Office of Institutional Research. Community College Survey of Student Engagement Benchmarks of Effective Educational Practice.

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1 Office of Institutional Research Community College Survey of Student Engagement Benchmarks of Effective Educational Practice IR Report # 167 Amanda E. Hastings Jane Grosset September 2007

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.* Based on a recommendation from the Achieving the Dream Data Team, CCP participated in CCSSE during the Spring 2007 term. Classes were randomly selected for inclusion in CCSSE and CCP s participation rate was 70 % which compares favorably with a national participation rate of 79%. 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, Student Effort, and Student- Faculty Interaction. These benchmarks also resulted in the biggest differences in scores between CCP and the groups of comparison colleges. Support for Learners and Active and Collaborative Learning were dimensions of student engagement that received lowest benchmark scores at CCP. CCP s benchmark scores on all five dimensions of student engagement were higher than the benchmark scores associated with both the Extra Large Colleges that participated in CCSSE (n = 46) and the 2007 CCSSE Cohort (n = 525). 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 in small learning communities 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. 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 infrequently came to class without completing assignments. The number of books CCP students read for enjoyment or academic enrichment was significantly larger than students at other community colleges. Students were most likely to use computer labs and less likely to use support services related to tutoring. 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 believed they worked harder than expected in order to meet instructor s demands. Students also found examinations at the College to be challenging. They reported frequent opportunities to apply classroom-based knowledge to other situations. 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 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.

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. All Students Response Scale for Survey Items Question 4: 1=Never 2= Sometimes 3= Often 4= Very 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.

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. 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 2007 Comparison Group of Extra-Large Colleges* American River College Sacramento CA 2007 Austin Community College Austin TX 2007 Borough of Manhattan Community College New York NY 2007 Broward Community College Fort Lauderdale FL 2007 City College of San Francisco San Francisco CA 2007 College of DuPage Glen Ellyn IL 2006 Allegheny County Pittsburgh PA 2007 Philadelphia Philadelphia PA 2007 Rhode Island Warwick RI 2005 Southern Nevada Las Vegas NV 2006 Cuyahoga Community College Cleveland OH 2006 De Anza College Cupertino CA 2007 El Paso Community College El Paso TX 2007 Florida Community College at Jacksonville Jacksonville FL 2007 Georgia Perimeter College Decatur GA 2005 Glendale Community College Glendale CA 2007 Harper College Palatine IL 2006 Hillsborough Community College Tampa FL 2007 Houston Community College System Houston TX 2007 Johnson County Community College Overland Park KS 2007 Kirkwood Community College Cedar Rapids IA 2007 Macomb Community College Warren MI 2007 Metropolitan Community College - Kansas City Kansas City MO 2007 Miami Dade College Miami FL 2007 Modesto Junior College Modesto CA 2006 Montgomery College Rockville MD 2006 Moraine Valley Community College Palos Hills IL 2005 Mt. San Antonio College Walnut CA 2007 Northern Virginia Community College Annandale VA 2005 Oakland Community College Bloomfield Hills MI 2005 Palm Beach Community College Lake Worth FL 2007 Palomar College San Marcos CA 2007 Pasadena City College Pasadena CA 2007 Salt Lake Community College Salt Lake City UT 2006 San Antonio College San Antonio TX 2007 San Diego Mesa College San Diego CA 2007 Santa Ana College Santa Ana CA 2007 Santa Fe Community College (FL) Gainesville FL 2007 Sinclair Community College Dayton OH 2007 South Texas College McAllen TX 2007 Southwestern Illinois College Belleville IL 2005 St. Petersburg College St. Petersburg FL 2007 The Baltimore County Baltimore MD 2006 Tidewater Community College Norfolk VA 2005 Triton College River Grove IL 2006 Valencia Community College Orlando FL 2007 *Extra Large Colleges were defined as having a student population of 15,000 or more. Note: Year represents the most recent CCSSE Institution participation