The SENSE Instrument Melissa Stahley-Cummings Director of Assessment Casper College

Q:What is SENSE? A:Survey of Entering Student Engagement SENSE is an assessment tool that provides information on entering student engagement, a key indicator of learning quality of community colleges 2 Administered during the 4 th and 5 th weeks of the fall term

What does SENSE ask students? About their experiences during the early weeks of college, “Their first impressions”About their experiences during the early weeks of college, “Their first impressions” About intact process with admissions, registration, orientation, financial aid and placementAbout intact process with admissions, registration, orientation, financial aid and placement How they spend their timeHow they spend their time Interactions with advisors, faculty and other studentsInteractions with advisors, faculty and other students How the college supports their learning in the first few weeks…How the college supports their learning in the first few weeks… 3

Why focus on the entering student?  Emerging evidence suggests that if colleges can help their students succeed through the first semester, the chances that they will attain certificates and degrees is greatly enhanced “front door”  Focusing energy and resources on the “front door” of the college experience helps colleges produce more successful student outcomes. 4

Q: Why should Casper College participate in SENSE? SENSE helps community colleges focus on the “front door” of the college experience  Which will helps us: –Learn about what works in retaining and supporting entering students –Analyzes data about institutional practices and student behaviors in the earliest weeks of college –Data helps colleges understand students’ critical early experiences –Improve institutional practices that affect student success in the first college year 5

Why can’t SENSE be administered online? Pilot testing has shown that response rate is extremely low so the data set is not representative of the colleges’ population. 6

SENSE’s purpose is threefold: 7  1. Benchmarking — comparing performance by community and technical colleges to national norms.  2. Diagnosing — identifying areas in which a college can enhance students’ educational experiences.  3. Monitoring — documenting and improving institutional effectiveness over time.

From 2008 through 2012: Who participates in SENSE? From 2008 through 2012: Nearly 400,000 total student respondents; of those approximately 245,000 are entering students. Administrations have occurred at 342 colleges from 43 states, Canada, the Marshall Islands and the Mariana Islands. Colleges that have participated in SENSE represent a total student enrollment of approximately 2.8 million You can see who all colleges who participate on the CCSSE website 8

How is SENSE administered? A random sample is pulled from all developmental reading, writing and math course as well as first level English and math courses The sampling unit is the class that is comprised of students and the random selection of students is the principle objective SENSE is administered as a pencil-and- paper survey and is designed to be completed in one 50 minute class period. 9

The Research Behind SENSE 10 Studies have been conducted on the survey questions. For example: To view the annotated bibliography check out:

Administering SENSE at Casper College Faculty will receive their packets in their mailbox or office Packets will identify the class needing to be surveyed Faculty will chose a class period of the identified class to be surveyed between set dates TBA 11

Packet contents 12  instructions  a script  survey booklets  a special-focus items sheet  class information sheet

Before Administering 13 Survey Administration ScriptSurvey Administration Script yellow sheet you will read to your students before handing out survey- yellow sheet Class Information SheetClass Information Sheet to be completed by you SENSE survey bookletsSENSE survey booklets 1 per student Special focus items the college choose to survey blue sheetSpecial focus items the college choose to survey blue sheet Administration instructions- yellowAdministration instructions- yellow

After Administering 14 Collect all materialsCollect all materials Make sure that the class information sheet is filled outMake sure that the class information sheet is filled out Place all paper back in the packetsPlace all paper back in the packets Give to your academic assistants by Due dateGive to your academic assistants by Due date

Questions 15 Contact Information: Melissa Stahley-Cummings