Student and Faculty Perceptions on Student Engagement: ISU’s NSSE and FSSE Results 2013 Ruth Cain, Assessment Coordinator Dan Clark, Department of History

About the NSSE and FSSE Developed by Indiana University’s Center for Postsecondary Research Parts of a larger survey group that includes the BCSSE, as well as the CCSSE. Measures extent to which students are engaged in, and institutions support, empirically confirmed high impact practices in undergraduate education

Student Engagement Two sides of the engagement equation: 1.What the student does to become involved. The time and energy the student devotes to educationally purposeful activities. 2.What the institution does to create and encourage participation in meaningful engagement experiences – high impact practices.

Foundations: Theory and Research Seminal work includes the seven indicators of good practices in undergraduate education identified by Chickering and Gamson in the late 1980s. Student involvement theory (e.g., Astin, 1993, 1999) Student integration theory (e.g., Tinto, 1993) Student engagement (e.g., Chickering & Reiser, 1993)

Recent Research Substantial research links student engagement to learning and development (e.g., Gordon et al., 2008; Pascarella et al., 2008, 2010; ), as well as persistence (DeSousa & Kuh, 1996; Kuh et al., 2008). Not a measure of student learning. No relationship between NSSE scores and GPA or graduation rates (DiRamio & Shannon, 2010). See also critiques in The Review of Higher Education, Vol. 35, No. 1 (Fall 2011) NSSE results good proxy measures for growth in important educational outcomes (Pascarella et al., 2010). High quality instruction (rigorous; aligned with content standards; using instructional strategies to meet academic needs of all students) a key factor in promoting culture of engagement and achievement in the classroom (Weiss & Paisley, 2004).

How can we use the results? The surveys measure behaviors that research has found to be positively related to desired outcomes (e.g., learning, persistence) The surveys emphasize actionable information – behaviors and experiences that institutions can influence

NSSE 2013 Administration Summary First-year Senior Survey sample 2,788 1,762 Total respondents (23%) (36%)

ISU’s NSSE Peer Group (N=10) Bowling Green State University (Bowling Green, OH) Indiana University of Pennsylvania (Indiana, PA) Tennessee State University (Nashville, TN) Texas Woman's University (Denton, TX) University of Akron (Akron, OH) University of Arkansas at Little Rock (Little Rock, AR) University of Missouri-St. Louis (Saint Louis, MO) University of South Alabama (Mobile, AL) Wichita State University (Wichita, KS) Wright State University (Dayton, OH)

About the FSSE The FSSE was designed to complement the NSSE. The FSSE focuses on: – Faculty perceptions of how often students engage in different activities. – The importance faculty place on various areas of learning and development. – The nature and frequency of faculty-student interactions. – How faculty members organize their time, both in and out of the classroom. The information can be used to identify areas of strength, as well as aspects that may warrant attention.

FSSE 2013 Administration Summary Survey Population 474 (regular faculty) – Total respondents 218 (46%) Class level of most students in the selected course section: – Lower division: 91 (42%) – Upper division: 96 (44%) – Other: 12 (6%) – Missing: 19 (9%)

Predict Our NSSE Results Items: – 1.c., 3.c., 3.d., – 4.d., 4.e., – 5.a., 5.e., – 14.i., 15.a. Indicate – How you think students responded (FY and SR) – How you would prefer for them to have responded

NSSE 1.c. During the current school year, about how often have you come to class without completing readings or assignments? % Very Often or Often: ISU: FY 17%Peers: FY 16% ISU: SR 13% Peers: SR 20% FSSE 23.c. How important is it to you that the typical student comes to class having completed readings or assignments? % Important or Very Important: LD 92% UD 96%

NSSE 3.c. During the current school year, about how often have you discussed course topics, ideas, or concepts with a faculty member outside of class? % Very Often or Often: ISU: FY 27%Peers: FY 24% ISU: SR 31% Peers: SR 31% FSSE 8.c. During the current school year, about how often have you discussed course topics, ideas, or concepts outside of class with undergraduate students? % Very Often or Often: LD 60% UD 65%

NSSE 3.d. During the current school year, about how often have you discussed your academic performance with a faculty member? % Very Often or Often: ISU: FY 35%Peers: FY 28% ISU: SR 33% Peers: SR 32% FSSE 8.d. During the current school year, about how often have you discussed with undergraduate students their academic performance? % Very Often or Often: LD 79% UD 65%

NSSE 4.d. During the current school year how much has your course work emphasized evaluating a point of view, decision, or information source? % Very Much or Quite a Bit: ISU: FY 69%Peers: FY 69% ISU: SR 72% Peers: SR 67% FSSE 28.d. How much does the coursework emphasize evaluating a point of view, decision, or information source? % Very Much or Quite a Bit: LD 63% UD 72%

NSSE 4.e. During the current school year, how much has your course work emphasized forming a new idea or understanding from various pieces of information? % Very Much or Quite a Bit: ISU: FY 68%Peers: FY 68% ISU: SR 70% Peers: SR 68% FSSE 27.e. How much does the coursework emphasize forming a new idea or understanding from various pieces of information? % Very Much or Quite a Bit: LD 75% UD 83%

NSSE 5.a. During the current school year, to what extent have your instructors clearly explained course goals and requirements? % Very Much or Quite a Bit: ISU: FY 78%Peers: FY 81% ISU: SR 78% Peers: SR 79% FSSE 10.a. In your undergraduate courses, to what extent do you clearly explain course goals and requirements? % Very Often or Often: LD 98% UD 97%

NSSE 5.e. During the current school year, to what extent have your instructors provided prompt and detailed feedback on tests or completed assignments? % Very Much or Quite a Bit: ISU: FY 62%Peers: FY 63% ISU: SR 74% Peers: SR 65% FSSE 10.e. In your undergraduate courses, to what extent do you provide prompt and detailed feedback on tests or completed assignments? % Very Often or Often: LD 90% UD 90%

NSSE 14.i. How much does ISU emphasize attending events that address important social, economic, or political issues? % Very Much or Quite a Bit: ISU: FY 52%Peers: FY 48% ISU: SR 38% Peers: SR 39% FSSE 2.i. How important is to you that ISU increase its emphasis on students attending events that address important social, economic, or political issues? % Very Much or Quite a Bit: LD 68% UD 61%

NSSE 15.a. About how many hours do you spend in a typical 7-day week preparing for class (studying, reading, writing, doing homework, rehearsing, etc.)? % spending more than 15 hours each week: ISU: FY 32%Peers: FY 35% ISU: SR 40% Peers: SR 40% FSSE 17. In an average week, about how many hours do you expect the typical student to spend preparing for your selected course section? % fewer than 5 hours: LD 32% UD 29%

Summary and Next Steps What can we take away from the NSSE/FSSE results? How do we share the results widely and identify actions?

NSSE 2.b. During the current school year, about how often have you connected your learning to societal problems or issues? % Very Often or Often: ISU: FY 50%Peers: FY 51% ISU: SR 61% Peers: SR 61% FSSE 24.b. How important is it to you that the typical student connects his or her learning to societal problems or social issues? % Important or Very Important: LD 78% UD 77%

NSSE 2.c. During the current school year, about how often have you included diverse perspectives in course discussions or assignments? % Very Often or Often: ISU: FY 45%Peers: FY 47% ISU: SR 56% Peers: SR 51% FSSE 24.c. How important is it to you that the typical student includes diverse perspectives in course discussions or assignments? % Important or Very Important: LD 78% UD 77%

NSSE 2.d. During the current school year, about how often have you examined the strengths and weaknesses of your own views on a topic or issue? % Very Often or Often: ISU: FY 60%Peers: FY 63% ISU: SR 65% Peers: SR 63% FSSE 24.d. How important is it to you that the typical student examines the strengths and weaknesses of his or her own view on a topic or issue? % Important or Very Important: LD 80% UD 84%

NSSE 14.a. How much does ISU emphasize spending significant amounts of time studying and on academic work? % Very Much or Quite a Bit: ISU: FY 79%Peers: FY 81% ISU: SR 80% Peers: SR 79% FSSE 2.a. How important is to you that ISU increase its emphasis on students spending significant amounts of time studying and on academic work? % Very Much or Quite a Bit: LD 95% UD 91%

NSSE 14.b. How much does ISU emphasize providing academic support to help students succeed academically? % Very Much or Quite a Bit: ISU: FY 72%Peers: FY 72% ISU: SR 64% Peers: SR 66% FSSE 2.b. How important is to you that ISU increase its emphasis on providing support to help students succeed academically? % Very Much or Quite a Bit: LD 95% UD 89%

NSSE 14.h. How much does ISU emphasize attending campus activities and events (performing arts, athletic events, etc.)? % Very Much or Quite a Bit: ISU: FY 67%Peers: FY 64% ISU: SR 49% Peers: SR 53% FSSE 2.h. How important is to you that ISU increase its emphasis on students attending campus activities and events (performing arts, athletic events, etc.)? % Very Much or Quite a Bit: LD 63% UD 58%

NSSE 15.b. About how many hours do you spend in a typical 7-day week participating in co-curricular activities? % spending more than 15 hours each week: ISU: FY 9%Peers: FY 6% ISU: SR 9% Peers: SR 7% FSSE 20.a. In an average week, about how many hours do you think the typical student spends participating in co- curricular activities? % more than 15 hours: LD 8% UD 6%