NSSE 2005 CSUMB Report California State University at Monterey Bay Office of Institutional Effectiveness Office of Assessment and Research

Presentation Outcomes Viewers will understand how select NSSE questionnaire items group into benchmarks, and Will understand and appreciate how CSUMB students responded to select questionnaire items and how their responses compare to CSU students as well as students from other colleges and universities across the nation.

What Really Matters in College: 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 so involved Pascarella & Terenzini, How College Affects Students

What is NSSE? (pronounced “nessie”) Survey that assesses the extent to which first-year and senior students engage in educational practices associated with high levels of learning and development

Good 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 “Seven principles of good practice in undergraduate education” (Chickering and Gamson, 1987)

CSUMB - 42% 828 Freshmen 966 Seniors CSU - 33% 3,357 Freshmen 3,328 Seniors National Sample – 37% 135,235 Freshmen 131,789 Seniors NSSE 2005 Response Rates and Numbers of Students

Carnegie ClassificationNSSENational Doctoral/Research – Extensive11%11% Doctoral/Research – Intensive 8% 8% Master’s I & II47%43% Baccalaureate – Liberal Arts19%16% Baccalaureate – General15%23% Sector Public – 447%38% Private – 453%62% (Nine CSU Campuses participated in NSSE 2005: CSUMB - San Luis Obispo - Pomona – Fresno – Sacramento - San Bernardino – San Marcos – Humboldt – San Jose) NSSE 2005 Institutions (552)

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

Benchmarks of Effective Educational Practice Level of Academic Challenge Active & Collaborative Learning Enriching Educational Experiences Supportive Campus Environment Student Faculty Interaction

Level of Academic Challenge

The level of academic challenge at CSUMB compared to other universities participating in the 2005 NSSE is defined more by: The number and size of papers written Analyzing and synthesizing ideas and information Evaluating the arguments and conclusions of others and less by: The number of books, text books, and class readers assigned to students Time spent preparing for class Institutional emphasis on spending significant time studying and on academic work.

More than 30 hrs/wk hrs/wk hrs/wk hrs/wk hrs/wk 6-10 hrs/wk 1-5 hrs/wk 0 hrs/wk

Very Often Never

More than to 20 5 to 10 1 to 4 None

More than to 20 5 to 10 1 to 4 None

More than to 20 5 to 10 1 to 4 None

More than to 20 5 to 10 1 to 4 None

Very Much Very Little

Very Much Very Little

Very Much Very Little

Very Much Very Little

Very Much Very Little

Active and Collaborative Learning

Active and collaborative learning at CSUMB compared to other universities participating in the 2005 NSSE is defined by: Significantly higher levels of engagement across the seven survey items associated with active and collaborative learning.

Very Often Never

Very Often None

Very Often Never

Very Often Never

Very Often Never

Very Often Never

Very Often Never

Student Interactions with Faculty Members

While student interactions with faculty at CSUMB compared to other universities participating in the 2005 NSSE is strong, the strength of the interactions is driven more by: Discussions regarding grades or assignments Working with faculty on activities other than coursework Receiving prompt feedback than by: Talking with faculty about career plans Out of class discussion with faculty regarding ideas from readings or classes Working on research projects with faculty outside of course or program requirements

Very Often Never

Very Often Never

Very Often Never

Very Often Never

Very Often Never

Have done Have not done, do not plan to do or plan to do

Enriching Educational Experiences

Student perceptions of an enriching educational experience at CSUMB compared to other NSSE participants comes more in the form of: Having conversations with students of different religious, political, and or personal values/beliefs, as well as students of a different race or ethnicity Institutional climate that encourages students to interact with students different from themselves Taking a Foreign language and using electronic medium to discuss or complete assignments and less by: Doing community/voluntary service (Freshmen) Spending time participating in co-curricular activities and even less by: Doing a practicum or internship Studying abroad Developing a self-designed major A culminating senior experience

Very Often Never

Very Often Never

Very Much Very Little

Very Often Never

Have done Have not done, do not plan to do or plan to do

Have done Have not done, do not plan to do or plan to do

Have done Have not done, do not plan to do or plan to do

Have done Have not done, do not plan to do or plan to do

Have done Have not done, do not plan to do or plan to do

Have done Have not done, do not plan to do or plan to do

More than 30 hrs/wk 26 to 30 hrs/wk 21 to 25 hrs/wk 16 to 20 hrs/wk 11 to 15 hrs/wk 6 to 10 hrs/wk 1 to 5 hrs/wk 0 hrs/wk

Supportive Campus Environment

Student perceptions of CSUMB as having a supportive campus environment compared to students from other universities participating in the NSSE is mixed in terms of: Helping students succeed academically, thrive socially, and cope with non-academic responsibilities neutral in terms of: Student relationships with other students and poor in terms of: Student relationships with administrative personnel and offices

Very Much Very Little

Very Much Very Little

Very Much Very Little

Friendly, Supportive Unfriendly, Unsupportive

Friendly, Supportive Unfriendly, Unsupportive

Friendly, Supportive Unfriendly, Unsupportive

Summary of Benchmark Results

Excellent Poor

Excellent Poor

Definitely Yes Definitely No

Summary of Advising and Student Satisfaction Results

Other Findings Use of Technology Voting in local, state, or national elections Solving complex real-world problems Developing a personal code of values and ethics Contributing to the welfare of your community

Benchmark Conclusions Active and collaborative learning excellent Student faculty interaction strong Academic challenge good (Time spent preparing for class, number of textbooks and readings assigned, and institutional emphasis on time spent on studying and academic work) Enriching Educational Experiences good (Student experience outside the classroom needs enrichment – co-curricular participation below average.) Supportive campus environment mediocre (Relationship with administrative staff and offices could be better.)

Other Conclusions Learning outcomes look good Academic advising borderline Student satisfaction well below average

Questions and Discussion