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National Survey of Student Engagement—Winter/Spring 2001
The National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) assesses the institutional learning environment for undergraduates. In order to represent students at the early and late stages of their college careers, the survey sample at each participating school included both first-year students and seniors. Portland State University (PSU) participated in the NSSE during winter and spring of 2001. Institutional response rates for the NSSE ranged from 36% to 42%. The overall response rate across institutions was 42%. At PSU, 390 of the 1,000 students included in the sample responded to the survey resulting in a 41% response rate. This summary reports the PSU survey results for freshmen and seniors and compares them to results at other urban universities (UUs) and at other doctoral/research intensive universities (DRIUs). All reported differences are statistically significant (p < .05). The Executive Summary includes a brief overview of the findings organized in relation to major initiatives currently underway at PSU. A detailed report of the findings follows the Executive Summary. ContentExecutive SummaryExecutive Summary Satisfaction. PSU students were generally satisfied with their educational experience, but were somewhat less satisfied than other DRIU students. PSU students were also less sure than DRIU students were that they would attend the same institution if they had the chance to start over again. PSU students rated their relationships with instructors, students, and administrative personnel as somewhat friendly, helpful and supportive. Advising. PSU students rated the quality of advising at PSU as fair to good, however, the average ratings at PSU were lower than were those at other DRIUs. Although PSU seniors’ ratings were similar to those at other UUs, PSU freshmen rated advising lower that UU freshmen did. In addition, PSU students reported that they talked with faculty members or other advisors about career plans less frequently than DRIU students did. PSU freshmen felt they received less support than other DRIU seniors received from their institutions for coping with non-academic responsibilities. They also indicated that PSU provided less support to help students succeed in academic work than DRIUs provided to their students. Diversity. In general, PSU students, especially freshmen, reported having frequent discussion with students who hold diverse religious beliefs, political opinions, or personal values; or who are from diverse racial or ethnic backgrounds. PSU students engaged in such conversation about as frequently as other UU or DRIU students did, but PSU seniors were less likely than DRIU seniors to converse with other students who hold diverse opinions. Few PSU, other UU or DRIU students planned to participate or participated in study abroad or foreign language courses. PSU students were more likely than UU or DRIU students to take a foreign language course. On the other hand, fewer PSU seniors than DRIU seniors studied or planned to study abroad. PSU students felt that their education had contributed to their understanding of persons from diverse racial or ethnic backgrounds "quite a bit", which was similar to other UU and DRIU students’ responses. PSU students also indicated that PSU offers "some" to "quite a bit" of encouragement for contact among students from different economic, social, and racial or ethnic backgrounds. Community-based experiences. PSU seniors participated in community-based projects more often than other UU or DRIU seniors did. In addition, PSU seniors reported participating in culminating senior experiences at higher rates than either DRIU students or UU students. The culminating senior experience at PSU is Capstone, which by nature includes a community-based learning component. Please note that, although PSU students had more community-based experiences than students at peer institutions did, PSU students’ participation was occasional relative to other learning activities in which they participated more frequently (e.g., integrating ideas from many sources for assignments, contributing to class discussions, and preparing multiple drafts of papers). General education outcomes. The most frequent learning activity of PSU students was integrating ideas and information from many sources for papers and other projects. PSU students also frequently discussed ideas from their readings or classes with others outside of class. Freshmen at PSU, other UUs and DRIUs read books and wrote papers with similar frequency. PSU seniors read and wrote more than UU and DRIU seniors did. PSU students indicated that their college education had contributed most to their broad-based general education and their ability to think critically and analytically. Students at PSU, other UUs and DRIUs reported that their coursework emphasized critical thinking at similar levels; however, PSU seniors were less likely than DRIU seniors to report that their coursework emphasized applying theories or concepts to practical problems or in new situations. Respondents used a 4-point scale (1 = poor, 2 = fair, 3 = good, & 4 = excellent) to rate their overall satisfaction with their entire educational experience at the institution. On average, PSU students rated their experiences as good (M = 2.90). Students also answered the question, "If you could start over again, would you go to the same institution you are now attending?" Using a 4-point scale (1 = definitely no, 2 = probably no, 3 = probably yes, & 4 = definitely yes), PSU students responded that they would probably would attend PSU again (M = 2.79).
For both of these items, the responses of PSU freshmen and seniors were similar to each other and to those of other UU students. However, PSU students were less satisfied than were other DRIU students. PSU seniors and freshmen rated their overall experience lower than DRIUseniors and freshmen did. PSU seniors (M = 2.84) and freshmen (M = 2.76) were less sure they would attend their institution again when compared to DRIU seniors (M = 3.23) and freshmen (M = 3.34). (See Figures 1 & 2.) Respondents rated the overall quality of academic advising they received at PSU on a 4-point scale (1 = poor, 2 = fair, 3 = good, & 4 = excellent). In general, students indicated that PSU advising was fair to good (M = 2.50). PSU seniors and freshmen were similar in their ratings. As shown in Figure 3, students (both freshmen and seniors) rated the quality of academic advising at PSU lower than at other DRIUs. Seniors at PSU and other UUs were similar in their ratings of the quality of advising; however, PSU freshmen rated advising lower than UU freshmen did.
Respondents rated the amount of reading and writing they accomplished during the previous academic year using a 5-point scale (1 = none), 2 = fewer than 5, 3 = between 5 and 10, 4 = between 11 and 20, & 5 = more than 20). On average, PSU students read between 5 and 10 assigned textbooks, books, or book-length packets of course readings (M = 3.42), whereas they read fewer than five unassigned books on their own (M = 2.25). PSU students wrote brief papers (i.e., fewer than 5 pages in length) most frequently (M = 3.14). They wrote between 5 and 10 short papers or reports (i.e., between 5 and 19 pages in length) (M = 2.63) and fewer than five long papers or reports (i.e., 20 or more pages) (M = 1.49). Seniors (M = 1.63) wrote more long papers than freshmen (M = 1.18) and seniors also read more books for personal enjoyment (M = 2.39 & 1.93 respectively).
Freshmen at PSU did not differ from freshmen at other DRIUs or UUs in the amount of reading and writing they accomplished, however, PSU seniors read more unassigned books than DRIU or UU seniors. (See Figure 6.) PSU seniors also read more assigned books and wrote more papers less than 20 pages in length than other UU seniors. PSU students also described how much their exams challenged them to do their best work using a scale of 1 (Very little) to 7 (Very much). PSU seniors and freshman found their exams similarly challenging. PSU students were also similar to students at other DRIUs and UUs.
The survey items pertaining to special types of coursework asked students to report past or expected future participation. Therefore, seniors were more likely to report past actual behavior and freshmen were more likely to report a mix of past actual behavior and predicted future behavior on these items. The majority of PSU students reported that they participated or expected to participate in culminating senior experiences (65%); practica, internships, or field experiences (60%); and community service or volunteer work (60%) before graduating. Fewer PSU students participated or expected to participate in foreign language coursework (41%), independent study or self-designed majors (22%), research projects with faculty members outside of course or program requirements (19%), or study abroad programs (14%). PSU freshmen were more likely than seniors to be undecided about whether they would undertake special coursework. More PSU students than other UU students or DRIU students planned to participate or participated in a senior culminating experience (see Figure 9). A similar pattern held true for foreign language coursework: More PSU students (52% of freshmen & 37% of seniors) than UU (41% of freshmen & 35% of seniors) or DRIU (42% of freshmen & 36% of seniors) students planned to study or studied a foreign language.
Fewer PSU freshmen (12%) than other UU (19%) or DRIU freshmen (16%) took or planned to take independent studies or self- designed majors. Fewer PSU seniors (10%) than DRIU seniors (16%) studied or expected to study abroad. Finally, more PSU seniors (56%) than UU seniors (46%) planned to perform or performed community service or volunteer work. Student use of time is likely to be related to the number of classes in which they enroll and the NSSE samples included both full- and part-time students. Possible differences in student load within groups, between class levels, and among PSU, other UUs and DRIUs were not factored into the reported responses, but should be kept in mind when interpreting the results. Students used an 8-point scale (1 = 0 hrs, 2 = 5 or fewer hrs, 3 = 6 – 10 hrs, 4 = 11 – 15 hrs, 5 = 16 – 20 hrs, 6 = 21 – 25 hrs, 7 = 26 – 30 hrs, and 8 = more than 30 hrs) to estimate the hours they spend during a typical week engaging in a variety of activities. On average, PSU students spent the most hours working for pay off campus (M = 4.37) and preparing for class (M = 4.01). They spent the fewest hours working for pay on campus (M = 1.51) and participating in co-curricular activities (M = 1.49). PSU seniors were more likely than freshmen to spend time working for pay off campus (M = 4.69 & 3.66 respectively) and providing care for dependents who live with them (M = 2.64&1.82 respectively). Freshmen were more likely than seniors to spend time participating in co-curricular activities (M = 1.75 & 1.38 respectively).
As shown in Figures 10 and 11, PSU students spent more hours than other
DRIU students working for pay off campus, and fewer hours participating
in co-curricular activities. PSU and other UU students were similar
in their use of time, with one exception: UU seniors spend more time
than PSU seniors spend on co-curricular activities. PSU students used a 4-point scale (1 = very little, 2 = some, 3 = quite a bit, & 4 = very much) to rate the extent to which PSU emphasized a supportive college environment. PSU students indicated that PSU emphasized spending significant amounts of time studying and producing academic work (M = 2.96) and providing support to help students succeed academically (M = 2.46). They reported that PSU placed less emphasis on helping students cope with non-academic responsibilities such as work and family life (M = 1.68) and providing support for students to thrive socially (M = 1.81), although freshmen’s ratings were higher than seniors’ ratings on these two items (see Figure 12).
PSU seniors did not differ from other UU seniors in their ratings of
the college support environment. PSU freshmen were also similar to other
UU freshmen, with one exception: freshmen reported that they received
less help to succeed academically at PSU than at other UUs Respondents rated the quality of their relationships with people at their school using 7-point scales (where 1= least favorable and 7 = most favorable rating). On average, PSU students were favorable in their ratings of other students and faculty. PSU students indicated that their relationships with other students were somewhat friendly and supportive, and that they experienced a sense of belonging (M = 5.28). They described faculty members as somewhat available, helpful and sympathetic (M = 4.79). PSU student ratings of administrative personnel and offices were more neutral (M = 4.35); some students found personnel to be helpful, considerate, and flexible, whereas other students found personnel to be unhelpful, inconsiderate, and rigid. The ratings of PSU freshmen and seniors did not differ from each other
or from ratings of students at other UUs. In addition, PSU freshmen
did not differ from other DRIU freshmen in their ratings of relationships.
However, PSU seniors (M = 5.28) were less likely the DRIU seniors
(M = 5.63) to describe their relationships with other students
as friendly and supportive. The results of the NSSE indicate the extent to which students are engaged in good educational practices and what they gain from their college experience. Items on the NSSE ask about student behaviors that correlate with positive learning and personal development outcomes of attending university. PSU students were generally satisfied with their education. Overall, their experiences and activities were on par with those of other UU and DRIU students. More PSU students than other UU or DRIU students participated in community-based projects as part of their coursework. In addition, more PSU seniors than UU or DRIU students participated in culminating senior experiences. The NSSE results indicate that PSU has helped students achieve desirable learning outcomes, but they also draw attention to areas where the institution could improve. One notable example is advising. PSU students rated the quality of their advising lower than other UU and DRIU students did. PSU students also reported discussing career plans with faculty members and advisors less often than DRIU students did. As PSU continues to improve the advising services provided to students, results of future administration of the NNSE should reflect higher levels of satisfaction on par with our peers. Portland State University plans to participate in the NSSE again in winter 2002. For more information about these results and future administrations of NSSE, please contact: Juliette Stoering, Office of Institutional Research and Planning 503-725-3427 |
