|
Seniors
give UM high marks
for educational experience
A
strong majority of UM-Missoula seniors said they had a good
or excellent educational experience at UM and would attend
the University if they could start over again, according
to results of the 2002 National Survey of Student Engagement.
The
survey also found that 66 percent of freshmen and 72 percent
of seniors participate in community service or volunteer
work, while more than 40 percent of students participate
in co-curricular activities such as organizations and student
government.
The
NSSE ("nessie") determines the level of student
engagement -- a strong predictor of how well students learn
-- among freshmen and seniors. Of 700 UM freshmen and seniors
given the NSSE, 270 completed the survey for a response
rate of 40 percent. Thirty-four percent of the respondents
were male and 67 percent were female; 43 percent were freshmen
and 57 percent were seniors.
Student
engagement represents the effort students devote to educationally
productive activities and how well colleges engage students
in these activities. The survey measures five benchmarks:
level of academic challenge, active and collaborative learning,
student-faculty interaction, enriching educational experiences
and a supportive campus environment.
Results
of the survey are used to improve the quality of undergraduate
experience.
The
NSSE is conducted by the Indiana University Center for Postsecondary
Research and planning. It is co-sponsored by the Carnegie
Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and the Pew Forum
on Undergraduate Learning.
Promising
findings at UM include:
- Eighty-four
percent of seniors said UM provides a good or excellent
educational experience, and 80 percent would attend UM
if they could start over again.
- Thirty-one
percent of UM seniors have participated in a learning
community - a small group-learning experience such as
a Freshman Seminar, a research team or a study abroad
program - compared with 22 percent at nationwide peer
institutions.
- Fifty-five
percent of seniors prepared two or more drafts of an assignment
before turning it in vs. 46 percent of peers.
- Fifty-six
percent of freshmen and 52 percent of seniors report having
serious conversations with students who have different
values, beliefs or opinions.
Disappointing
findings include:
- Only
14 percent of freshmen and 21 percent of seniors say UM
emphasizes spending significant amounts of time on studying
and academic work.
- Forty-one
percent rate the quality of their academic advising as
poor or fair.
For
more information on the NSSE, visit the Web site at www.iub.edu/~nsse.
|
