Display 1150: NSSE Survey Item Findings
                   (2003, 2004, 2005)

NSSE ("National Survey of Student Engagement") survey items focus on the educational environment of the institution, asking Freshmen and Senior students to reflect on their own academic and intellectual experiences, their interpersonal relationships, mental and behavioral activities, and type of assignments and time usage during the academic year.  Students are asked to evaluate the institution's environment and their own growth.

The national survey is administered by Indiana University and is co-sponsored by a variety of prominent organizations including the American Association For Higher Education, the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, and the Pew Forum on Undergraduate Learning. 

At SSU as well as nationally, Senior class respondents are more positive about their institution than are Freshmen, reflecting (as should be expected) a degree of "survivor bias".  The table below compares SSU students' summary views in 2003 -- 2005 with views of students in Masters level institutions nationally in 2003 using a 4 point Likert-type scale.. 

Listed in the table below are SSU students' mean responses to all 82 separate items, as surveyed in 2003 -- 2005 and compared to a benchmark drawn from Masters level institutions nation-wide:

Detailed NSSE Survey Findings            
    (Spring term administering) 2003 2004          2005 2003 Nat'l Norm
Master Inst.
  Frosh (sample
N = 94)		 Senior
(sample
N = 96)		 Frosh
(pop.
N = 494)		 Senior
(pop.
N = 185)		 Frosh
(sample
 N = 19)		 Frosh
(pop.
N = 341)		 Senior
(sample
N = 31)		 Senior
(pop.
N = 148)		 Frosh Senior
1. Academic and Intellectual Experiences: (About how often have you done each of the following? 1=never; 2=sometimes; 3=often; 4=very often)
  a. Asked questions in class or contributed to class discussions 3.01 3.35 2.75 2.98 3.16 2.75 3.52 3.22 2.81 3.13
  b. Made a class presentation 2.41 3.05 2.33 3.11 2.58 2.36 3.10 3.18 2.27 2.90
  c. Prepared two or more drafts of a paper or assignment before turning it in 2.99 2.81 2.80 2.72 2.95 2.86 2.94 2.79 2.74 2.56
  d. Worked on a paper or project that required integrating ideas or information from various sources 3.07 3.35 3.05 3.27 3.37 3.27 3.35 3.33 3.05 3.34
  e.  Included diverse perspectives (racial, religious, gender, political) in class discussions or writing assignments 2.69 2.78 2.76 2.72 3.16 2.86 3.19 2.84 2.71 2.76
  f.  Came to class without completing readings or assignments 1.87 1.92 2.01 2.10 2.05 2.01 1.87 2.03 1.98 2.03
  g.  Worked with other students on projects during class 2.45 2.66 2.35 2.75 2.53 2.41 2.77 2.86 2.39 2.55
  h.  Worked with classmates outside of class to prepare class assignments 2.24 2.89 2.37 3.02 2.26 2.28 2.87 3.05 2.32 2.71
  i. Put together ideas or concepts from different courses when completing assignments or during class discussions 2.35 2.86 2.40 2.94 2.32 2.34 2.84 2.90 2.45 2.82
  j. Tutored or taught other students (paid or voluntary) 1.70 1.88 1.69 2.02 1.95 1.77 1.55 2.02 1.63 1.81
  k. Participated in a community-based project as part of a regular course 1.65 1.59 1.81 1.99 1.84 1.85 2.00 2.22 1.47 1.64
  l. Used an electronic medium (listserv, chat group, internet, etc.) to discuss or complete an assignment 2.54 2.98 2.70 3.12 2.84 2.68 2.71 3.05 2.61 2.82
  m. Used e-mail to communicate with an instructor 2.56 2.84 2.52 3.06 2.95 2.67 2.84 3.07 2.87 3.09
  n. Discussed grades or assignments with an instructor 2.84 3.10 2.80 3.21 2.95 2.90 3.19 3.22 2.59 2.81
  o. Talked about career plans with a faculty member or advisor 2.29 2.63 2.17 2.74 2.21 2.22 3.00 2.76 2.14 2.44
  p. Discussed ideas from readings or classes with faculty member outside class 1.86 2.32 1.90 2.36 2.00 1.98 2.55 2.54 1.76 2.06
  q. Received prompt feedback from faculty on academic performance (written or oral) 2.54 2.88 2.47 2.81 2.74 2.54 3.19 3.01 2.58 2.82
  r. Worked harder than thought I could to meet an instructor's standards or expectations 2.81 2.95 2.69 2.95 2.89 2.78 3.29 3.07 2.61 2.72
  s. Worked with faculty members on activities other than coursework (committees, orientation, student life activity, etc.) 1.61 1.90 1.66 2.10 1.68 1.77 2.35 2.19 1.53 1.79
  t. Discussed ideas from readings or classes with faculty member outside class 2.87 3.07 2.60 2.93 2.37 2.51 3.03 3.04 2.71 2.84
  u. Had serious conversations with students of a different race or ethnicity than my own 2.17 2.57 2.30 2.66 2.68 2.39 2.94 2.95 2.54 2.54
  v. Had serious conversations with students who are very different from me in terms of their religious beliefs, political opinions, or personal values 2.50 2.66 2.49 2.70 2.74 2.53 2.97 2.78 2.67 2.61
  w. Participated in activities to enhance spirituality (worship, meditation, prayer, etc.) -- -- -- -- 211 2.26 2.45 2.52 2.16 ('05) 2.23  ('05)
  x. Examined strengths and weaknesses of our own views on a topic or issue -- -- -- -- 2.42 2.54 2.90 2.82 2.61 ('05) 2.73 ('05)
  y. Tried to better understand someone else's views by imagining how an issue looks from his or her perspective -- -- -- -- 2.68 2.80 2.94 2.94 2.77 ('05) 2.86 ('05)
  z. Learned something useful that changed the way you understand an issue or concept -- -- --