Why Learning Why Learning Communities Work: Communities Work: A DEEPer Look at A DEEPer Look at Effective Effective Educational Educational Practice Practice George D. Kuh George D. Kuh Center for Postsecondary Center for Postsecondary Research Research
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Why Learning Communities Work: A DEEPer Look at Effective Educational Practice George D. Kuh
Why Learning Communities Work: A DEEPer Look at Effective Educational Practice George D. Kuh Center for Postsecondary Research Indiana University Bloomington November 16, 2004. Student Engagement Quiz. True or False? - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
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A DEEPer Look at A DEEPer Look at Effective Educational Effective Educational
PracticePractice
George D. KuhGeorge D. KuhCenter for Postsecondary ResearchCenter for Postsecondary Research
Indiana University Bloomington Indiana University Bloomington November 16, 2004November 16, 2004
Student Engagement QuizStudent Engagement Quiz
True or False?True or False?
More first-year students at More first-year students at research universities research universities participate in learning participate in learning communities than their peers communities than their peers at liberal arts colleges.at liberal arts colleges.
TrueTrue (15% vs. 9%)(15% vs. 9%)
Student Engagement QuizStudent Engagement Quiz
True or False?True or False?
More students at research More students at research universities do community universities do community service as part of a class than service as part of a class than students attending liberal arts students attending liberal arts colleges.colleges.
FalseFalse (47% vs. 37%)(47% vs. 37%)
We all want the same thing—We all want the same thing—an undergraduate experience an undergraduate experience that results in high levels of that results in high levels of learning and personal learning and personal development for all students.development for all students.
NSSE Framework and NSSE Framework and Status Status
What We’ve Learned What We’ve Learned ImplicationsImplications
Points to PonderPoints to Ponder What are we trying to accomplish What are we trying to accomplish
with living-learning environments?with living-learning environments?
What makes for an educationally What makes for an educationally effective living-learning effective living-learning environment?environment?
What would be persuasive evidence What would be persuasive evidence that we are accomplishing our that we are accomplishing our intended purposes?intended purposes?
What would be useful data for What would be useful data for improving our programs?improving our programs?
Time Spent Preparing for Class (Per Class Per Week)
Faculty expectation of hours/week
Faculty belief of actual
hours/week
Student reported hours/week from NSSE
Subject Area
Lower Div.
Upper Div.
Lower Div.
Upper Div.
First- Year
Senior
Arts and Humanities 5.6 5.7 3.0 3.6 3.6 3.8
Biological/life sciences 6.2 6.0 2.8 3.4 4.0 3.8
Business 5.7 5.7 2.8 3.2 3.0 2.9
Education 4.4 5.1 2.6 3.4 3.3 3.4
Engineering 6.3 6.6 4.1 4.9 3.9 4.3
Physical Sciences 6.6 6.7 3.4 4.2 3.8 4.0
Professional 5.2 5.7 2.9 3.4 3.6 3.8
Social Sciences 5.2 5.6 2.5 3.1 3.4 3.3
Other 5.0 5.4 2.7 3.2 3.1 3.0
Totals 5.6 5.7 3.0 3.4 3.4 3.4
What Matters to What Matters to Student SuccessStudent Success
Lessons from Lessons from the researchthe research
Lessons from the ResearchLessons from the Research
What matters most to desired What matters most to desired outcomes is what students outcomes is what students dodo, , not who they arenot who they are
A key factor for student learning A key factor for student learning is the is the quality of effortquality of effort students students devote to educationally devote to educationally purposeful activitiespurposeful activities
What What ReallyReally Matters in College: Matters in College: Student EngagementStudent Engagement
““The research is unequivocal: The research is unequivocal: students who are actively involved students who are actively involved in both academic and out-of-class in both academic and out-of-class activities gain more from the activities gain more from the college experience than those who college experience than those who are not so involved.”are not so involved.”
Ernest T. Pascarella & Patrick T. Terenzini, Ernest T. Pascarella & Patrick T. Terenzini, How College Affects StudentsHow College Affects Students
Lessons from the ResearchLessons from the Research
What matters most is what What matters most is what students do, not who they arestudents do, not who they are
A key factor is the quality of effort A key factor is the quality of effort students expendstudents expend
Educationally effective institutions Educationally effective institutions channel student energy toward the channel student energy toward the right activitiesright activities
Principles for Good Practice Principles for Good Practice in Undergraduate Educationin Undergraduate Education
Student-faculty contactStudent-faculty contact Active learningActive learning Prompt feedbackPrompt feedback High expectationsHigh expectations Respect for diverse learning Respect for diverse learning
stylesstyles Cooperation among studentsCooperation among students Time on taskTime on task
Student Engagement QuizStudent Engagement Quiz
What percent of full-time What percent of full-time students study two hours or students study two hours or more for every hour in more for every hour in class?class?
Two Components of Two Components of Student EngagementStudent Engagement
1.1. What students do –What students do –TTime and energy devoted ime and energy devoted to educationally to educationally purposeful activitiespurposeful activities
2.2. What institutions do –What institutions do – Effective educational Effective educational practices to induce practices to induce students to do the right students to do the right thingsthings
Worth PonderingWorth Pondering
We value what we measureWe value what we measure
Therefore, we should Therefore, we should carefully decide what to carefully decide what to measure and make certain it measure and make certain it comports with our comports with our institutional mission, values, institutional mission, values, and desired outcomes. and desired outcomes.
Types of MeasuresTypes of Measures
Outcomes measuresOutcomes measuresEvidence of what Evidence of what students have learned or students have learned or can do can do
Process MeasuresProcess MeasuresEvidence of effective Evidence of effective educational activity by educational activity by students and institutionsstudents and institutions
Evidence of Evidence of Student EngagementStudent Engagement
To what extent do To what extent do students engage in students engage in effective effective educational educational practices?practices?
National Survey of National Survey of Student EngagementStudent Engagement(pronounced “nessie”)(pronounced “nessie”)
Community College Community College Survey of Student Survey of Student EngagementEngagement(pronounced “sessie”)(pronounced “sessie”)
College student surveys that assess College student surveys that assess the extent to which students engage the extent to which students engage in educational practices associated in educational practices associated with high levels of learning and with high levels of learning and developmentdevelopment
NSSE Project ScopeNSSE Project Scope
620,000 students from 850+ 620,000 students from 850+ different schools different schools
68% of 4-yr undergraduate FTE 68% of 4-yr undergraduate FTE
50 states, Puerto Rico, Canada50 states, Puerto Rico, Canada
70+ consortia70+ consortia
The College Student ReportThe College Student Report
Student Behaviors
Institutional Actions & Requirements
Reactions to College
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?
What percent of first-year What percent of first-year students students nevernever discuss discuss ideas outside of class with a ideas outside of class with a faculty member?faculty member?
Academic Challenge, Active Learning, Academic Challenge, Active Learning, Student-Faculty Interaction by Enrollment Student-Faculty Interaction by Enrollment
20
30
40
50
60
186 1238 1921 3060 6337 11343 29426Enrollment
Level of Academic Challenge
Active and Collaborative Learning
Student Interactions with Faculty Members
Student engagement Student engagement varies more varies more withinwithin than than between institutions.between 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
Student-Faculty Interaction: First-Year Students at Liberal Arts Institutions
0
20
40
60
80
100
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Liberal Arts Institutions
Percentile 10
Percentile 50
Percentile 90
Worth PonderingWorth Pondering
How do we reach How do we reach our least engaged our least engaged students?students?
Who’s more engaged?Who’s more engaged?
WomenWomen Fraternity & sorority membersFraternity & sorority members Full-time studentsFull-time students Students who live on campusStudents who live on campus Students with diversity Students with diversity
experiencesexperiences Learning community studentsLearning community students
Experiences with DiversityExperiences with DiversityDependent variable
1st year students Seniors
Student Engagement Academic challenge 0.43 0.41 Higher order 0.42 0.41 Active and Collaborative 0.44 0.43 Supportive Campus Environment Supportive 0.37 0.34 Interpersonal 0.28 0.26 Support for learning 0.37 0.33 Satisfaction 0.26 0.24 Gains in Learning and Intellectual Development Gains - personal/social 0.43 0.42 Gains – general education 0.34 0.32 Gains in Social Awareness Gains - Contributing to community 0.34 0.34 Gains - Understanding self 0.27 0.36 Gains - Understanding others 0.32 0.28
Who is likely to participate in Who is likely to participate in LCs?LCs?
Both classes: Non-transfer, Both classes: Non-transfer, minority, Greek, fulltime minority, Greek, fulltime students, and pre-students, and pre-professional and 2+ majorsprofessional and 2+ majors
11stst year: low parent education, year: low parent education, living on campusliving on campus
Senior: womenSenior: women
Benefits of Learning Benefits of Learning CommunitiesCommunities
Academic PerformanceAcademic Performance SAT/ACTSAT/ACT Grades without controlsGrades without controls Grades with pre-college Grades with pre-college
controlscontrols
Benefits of Learning Benefits of Learning Communities Communities
EngagementEngagement Quality of Campus Quality of Campus
EnvironmentEnvironment Learning OutcomesLearning Outcomes First-year vs. SeniorFirst-year vs. Senior
Standardized Regression Coefficient Sig.
Y-Standardized
Effect size
Standardized Regression Coefficient Sig.
Y-Standardized
Effect size
Engagement Activities
Academic Efforts .16 *** .32 .12 *** .28
Higher Order Thinking .20 *** .40 .15 *** .35
Academic Integration .19 *** .39 .16 *** .38
Active and Collaborative Learning .26 *** .53 .24 *** .54
Interactions with Faculty .30 *** .60 .22 *** .51
Diversity Experiences .21 *** .41 .16 *** .36
Perception of Campus Environment
Quality of Academic Advising .12 *** .23 .08 *** .17
What major public research What major public research university ranks in the top 10 university ranks in the top 10 among its peers in terms of among its peers in terms of external grants and contracts external grants and contracts but also did six major studies but also did six major studies of the quality of the of the quality of the undergraduate experience of undergraduate experience of its students since 1986?its students since 1986?
University of MichiganUniversity of Michigan
Project DEEPProject DEEP
To discover, To discover, document and document and describe what high describe what high performing performing institutions do and institutions do and how they achieved how they achieved this level of this level of effectiveness.effectiveness.
DEEP Selection CriteriaDEEP Selection Criteria
Controlling for student and institutional Controlling for student and institutional characteristics (i.e., selectivity, diversity, characteristics (i.e., selectivity, diversity, institutional type), DEEP schools have: institutional type), DEEP schools have:
Region and institutional Region and institutional type, special missiontype, special mission
Project DEEP PartnersProject DEEP Partners
DEEP Guiding QuestionsDEEP Guiding Questions::
What do high-performing colleges What do high-performing colleges and universities do to promote and universities do to promote student success?student success?
What campus features -- policies, What campus features -- policies, programs, and practices --programs, and practices --contribute to high levels of contribute to high levels of engagement and better than engagement and better than predicted graduation rates?predicted graduation rates?
Case study method Case study method Team of 24 researchers review institutional Team of 24 researchers review institutional
documents and conduct multiple-day site visitsdocuments and conduct multiple-day site visits Observe individuals, classes, group meetings, Observe individuals, classes, group meetings,
activities, eventsactivities, events Discover and describe effective practices and Discover and describe effective practices and
programs, campus cultureprograms, campus culture
Roundtables conducted by AAHE to Roundtables conducted by AAHE to explore uses of NSSE data for explore uses of NSSE data for improvement of student learningimprovement of student learning
Six Shared ConditionsSix Shared Conditions
1.1. ““Living” Mission and “Lived” Living” Mission and “Lived” Educational PhilosophyEducational Philosophy
2.2. Unshakeable Focus on Student Unshakeable Focus on Student Learning Learning
3.3. Environments Adapted for Environments Adapted for Educational AdvantageEducational Advantage
4.4. Clearly Marked Pathways to Clearly Marked Pathways to Student SuccessStudent Success
5.5. Improvement-Oriented EthosImprovement-Oriented Ethos6.6. Shared Responsibility for Shared Responsibility for
Educational Quality Educational Quality
Hay muchas maneras de Hay muchas maneras de matar pulgasmatar pulgas
There are many ways to kill fleasThere are many ways to kill fleas
Worth NotingWorth Noting
Many roads to an engaging Many roads to an engaging institutioninstitution
No one best modelNo one best model Different combinations of Different combinations of
Anything worth doing is Anything worth doing is worth doing well at scaleworth doing well at scale
Lessons Lessons Unshakeable Focus on Student Unshakeable Focus on Student
LearningLearning
Student learning and personal Student learning and personal development are high priorities. development are high priorities.
Bent toward engaging pedagogies Bent toward engaging pedagogies ““Cool passion” for talent Cool passion” for talent
development (students, faculty, staff)development (students, faculty, staff) Making time for studentsMaking time for students Recruit and reward faculty and staff Recruit and reward faculty and staff
committed to pedagogical committed to pedagogical experimentationexperimentation
Unshakeable Focus on Student Unshakeable Focus on Student LearningLearning
Faculty and administrators Faculty and administrators challenge students with high challenge students with high standards standards
““Work with the students we have,” Work with the students we have,” in contrast to focusing only on the in contrast to focusing only on the best and the brightestbest and the brightest
University of Texas at El Paso University of Texas at El Paso uses learning communities and uses learning communities and course-based service learning course-based service learning and volunteerism to actively and volunteerism to actively engage its mostly commuter, engage its mostly commuter, first-generation students.first-generation students.
CSUMB and George Mason require CSUMB and George Mason require every student to take from 1-3 every student to take from 1-3 writing-intensive courses. They writing-intensive courses. They along with most DEEP schools have along with most DEEP schools have strong writing centers to emphasize strong writing centers to emphasize and support the importance of good and support the importance of good writing. writing.
University of Maine at Farmington’s University of Maine at Farmington’s Student Work Initiative employs Student Work Initiative employs students in meaningful work in students in meaningful work in student services, laboratories, and student services, laboratories, and field-research. Such experiences field-research. Such experiences provide opportunities to apply what provide opportunities to apply what they are learning to practical, real-life they are learning to practical, real-life situations.situations.
Lessons Lessons
Clearly Marked Pathways to Clearly Marked Pathways to Student SuccessStudent Success
Make plain to students the resources Make plain to students the resources and services available to help them and services available to help them succeed.succeed.
Some guideposts tied directly to the Some guideposts tied directly to the academic program; others related to academic program; others related to student and campus culture. student and campus culture.
Institutional publications accurately Institutional publications accurately describe what students experience. describe what students experience.
Clearly Marked Pathways to Student Clearly Marked Pathways to Student Success Success
Efforts tailored to student needs. Efforts tailored to student needs. Mutually reinforcing student Mutually reinforcing student
expectations and behavior, expectations and behavior, institutional expectations, and institutional expectations, and institutional reward systems. institutional reward systems.
Redundant early warning systems Redundant early warning systems and safety netsand safety nets
High quality living environmentsHigh quality living environments
Miami (Ohio) created the First Year Miami (Ohio) created the First Year Experience (FYE) Committee to Experience (FYE) Committee to explore ways to enhance the explore ways to enhance the holistic FYE. Means to achieve their holistic FYE. Means to achieve their goals include (1) Miami Plan goals include (1) Miami Plan Foundation courses taught by full-Foundation courses taught by full-time faculty; (2) optional first-year time faculty; (2) optional first-year seminars; (3) community living seminars; (3) community living options that emphasize leadership options that emphasize leadership and service; and (4) cultural, and service; and (4) cultural, intellectual, and arts events. intellectual, and arts events.
““You confront so many different You confront so many different people and so many different people and so many different views… It really enhances the views… It really enhances the learning environment because learning environment because you don’t just learn in the you don’t just learn in the classroom…classroom…California State University Monterey Bay California State University Monterey Bay studentstudent