Student Engagement Survey Results

During Manresa we asked new freshmen to participate in the Beginning College Survey of Student Engagement (BCSSE). Nearly 80 percent of the freshman class responded.

Respondents report on their high school activities and, more importantly, their expectations to engage in “educationally purposeful activities” in college. Students indicate how frequently – never, sometimes, often, very often – he or she expects to do various things.

In the following table, we present, in descending order, a selection of items to which approximately three-quarters or more responded “often” or “very often.” For example, 94 percent expect to work on a paper or project integrating ideas. 

While students tend to overestimate what they will do or can do, the order indicates the relative importance of each item.

1) Work on a paper or project that requires integrating ideas or information from various sources - 94%
2) Learn something that changes the way you understand an issue or idea - 82%
3) Ask questions in class or contribute to class discussions - 81%
4) Put together ideas or concepts from different courses when completing assignments or during class discussions - 79%
5) Try to better understand someone else's views by imagining how an issue looks from his or her perspective - 79%
6) Receive prompt feedback from faculty on your academic performance (written or oral) - 74%
7) Work with classmates outside of class to prepare class assignments - 74%
8) Discuss grades or assignments with an instructor - 73%
       
As follow-up to the fall survey, students will be asked this spring to participate in a similar query known as the “National Survey of Student Engagement,” or NSSE, to assess how their expectations have been met.  The University uses the surveys to improve students’ educational experiences at Xavier.

Read more about the surveys at www.nsse.iub.edu

–Richard Pulskamp
Director of Institutional Research in Decision Support in the Division of Information Resources