The National Survey of Student Engagement

(NSSE)

Updated August, 2007


 The National Survey of Student Engagement was administered during the second semester of the 2006-2007 academic year to Houghton College first-year students 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 first-year students (N=173) and seniors (N=192) with first-year students (N=18,927) and seniors (N=15,602) from over 100 Carnegie peer colleges such as Barnard, Beloit, Colgate, Franklin & Marshall, Grove City, Juniata, Russell Sage, Ursinus, etc.

Note: The number in ( ) after each question indicates the number of possible answers.
           
 

Level of Academic Challenge
 

Question
Class
Houghton
Carnegie Peers
Difference
Preparing for your class (studying, reading, writing, rehearsing, and other activities related to your academic program) (8)


 		First-year

Senior
4.47

4.76

4=16-20 hours per week
4.36

4.41
 .11

 .35
Number of assigned textbooks, books or book-length packets of course reading (5)
 		First-year

Senior
3.58

3.53

3.55

3.46

.03

.07
Number of written papers or reports of 20 pages or more (5)
 		First-year

Senior
1.23

1.70
1.23

1.73
.00

-.03
Number of written papers or reports between 5 and 19 pages (5)
 First-year

Senior
2.54

2.85
2.50

2.82
.04

 .03
Number of written papers or reports of fewer than 5 pages (5)
 First-year

Senior 		2.97

3.25
3.30

3.17
-.33

.08
Analyzing the basic element of an idea, experience or theory (4)
 First-year

Senior
3.20

3.30
3.21

3.36

-.01

-.06
Synthesizing and organizing ideas, information, or experiences into new, more complex interpretations and relationships (4)
 First-year

Senior

3.01

3.16
2.99

3.19
.02

-.03
Making judgments about the value of information arguments, or methods (4)
 First-year

Senior
2.84

2.99
2.95

3.07

-.11

-.08
Applying theories or concepts to practical problems or in new situations (4)
 First-year

Senior
2.86

3.33
3.05

3.23

-.19

.10
Spending significant amounts of time studying and on academic work (4)
 First-year

Senior
3.45

3.49
3.22

3.25
.23

.24
Worked harder than you thought you could to meet an instructor's standards or expectations (4)
 First-year

Senior
2.47

2.67
2.66

2.76
-.19

-.09

 

Active and Collaborative Learning
 

Question
Class
Houghton  Carnegie Peers Difference
Asked questions in class or contributed to class discussions (4)
First-year

Senior
2.74

3.20

3.02

3.27
 -.28

-.07
Made a class presentation (4)
First-year

Senior
1.96
2.84
2.33

2.88
-.37

-.04
Worked with other students on projects during class (4)
First-year

Senior
2.12

2.14
2.33

2.37
-.21

-.23
Worked with classmates outside of class to prepare class assignments (4)
First-year

Senior
2.61

2.72
2.54

2.74

 .07

 -.02
Tutored or taught other students (paid or voluntary) (4)
First-year

Senior
1.65

2.28
1.72

2.05
-.07

.23
Participated in a community-based project as part of a regular course (4)
First-year

Senior
2.00

1.83
1.61

1.79

.39

.04
Discussed ideas from your readings or classes with others outside of class (students, family members, coworkers, etc. (4)
First-year

Senior

2.96

3.05
2.82

2.97

.14

.08

 

Student Interactions with Faculty Members
 

Question
Class
Houghton  Carnegie Peers Difference
Discussed grades or assignments with an instructor (4)
First-year

Senior
2.45

2.76

2.70

2.89
 -.25

-.13
Talked about career plans with a faculty member or advisor (4)
First-year

Senior
2.17

2.70

2.22

2.71
-.05

-.01
Discussed ideas from your readings or classes with faculty members outside of class (4)
First-year

Senior
1.86

2.36
2.02

2.37
-.16

-.01
Worked with faculty members on activities other than coursework (committees, orientation, student life activities, etc. (4)
First-year

Senior
1.63
 
2.04
1.76

2.17

 -.13

 -.13
Received prompt feedback from faculty on your academic performance (written or oral) (4)
First-year

Senior
2.63

2.71
2.77

2.95
-.14

-.24
Worked or planned to work with a faculty member on a research project outside of course or program requirements ( 0 = no, 1 = yes
First-year

Senior

.01

.25
.05

.30
-.04

-.05


Enriching Educational Experiences
 

Question Class Houghton  Carnegie Peers Difference
Participating in co-curricular activities (organizations, campus publications, student government, social fraternity/sorority, intercollegiate/intramural sports, etc.) (8)
First-year

Senior
2.16

2.53
2.64

2.68

 -.48

-.15
Plan to do, or have done, practicum, internship, field experience, co-op experience, or clinical assignment
( 0 = no, 1 = yes)
First-year

Senior
.02

.66
.09

.66

 -.07

.00
Plan to do, or have done, community service or volunteer work    
( 0 = no, 1 = yes)
First-year

Senior
.63

.85
.45

.72

 .18

.13
Plan to take, or have taken,  foreign language coursework   
( 0 = no, 1 = yes)
First-year

Senior
.38

.86
.39

.65

 -.01

.21
Plan to do, or done, an independent study or declared a self-designated major   
( 0 = no, 1 = yes)
First-year

Senior
.03

.34
.03

.30

 .00

.04
Plan to have, or have had, a culminating senior experience
(comprehensive exam, capstone course, thesis, project, etc.)
( 0 = no, 1 = yes)
First-year

Senior
.02

.70
.01

.55
.01

.15
Had serious conversations with students of a different race or ethnicity than your own (4)
First-year

Senior
2.35

2.25

2.64

2.67
 -.29

-.42
Had serious conversations with students who are very different from you in terms of their religious beliefs, political opinions, or personal values (4)
First-year

Senior
2.61

2.59

2.82

2.83
-.21

-.24
Used an electronic medium (list-serv, chat group, internet, etc.) to discuss or complete assignment (4)
 
First-year

Senior
2.52

2.52
2.58

2.71
-.06

-.19
Emphasize: Encouraging contact among students from different economic, social, and racial or ethnic backgrounds (4)
First-year

Senior
2.72

2.35
2.73

2.52

-.01

-.17

 

Supportive Campus Environment
 

Question
Class
Houghton
 Carnegie Peers
Difference
Emphasize: Providing the support you need to help you succeed academically (4)
First-year

Senior
3.24

3.14

3.20

3.14
.04

.00
Emphasize: Helping you cope with your non-academic responsibilities (work, family, etc.) (4)
First-year

Senior
2.43

2.14

2.28

2.08
.15

.06
Emphasize: Providing the support you need to thrive socially (4)
First-year

Senior
2.63

2.36

 2.50

2.31
.13

.05
Quality: Relationships with other students (7)
First-year

Senior

5.87

6.08
5.69

5.76

 .18

.32
Quality: Relationships with faculty members (7)
First-year

Senior
5.71

6.03
5.58

5.86

 .13

.17
Quality: Relationships with administrative personnel and offices (7)
First-year

Senior

5.00

4.71
4.87

4.67
.13

.04