8/14/2019 Survey Dives Into Student Engagement
1/5
It sounds like a marriage proposal
rom the deep waters o Loch Ness:
Nessie wants to know i students are
engaged.
But the National Survey o Stu-
dent Engagement (the acronym pro-
nounced Nessie) isnt looking or
a new spouse, it wants to know how
involved students are in activities that
improve their academic success.
In March and April, 2,500 resh-
men and 2,500 seniors at Metro will
be selected to participate in the online
survey, joining the around 300,000
students at more than 500 institu-
tions nationwide that take part in the
program each spring.
I you really wanted to get your
voice heard and youve always said,
Gee, I wish they listened to me, this
is an invitation, said Larry Worster,director o student services
technol-
ogy and assessment and in charge o
the survey at Metro. Students chosen
randomly rom within samples that
represent the demographics o the
student body will receive an e-mail
invitation in early March and then
three e-mail reminders.
We always hear rom our stu-
dents that they want Metro State to
listen to their voices, said Kathleen
MacKay, vice president or Student
Services. Here is the perect oppor-
tunity to be heard and make a dier-
ence in the uture o the college.
Worster said aculty and sta
use the survey to pinpoint how to
improve student engagement. Survey
items represent empirically conrmed
good practices in undergraduate
education, providing an estimate o
how students spend their time and
what they gain rom college.
This is something a part o a
national movement or higher educa-
tion to be accountable to its public,
Worster said. We obtain rich data
rom it, rich understandings rom our
students rom it, and it only takes a
student 20 minutes.Worster said the survey ocuses
on student experiences that research
suggests promote student success.
The questions relate to ve bench-
mark categories, which the schools
can compare against national aver-
ages or institutions o their type.
For example, urban campuses with
urban campuses, 4-year institutions
with 4-year institutions, etc.
Colleges and universities nation-
wide use the data to analyze how and
where they can improve students
educational experience, and students
and parents can use the data to nd
the campus environment they are
looking or.
The NSSE, run rom a research
center at Indiana University Bloom-
ington, started in 2000 ater a pilot
year in 1999 and has since collected
data rom more than 1.4 million stu-
dents at nearly 1,200 colleges and
universities. Metro has participated
every two years since 2002.
The survey is updated each year
to keep up with changes such as more
questions on technology.
And with each year, the more
people who participate, the more spe-cically they understand
what makes
an eective program.
I we got a high turnout on
Nessie we would be able to break the
results down Arican-American
versus Caucasian, male versus emale
some schools even have results or
English majors versus math majors,
Worster said. Every student who
takes Nessie increases the validity.The program costs each
institu-
tion according to size. Metro paid
$8,000 this year to take part.
Worster acknowledged that many
students might not be bothered with
another survey. But, he said, the pro-
gram was an eective use o the schools
resources or the benet it brought.
We have constraints so how
do we nd creative solutions withinthose constraints to improve
our edu-
cation? he asked. The bottom line
is: I you dont assess, you dont know
the eectiveness o your teaching.
For more inormation: www.
mscd.edu/~ssac/nsse
THE METROPOLITAN MARCH 6, 2008 METRO A5
Political pundit champions presidential race
B andrew [email protected]
Survey dives into student engagement
5th annual coat drive succeeds and shares the warmth
Metro marketing students exceed-
ed their goal o 400 coats this year in
the 5th annual Share the Warmth
Coat Drive to benet The Denver Res-
cue Mission.
Led by Metro marketing proes-
sor Nancy Frontczak, students in her
promotional strategy course have
conducted the coat drive each spring
semester or the past ve years.
This year marks the greatest
number o donations received by ar,
totaling 481 during the drive, plus
another 50 taken in ater the dead-
line. More than 1,400 coats have
been donated in the history o the
event, Frontczak said.
I would say that it was really just
this year that the students had a very
specic goal. They wanted to beat the
previous record and hit at least 400
coats, Frontczak said.
Her class spent the rst couple
weeks o class this semester dedicat-
ing their time to the coat drive. They
put together a promotional plan that
included posters, personal selling, fi-
ers presented in classes, mass e-mail
notices and many other personal tac-
tics to get the word out.
I really enjoyed my experience
with the coat drive. I am so proud o
my class. We really pulled together
and tapped into all the resources pos-
sible, said Deidra Brooks, a student
o the promotional planning class.
During the coat drive, she went
to her amily, riends and local busi-
nesses to see i they wanted to do-
nate. Brooks also plans to continue
to spread the word about the Denver
Rescue Mission, a Christian organiza-
tion that provides ood and shelter to
those in need.
This coat drive is supported by the
Champs Vitamin Water Volunteers
Program, which encourages kids
rom 6th grade through college to do-
nate their time to the Denver Rescue
Mission. The driving orce behind this
program is Denver Bronco Champ
Bailey. He wants to get todays youth
involved in issues o homelessness
and poverty, Frontczak said.
Frontczaks plan or next year is to
continue the tradition o giving with
the 6th Annual Share the Warmth Coat
Drive or the Denver Rescue Mission.
B Kelly [email protected]
Arican-American political ana-
lyst and Democratic National Conven-
tion organizer Donna Brazile grew up
in the Jim Crow South. On Feb. 28 at
the Tivoli Turnhalle, she declared, in
ront o the assembled crowd, a vic-
tory or equality in the United States,
as the Democratic Party prepares to
nominate or president either an A-
rican-American or a woman.
On the nal day o Black History
Month, just prior to the beginning
o Womens History Month, this A-
rican-American woman discussedhow ar the country has come
toward
equality.
During Black History Month we
celebrate those people who are dead,
all those who sacriced to get us
where we are, Brazile said. A month
later we celebrate all those sheroes,
those who dared to make a dier-
ence and those who stared down this
country to be sure that women had a
place in this constitution.
It was evident throughout the
evening that Brazile hersel would be
recognized in both o these months,
as she has risen to become one o the
top political analysts in the nation
and is helping to run the Democratic
National Convention.
This speech shows that her
dreams are coming to ruition, at-
tendee Brian Giulieri said about the
upcoming presidential nomination.
Its a victory or what shes ought
or either way.
Brazile related her rst introduc-tion to politics at age nine in
a segre-
gated South.
Ater the assassination o Martin
Luther King Jr., she devoted her lie to
bringing change to the country, help-
ing with the presidential campaign
o Jesse Jackson and managing Al
Gores 2000 presidential bid, beore
taking her current role as manager
o the Democratic Party.
I love being on the DNC because
Im a rabble rouser, Brazile said. I
love stirring the pot o change.
In addition to change, Brazile also
shared her ondness or stirring a pot
o Louisiana gumbo.
Ater the speech she compared
recipes with an audience member.
She didnt leave quickly, but talk-
ed with anyone who wanted to, sign-
ing copies o her latest book, Cook-
ing with Grease, along the way.
People asked the question that
was on many peoples minds: Who
was she supporting?Wyoming, Texas, Maryland, all the
states let `em vote, Brazile said, on
allowing the people to choose the demo-
cratic candidate. And well (the superdel-
egates) be the gravy on the potatoes.
Brazile though, probably wont
even choose at all, preerring, as in
2004, to let one o her students cast
her vote or the nominee.
This allows Brazile to help both
candidates, and while elding ques-
tions rom some o the audience,
she talked equally about both Sens.
Barack Obamas and Hillary Clintons
unique attributes.
When she did take a stand, she
agreed that ormer President Bill
Clinton should stay on the sidelines
o the Democratic race.
I like Bill, but I think this debateis about Hillary and Obama,
not a or-
mer president, Brazile said.
The Auraria students, she said,
should be involved, as they will be
just steps rom the convention this
summer at the Pepsi Center in down-
town Denver.
Theyre right here on the groundfoor where the candidates will
be
chosen, she said.
This is a chance or young people
to make a mark on the uture.
B zac [email protected]
Super delegate saysshe plans to let studentselect nominee
choice
Photo courtesy of Wikipedia.com
Donna Brazile
I love stirring thepot of change.
DONNA BRAzILE
THE STUDYS 5 AREAS OF FOCUS Level o academic challenge: For
example, students are asked how much
time they spend preparing or class, how much the work load o a
class is and
whether the course challenges them to synthesize theory and
practice.
Active and collaborative learning: How much do students
participate
in class discussion, make presentations to the class, work with
classmates
outside o class and study outside o the classroom?
Student-aculty interaction: Students are asked how much they
work
with proessors on activities outside o coursework, how much
eedback they
receive and how many research projects they have worked on with
proessors.
Enriching educational experiences: The survey asks i students
have had
serious conversations with others who have dierent belies or
values, or with
students o a dierent ethnicity. It also questions students about
study abroad,
student clubs, learning communities, internships and senior
experiences.
Supportive campus environment: Students rate how they think
the
campus is committed to their success and how much it cultivates
positive
social relationships among dierent groups o people.
