AU is administering the 2010 National Survey for Student Engagement to freshmen and second semester seniors.
AU did not participate in the 2008 survey, though it has used the NSSE before, The Eagle previously reported.
The NSSE — a measure of undergraduate students’ participation and learning experiences — is being used by universities and colleges in response to traditional rankings such as the U.S. News and World Report, according to The Washington Post.
Administered every two years, the survey aims to give universities an idea of how undergraduates are spending their time inside and outside the classroom, according to the NSSE Web site. The survey also attempts to measure how rewarding the classroom experience is for students.
The survey does not provide colleges with a numeral ranking, but instead allows schools to compare their results with benchmarks from schools of similar categories, according to Karen Froslid-Jones, director of AU’s Office of Institutional Research and Assessment.
Froslid-Jones said AU has garnered positive results from the survey in the past, especially in categories such as AU’s level of academic challenge and faculty-student interaction. Other benchmarks include active and collaborative learning, enriching educational experiences and supportive campus environment.
In the past, AU has utilized the information gathered by NSSE and actively applied its results.
“The results do not just sit on the shelf,” Froslid-Jones said.
The survey’s results were valuable in forming AU’s Strategic Plan last year, Froslid-Jones said. It has also been used to make improvements to a number of programs such as the Honors Program, the Washington Mentorship Program and the University College, The Eagle previously reported.
The survey gives many opportunities for students to reflect upon their insights and participation and has very specific questions, Froslid-Jones said. For example, questions ask, “How often do you raise your hand in class?” and “How many 20-page papers have you written?”
The 82-question survey uses questions like these to assess student engagement instead of statistical data such as standardized tests. Research has shown that the more students participate in their education, the more they will learn, according to USA Today.
“It really talks about the experiences students are having at their universities versus the input measures, such as SAT scores, other rankings use,” Froslid-Jones said.
However, without participation the survey becomes less valuable, she said. AU’s response rate, which indicates the number of students who take the survey, has been better than average in the past, according to Froslid-Jones
The survey was first sent to students through e-mail on Feb. 4. The next reminder will be e-mailed to students on March 2.
AU’s NSSE rankings have not been made public yet, Froslid-Jones said. A full report of the 2010 results will be available in September, she said.
Greg Grauman, director of AU’s Office of Admissions, said he believes surveys and rankings only provide a snapshot of a university’s strengths.
“I believe the academic reputation and the success of a university’s graduates, along with institutional fit, are more persuasive than any single ranking,” Grauman said. “A prospective student gets a much better understanding of an institution by visiting and discovering the strengths first hand.”
You can reach this writer at news@theeagleonline.com.
