Community College Survey of Student Engagement Benchmarks of Effective Educational Practice Spring 2009

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1 Office of Institutional Research Community College Survey of Student Engagement Benchmarks of Effective Educational Practice Spring 2009 IR Report # 188 August 2009

2 Introduction to CCSSE The Community College Survey of Student Engagement (CCSSE) utilizes a set of five benchmarks of effective educational practice in community colleges. These benchmarks allow member institutions, with missions focused on teaching, learning, and student success, to gauge and monitor their performance in areas that are central to their work. A description of the five benchmarks appears on this page. Colleges that participate in CCSSE have the opportunity to make comparisons between their performance and that of similar colleges.* During the Spring 2009 semester, classes were randomly selected for inclusion in CCSSE. CCP s participation rate was 81% which compares favorably with a national participation rate between 79% and 83%. Benchmarks of Effective Educational Practice Active and Collaborative Learning Students learn more when they are actively involved in their education and have opportunities to think about and apply what they are learning in different settings. Through collaborating with others to solve problems or master challenging content, students develop valuable skills that prepare them to deal with the kinds of situations and problems they will encounter in the workplace, the community, and their personal lives. Student Effort Students own behaviors contribute significantly to their learning and the likelihood that they will successfully attain their educational goals. Academic Challenge Challenging intellectual and creative work is central to student learning and collegiate quality. Survey items address the nature and amount of assigned academic work, the complexity of cognitive tasks presented to students, and the standards faculty members use to evaluate student performance. Student-Faculty Interaction In general, the more contact students have with their teachers, the more likely they are to learn effectively and persist toward achievement of their educational goals. Through such interactions, faculty members become role models, mentors, and guides for continuous, lifelong learning. Support for Learners Students perform better and are more satisfied at colleges that are committed to their success and cultivate positive working and social relationships among different groups on campus. * Source: Community College Survey of Student Engagement. [

3 The following table contains average scores for the five benchmarks. Scores were computed by averaging the scores on individual survey items that comprise each benchmark. Benchmark scores are standardized so that the mean for all students is 50 and the standard deviation is 25. Higher benchmark scores indicate greater levels of effectiveness. Score Differences reflect the difference between the comparison group score and CCP s score on the benchmark. Benchmarks that received highest grades at CCP were Academic Challenge and Student Effort. These benchmarks also resulted in the biggest differences in scores between CCP and the groups of comparison colleges. Active and Collaborative Learning was a dimension of student engagement that received the lowest benchmark score at CCP. With the exception of Active and Collaborative Learning, CCP s benchmark scores were higher than the benchmark scores associated with the Extra Large Colleges that participated in CCSSE (n = 58). Note: Extra Large Colleges were defined as having a student population of 15,000 or more. A list of these community college appears at the end of this report.

4 desc Active and Collaborative Learning Benchmark Seven items contributed to the Active and Collaborative Learning Benchmark and analysis of these individual survey items provides a sense of institutional strengths and weaknesses regarding this benchmark. Students indicated little exposure to service learning opportunities through their classroom experiences. Working with other students outside of class and making classroom presentations were also less likely opportunities for students than were participating in class discussions and collaborating with other students in class. Community College of Philadelphia ExLarge Colleges 2009 CCSSE Cohort All Students Response Scale for Survey Items Question 4: 1=Never 2= Sometimes 3= Often 4= Very Often

5 description Student Effort Benchmark Eight items contributed to the Student Effort Benchmark. Students indicated they frequently prepared two or more drafts of a paper before turning it in and and worked on projects that required integrating information from various sources. CCP students were significantly more likely than students at other extra large colleges to come to class with incomplete assignments. Students were most likely to use computer labs and less likely to use support services related to tutoring. Community College of ExLarge Colleges 2009 CCSSE Cohort All Students Response Scale for Survey Items Question 4: 1=Never 2= Sometimes 3= Often 4= Very Often Question 6: 1= 1-4 2= = = 20+ Question 10: 1= 1-4 2= = = = 30+ Question 13: 0=Don t Know 1= Never / Rarely 2= Sometimes 3= Often NOTE: Directional arrows in charts highlight those items where CCP falls notably above or below the mean of the comparison groups. The items listed are significant at p <.001. The absence of directional arrows indicates non-significant group differences.

6 Academic Challenge Benchmark Based on responses to the ten survey items that comprise the Academic Challenge Benchmark, CCP students, on average, indicated they were sufficiently challenged across a number of dimensions. Students found examinations at the College to be challenging and felt they were encouraged to spend significant amounts of time studying. Community College of ExLarge Colleges 2009 CCSSE Cohort All Students Response Scale for Survey Interns Question 4: 1=Never 2= Sometimes 3= Often 4= Very Often Question 5: 1=Never 2= Sometimes 3= Often 4= Very Often Question 6: 1= 1-4 2= = = 20+ Question 7: 1= Extremely Easy to 7= Extremely Challenging Question 9: 1=Never 2= Sometimes 3= Often 4= Very Often

7 Student-Faculty Interaction Benchmark Six survey items were used to measure the Student-Faculty Interaction Benchmark. Students indicated that faculty provided timely feedback to students concerning their performance and grades. is a frequently used communication tool for students and faculty and students discussed their career plans with faculty on occasion. Students were less likely to discuss ideas with faculty outside of class or to work with instructors on activities other than coursework. Community College of ExLarge Colleges 2009 CCSSE Cohort All Students Response Scale for Survey Items Question 4: 1=Never 2= Sometimes 3= Often 4= Very Often

8 Support for Learners Benchmark Seven items were used to determine the Support for Learners Benchmark. The College received highest grades from students in providing support to help them succeed at the College; encouraging contact among a diverse student body; and providing students with financial support needed to afford an education. Students infrequently sought out support associated with career counseling. Community College of ExLarge Colleges 2009 CCSSE Cohort All Students Response Scale for Survey Items Question 9: 1=Very Little 2= Some 3= Quite a bit 4= Very much Question 13: 0=Don t Know 1= Never / Rarely 2= Sometimes 3= Often

9 2009 Comparison Group of Extra-Large Colleges (15,000+ Students) American River College Sacramento CA 2009 Austin Community College Austin TX 2007 Borough of Manhattan Community College New York NY 2007 Broward College Fort Lauderdale FL 2007 City College of San Francisco San Francisco CA 2007 College of DuPage Glen Ellyn IL 2009 Community College of Allegheny County Pittsburgh PA 2009 Community College of Philadelphia Philadelphia PA 2009 Cuyahoga Community College Cleveland OH 2008 De Anza College Cupertino CA 2009 El Camino College Torrance CA 2008 El Paso Community College El Paso TX 2009 Florida Community College at Jacksonville Jacksonville FL 2009 Fullerton Community College Fullerton CA 2009 Georgia Perimeter College Decatur GA 2008 Glendale Community College Glendale CA 2009 Grand Rapids Community College NE Grand Rapids MI 2009 Harper College Palatine IL 2009 Hillsborough Community College Tampa FL 2007 Houston Community College Houston TX 2009 Humber ITAL Toronto ON 2009 Jefferson Community and Technical College Louisville KY 2009 Johnson County Community College Overland Park KS 2009 Kirkwood Community College Cedar Rapids IA 2009 Lansing Community College Lansing MI 2009 Macomb Community College Grosse Pointe MI 2007 Mesa Community College Mesa AZ 2008 Metropolitan Community College-Kansas City Kansas City MO 2009 Miami Dade College Miami FL 2007 Modesto Junior College Modesto CA 2009 Monroe Community College Rochester NY 2009 Montgomery College Rockville MD 2008 Moraine Valley Community College Palos Hills IL 2008 Mt. San Antonio College Walnut CA 2009 Nassau Community College Garden City NY 2009 Northern Virginia Community College Annandale VA 2008 Oakland Community College Bloomfield Hills MI 2009 Owens Community College Toledo OH 2009 Palm Beach Community College Lake Worth FL 2007 Palomar College San Marcos CA 2007 Pasadena City College Pasadena CA 2009 Portland Community College Portland OR 2008 Sacramento City College Sacramento CA 2008 Salt Lake Community College Salt Lake City UT 2008 San Antonio College San Antonio TX 2009 San Diego Mesa College San Diego CA 2007 Santa Ana College Santa Ana CA 2009 Santa Fe College Gainesville FL 2007 Sinclair Community College Dayton OH 2007 South Texas College McAllen TX 2009 St. Petersburg College St. Petersburg FL 2007 Suffolk County Community College Selden NY 2009 The Community College of Baltimore County Baltimore MD 2008 Tidewater Community College Norfolk VA 2008 Triton College River Grove IL 2009 Tulsa Community College Tulsa OK 2009 Valencia Community College Orlando FL 2009 Wayne County Community College District