A Brief Report of Columbia State’s 2009 Survey Results Community College Survey of Student Engagement (CCSSE) Prepared by De’ Marcus Jackson, M.S. Instructor of Psychology

What is the CCSSE? The Community College Survey of Student Engagement (CCSSE) is an assessment tool which utilizes five benchmarks that gauges community college effectiveness. The five benchmarks are: Active & Collaborative Learning Student Effort Academic Challenge Student-Faculty Interaction Support for Learners Community colleges use this survey information to sustain strengths as well as to improve upon weaknesses within the areas of teaching, learning, and student success. Check your s…I recently sent an overview of the national 2009 CCSSE results that provides a comprehensive explanation of this assessment tool. Please read this report.

Student Engagement Finding and implementing ways to strengthen student engagement is the proverbial “holy grail” of most academic institutions. Upon receiving our 2006 CCSSE survey results, Columbia State set out to enhance overall student engagement. The Student Engagement Committee (SEC) was established to review the CCSSE survey results and implement strategies that would significantly improve Columbia State’s effectiveness in educating and engaging our student population. The Student Engagement Committee is composed of volunteers—staff and faculty who have committed their precious time at seeking to enhance student engagement. Their service to this committee is sincerely appreciated.

Work of the Student Engagement Committee Most the activities of the Student Engagement Committee since 2006 has centered on the benchmark of active & collaborative learning. But, the other benchmarks have been of significant focus also. Activities of the SEC have included dynamic roundtables and panel discussions, workshops, and other professional development activities. The main goal of all of these activities was to learn more about the nature of student engagement here at Columbia State and ways to evolve it. Arguably, all of the benchmarks are strongly interrelated and not mutually exclusive, an insight that will hopefully be explored during the next stages of strategic planning.

Brief Overview of 2006 CCSSE data In 2006, the national percentage of all community colleges surveyed (447 total), on all benchmarks, was 50%. Columbia State’s benchmark percentages were compared against this national average. Columbia State’s 2006 CCSSE results were as follows: 50.7% Active & Collaborative Learning, 50.7% 49% Student Effort, 49% 47.1% Academic Challenge, 47.1% 46.8% Student-Faculty Interaction, 46.8% 45% Support for Learners, 45%

Brief Overview of 2009 CCSSE data

Comparison % Active & Collaborative Learning, 50.7% 49% Student Effort, 49% 47.1% Academic Challenge, 47.1% 46.8% Student-Faculty Interaction, 46.8% 45% Support for Learners, 45%

What does this all mean? I plan to forward all employees the more detailed 2009 CCSSE report that further breaks all of this information down. You can review the report for yourself. Still, a cursory review of the data for all students shows that Columbia State definitely has room for tremendous growth in all benchmarks. As Columbia State moves forward, we must all—faculty, staff, and administration—work together to make our college the most effective 2-year institution of higher learning in Tennessee. The puzzle of Education requires teamwork to solve!