National Survey of Student Engagement

2007 Results for Students in Graduate and Professional Studies

What is the NSSE?

•Launched in 2000, the National Survey of Student Engagement has been used by over 1,100 colleges since its inception

•Students report participation in empirically confirmed behaviors that are positively correlated with retention and student success

2007 Surveys

•Tusculum gave the NSSE to students in both traditional and GPS programs

•Primary participants were first-year students and seniors

•Oversampling of sophomores and juniors helped verify responses but is not included in the report

•Overall report is divided into two sections to allow better data interpretation

2007 Response Rates

Active and Collaborative Learning

•Students learn more when they are intensely involved in their education and asked to think about what they are learning in different settings

•Collaborating with others in solving problems or mastering difficult material prepares students for the messy, unscripted problems they will encounter daily during and after college

Active and Collaborative Learning

Active and Collaborative Learning

Level of Academic Challenge

•Challenging intellectual and creative work is central to student learning and collegiate quality

•Colleges and universities promote high levels of student achievement by emphasizing the importance of academic effort and setting high expectations for student performance

Level of Academic Challenge

Level of Academic Challenge

Enriching Educational Experiences

•Complementary learning opportunities enhance academic programs

•Diversity experiences teach students valuable things about themselves and others

•Technology facilitates collaboration between peers and instructors

•Internships, community service, and senior capstone courses provide opportunities to integrate and apply knowledge

Enriching Educational Experiences

Enriching Educational Experiences

Student and Faculty Interaction

•Students learn firsthand how experts think about and solve problems by interacting with faculty members inside and outside the classroom

•As a result, their teachers become role models, mentors, and guides for continuous, lifelong learning

Student and Faculty Interaction

Student and Faculty Interaction

Supportive Campus Environment

•Students perform better and are more satisfied at colleges that are committed to their success and cultivated positive working and social relations among different groups on campus

Supportive Campus Environment

Supportive Campus Environment

Academic and Intellectual Experiences

“In your experience at your institution during the current school year, about how often have you done

each of the following?”1=never 2=sometimes 3=often 4=very often

Ask questions in class or contributed to class

discussions

Made a class presentation

Prepared two or more drafts of a paper or assignment before

turning it in

Worked on a paper or project that required integrating ideas or

information from various sources

Come to class without completing readings or

assignments

Worked with classmates outside of class to prepare

class assignments

Participated in a community-based project as part of a regular course

Additional Collegiate Experiences

“During the current school year,about how often have you done each of the

following?”1=never 2=sometimes 3=often 4=very often

Attended an art exhibit, play, dance, music, theatre or other

performance

Participated in activities to enhance your spirituality (worship, meditation,

prayer, etc.)

Quality of Relationships

“Mark the box that best represents the quality of your relationships with people at your institution”

1=unfriendly, unsupportive, sense of alienation to7=friendly, supportive, sense of belonging

Relationships withother students

Relationships withfaculty members

Relationships withadministrative staff and

offices

Time Usage“About how many hours do you spend in a

typical seven-day week doing each of the following?”Hours per week: 1=0 2=1-5 3=6-10 4=11-15

5=16-20 6=21-25 7=26-30 8=30+

Preparing for Class

Working for pay off campus

Participating in co-curricular activities