Columbia CollegeExceeds National Averages In 2007 National Survey of Student Engagement

According to the 2007 National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE), Columbia College exceeds the averages of all participating four-year colleges and universities across the country in all evaluation categories. NSSE evaluates the quality of the overall learning experience at more than 600 public and private colleges and universities, and is considered the most comprehensive assessment of effective practices in higher education. When measured against other U.S. institutions of all sizes, both public and private, Columbia College exceeds the average for the sub-group of schools that NSSE identifies as “above average performing schools” by being in the top 50%. In addition, our first year student responses exceed the average for the sub-group of schools that NSSE identifies as being in the top 10%. NSSE is administered by the Center for Post-Secondary Research at Indiana University.

The project is supported by a grant from The Pew Charitable Trusts and cosponsored by The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and The Pew Forum for Undergraduate Learning.

The NSSE surveys freshmen and seniors at each participating institution to measure:

• level of academic challenge
  
• amount and quality of student-faculty interaction
  
• extent to which the campus environment is supportive
  
• extent to which students engage in active and collaborative learning
  
• types and quality of enriching educational experiences

This is the fourth time Columbia College has participated in the NSSE. In 2002 and 2004 Columbia College students also scored significantly above their national peers in the survey.

What do the NSSE results mean to you as a student, a prospective student, or a parent?

The results mean that, when measured against other U.S. institutions of all sizes, both public and private, Columbia College provides a superior learning environment.

Student engagement is a term used to describe the level at which students are actively engaged in their educational environment. Participating in the NSSE lets institutions know how satisfied their students are, as there is often a positive correlation between level of engagement and satisfaction. 

What types of questions were asked of the students sampled? Here are a few examples:

• In your experience at your institution during the current school year, about how often have you asked questions in class or contributed to class discussions?
  
• During the current school year, to what extent has your coursework emphasized analyzing the basic elements of an idea, experience, or theory, such as examining a particular case or situation in depth and considering its components?
  
• During the current school year, how many books have you read on your own (not assigned) for personal enjoyment or academic enrichment?
  
• Do you plan to do a practicum, internship, field experience, co-op experience, or clinical assignment before you graduate from your institution?
  
• About how many hours do you spend in a typical 7-day week preparing for class (studying, reading, writing, rehearsing, and other activities related to your academic program)?
  
• To what extent has your experience at your institution contributed to your knowledge, skills and personal development in thinking critically and analytically?
  
• To what extent does your institution encourage contact among students from different economic, social, and racial or ethnic backgrounds?
  
• If you could start over again, would you go to the same institution you are now attending?

Full details of the 2007 National Survey of Student Engagement can be found on the NSSE Web site at http://www.iub.edu/~nsse/.