NSSE and the College of Letters and Sciences Chris Fastnow Office of Planning and Analysis November 7, 2008.

NSSE and the College of Letters and Sciences

Chris FastnowOffice of Planning and

AnalysisNovember 7, 2008

An Introduction:NSSE and the Concept of Student Engagement

What is Student Engagement?

• What students do -- time and energy devoted to educationally purposeful activities

• What institutions do -- using effective educational practices to induce students to do the right things

• Educationally effective institutions channel student energy toward the right activities

Seven Principles of Good Practice in Undergraduate Education

(Chickering & Gamson, 1987; Pascarella & Terenzini, 2005)

Student-faculty contact Active learning Prompt feedback Time on task High expectations Experiences with diversity Cooperation among

students

National Survey of Student Engagement

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

NSSE Survey Content

Student Behaviors in CollegeStudent Behaviors in College

Institutional Actions And RequirementsInstitutional Actions And Requirements

Student Reactions to CollegeStudent Reactions to College

Student BackgroundInformation

Student BackgroundInformation

Student Learning & Development

NSSE 2008 Respondentsby Race and Ethnicity

NSSE 2008 Responden

ts

NSSE 2008 Population

MSU Responden

ts

MSU Population

National

African American/Black 9% 12% 0% 0% 12%

Amer Indian/Alaska Native 1% 1% 2% 3% 1%

Asian/Asian Amer/Pacific Islander

6% 7% 2% 1% 7%

Caucasian/White 76% 69% 87% 89% 67%

Hispanic 7% 9% 2% 1% 10%

Other 2% 2% 1% 3% -

Multiracial/Ethnic <1% <1% 2% - -

International 5% 2% 2% 1% 3%

Totals may not sum to 100% due to rounding. NSSE 2008 population data are provided by participating institutions. U.S. percentages are unweighted and based on data from the 2007 IPEDS Institutional Characteristics and Enrollment File. IPEDS and NSSE categories for race and ethnicity differ. Percentages exclude students whose ethnicity was unknown or not provided.

NSSE 2008 Survey Population and Respondents More than 1.4 million

students were invited to participate in NSSE 2008, with 478,079 responding

3,157 students were invited to participate, with 1074 responding

NSSE 2008 Response Rates

MSU’s response rate = 34% (up from 25% in 2007

Average Institutional Response

Rates

37% for all NSSE 2008 institutions 39% for Web-only institutions

BENCHMARK SCORES

NSSE Indicators ofEffective Educational Practice

Level of Academic Challenge

Active & Collaborative

Learning

Enriching Educational Experiences

Student – Faculty

Interaction

Supportive Campus

Environment

Level of Academic Challenge (2008)

MSU First Year Peer First Year MSU Senior Peer Senior0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

51.6 52.955.3 54.7

Active and Collaborative Learning (2008)

MSU First Year Peer First Year MSU Senior Peer Senior0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

41.5 40.1

50.747.6

Student-Faculty Interaction(2008)

MSU First Year Peer First Year MSU Senior Peer Senior0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

30.4 32.139.2 40.8

Enriching Educational Experiences

(2008)

MSU First Year Peer First Year MSU Senior Peer Senior0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

21.728.6

36.342.4

Supportive Campus Environment (2008)

MSU First Year Peer First Year MSU Senior Peer Senior0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

56.360.1

52.5 55.6

SUMMARY QUESTIONS

To what extent has your experience at MSU contributed to your knowledge, skills, and personal

development in the following areas? (1= very little, 4 = very much)

MSU 1st Year

Peer 1st Year

MSU Senior

Peer Senior

Acquiring a broad general education

2.99 3.23 * 3.08 3.28 *

Acquiring job or work-related knowledge and skills

2.64 2.82 * 2.99 3.00

Writing clearly and effectively 2.82 2.95 * 2.90 3.02 *

Speaking clearly and effectively 2.65 2.74 * 2.79 2.89

Thinking critically and analytically

3.08 3.21 * 3.32 3.31

Analyzing quantitative problems 2.88 2.99 * 3.14 3.01 *

Using computing and information technology

2.83 3.07 * 3.26 3.19

Working effectively with others 2.81 2.96 * 3.05 3.10

To what extent has your experience at MSU contributed to your knowledge, skills, and personal

development in the following areas? (1= very little, 4 = very much)

MSU 1st Year

Peer 1st Year

MSU Senior

Peer Senior

Learning effectively on your own 2.72 2.99 * 2.90 3.03 *

Understanding yourself 2.54 2.78 * 2.54 2.81 *

Solving complex real-world problems

2.51 2.68 * 2.70 2.74

Voting in local, state, or national elections

1.81 2.26 * 1.85 2.10 *

Understanding people of other racial and ethnic backgrounds

2.25 2.66 * 2.17 2.57 *

Developing a personal code of values and ethics

2.37 2.66 * 2.40 2.60 *

Contributing to the welfare of your community

2.15 2.45 * 2.17 2.37 *

Developing a deepened sense of spirituality

1.80 1.99 * 1.54 1.73 *

Overall, how would you evaluate the quality of academic advising you have

received at MSU?(1=poor, 4=excellent)

MSU First Year Peer First Year MSU Senior Peer Senior1

2

3

4

2.84

3.02

2.602.73

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

(1=poor, 4=excellent)

MSU First Year Peer First Year MSU Senior Peer Senior1

2

3

4

3.06

3.263.05

3.23

If you could start over again, would you go to the same institution you are now

attending?(1=definitely no, 4=definitely yes)

MSU First Year Peer First Year MSU Senior Peer Senior1

2

3

4

3.253.36

3.143.29