The Faculty Survey of Student Engagement

(FSSE)

Updated August, 2007

The Faculty Survey of Student Engagement was administered during the second semester of the 2006-2007 academic year to Houghton College faculty (N = 69).

FSSE measures faculty members' expectations of student engagement in educational practices that are empirically linked with high levels of learning and development.  The survey also collects information about the kinds of learning experiences Houghton College emphasizes.



In the tables below, the order of the items in usually determined by the upper division percentages.
The items in the mental activities table are ordered by level of higher-level thinking.
 

1. How important is it to you that undergraduates at your institution do the following?

 

2. To what extent does Houghton College emphasize each of the following?

3. In your selected course-selection, how much emphasis do you place on engaging students in each

of these mental activities?

 

4. Approximately what Percentage of students in your selected course section do the following?

 

5. How often do students in your selected course section engage in the following?

 

6. In your selected course section, how important to you is it that your students do the following?

 

7. To what extent to you structure your selected course section so that students learn and develop

in the following areas?


________________________________________________________________________________________   

 

 

How important is it to you that undergraduates at your institution do the following?

 

Variable

Level

Important or

Very Important

Independent study or self-designated major

Lower Division

 

Upper Division

28%

 

17%

 

Participation in a learning community or some other formal program where groups of students take two or more classes together

Lower Division

 

Upper Division

48%

 

45%

 

Foreign language coursework

Lower Division

 

Upper Division

66%

 

47%

Work on a research project with a faculty member outside of course or program requrements

Lower Division

 

Upper Division

44%

 

50%

 

Study abroad

Lower Division

 

Upper Division

56%

 

60%

 

Community service or volunteer work

Lower Division

 

Upper Division

69%

 

80%

 

Practicum, internship, field experience, co-op experience, or clinical assignment

Lower Division

 

Upper Division

83%

 

80%

 

Culminating senior experience (capstone course, senior project or thesis, comprehensive exam, etc.)

Lower Division

 

Upper Division

86%

 

94%

 

 

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To what extent does Houghton College emphasize each of the following?

 

Variable

Level

Quite a Bit

 or Very Much

Helping students cope with their non-academic responsibilities (work, family, etc.)

Lower Division

 

Upper Division

22%

 

37%

 

Encouraging contact among students from different economic, social, and racial or ethnic backgrounds

Lower Division

 

Upper Division

26%

 

47%

 

Providing students the support they need to thrive socially

Lower Division

 

Upper Division

43%

 

48%

 

Encouraging students to participate in co-curricular activities (organizations, campus publications, student government, fraternity or sorority, intercollegiate or intramural sports, etc.)

Lower Division

 

Upper Division

73%

 

70%

 

Encouraging students to attend campus events and activities (special speakers, cultural performances, athletic events, etc.)

Lower Division

 

Upper Division

69%

 

74%

 

Providing students the support they need to help them succeed academically

Lower Division

 

Upper Division

83%

 

80%

 

Encouraging students to use computers in their academic work

Lower Division

 

Upper Division

91%

 

90%

 

Requiring students to spend significant amounts of time studying and on academic work

Lower Division

 

Upper Division

74%

 

100%


                                                                                
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In your selected course-selection, how much emphasis do you place on engaging students in each

of these mental activities?

 

Variable

Level

Quite a Bit

 or Very Much

Memorizing facts ideas, or methods from your course and readings so students can repeat them pretty much in the same form

Lower Division

 

Upper Division

44%

 

07%

 

Applying theories or concepts to practical problems or in new situations

Lower Division

 

Upper Division

73%

 

83%

 

Analyzing the basic elements of an idea, experience or theory, such as examining a particular case or situation in depth, and considering its components

Lower Division

 

Upper Division

82%

 

93%

 

Synthesizing and organizing ideas, information, or experiences into new, more complex interpretations and relationships

Lower Division

 

Upper Division

70%

 

87%

 

Making judgments about the value of information, arguments or methods such as examining how others gathered and interpreted data and assessing the soundness of their conclusions

Lower Division

 

Upper Division

60%

 

67%

 

 

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Approximately what percentage of students in your selected course section do the following?

 

Variable

Level

50% or higher

Frequently come to class without completing readings or assignments

Lower Division

 

Upper Division

09%

 

10%

 

At least once, talk about career plans with you

Lower Division

 

Upper Division

04%

 

23%

 

Occasionally discuss grades or assignments with you

Lower Division

 

Upper Division

09%

 

27%

 

At least once, discuss ideas from readings or classes with you outside of class

Lower Division

 

Upper Division

09%

 

27%

 

Frequently work harder than they usually do to meet your standards

Lower Division

 

Upper Division

17%

 

32%

 

Frequently ask questions in class or contribute to class discussions

Lower Division

 

Upper Division

35%

 

36%

 

Occasionally use e-mail to communicate with you

Lower Division

 

Upper Division

30%

 

50%

 

 

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How often do students in your elected course section engage in the following?

 

Variable

Level

Often or

Very often

Have serious conversations in your course with students of a different race or ethnicity than their own

Lower Division

 

Upper Division

00%

 

03%

 

Participate in a community-based project (e.g., service learning) as part of your course

Lower Division

 

Upper Division

13%

 

13%

 

Have serious conversations in your course with students who are very different from them in terms of their religious beliefs, political opinions, or personal values

Lower Division

 

Upper Division

13%

 

14%

 

Use an electronic medium (listserv, chat group, Internet, instant messaging, etc.) to discuss or complete an assignment

Lower Division

 

Upper Division

17%

 

34%

 

Have class discussions or writing assignments that include diverse perspectives (different races, religions, genders, political beliefs, etc.)

Lower Division

 

Upper Division

52%

 

50%

 

Work with other students on projects during class

Lower Division

 

Upper Division

48%

 

53%

 

Receive prompt written or oral feedback from you on their academic performance

Lower Division

 

Upper Division

74%

 

70%

 

 

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In your selected course section, how important to you is it that your students do the following?

 

Variable

Level

Important or

Very Important

Tutor or teach other students (paid or voluntary)

Lower Division

 

Upper Division

22%

 

10%

 

Prepare two or more drafts of a paper or assignment before turning it in

Lower Division

 

Upper Division

39%

 

30%

 

Discuss ideas from your readings or classes with others outside of class (other students, family members, co-workers, etc.)

Lower Division

 

Upper Division

56%

 

53%

 

Work with classmates outside of class to prepare class assignments

Lower Division

 

Upper Division

35%

 

54%

 

Put together ideas or concepts from different courses when completing assignments or during class discussions

Lower Division

 

Upper Division

56%

 

63%

 

Examine the strengths and weaknesses of their views on a topic or issue

Lower Division

 

Upper Division

65%

 

75%

 

Work on a paper or project that requires integrating ideas or information from various sources

Lower Division

 

Upper Division

73%

 

84%

 

Try to better understand someone elseÕs views by imagining how an issue looks from that personÕs perspective

Lower Division

 

Upper Division

65%

 

86%

Learn something that changes the way they understand an issue or concept

Lower Division

 

Upper Division

87%

 

90%

 

 

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To what extent to you structure your selected course section so that students learn and develop

in the following areas?

 

Variable

Level

Quite a Bit

 or Very Much

Using computing and information technology

Lower Division

 

Upper Division

09%

 

21%

 

Analyzing quantitative problems

Lower Division

 

Upper Division

22%

 

27%

 

Working effectively with others

Lower Division

 

Upper Division

39%

 

32%

 

Speaking clearly and effectively

Lower Division

 

Upper Division

26%

 

38%

 

Understanding people of other racial and ethnic backgrounds

Lower Division

 

Upper Division

43%

 

43%

 

Solving complex real-world problems

Lower Division

 

Upper Division

30%

 

54%

 

Acquiring job or work-related knowledge and skills

Lower Division

 

Upper Division

39%

 

54%

 

Acquiring a broad general education

Lower Division

 

Upper Division

74%

 

60%

 

Understanding themselves

Lower Division

 

Upper Division

48%

 

63%

 

Developing a deepened sense of spirituality

Lower Division

 

Upper Division

65%

 

63%

 

Writing clearly and effectively

Lower Division

 

Upper Division

65%

 

69%

 

Developing a personal code of values and ethics

Lower Division

 

Upper Division

52%

 

73%

 

Learning effectively on their own

Lower Division

 

Upper Division