%)

3Course

instruction by profs (20%)

TAs(20%) TAs

(23%)TAs

(25%)

Increase courses in

major (26%)Reducing

class sizes (20%)

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University Most Needs to Address… Out of ClassFirst-Year Respondents


1Improving the

quality/availability of study space (31%)

Improving the quality/availability of study

space (30%)

2Increasing contact with

professors outside of class (24%)

Increasing contact with professors outside of class

(26%)

3Working to provide a better

social environment for students (22%)

Expanding/improving the quality of academic support

services (23%)

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University Most Needs to Address… Out of ClassRanked by Faculty for First-Year Respondents

Arts & Social Science Public Affairs Business Science Engineering

& Design

1 Study space (33%)

Study space (30%)

Study space (32%)

Study space (34%)

Study space (31%)

2

better social environment for students

(23%)

Increased contact with profs outside class (22%)




3


better social environ. (21%) Provide

better social environment for students

(24%)

Research with faculty

(25%)

Research with faculty (22%)Acad. Support

serv. (21%)better social environment for students

(22%)

Opp. for int’l experiences

(21%)

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University Most Needs to Address… Out of ClassFinal-Year Respondents


1 Improving the quality/availability of study space (39%)

Improving the quality/availability of study

space (34%)

2Providing students with more

opportunities to undertake research with faculty (33%)

Providing students with more opportunities to undertake research with faculty (32%)

3Working to provide a better

social environment for students (17%)

Expanding/improving the quality of academic support

services (18%)

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University Most Needs to Address… Out of ClassRanked by Faculty for Fourth-Year Respondents

Arts & Social Science

Public Affairs Business Science Engineering

& Design

1 Study space (42%)

Study space (40%)

Study space (40%)

Study space (48%)

Study space (39%)

2Research

with faculty (34%)


(30%)

Provide better social environ.

for students (21%)

Research with faculty (44%)


(36%)

3

Improve library

collection (26%)

Provide better social environment for students

(20%)

Research with faculty (20%)

Academic support (13%)

Contact with profs.

outside class (18%)

Contact with profs. outside class (13%)

Better social env. (13%)

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NSSE 2008: Next Steps

• Work with the newly established NSSE Advisory Committee to identify priorities for further analysis

• More presentations (Faculties, Senate, CASG)

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Questions about NSSE?

• For more information about NSSE, please go to nsse.iub.edu

• For more information on Carleton University, and the results of the surveys in which it participates (including NSSE), please go to www.carleton.ca/oirp or contact: Nathasha Macdonald in the Office of Institutional Research and Planning [email protected] or ext 4473.

http://www.carleton.ca/oirp

mailto:[email protected]

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AppendixThe NSSE Benchmarks

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• Challenging intellectual and creative work is central to student learning and university quality

• Universities promote high levels of achievement by setting high expectations for student performance

• Eleven items, including: Preparing for class Reading and writing Using higher-order thinking skills Institutional environment that emphasizes academic work

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• Students learn more when they are more actively involved in their education

• Collaborating with others prepares students to handle practical, real-world problems.

• Seven items, including: Asking questions in class Making presentations Working with other students on projects Discussing ideas from readings or classes with others

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Student Interactions with Faculty

• Interacting with experts shows students first-hand how to think about and solve practical problems

• Teachers become role models and mentors for learning

• Six items, including: Discussing assignments with a professor Talking about career plans with faculty member or advisor Getting prompt feedback on academic performance Working with a faculty member on a research project

30


• Learning opportunities that complement the goals of the academic program

• Provide opportunities to integrate and apply knowledge

• Twelve items, including: Experience diversity Using technology Participating in internships Culminating senior experience

31

Supportive Campus Environment• Students perform better and are more satisfied at

colleges that are committed to their success

• Does institution cultivate positive working and social relationships among different groups on campus?

• Six items, including: Helps students achieve academically Helping students cope with non-academic responsibilities Promoting supportive relationship between students and

peers, faculty, and administrative personnel

student engagement: 2008 national survey of student engagement (nsse)

Documents

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