The Community College Survey of Student Engagement (CCSSE): Summary of 2008 Survey Results
Research Report No. 24-08
Office of Institutional Research, Planning, and Assessment Northern Virginia Community College
October 2008
Northern Virginia Community College Office of Institutional Research, Planning, and Assessment The Community College Survey of Student Engagement (CCSSE) Summary of 2008 Survey Results
Introduction This brief report summarizes the results of the 2008 Community College Survey of Student Engagement (CCSSE) for Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA). CCSSE is designed to capture student engagement as a means of institutional quality and provide community colleges with useful information for improving student learning and persistence. The survey provides information on students’ levels of engagement in five benchmarks of effective educational practices in community colleges identified by CCSSE. NOVA participated in the survey in 2004, 2005, and 2008. This report presents the 2008 results and consists of two sections. Section I presents NOVA’s results by each benchmark for the three years NOVA participated in the survey. It also compares NOVA’s 2008 results with those of the Virginia Community College System (VCCS) Consortium1 and with those of the 2008 CCSSE cohort2. Section II compares NOVA’s 2008 results with those of three area colleges that participated in the 2008 survey. The five benchmarks identified by CCSSE and addressed in this report are: 1) 2) 3) 4) 5) Active and Collaborative Learning Student Effort Academic Challenge Student-Faculty Interaction Support for Learners
These benchmarks allow institutions to monitor students’ experiences in those areas and compare their results with other institutions. Each college participating in the survey receives a score for each benchmark. Individual benchmark scores are an average of the scores on survey items that comprise that benchmark3. Benchmark scores are standardized so that the average of all participating students (CCSSE cohort) is always 50. This allows colleges to determine if their performance for a benchmark is above or below the average. NOVA focuses on providing access to higher education, fostering student success, and being a leader in higher education. CCSSE results assist NOVA in identifying effective educational practices to meet these goals and, in turn, meet the needs of its students.
The VCCS consortium refers to all colleges in the Virginia Community College System that participated in CCSSE in 2008. 2 The 2008 CCSSE cohort refers to all community colleges that participated in CCSSE in 2008. 3 To compensate for disproportionately large numbers of full-time students in the sample, all averages used in the creation of the benchmarks are weighted by full-time and part-time status. Institutions’ benchmark scores are calculated by taking the weighted average of their students’ standardized scores.
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Sect tion 1: Com mparison of NOVA’s Be f enchmark S Scores: 200 2005, and 2008 04, d Benchmar 1 - Active and Collab rk e borative Le earning The b benchmark Active and C A Collaborative Learning st e tates that stu udents learn more when n n they a actively involved in t are their educati and have opportunities to think a ion e about and apply what they are learning in different s y a settings. The s seven survey items that were used i the calcula y in ation of this benchmark are: • • • • • • • Asked questions in class or contr ributed to cla discussio ass ons tation Made a class present w udents on pr rojects during class Worked with other stu Worked with classma w ates outside of class to p prepare class assignmen s nts Tutored or taught other students (paid or volu o untary) Participat in a community-base project as a part of a regular cour ted ed s rse Discussed ideas from their readin or classe with others outside of class d m ngs es (students, family mem mbers, co-wo orkers, etc.)
re s ults VA 005, and 200 As the 08. Figur 1 displays survey resu for NOV for the years 2004, 20 figure shows, the Active and Collaborativ Learning benchmark score increa e e ve ased from 46.2 in 2004 to 47.1 in 2008.
Figure 1. Acti and Colla F ive aborative Lea arning - Nort thern Virginia Communit College ty
100 80 60 40 20 0 46.2 46 47.1 1
2004
200 05
2008
re es e borative Learning benchmark score for NOVA Figur 2 compare the Active and Collab stude ents to that of students from the VCC consortiu and the a o CS um average of 5 for the 50 2008 CCSSE coh hort. As sho own in the fig gure, the Ac ctive and Col llaborative L Learning benchmark score for NOVA s e students was below the average at 4 47.1, while t the benchmark score for the VCC consortiu was 48.6 e CS um 6.
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Figure 2. Active and Collaborative Learning - Comparative Data 2008
47.1
48.6
50.0
Benchmark 2 - Student Effort The benchmark Student Effort states that students’ own behaviors contribute significantly to their learning and the likelihood that they will successfully attain their educational goals. The eight survey items that were used in the calculation of this benchmark are: • • • • • • •
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Prepared two or more drafts of a paper or assignment before turning it in Worked on a paper or project that required integrating ideas or information from various sources Came to class without completing readings or assignments (reverse coded) Used peer or other tutoring Used skill labs Used a computer lab Number of books read on their own (not assigned) for personal enjoyment or academic enrichment Number of hours spent in a typical week preparing for class (studying, reading, writing, rehearsing, or other activities related to their program)
Figure 3 presents survey results for NOVA for the years 2004, 2005, and 2008. As the figure shows, the Student Effort benchmark score decreased from 47.9 in 2004 to 46.7 in 2008.
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Figure 3. Student Effort - No orthern Virgi inia Commun College nity
10 00 80 8 47.9 60 6 40 4 20 2 0 47.1 46.7
2004
2005
2008
re es ent ore VA to Figur 4 compare the Stude Effort benchmark sco for NOV students t that of stude ents from the VCCS consortium and the average of 50 for th 2008 CCS e d e he SSE cohort. As sh hown in the figure, the S f Student Effor benchmark score for N rt k NOVA students was below the averag at 46.7, w w ge while the ben nchmark sco for the VC ore CCS consor rtium was 49.9.
Figure 4 Student Eff 4. fort - Compa arative Data 2 2008
46.7
49.9
50.0
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Ben nchmark 3 - Academic Challenge c The b benchmark Academic C A Challenge sta ates that cha allenging inte ellectual and creative d work is central to student lea o arning and co ollegiate qua ality. ten ere he on e: The t survey items that we used in th calculatio of this benchmark are • • • • • • • • • • d n n s Worked harder than they thought they could to meet an instructor’s standards or expectations Analyze the basic elements of an idea, ex ed f xperience, or theory r Synthes sized and or rganized idea information, or experiences in ne ways as, ew Made ju udgments ab bout the valu or soundn ue ness of infor rmation, argu uments, or methods Applied theories or concepts to practical pr roblems or in new situations n Used in nformation yo have read or heard to perform a new skill ou d o Number of assigned textbooks, manuals, b r d books, or boo ok-length pa acks of course readings rea ad Number of papers o reports of any length w r or written To what extent have the examin t e nations challenged the s student to th best wor heir rk Encoura aged studen to spend significant a nts amounts of time studying g
Figur 5 displays survey resu for NOV for the years 2004, 20 re s ults VA 005, and 200 As the 08. figure shows, the Academic C e e Challenge benchmark score fluctuat from 49. in 2004 to ted .1 o 49.2 in 2008.
Figure 5. Academic Challenge - Northern V Virginia Community Colle ege
100 80 49.1 60 40 20 0 48.7 49.2
2004
2005
2008
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Figure 6 compares the Academic Challenge benchmark score for NOVA students to that of students from the VCCS consortium and the average of 50 for the 2008 CCSSE cohort. As shown in the figure, the Academic Challenge benchmark score for NOVA students was below the average at 49.2, while the benchmark score for the VCCS consortium was 48.9.
Figure 6. Academic Challenge - Comparative Data 2008
49.2
48.9
50.0
Benchmark 4 – Student-Faculty Interaction The benchmark Student-Faculty Interaction states that the more contact students have with their teachers, the more likely they are to learn effectively and to persist toward achievement of their educational goals. The six items used in the calculation of this benchmark are about students’ experiences in these areas: • • • • • • Used email to communicate with an instructor Discussed grades or assignments with an instructor Talked about career plans with an instructor or advisor Discussed ideas from readings or classes with instructors outside of class Received prompt feedback (written or oral) from instructors on performance Worked with instructors on activities other than coursework
Figure 7 displays survey results for NOVA for the years 2004, 2005, and 2008. As the figure shows, the Student-Faculty Interaction benchmark score increased from 48.9 in 2004 to 50.4 in 2008.
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Figure 7. Student-Facu Interacti - Norther Virginia Community College S ulty ion rn
100 80 48.9 60 40 20 0 48.8 50.4
2004 4
2005
200 08
re es ent-Faculty I Interaction b benchmark score for NOV students VA s Figur 8 compare the Stude to tha of student from the V at ts VCCS conso ortium and th average o 50 for the 2008 he of CCSS cohort. As shown in the figure, t StudentSE A n the -Faculty Inte eraction benc chmark score for NOVA students was above the average at 50.4, while t benchma score for e s the ark the V VCCS consortium was 51.9.
Fig gure 8. Stude ent-Faculty In nteraction - C Comparative Data 2008 e
50.4
51.9
50.0
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Ben nchmark 5 - Support fo Learners or The b benchmark Support for L S Learners sta ates that stud dents perfor better and are more rm d satisf fied at colleg that are committed t their succe and cult ges to ess tivate positiv working ve and s social relatio onships among different groups on c campus. The s seven survey items used to calculate this bench y d hmark attempt to find out how much the co ollege suppo orted studen in the foll nts lowing areas s: • • • • • • • Provide the suppo needed to help the stu ed ort o udent succe at this co eed ollege Encoura aged contac among stu ct udents from d different eco onomic, social, and racia al or ethnic backgroun nds Helped the student cope with non-academic responsibilities (work, family, etc.) ) Provide the suppo the studen needed to thrive socia ed ort nt o ally Provide the financ support t student n ed cial the needed to af fford educati ion Used ac cademic adv vising/planni services ing Used ca areer counse eling service es
Figur 9 displays survey res re s sults for NOV for the y VA years 2004, 2005, and 2 2008. As th he figure shows, the Support for Learners b e e benchmark s score fluctua ated from 47 in 2004 t 7.9 to 47.6 in 2008.
Figure 9. Support f Learners - Northern V for Virginia Community Colle ege
100 80 47.9 60 40 20 0 45.9 47.6
2004
2005
200 08
re ares the Supp for Lear port rners benchmark score for NOVA st tudents to Figur 10 compa that o students from the VCC consortiu and the a of f CS um average of 5 for the 20 CCSSE 50 008 cohort. As shown in the figure, the Supp for Learn port ners benchm mark score fo NOVA or stude ents was below the aver rage at 47.6, while the be enchmark sc core for the VCCS conso ortium was 50.5. 5
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Figure 10. Support for Learners - Benchmark Comparative Data 2008
47.6
50.5
50.0
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Section II: Comparison of NOVA’s Benchmark Scores with Selected Area Colleges
Section II presents the 2008 survey results for NOVA and three other area colleges: J. Sergeant Reynolds Community College, Montgomery College, and Prince George’s Community College. Each figure displays scores for the five CCSSE-identified benchmarks. As the figures show, each individual benchmark score for Montgomery College (MD) and Prince George’s Community College (MD) was higher than NOVA’s individual benchmark scores. Each individual benchmark score for NOVA was higher than J. Sergeant Reynolds Community College’s individual scores, with the exception of the Student Effort benchmark.
Figure 11. Snapshot of Survey Results 2008 – Northern Virginia Community College
Figure 12. Snapshot of Survey Results 2008 – J. Sergeant Reynolds Community College
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Figure 13. Snapshot of Survey Results 2008 – Montgomery College (MD)
Figure 14. Snapshot of Survey Results 2008 – Prince George’s Community College (MD)
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