Why Learning Why Learning Communities Work:Communities Work:

A DEEPer Look at A DEEPer Look at Effective Educational Effective Educational

PracticePractice

George D. KuhGeorge D. KuhCenter for Postsecondary ResearchCenter for Postsecondary Research

Indiana University Bloomington Indiana University Bloomington November 16, 2004November 16, 2004

Student Engagement QuizStudent Engagement Quiz

True or False?True or False?

More first-year students at More first-year students at research universities research universities participate in learning participate in learning communities than their peers communities than their peers at liberal arts colleges.at liberal arts colleges.

TrueTrue (15% vs. 9%)(15% vs. 9%)

Student Engagement QuizStudent Engagement Quiz

True or False?True or False?

More students at research More students at research universities do community universities do community service as part of a class than service as part of a class than students attending liberal arts students attending liberal arts colleges.colleges.

FalseFalse (47% vs. 37%)(47% vs. 37%)

We all want the same thing—We all want the same thing—an undergraduate experience an undergraduate experience that results in high levels of that results in high levels of learning and personal learning and personal development for all students.development for all students.

OverviewOverview

Effective Educational Effective Educational PracticePractice

NSSE Framework and NSSE Framework and Status Status

What We’ve Learned What We’ve Learned ImplicationsImplications

Points to PonderPoints to Ponder What are we trying to accomplish What are we trying to accomplish

with living-learning environments?with living-learning environments?

What makes for an educationally What makes for an educationally effective living-learning effective living-learning environment?environment?

What would be persuasive evidence What would be persuasive evidence that we are accomplishing our that we are accomplishing our intended purposes?intended purposes?

What would be useful data for What would be useful data for improving our programs?improving our programs?

Time Spent Preparing for Class (Per Class Per Week)

Faculty expectation of hours/week

Faculty belief of actual

hours/week

Student reported hours/week from NSSE

Subject Area

Lower Div.

Upper Div.

Lower Div.

Upper Div.

First- Year

Senior

Arts and Humanities 5.6 5.7 3.0 3.6 3.6 3.8

Biological/life sciences 6.2 6.0 2.8 3.4 4.0 3.8

Business 5.7 5.7 2.8 3.2 3.0 2.9

Education 4.4 5.1 2.6 3.4 3.3 3.4

Engineering 6.3 6.6 4.1 4.9 3.9 4.3

Physical Sciences 6.6 6.7 3.4 4.2 3.8 4.0

Professional 5.2 5.7 2.9 3.4 3.6 3.8

Social Sciences 5.2 5.6 2.5 3.1 3.4 3.3

Other 5.0 5.4 2.7 3.2 3.1 3.0

Totals 5.6 5.7 3.0 3.4 3.4 3.4

What Matters to What Matters to Student SuccessStudent Success

Lessons from Lessons from the researchthe research

Lessons from the ResearchLessons from the Research

What matters most to desired What matters most to desired outcomes is what students outcomes is what students dodo, , not who they arenot who they are

A key factor for student learning A key factor for student learning is the is the quality of effortquality of effort students students devote to educationally devote to educationally purposeful activitiespurposeful activities

What What ReallyReally Matters in College: Matters in College: Student EngagementStudent Engagement

““The research is unequivocal: The research is unequivocal: students who are actively involved students who are actively involved in both academic and out-of-class in both academic and out-of-class activities gain more from the activities gain more from the college experience than those who college experience than those who are not so involved.”are not so involved.”

Ernest T. Pascarella & Patrick T. Terenzini, Ernest T. Pascarella & Patrick T. Terenzini, How College Affects StudentsHow College Affects Students

Lessons from the ResearchLessons from the Research

What matters most is what What matters most is what students do, not who they arestudents do, not who they are

A key factor is the quality of effort A key factor is the quality of effort students expendstudents expend

Educationally effective institutions Educationally effective institutions channel student energy toward the channel student energy toward the right activitiesright activities

Principles for Good Practice Principles for Good Practice in Undergraduate Educationin Undergraduate Education

(Chickering & Gamson, 1987)(Chickering & Gamson, 1987)

Student-faculty contactStudent-faculty contact Active learningActive learning Prompt feedbackPrompt feedback High expectationsHigh expectations Respect for diverse learning Respect for diverse learning

stylesstyles Cooperation among studentsCooperation among students Time on taskTime on task

Student Engagement QuizStudent Engagement Quiz

What percent of full-time What percent of full-time students study two hours or students study two hours or more for every hour in more for every hour in class?class?

(a) 14% (b) 24% (c) 31% (d) (a) 14% (b) 24% (c) 31% (d) 39% (e) 49% 39% (e) 49%

a.a. 14%14%

Two Components of Two Components of Student EngagementStudent Engagement

1.1. What students do –What students do –TTime and energy devoted ime and energy devoted to educationally to educationally purposeful activitiespurposeful activities

2.2. What institutions do –What institutions do – Effective educational Effective educational practices to induce practices to induce students to do the right students to do the right thingsthings

Worth PonderingWorth Pondering

We value what we measureWe value what we measure

Therefore, we should Therefore, we should carefully decide what to carefully decide what to measure and make certain it measure and make certain it comports with our comports with our institutional mission, values, institutional mission, values, and desired outcomes. and desired outcomes.

Types of MeasuresTypes of Measures

Outcomes measuresOutcomes measuresEvidence of what Evidence of what students have learned or students have learned or can do can do

Process MeasuresProcess MeasuresEvidence of effective Evidence of effective educational activity by educational activity by students and institutionsstudents and institutions

Evidence of Evidence of Student EngagementStudent Engagement

To what extent do To what extent do students engage in students engage in effective effective educational educational practices?practices?

National Survey of National Survey of Student EngagementStudent Engagement(pronounced “nessie”)(pronounced “nessie”)

Community College Community College Survey of Student Survey of Student EngagementEngagement(pronounced “sessie”)(pronounced “sessie”)

College student surveys that assess College student surveys that assess the extent to which students engage the extent to which students engage in educational practices associated in educational practices associated with high levels of learning and with high levels of learning and developmentdevelopment

NSSE Project ScopeNSSE Project Scope

620,000 students from 850+ 620,000 students from 850+ different schools different schools

68% of 4-yr undergraduate FTE 68% of 4-yr undergraduate FTE

50 states, Puerto Rico, Canada50 states, Puerto Rico, Canada

70+ consortia70+ consortia

The College Student ReportThe College Student Report

Student Behaviors

Institutional Actions & Requirements

Reactions to College

Student BackgroundInformation

Student Learning &

Development

In your experience at your institution during the current school year, about how often have you done each of the following?

1

Effective Educational PracticesEffective Educational Practices

Level of Level of Academic Academic ChallengeChallenge

Active & Active & Collaborative Collaborative

LearningLearning

EnrichingEnrichingEducational Educational ExperiencesExperiences

SupportiveSupportiveCampusCampus

EnvironmentEnvironment

StudentStudentFaculty Faculty

InteractionInteraction

What have What have we learned we learned so far from so far from NSSE?NSSE?

Grades, persistence, Grades, persistence, and engagement go and engagement go hand in handhand in hand

Second Semester GPA by Engagement

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

3.5

4.0

Level ofAcademicChallenge

Academic andCollaborative

Learning

StudentInteraction with

Faculty

EnrichingEducationalExperiences

SupportiveCampus

Environment

Very Low

Low

Average

High

Very High

GPA & Student-Faculty GPA & Student-Faculty InteractionInteraction

Regression: Random Intercepts and Slopes Model

Interaction with Faculty

GPA

What percent of first-year What percent of first-year students students nevernever discuss discuss ideas outside of class with a ideas outside of class with a faculty member?faculty member?

(a) 14% (b) 19% (c) 30% (d) (a) 14% (b) 19% (c) 30% (d) 44% (e) 55%44% (e) 55%

d.d. 44%44%

Student Engagement QuizStudent Engagement Quiz

Prompt FeedbackPrompt Feedback

FACULTY gave prompt FACULTY gave prompt feedback often or very oftenfeedback often or very often

STUDENTS received prompt STUDENTS received prompt feedback often or very oftenfeedback often or very often

92% | 92%92% | 92%

Lower Division

Upper Division

52% / 64%52% / 64%

1st yr. Students Seniors

Retention to Second Year by Engagement

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Level ofAcademicChallenge

Academic andCollaborative

Learning

StudentInteraction with

Faculty

EnrichingEducationalExperiences

SupportiveCampus

Environment

Very Low

Low

Average

High

Very High

Does institutional size Does institutional size matter to engagement?matter to engagement?

YesYes, size matters., size matters.

Smaller is generally better.Smaller is generally better.

Benchmark Scores for All Students by Benchmark Scores for All Students by Undergraduate EnrollmentUndergraduate Enrollment

Benchmark Scores for All Students by Undergraduate Enrollment Intervals

25

35

45

55

65

0 -1000

1001 -1500

1501 -2000

2001 -2500

2501 -3000

3001 -4000

4001 -5000

5001 -7500

7501 -10000

10001 -15000

15001 -20000

20001 -25000

25001 -highest

Enrollment Intervals

Level ofAcademicChallenge

Active andCollaborativeLearning

StudentInteractionswith FacultyMembersEnrichingEducationalExperiences

SupportiveCampusEnvironment

Academic Challenge, Active Learning, Academic Challenge, Active Learning, Student-Faculty Interaction by Enrollment Student-Faculty Interaction by Enrollment

20

30

40

50

60

186 1238 1921 3060 6337 11343 29426Enrollment

Level of Academic Challenge

Active and Collaborative Learning

Student Interactions with Faculty Members

Student engagement Student engagement varies more varies more withinwithin than than between institutions.between institutions.

Level of Academic Challenge: Seniors at Doc-Extensive Schools

0

20

40

60

80

100

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15

Doc-Extensive Institutions

Percentile 10

Percentile 50

Percentile 90

Student-Faculty Interaction: First-Year Students at Liberal Arts Institutions

0

20

40

60

80

100

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Liberal Arts Institutions

Percentile 10

Percentile 50

Percentile 90

Worth PonderingWorth Pondering

How do we reach How do we reach our least engaged our least engaged students?students?

Who’s more engaged?Who’s more engaged?

WomenWomen Fraternity & sorority membersFraternity & sorority members Full-time studentsFull-time students Students who live on campusStudents who live on campus Students with diversity Students with diversity

experiencesexperiences Learning community studentsLearning community students

Experiences with DiversityExperiences with DiversityDependent variable

1st year students Seniors

Student Engagement Academic challenge 0.43 0.41 Higher order 0.42 0.41 Active and Collaborative 0.44 0.43 Supportive Campus Environment Supportive 0.37 0.34 Interpersonal 0.28 0.26 Support for learning 0.37 0.33 Satisfaction 0.26 0.24 Gains in Learning and Intellectual Development Gains - personal/social 0.43 0.42 Gains – general education 0.34 0.32 Gains in Social Awareness Gains - Contributing to community 0.34 0.34 Gains - Understanding self 0.27 0.36 Gains - Understanding others 0.32 0.28

Who is likely to participate in Who is likely to participate in LCs?LCs?

Both classes: Non-transfer, Both classes: Non-transfer, minority, Greek, fulltime minority, Greek, fulltime students, and pre-students, and pre-professional and 2+ majorsprofessional and 2+ majors

11stst year: low parent education, year: low parent education, living on campusliving on campus

Senior: womenSenior: women

Benefits of Learning Benefits of Learning CommunitiesCommunities

Academic PerformanceAcademic Performance SAT/ACTSAT/ACT Grades without controlsGrades without controls Grades with pre-college Grades with pre-college

controlscontrols

Benefits of Learning Benefits of Learning Communities Communities

EngagementEngagement Quality of Campus Quality of Campus

EnvironmentEnvironment Learning OutcomesLearning Outcomes First-year vs. SeniorFirst-year vs. Senior

Standardized Regression Coefficient Sig.

Y-Standardized

Effect size

Standardized Regression Coefficient Sig.

Y-Standardized

Effect size

Engagement Activities

Academic Efforts .16 *** .32 .12 *** .28

Higher Order Thinking .20 *** .40 .15 *** .35

Academic Integration .19 *** .39 .16 *** .38

Active and Collaborative Learning .26 *** .53 .24 *** .54

Interactions with Faculty .30 *** .60 .22 *** .51

Diversity Experiences .21 *** .41 .16 *** .36

Perception of Campus Environment

Quality of Academic Advising .12 *** .23 .08 *** .17

Supportive Campus Environment .19 *** .37 .14 *** .32

Satisfaction .13 *** .25 .10 *** .23

Learning Outcomes

Gains in Personal and Social .24 *** .48 .18 *** .40

Gains in Practical Competence .22 *** .45 .16 *** .36General Education Gains .18 *** .36 .11 *** .24

First-year Senior

Effects of Learning Communities on Engagement

What major public research What major public research university ranks in the top 10 university ranks in the top 10 among its peers in terms of among its peers in terms of external grants and contracts external grants and contracts but also did six major studies but also did six major studies of the quality of the of the quality of the undergraduate experience of undergraduate experience of its students since 1986?its students since 1986?

University of MichiganUniversity of Michigan

Project DEEPProject DEEP

To discover, To discover, document and document and describe what high describe what high performing performing institutions do and institutions do and how they achieved how they achieved this level of this level of effectiveness.effectiveness.

DEEP Selection CriteriaDEEP Selection Criteria

Controlling for student and institutional Controlling for student and institutional characteristics (i.e., selectivity, diversity, characteristics (i.e., selectivity, diversity, institutional type), DEEP schools have: institutional type), DEEP schools have:

Higher-than-predicted graduation rates Higher-than-predicted graduation rates Higher-than-predicted NSSE scoresHigher-than-predicted NSSE scores

Region and institutional Region and institutional type, special missiontype, special mission

Project DEEP PartnersProject DEEP Partners

DEEP Guiding QuestionsDEEP Guiding Questions::

What do high-performing colleges What do high-performing colleges and universities do to promote and universities do to promote student success?student success?

What campus features -- policies, What campus features -- policies, programs, and practices --programs, and practices --contribute to high levels of contribute to high levels of engagement and better than engagement and better than predicted graduation rates?predicted graduation rates?

Project DEEP*Project DEEP*Doctoral ExtensivesDoctoral Extensives

University of KansasUniversity of Kansas

University of MichiganUniversity of Michigan

Doctoral IntensivesDoctoral Intensives

George Mason UniversityGeorge Mason University

Miami University (Ohio)Miami University (Ohio)

University of Texas El PasoUniversity of Texas El Paso

Master’s Granting Master’s Granting

Fayetteville State UniversityFayetteville State University

Gonzaga UniversityGonzaga University

Longwood UniversityLongwood University

Liberal ArtsLiberal Arts

California State, Monterey BayCalifornia State, Monterey Bay

Macalester CollegeMacalester College

Sweet Briar CollegeSweet Briar College

The Evergreen State CollegeThe Evergreen State College

University of the SouthUniversity of the South

Ursinus CollegeUrsinus College

Wabash College Wabash College

Wheaton College (MA)Wheaton College (MA)

Wofford College Wofford College

Baccalaureate GeneralBaccalaureate General

Alverno College Alverno College

University of Maine at FarmingtonUniversity of Maine at Farmington

Winston-Salem State UniversityWinston-Salem State University

* Selection criteria: Higher-than-predicted graduation rates; Higher-than-* Selection criteria: Higher-than-predicted graduation rates; Higher-than-predicted student engagement scorespredicted student engagement scores

Research ApproachResearch Approach

Case study method Case study method Team of 24 researchers review institutional Team of 24 researchers review institutional

documents and conduct multiple-day site visitsdocuments and conduct multiple-day site visits Observe individuals, classes, group meetings, Observe individuals, classes, group meetings,

activities, eventsactivities, events Discover and describe effective practices and Discover and describe effective practices and

programs, campus cultureprograms, campus culture

Roundtables conducted by AAHE to Roundtables conducted by AAHE to explore uses of NSSE data for explore uses of NSSE data for improvement of student learningimprovement of student learning

Six Shared ConditionsSix Shared Conditions

1.1. ““Living” Mission and “Lived” Living” Mission and “Lived” Educational PhilosophyEducational Philosophy

2.2. Unshakeable Focus on Student Unshakeable Focus on Student Learning Learning

3.3. Environments Adapted for Environments Adapted for Educational AdvantageEducational Advantage

4.4. Clearly Marked Pathways to Clearly Marked Pathways to Student SuccessStudent Success

5.5. Improvement-Oriented EthosImprovement-Oriented Ethos6.6. Shared Responsibility for Shared Responsibility for

Educational Quality Educational Quality

Hay muchas maneras de Hay muchas maneras de matar pulgasmatar pulgas

There are many ways to kill fleasThere are many ways to kill fleas

Worth NotingWorth Noting

Many roads to an engaging Many roads to an engaging institutioninstitution

No one best modelNo one best model Different combinations of Different combinations of

complementary, interactive, complementary, interactive, synergistic conditionssynergistic conditions

Anything worth doing is Anything worth doing is worth doing well at scaleworth doing well at scale

Lessons Lessons Unshakeable Focus on Student Unshakeable Focus on Student

LearningLearning

Student learning and personal Student learning and personal development are high priorities. development are high priorities.

Bent toward engaging pedagogies Bent toward engaging pedagogies ““Cool passion” for talent Cool passion” for talent

development (students, faculty, staff)development (students, faculty, staff) Making time for studentsMaking time for students Recruit and reward faculty and staff Recruit and reward faculty and staff

committed to pedagogical committed to pedagogical experimentationexperimentation

Unshakeable Focus on Student Unshakeable Focus on Student LearningLearning

Accommodate students’ preferred Accommodate students’ preferred learning styles learning styles

Faculty and administrators Faculty and administrators challenge students with high challenge students with high standards standards

““Work with the students we have,” Work with the students we have,” in contrast to focusing only on the in contrast to focusing only on the best and the brightestbest and the brightest

LessonsLessons

Learning Intensive PracticesLearning Intensive Practices

University of Texas at El Paso University of Texas at El Paso uses learning communities and uses learning communities and course-based service learning course-based service learning and volunteerism to actively and volunteerism to actively engage its mostly commuter, engage its mostly commuter, first-generation students.first-generation students.

Learning-intensive practicesLearning-intensive practices

CSUMB and George Mason require CSUMB and George Mason require every student to take from 1-3 every student to take from 1-3 writing-intensive courses. They writing-intensive courses. They along with most DEEP schools have along with most DEEP schools have strong writing centers to emphasize strong writing centers to emphasize and support the importance of good and support the importance of good writing. writing.

Ample applied learning Ample applied learning opportunitiesopportunities

University of Maine at Farmington’s University of Maine at Farmington’s Student Work Initiative employs Student Work Initiative employs students in meaningful work in students in meaningful work in student services, laboratories, and student services, laboratories, and field-research. Such experiences field-research. Such experiences provide opportunities to apply what provide opportunities to apply what they are learning to practical, real-life they are learning to practical, real-life situations.situations.

Lessons Lessons

Clearly Marked Pathways to Clearly Marked Pathways to Student SuccessStudent Success

Make plain to students the resources Make plain to students the resources and services available to help them and services available to help them succeed.succeed.

Some guideposts tied directly to the Some guideposts tied directly to the academic program; others related to academic program; others related to student and campus culture. student and campus culture.

Institutional publications accurately Institutional publications accurately describe what students experience. describe what students experience.

Clearly Marked Pathways to Student Clearly Marked Pathways to Student Success Success

Efforts tailored to student needs. Efforts tailored to student needs. Mutually reinforcing student Mutually reinforcing student

expectations and behavior, expectations and behavior, institutional expectations, and institutional expectations, and institutional reward systems. institutional reward systems.

Redundant early warning systems Redundant early warning systems and safety netsand safety nets

High quality living environmentsHigh quality living environments

LessonsLessons

ExamplesExamples

Sweet Briar – “intentionally Sweet Briar – “intentionally residential”residential”

Ursinus – Common Intellectual Ursinus – Common Intellectual Experience and “frosh clustering”Experience and “frosh clustering”

Wofford – preceptorsWofford – preceptors Michigan – 11 LLCs, WISE, MCSPMichigan – 11 LLCs, WISE, MCSP Fayetteville State – “Suite Talks”Fayetteville State – “Suite Talks” Sewanee – no cable tvSewanee – no cable tv Macalester – “it’s what we don’t Macalester – “it’s what we don’t

havehave

Intentional acculturationIntentional acculturation

Miami (Ohio) created the First Year Miami (Ohio) created the First Year Experience (FYE) Committee to Experience (FYE) Committee to explore ways to enhance the explore ways to enhance the holistic FYE. Means to achieve their holistic FYE. Means to achieve their goals include (1) Miami Plan goals include (1) Miami Plan Foundation courses taught by full-Foundation courses taught by full-time faculty; (2) optional first-year time faculty; (2) optional first-year seminars; (3) community living seminars; (3) community living options that emphasize leadership options that emphasize leadership and service; and (4) cultural, and service; and (4) cultural, intellectual, and arts events. intellectual, and arts events.

““You confront so many different You confront so many different people and so many different people and so many different views… It really enhances the views… It really enhances the learning environment because learning environment because you don’t just learn in the you don’t just learn in the classroom…classroom…California State University Monterey Bay California State University Monterey Bay studentstudent

Questions & Questions & DiscussionDiscussion

For More InformationFor More Information

NSSE website: NSSE website: http://www.iub.edu/~nssehttp://www.iub.edu/~nsse