Portland State University Research Update

Office of Institutional Research and Planning

volume 7, issue 1, Winter 2004

Comparison of Native and Transfer Students’ Work Toward PSU Learning Goals

The general education program at Portland State University, University Studies (UNST begins with an intensive year-long freshman course, Freshman Inquiry, continues with Sophomore Inquiry courses and cluster courses related to a theme in the sophomore and junior years, and ends with the Capstone course in the senior year. Approximately two-thirds of undergraduates enter PSU as transfer students and therefore are not exposed to the full UNST program. PSU has attempted to address the needs of transfer students by offering multiple entrance points into the UNST program depending on the number of credits students are transferring to the University. Despite the program’s efforts to accommodate transfer students, there continues to be concern whether transfer students’ exposure to general education is as effective as it is for students who begin at PSU as first-time freshmen. In fact, some data sources suggest that the concern is warranted. For example, past institutional research has shown that transfers are slightly more likely than native students (i.e., those who begin at PSU as freshmen) to stop or drop out and to receive academic dismissal during their sophomore and junior years. However, little is known about whether transfer students achieve the general education learning goals at the same level as first-time freshmen.

UNST goals include communication, the variety of human experience; social and ethical responsibility; and critical thinking. In addition, PSU has developed learning markers that describe a set of transferable abilities students are expected to develop over the course of their education at PSU. The set shares some elements in common with the UNST goals, but the learning markers cover a broader set of skills. The learning markers include oral communication; written communication; quantitative reasoning and representation; use of technology; critical inquiry and dialogue; understanding the variety of human experience; ethical reasoning; social and civic responsibility; problem solving; analytical thinking; creative synthesis; collaboration and working in teams; importance of sustainable environment; and engaging with important areas of investigation.

Results from the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE), administered during the winter and spring of 2003, were analyzed to compare transfer and native students’ self-reported learning outcomes related to the UNST goals and PSU markers. Results were received from 699 seniors, 137 (20%) of whom began their college careers at PSU as freshmen (i.e., native students) and 562 (80%) of whom were transfer students. The proportion of transfer students who responded to the survey reflects the actual proportion of transfer students among seniors during the spring term of 2003 (78%). This report summarizes the differences between native and transfer students on survey items related to UNST goals and PSU markers. All reported differences are statistically significant (p < .05).

Variety of Human Experience

As Figures 1 and 2 indicate, students who began their college careers at PSU and participated in the full University Studies program were more likely than students who transferred to PSU to say they had serious conversations with people of different race or ethnicity than their own or with people who have very different religious, political, or personal opinions than their own. Native students were also more likely than transfer students to report that PSU emphasizes contact among students of different racial and ethnic backgrounds and that PSU has contributed to their understanding of people of other racial and ethnic backgrounds.

Students also reported whether they had participated in foreign language courses and study abroad programs, both of which represent opportunities to better understand and appreciate diversity. Native students (59%) were more likely than transfer students (41%) to report that they had studied a foreign language. They were also more likely to report having participated in a study abroad program (i.e., 28% compared to 19%).

Social and Civic Responsibility

Native and transfer students were similar in their ratings of the extent to which their experience at PSU had influenced their contributions to their community. In contrast, native PSU students were more likely than transfer students to have participated in a community-based project as part of a regular course and were more likely to say PSU had contributed to their voting in a local, state, or national election (see Figure 3). In addition, a greater percentage (84%) of native students than transfer students (74%) reported participating in community service or volunteer work.

Information Technology

Other Differences

Although there were no differences on most items related to oral communication, native students were more likely than transfer students to have made a class presentation. Native students were also more likely than transfers to say that PSU had contributed to their ability to work effectively with others. A final difference emerged around students’ interaction with the faculty. Neither group of students interacted with faculty members outside of class frequently, but native students were more likely than transfer students to have worked with their faculty (see Figure 5).

Transfer students scored higher than native students on none of the survey items, however, transfer and native students were similar in their self-reported experiences in several areas related to the learning markers. These included: written communication; quantitative reasoning; critical inquiry; ethical responsibility; problem solving; analytical thinking; and creative synthesis.

In summary, native students generally reported more exposure than transfer students to educational experiences related to learning outcomes emphasized in the undergraduate curriculum. Appreciation of diversity is a UNST goal, PSU marker, and a presidential initiative at PSU. The results indicate that seniors who spent their entire educational careers at PSU were

more likely than transfer students to report that PSU provided opportunities to interact with diverse students and influenced their appreciation of diversity. In a similar manner, the University has embraced community-based learning and community-university interaction as valuable components of a PSU education. Native seniors were more likely than transfers to feel that PSU had facilitated student contributions to the community. Finally, the ability to use technology is emphasized throughout the undergraduate curriculum, but especially in the Freshman Inquiry courses. Once again, more native seniors than transfers reported that PSU had contributed to their computer and information technology skills.

Rowanna Carpenter, Graduate Assistant, and Juliette Stoering, Institutional Research Analyst, created this edition of the Portland State University Research Update.