Presentation Overview

1. Understanding IUPUI Students: National Survey of Student Engagement ResultsPresented by: Michele J. Hansen, Ph.D., Director of UC Assessment

2. Presentation Overview • Background and Purposes of NSSE • IUPUI Student Engagement • IUPUI Strengths • IUPUI Areas in Need of Improvement • Students’ Use of Time • Special Analysis: Student Engagement in Seminars/Learning Communities • Discussion and Next Steps

3. What is NSSE? • National survey that assesses the extent to which undergraduate students are involved in educational practices empirically linked to high levels of learning and development. • Specifically designed to assess the extent to which students are engaged in empirically derived effective educational practices and what they gain from their college experiences.

4. What Does The College Student Report Cover? Student Behaviors in College Student Learning & Development Institutional Actions And Requirements • Student Reactions to College Student Background Information

5. NSSE Project Scope • Almost 900 different colleges and universities • 50 states, Puerto Rico, and Canada • Data from more than 620,000 students

6. Urban Peer Comparison Institutions • University of Akron • University of Nebraska - Omaha • University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee • Wright State • University of Missouri - St. Louis • University of Massachusetts - Boston • University of Toledo

7. NSSE Administration • Administrated to a random sample of 1,000 first-year and 1,000 senior students.  • IUPUI over-sampled several groups of first-year students including those involved in Learning Communities, first-time, full-time students and all those in campus housing. • Where possible, each school's senior class was sampled in order to generate comparative analyses for these schools.

8. IUPUI NSSE Administration • A total of 1,683 first-year and 3,156 senior IUPUI students were included in the initial sample.  • Responses were received from 446 first-year (27% response rate) and 1,017 seniors (32% response rate). • Administered as a "mixed mode" survey including both a web and mail format for responding.  • Administered every other year (in spring)---alternates with CSSPS

9. NSSE 2004 Response Rates • IUPUI response rate = 30% • 40% overall for all NSSE 2004 institutions • 40% for Paper mode institutions • 41% for Web-only institutions • Response rates ranged from 9% to 89%

10. 2004 College Student Engagement What percentage of our students participate in community service or volunteer work? First-Year Senior 39% 43%

11. 2004 College Student Engagement What percentage of IUPUI students did not spend any time during the week participating in co-curricular activities? First-Year Senior 70% 69%

12. 2004 College Student Engagement What percentage of IUPUI students work for pay off campus more than 20 hours per week? First-Year Senior 32% 45%

13. 2004 College Student Engagement What percentage of IUPUI students participated in a learning community or some other formal program where groups of students take two or more classes together? First-Year Senior 38% 26%

14. 2004 College Student Engagement What percentage of IUPUI students discussed ideas from readings or classes with faculty members outside of class (often or very often)? First-Year Senior 14% 20%

15. What Really Matters in College Student Engagement The research is unequivocal: students who are actively involved in both academic and out-of-class activities gain more from the college experience than those who are not as involved. Pascarella & Terenzini. (1991). How college affects students.

16. Effective Educational Practices • Student-faculty contact • Active learning • Prompt feedback • Time on task • High expectations • Cooperation among students • Respect for diverse talents and ways of learning Chickering and Gamson. (1987). Seven principles of good practice in undergraduate education.

17. 2004 Effective Educational Practice What percentage of IUPUI students received prompt feedback from faculty on academic performance—written or oral (% often or very often)? First-Year Senior 51% 59%

18. Distinctive Strengths for IUPUI Freshmen • Prepared two or more drafts of a paper or assignment before turning it in • Worked with other students on projects during class • Participated in a community-based project as part of a regular course • Used e-mail to communicate with an instructor • Number of problem sets that take you more than an hour to complete • Participate in a learning community or some other formal program where groups of students take two or more classes together

19. Distinctive Strengths for IUPUI Freshmen • Spending significant amounts of time studying and on academic work • Using computers in academic work • Using computing and information technology • Writing clearly and effectively • Speaking clearly and effectively • Working effectively with others

20. IUPUI Freshmen Distinctively Low • Had serious conversations with students who are very different from you in terms of their religious beliefs, political opinions, or personal values • Number of written papers or reports of fewer than 5 pages [IUPUI students wrote fewer “short” papers] • Exercised or participated in physical fitness activities • Practicum, internship, field experience, co-op experience, or clinical assignment

21. IUPUI Freshmen Distinctively Low • Participating in co-curricular activities (organizations, campus publications, student government, social fraternity or sorority, intercollegiate or intramural sports, etc.) • Relaxing and socializing (watching TV, partying, exercising, etc.) [IUPUI students socialize less] • Working for pay off campus [IUPUI students work more hours] • Attended an art exhibit, gallery, play, dance, or other theatre performance • Voting in local, state, or national elections

22. Distinctive Strengths for IUPUI Seniors • Prepared two or more drafts of a paper or assignment before turning it in • Worked with other students on projects during class • Used an electronic medium (list-serv, chat group, Internet, etc.) to discuss or complete an assignment • Used e-mail to communicate with an instructor

23. Distinctive Strengths for IUPUI Seniors • Participate in a learning community or some other formal program where groups of students take two or more classes together • Number of problem sets that take you less than an hour to complete • Using computing and information technology • Using computers in academic work

24. IUPUI Seniors Better than Urban Peers and Doc-Intensive • Worked on a paper or project that required integrating ideas or information from various sources • Synthesizing and organizing ideas, information, or experiences into new, more complex interpretations and relationships • Memorizing facts, ideas, or methods from your courses and readings so you can repeat them in pretty much the same form [IUPUI coursework emphasizes less memorization] • Writing clearly and effectively

25. IUPUI Seniors Distinctively Low • Number of written papers or reports between 5 and 19 pages • Exercised or participated in physical fitness activities • Practicum, internship, field experience, co-op experience, or clinical assignment • Participating in co-curricular activities (organizations, campus publications, student government, social fraternity or sorority, intercollegiate or intramural sports, etc.)

26. IUPUI Seniors Distinctively Low • Providing care for dependents living with you (parents, children, spouse, etc.) [IUPUI students spend more time caring for dependents] • Relaxing and socializing (watching TV, partying, exercising, etc.) [IUPUI students socialize less] • Attending campus events and activities (special speakers, cultural performances, athletic events, etc.) • Voting in local, state, or national elections

27. Average Hours Per Week Spent in Academic and Non-Academic Pursuits Freshmen

28. Commuter First-Generation Overall African American Campus/Vicinity Resident 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% Preparing for class (studying, reading, writing, rehearsing, and other activities related to your academic program) Participating in co-curricular activities (organizations, campus publications, student government, etc.) Working for pay on campus Relaxing and socializing (watching TV, partying, exercising, etc.) Commuting to class Providing care for dependents living with you (parents, children, spouse, etc.) Working for pay off campus 2004 IUPUI Freshmen: Percent of Time Engaged in Academic and Non-Academic Activities

29. 2002 Freshmen: Percent of Time Engaged in Academic and Non-Academic Activities Commuter First-Generation Overall African American Hispanic Campus/Vicinity Resident 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% Preparing for class (studying, reading, writing, rehearsing, and other activities related to your academic program) Participating in co-curricular activities (organizations, campus publications, student government, etc.) Working for pay on campus Relaxing and socializing (watching TV, partying, exercising, etc.) Commuting to class Providing care for dependents living with you (parents, children, spouse, etc.) Working for pay off campus

30. 2002 Seniors: Percent of Time Engaged in Academic and Non-Academic Activities Hispanic African American First-Generation Commuter Overall Campus/Vicinity Resident 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% Preparing for class (studying, reading, writing, rehearsing, and other activities related to your academic program) Participating in co-curricular activities (organizations, campus publications, student government, etc.) Working for pay on campus Relaxing and socializing (watching TV, partying, exercising, etc.) Commuting to class Providing care for dependents living with you (parents, children, spouse, etc.) Working for pay off campus

31. NSSE 2004IUPUI Freshmen Results • Thinking about your overall experience at this institution, how would you rate the quality of relationships with faculty and administrative personnel and offices?

32. NSSE 2004IUPUI Senior Results • Thinking about your overall experience at this institution, how would you rate the quality of relationships with faculty and administrative personnel and offices?

33. IUPUI NSSE 2002 & NSSE 2004 • Thinking about your overall experience at this institution, to what extent does the college provide the support you need to succeed academically?

34. IUPUI NSSE 2002 & NSSE 2004 • Thinking about your overall experience at this institution, to what extent does the college encourage you to attend campus events and activities (speakers, performances, athletics, etc.)?

35. IUPUI NSSE 2002 & NSSE 2004 • Thinking about your overall experience at this institution, to what extent does the college encourage contact between students from different economic, social, and racial or ethnic backgrounds?

36. Differences in Student and Faculty Perceptions

37. Comparison of IUPUI Results with NSSE Sample • To what extent has your experience at this institution contributed toward your knowledge, skills, and personal development in acquiring a broad education (% very much)?

38. Comparison of IUPUI Results with NSSE Sample • To what extent has your experience at this institution contributed toward your knowledge, skills, and personal development in acquiring a broad education (% very much)?

39. NSSE 2004 Disappointing Finding • 17% of first-year students reported that they did not complete any papers between 5 and 19 pages. • 13% of seniors students reported that they did not complete any papers between 5 and 19 pages.

40. Overall Perceptions of IUPUI • 81% of first-year students reported that if they could start over again would go to same institution now attending. • 76% of seniors reported that if they could start over again would go to same institution now attending.

41. First-Year Student Engagement Index

42. Senior Student Engagement Index

43. First-Year Seminar Impact on Engagement

44. Engagement and Themed Learning CommunitiesWorked on a paper or project that required integrating ideas or information from various sources 

45. Engagement and Themed Learning Communities Worked with classmates OUTSIDE OF CLASS to prepare class assignments

46. Using NSSE Data Areas of Effective Educational Practice • Discover current levels of engagement (institution, major field, year in school) • Determine if current levels are satisfactory (criterion reference, normative, or peer comparison) • Target areas for improvement • Modify programs and policies accordingly • Teach students what is required to succeed • Monitor student & institutional performance Areas for Institutional Improvement

47. Internal Campus Uses Learning Communities 1st Year & Senior Experience Enrollment Management Institutional Research Academic Affairs Institutional Improvement Student Affairs Learning Assessment Peer Comparison Faculty Development Academic Advising

48. External Campus Uses Parents Governing Boards Fund Raising Media Prospective Students Public Accountability Accrediting Bodies Alumni Focus on Right Things State Policy Makers Performance Indicators

49. www.iub.edu/~nsse

50. www.imir.iupui.edu