The National
Survey of Student Engagement
(NSSE)
Updated May, 2003
The National
Survey of Student Engagement was administered during the second semester
of the 2001-2002 academic year to randomly picked freshmen and seniors.
The questions asked students
how and where they spent their time, the nature and quality of their
interactions with faculty members and peers, and what they gained from
their classes.
The following report compares
data from Houghton College freshmen (N=230) and seniors (N=130) with
freshmen (N=6,903) and seniors (N=6,574) from sixty-three other Baccalaureate
I colleges (such as Beloit, Bucknell, Colgate, Franklin & Marshall,
Gordon, Juniata, St. Lawrence Ursinus, etc.).
Note: The number in
( ) after each question indicates the number of possible answers.
* difference => .20
is considered meaningful.
Level of Academic Challenge
| Question
|
Class
|
Houghton
|
Baccalaureate
I |
Difference
|
| Preparing
for your class (studying, reading, writing, rehearsing, and other
activities related to your academic program) (8)
|
Freshman
Senior
|
5.05
5.40
4=16-20 hours
per week
|
4.68
4.64
|
|
| Number of assigned
textbooks, books or book-length packets of course reading (5)
|
Freshman
Senior
|
3.62
3.55
|
3.71
3.87
|
-.09
*-.32
|
| Number of written
papers or reports of 20 pages or more (5)
|
Freshman
Senior
|
1.11
1.54
| 1.20
1.78
|
|
Number of written
papers or reports between 5 and 19 pages (5)
|
Freshman
Senior
|
2.37
2.73
|
2.76
2.96
|
*-.39
*-.23
|
Number of written
papers or reports of fewer than 5 pages (5)
|
Freshman
Senior
|
3.68
3.48
|
3.53
3.25
|
|
Analyzing the
basic element of an idea, experience or theory (4)
|
Freshman
Senior
|
3.21
3.24
|
3.32
3.40
|
-.11
-.16
|
Synthesizing
and organizing ideas, information, or experiences into new, more complex
interpretations and relationships (4)
|
Freshman
Senior
|
2.83
3.17
|
3.04
3.25
|
|
Making judgments
about the value of information arguments, or methods (4)
|
Freshman
Senior
|
2.80
2.90
|
2.91
3.06
|
-.11
-.16
|
Applying theories
or concepts to practical problems or in new situations (4)
|
Freshman
Senior
|
3.07
3.20
|
3.08
3.21
|
-.01
-.01
|
Spending significant
amounts of time studying and on academic work (4)
|
Freshman
Senior
|
3.37
3.55
|
3.25
3.27
|
.12
*.28
|
Worked harder
than you thought you could to meet an instructor's standards or expectations
(4)
|
Freshman
Senior
|
2.57
2.62
|
2.66
2.73
|
-.09
-.11
|
Active and Collaborative Learning
| Question
|
Class
|
Houghton
|
Baccalaureate
I |
Difference
|
| Asked questions
in class or contributed to class discussions (4) |
Freshman
Senior
|
2.73
3.28
| 3.05
3.31
|
|
| Made a class
presentation (4) |
Freshman
Senior
|
2.12
2.68
| 2.28
2.82
|
-.16
-.14
|
| Worked with
other students on projects during class (4) |
Freshman
Senior
|
2.10
2.01
| 2.25
2.29
|
|
Worked with
classmates outside of class to prepare class assignments (4)
|
Freshman
Senior
|
2.77
2.77
|
2.57
2.69
|
*.20
.08
|
Tutored or
taught other students (paid or voluntary) (4)
|
Freshman
Senior
|
1.80
2.26
|
1.71
2.03
|
|
Participated
in a community-based project as part of a regular course (4)
|
Freshman
Senior
|
1.35
1.59
|
1.47
1.59
|
-.12
.00
|
Discussed ideas
from your readings or classes with others outside of class (students, family
members, coworkers, etc. (4)
|
Freshman
Senior
|
1.75
2.30
|
2.01
2.34
|
|
Student Interactions with Faculty
Members
| Question
|
Class
|
Houghton
|
Baccalaureate
I |
Difference
|
| Discussed grades
or assignments with an instructor (4) |
Freshman
Senior
|
2.62
2.81
| 2.75
2.93
|
|
| Talked about
career plans with a faculty member or advisor (4)
|
Freshman
Senior
|
2.14
2.86
| 2.23
2.74
|
-.09
.12
|
| Discussed ideas
from your readings or classes with faculty members outside of class
(4) |
Freshman
Senior
|
1.75
2.30
| 2.01
2.34
|
|
Worked with
faculty members on activities other than coursework (committees, orientation,
student life activities, etc. (4)
|
Freshman
Senior
|
1.57
2.16
|
1.71
2.12
|
-.14
.04
|
Received prompt
feedback from faculty on your academic performance (written or oral) (4)
|
Freshman
Senior
|
2.74
2.84
|
2.82
3.00
|
|
Enriching Educational Experiences
| Question
|
Class
|
Houghton
|
Baccalaureate
I |
Difference
|
| Had serious
conversations with students of a different race or ethnicity than your
own (4) |
Freshman
Senior
|
2.60
2.40
| 2.76
2.72
|
|
| Had serious
conversations with students who differ from you in terms of their religious
beliefs, political opinions, or personal values (4)
|
Freshman
Senior
|
2.54
2.42
| 2.97
2.87
|
*-.43
*-.45
|
| Used an electronic
medium (list-serv, chat grou0p, internet, etc.) to discuss or complete
assignment (4) |
Freshman
Senior
|
2.69
2.68
| 2.65
2.71
|
|
Participating
in co-curricular activities (organizations, campus publications, student
government, social fraternity/sorority, intercollegiate/intramural sports,
etc.) (4)
|
Freshman
Senior
|
2.04
2.42
|
2.50
2.58
|
*-.46
-.16
|
Emphasize:
Encouraging contact among students from different economic, social, and racial
or ethnic backgrounds (4)
|
Freshman
Senior
|
2.77
2.48
|
2.67
2.49
|
|
Supportive Campus Environment
| Question
|
Class
|
Houghton
|
Baccalaureate
I |
Difference
|
| Emphasize:
Providing the support you need to help you succeed academically (4)
|
Freshman
Senior
|
3.20
2.98
| 3.20
3.10
|
|
| Emphasize:
Helping you cope with your non-academic responsibilities (work, family, etc.)
(4) |
Freshman
Senior
|
2.51
2.30
| 2.20
2.04
|
*.31
*.26
|
| Emphasize:
Providing the support you need to thrive socially (4)
|
Freshman
Senior
|
2.56
2.37
| 2.40
2.23
|
|
Quality: Relationships
with other students (7)
|
Freshman
Senior
|
6.11
6.13
|
5.76
5.77
|
*.35
*.36
|
Quality: Relationships
with faculty members (7)
|
Freshman
Senior
|
5.81
5.89
|
5.71
5.91
|
|
Quality: Relationships
with administrative personnel and offices (7)
|
Freshman
Senior
|
5.24
4.89
|
|
|