1. The University of Texas-Pan American
National Survey of Student Engagement
The last 5 years to 2010
Presented by:
Welcome to the presentation of the NSSE survey.
S.J. Sethi, Ph.D.
Office of Institutional Research & Effectiveness
September 2010

2. 5 Year Response Rates 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 13% 18% 24% 30% 27% 23%
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
UTPA
13%
18%
24%
30%
27%
UT System
23%
25%
NSSE Nationwide
35%
33%
31%               
Our response rate has gone up since 2006, it was at 26% in 2010, higher than that for UT System (24%) schools but lower than that for the National level NSSE for Master’s Large schools (31%).
Office of Institutional Research and Effectiveness

3. 5 Benchmarks for Student Engagement
Level of Academic Challenge
(LAC)
Challenging intellectual and creative work is central to student learning and collegiate quality. Colleges and universities promote high levels of student achievement by emphasizing the importance of academic effort and setting high expectations for student performance.
Active and Collaborative Learning
(ACL)
Students learn more when they are intensely involved in their education and asked to think about what they are learning in different settings. Collaborating with others in solving problems or mastering difficult material prepares students for the messy, unscripted problems they will encounter daily during and after college.
Enriching Educational Experiences
(EEE)
Complementary learning opportunities enhance academic programs. Diversity experiences teach students valuable things about themselves and others. Technology facilitates collaboration between peers and instructors. Internships, community service, and senior capstone courses provide opportunities to integrate and apply knowledge.
Student-Faculty Interaction
(SFI)
Students learn firsthand how experts think about and solve practical problems by interacting with faculty members inside and outside the classroom. As a result, their teachers become role models, mentors, and guides for continuous, life-long learning
Supportive Campus Environment
(SCE)
Students perform better and are more satisfied at colleges that are committed to their success and cultivate positive working and social relations among different groups on campus.
In addition to the demographic item, there are items on 5 different benchmarks:
Level of Academic Challenge (LAC)
Student-Faculty Interaction (SFI)
Active and Collaborative Learning (ACL)
Supportive Campus Environment (SCE)
Enriching Educational Experiences (EEE)
Office of Institutional Research and Effectiveness

4. NSSE Benchmark 2010 Scores for UTPA
First Year
Senior
NSSE Benchmark
UTPA Score
Compared with …
UT System
NSSE 2010
Level of Academic Challenge (LAC) 50 57
Active and Collaborative Learning (ACL) 43 56
Student-Faculty Interaction (SFI) 35
Enriching Educational Experiences (EEE) 23
Supportive Campus Environment (SCE) 64 62       
These are the scores for each benchmark from the most recent NSSE the scores are on a scale of 100
can be considered as good and the  considered as not so good. The blanks represent no statistically significant difference.
We are mostly above the average of the comparison groups on ACL, SFI and SCE.       
The Scale is 100
indicates the score of UTPA is less than this comparison group
indicates the score of UTPA is greater than this comparison group
Blank indicates no statistically significant difference  
Office of Institutional Research and Effectiveness

5. LEVEL OF ACADEMIC CHALLENGE (LAC)
This is a table to show our history of benchmark scores for the Level of Academic Challenge. The dark green is UTPA. The Pink is UT System. The Aqua is National NSSE for Master’s Large. The square is for 1st Year and the triangle is for Seniors. The chart is for a general impression. If you want the particular numbers please let me know. This shows our 1st Year student below the others. Our seniors are on a similar level with the others.
Office of Institutional Research and Effectiveness

6. ACTIVE AND COLLABORATIVE LEARNING (ACL)
Here we switch to Active and Collaborative Learning. Both, our 1st Year student and Senior student scores have grown to out pace the comparison groups on this benchmark except among first year students who are behind Nationwide NSSE on ACL.
Office of Institutional Research and Effectiveness

7. STUDENT-FACULTY INTERACTION (SFI)
Now to Student-faculty Interaction. The seniors come out on top as compared to other groups but the 1st year students are behind the nationwide NSSE group.
Office of Institutional Research and Effectiveness

8. ENRICHING EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCES (EEE)
Enriching Educational Experiences. The 3 Es. Our 1st Year students and our seniors are behind both UT System and the nationwide NSSE group.
Office of Institutional Research and Effectiveness

9. SUPPORTIVE CAMPUS ENVIRONMENT (SCE)
This benchmark is different from the others. The 1st Year students scores tend to be higher than the scores of the seniors. Our 1st Year students have consistently given our campus a high score. And our seniors have also given our campus a high score. Even higher than many of the 1st year scores for the comparison groups.
Office of Institutional Research and Effectiveness

10. Highest Performing Areas 2010
Percent of students who said…
UTPA
UT System
NSSE 2010
Master’s L
10g. Institution emphasizes use of computers in academic work (Quite a bit or Very Much).
86%
84%
85%
12. Quality of academic advising received at institution (Good or Excellent).
81%
79%
11e. Experience at institution has contributed to thinking critically and analytically (Quite a bit or Very Much).
80%
83%
11g. Experience at institution has contributed to using computing and information technology (Quite a bit or Very Much).
75%
11h. Experience at institution has contributed to working effectively with others (Quite a bit or Very Much).
69%
74%
1d. Have worked on a paper or project that required interpreting ideas or information from various sources (Quite a bit or Very Much).
88%
82%
87%
89%
2b. Coursework emphasizes analyzing the basic elements of an idea, experience or theory (Quite a bit or Very Much).
Extent to which examinations have challenged you to do your best work (5 or above out of 7, where 7 stands for Very Much).
First Year Students
This is to highlight the areas where we were highest performing.
1 Combination of students responding ‘very often’ or ‘often’ or
2 Rated at least 5 on a 7 point scale
3 Combination of student responding ‘very much’ or ‘quite a bit’
Take a look at these highest performing areas.
Which surprised you?
Which did you say ‘I knew that’ or ‘Of Course’?
Which ones should we highlight?
Seniors
Office of Institutional Research and Effectiveness

11. Lowest Performing Areas 2010
Percent of students who said…
UTPA
UT System
NSSE 2010
Master’s L
3c. Worked on 5 or more papers or reports of 20 pages or more. 9% 6% 7%
1k. Participated in a community based project (e.g., service learning) as part of a regular course (Often or Very Often).
11%
12%
14%
1j. Tutored or taught other students (paid or voluntary) (Often or Very Often).
16%
18%
15%
1s. Worked with faculty members on activities other than coursework (Often or Very Often).
17%
3d. Worked on 5 or more papers or reports between 5 and 19 pages.
23%
24%
31%
19%
25%
22%
28%
20%
32%
36%
44%
First Year Students
This is the other side. The lowest performing areas.
Take a look at these lowest performing areas.
Which surprised you?
Which did you say ‘I knew that’ or ‘Of Course’
Which ones should we highlight?
Seniors
Office of Institutional Research and Effectiveness

12. Areas of Highest Difference 2010 First Year to Senior
Percent of students who said…
UTPA
UT System
NSSE 2010
Master’s L
1b. Made a class presentation (Often or Very Often).
41%
28%
33%
74%
25%
53%
36%
64%
1h. Worked with classmates outside of class to prepare class assignments (Often or Very Often).
26%
13%
15%
45%
71%
49%
62%
43%
58%
1i. Put together ideas or concepts from different courses when completing assignments or during class discussions (Often or Very Often).
23%
17%
50%
73%
52%
69%
55%
70%
1m. Used to communicate with an instructor (Often or Very Often).
16%
14% 8%
68%
84%
83%
79%
87%
2e. Coursework emphasizes applying theories or concepts to practical problems or in new situations (Often or Very Often). 7%
67%
82%
81%
7f. Study abroad (Plan to do or Done).
-22%
-23%
-21%
47%
46%
40%
19%
12. Quality of academic advising received at institution (Good or Excellent).
-13%
-9%
-8%
85%
72%
6a. Attended an art exhibit, play, dance, music, theater, or other performance (Often or Very Often).
-12%
-5%
24%
21%
31%
10e. Institution emphasized providing the support you need to thrive socially (Quite a bit or Very Much).
-11%
38%
51%
10d. Institution emphasized helping you cope with your non academic responsibilities (work, family, etc.) (Quite a bit or Very Much).
-10%
48%
39%
29%
Increase
These are the 10 with the Highest Difference between the responses of 1st year students and seniors. The increases were on areas would seem to be inherent in modern higher education and what you would hope would be happening. Also, I would like to point out that positive change is, for the most part, greater than the comparison groups.
The ones decreasing need to be looked at more closely.
What can we to do to deal with these shifts?
Decrease
Difference
1st Yr
Senior
Office of Institutional Research and Effectiveness

13. Benchmarks in need of attention
Recommendations
Benchmarks in need of attention
Enriching Educational Experiences
Level of Academic Challenge
Need to be celebrated
Supportive Campus Environment (SCE)
Active and Collaborative Learning (ACL)
Benchmarks the planning and implementation groups need to be looking at.
Office of Institutional Research and Effectiveness

14. Questions & Discussion
Contact Information:
S.J. Sethi, Ph.D.
This presentation is online at:
Office of Institutional Research and Effectiveness