Creating a Culture of Engagement: Bringing NSSE to the Classroom

0 Creating a Culture of Engagement: Bringing NSSE to the Classroom Bob Drake Director, Center for Excellence in Teaching Siena College

0 Derek Bok, Our Underachieving Colleges (2006) • Laments about teaching and learning in US—or at least the lack of proof of improvement • Sees strong resistance to changing teaching methods—still largely based upon lecture • Sees promise in student engagement

0 Siena College • Franciscan-Catholic College outside of Albany, NY • Liberal Arts with a large School of Business • Bac-LA; Tier 3 • 3,000 enrollment; 57% female; primarily regional • 90% Residential

0 2001-2002 NSSE • Participation not known on campus • Results were not expected (or appreciated!) • NSSE data quarantined by Senior Staff—can’t send via email; paper copies collected and counted

0 Situation in 2002/2003 • High proportion of faculty at full professor • Student Course Evaluations more about “liking” than learning • Faculty “know” that their students are learning • Memorizing • Reaccreditation beginning—no evidence of learning or engagement, focus began assessment and engagement (Blame MS!)

0 What is student engagement? • Few knew…(they smile and nod more) • Emphasis on best practices in teaching and learning • Kept framing it from a student perspective

0 The Data Is Wrong! • Let key faculty members determine the validity of the data • Use loudest complainers • “Shocked” old guard • FY Seminar course vindicated • It helps to over sample (can be the same price as paper) • Let the NSSE Institute help—visit by Bob Gonyea

0 Once the data is accepted as valid…Tell Everyone! • BOT • Senior Staff • Faculty • Academic Affairs • Student Affairs • Business Affairs • Use NSSE Institute some more • Special analysis for Schools and larger departments • More surprises

0 The next problem: “I do that already!” • The last bastion of negativity: “It must be all the other faculty members who are not doing the job” • Hard to understand the concept of benchmarks, peers, and aspirants

0 Benchmarks help • Provide faculty with multiple benchmarks • Benchmark against other institutions • Benchmark against other academic schools • Benchmark against other departments • But this was just not enough—it still could be someone else’s courses

0 Benchmark against other classes • We realized that individual faculty need to know where they stand in the most unthreatening way possible • Guaranteed anonymity and helpful data and they came voluntarily—about 50% of courses • Use of actual NSSE questions on Course Evaluation Survey

0 Examples of Progress: Prompt Feedback • After very stable data in 2001, 2002, 2004… • Increased across the college in 2005 and 2006 • FY +.25 • SR +.44

Included Diverse Perspectives • Another area of concern—concentrated on first-year • Increase on 2006 FY NSSE of +.35

Collaborative Learning • Change in 2006— • In-class: FY +.20; SR +.37 • Outside Class: FY + .13; SR +.31

The new Strategic Plan • “The growing prominence of the National Survey of Student Engagement is reflected in the plan.”

Creating a Culture of Engagement: Bringing NSSE to the Classroom