Showing papers on "Student engagement published in 2005"

Student Success in College: Creating Conditions That Matter

Abstract: Kuh, George D., Kinzie, Jillian, Schuh, John H., Whitt, Elizabeth J., and Associates, 2010. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. $30.00 ISBN: 978-0-470-59909-9Student Success in College: Creating Conditions That Matter offers a closer look into the U.S. system of higher education, seeking to answer the following question: What policies, programs, and practices promote student success? The authors embark on this journey examining a group of 20 four-year colleges and universities (e.g. schools included eight private and 12 public institutions representing 17 different states, with populations ranging from 682 to 23,063 students) that have fostered educational environments where engagement and success have transformed the experiences of enrolled students. For the purpose of this review, we organize our thoughts in the following two sections:Promoting Student SuccessThe book thoroughly describes necessary conditions for student success and provides guidance for how institutions can create those environments. The authors reiterate throughout that the policies and programs described in the book are not unique to these institutions. What sets these 20 institutions apart is that when they design and implement policies and programs, they take serious consideration of their environment (e.g., campus location, setting, student demographics, traditions, history) and make sure that decisions taken align with the mission and vision of the institution. For example, the authors describe in detail how the University of Kansas begins stressing the importance of success to freshmen students during "Hawk Week." This weeklong schedule of activities at the beginning of the year teaches incoming students the traditions on campus, and encourages them to become part of those traditions, hence encouraging student success by creating a strong campus community.The authors argue that these schools work to offer opportunities that are tailored to their students, creating a meaningful learning experience centered on engaged and involved students. Among several examples, the authors describe how Evergreen State College (small public liberal arts college) provides affordable childcare to accommodate a large number of students who have dependents. They illustrate how Manchester College (a small private liberal arts college), a school located in a large urban area, has designed its campus around creating an intimate community atmosphere with the use of small buildings and classrooms. They also highlight how Alverno College (a private women's college) connects nursing students with the local Hmong community in Milwaukee, providing crosscultural experiences right at home.Within each of the sections and chapters, the authors achieve a conversational tone that incorporates these rich specific examples, includes commentary by faculty and staff, and provides detailed accounts of how and why the work of these institutions is worth replicating. This approach makes the book personable and provides an encouraging message to schools looking to improve student engagement, satisfaction, and personal development.Lessons Learned:Working with International StudentsA feature defining these schools is that they continuously attempt to develop a campus that offers opportunities for all students to enhance their educational experience. Thus, a question that must be asked is how institutions fulfill the needs of an increasingly diverse student body, especially one that represents a myriad of backgrounds and characteristics? In 2011, the number of international students increased to 723,277 in the United States. As a group, it is argued that international students can bring diverse global perspectives to the classroom, provide a renewed perspective on global education, and open a valuable window for cross-cultural interaction with local students. While these and many other educational benefits are associated with the presence of international students on campus, it is important to remember that international students also confront adjustment challenges (e. …

Pedagogies of Engagement: Classroom-Based Practices

Abstract: Educators, researchers, and policy makers have advocated student involvement for some time as an essential aspect of meaningful learning. In the past twenty years engineering educators have implemented several means of better engaging their undergraduate students, including active and cooperative learning, learning communities, service learning, cooperative education, inquiry and problem-based learning, and team projects. This paper focuses on classroom-based pedagogies of engagement, particularly cooperative and problem-based learning. It includes a brief history, theoretical roots, research support, summary of practices, and suggestions for redesigning engineering classes and programs to include more student engagement. The paper also lays out the research ahead for advancing pedagogies aimed at more fully enhancing students’ involvement in their learning.

Faculty Do Matter: The Role of College Faculty in Student Learning and Engagement.

Abstract: This study uses two national data sets to explore the relationship between faculty practices and student engagement. Our findings suggest that students report higher levels of engagement and learning at institutions where faculty members use active and collaborative learning techniques, engage students in experiences, emphasize higher-order cognitive activities in the classroom, interact with students, challenge students academically, and value enriching educational experiences. The quality and value of an undergraduate education in the past decade received, and continues to receive, scrutiny by various stakeholders associated with the higher education community. Much of the energy surrounding the undergraduate experience and student learning was placed on the two major responsibilities of faculty, teaching and research (Fairweather, 1996, 2002; Marsh and Hattie, 2002). The regulation of time allocated to these two roles was quickly becoming one of the most salient issues in higher education. Unfortunately, much of the debate about the nature of faculty work was shrouded in myth, opinion, and conjecture (Fairweather, 2002). Some of these perceptions, such as a faculty member being highly involved in teaching, engages students in the undergraduate experience resulting in greater student learning gains, were important to debunk or substantiate. As a result, assessing the impact that faculty

Instruments for obtaining student feedback: a review of the literature

Abstract: This paper reviews the research evidence concerning the use of formal instruments to measure students’ evaluations of their teachers, students’ satisfaction with their programmes and students’ perceptions of the quality of their programmes. These questionnaires can provide important evidence for assessing the quality of teaching, for supporting attempts to improve the quality of teaching and for informing prospective students about the quality of course units and programmes. The paper concludes by discussing several issues affecting the practical utility of the instruments that can be used to obtain student feedback. Many students and teachers believe that student feedback is useful and informative, but for a number of reasons many teachers and institutions do not take student feedback sufficiently seriously.

A Measure of College Student Course Engagement

Abstract: Student engagement is considered an important predictor of student achievement, but few researchers have attempted to derive a valid and reliable measure of college student engagement in particular courses. In 2 studies, we developed and explored the validity of a measure of student engagement, the Student Course Engagement Questionnaire (SCEQ). Exploratory factor analysis revealed 4 dimensions of college student engagement that were distinct and reliable: skills engagement, participation/interaction engagement, emotional engagement, and performance engagement. We reported evidence of the convergent and discriminant validity of the measure. In particular, we found relationships between factors on the SCEQ and self-report measures of engagement, endorsement of self-theories, goal preferences, and grades.

The value of student engagement for higher education quality assurance

Abstract: As the principles and practices of quality assurance are further implanted in higher education, methodological questions about how to understand and manage quality become increasingly important. This paper argues that quality assurance determinations need to take account of how and to what extent students engage with activities that are likely to lead to productive learning. The idea of student engagement is introduced. A critical review of current possibilities for determining the quality of university education in Australia exposes limitations of quality assurance systems that fail to take account of student engagement. The review provides a basis for suggesting the broad relevance of student engagement to quality assurance. A sketch is provided of an approach for factoring student engagement data into quality assurance determinations.

A critical examination of the effects of learning management systems on university teaching and learning

Abstract: The rapid uptake of campus-wide Learning Management Systems (LMS) is changing the character of the on-campus learning experience. The trend towards LMS as an adjunct to traditional learning modes has been the subject of little research beyond technical analyses of alternative software systems. Drawing on Australian experience, this paper presents a broad, critical examination of the potential impact of these online systems on teaching and learning in universities. It discusses in particular the possible effects of LMS on teaching practices, on student engagement, on the nature of academic work and on the control over academic knowledge.

Teachers and the Gender Gaps in Student Achievement

Abstract: In the United States, girls outperform boys in measures of reading achievement while generally underperforming in science and mathematics One major class of explanations for these gaps involves the gender-based interactions between students and teachers (eg, role-model and Pygmalion effects) However, the evidence on whether these interactions actually matter is limited and contradictory In this study, I present new empirical evidence on whether assignment to a same-gender teacher influences student achievement, teacher perceptions of student performance, and student engagement This study's identification strategy exploits a unique "matched pairs" feature of a major longitudinal survey Within-student comparisons based on these data indicate that assignment to a same-gender teacher significantly improves the achievement of both girls and boys as well as teacher perceptions of student performance and student engagement with the teacher's subject For example, assignment to a female science teacher increases the likelihood that a girl views science as useful for her future However, because the middle-school teachers in most academic subjects are female, these results also suggest that the gender dynamics between teachers and students at this level amplify boys' large underperformance in reading while attenuating the more modest underperformance of girls in math and science

Tracking student behavior, persistence, and achievement in online courses

Abstract: The purpose of this research was to examine student engagement in totally asynchronous online courses through an empirical analysis of student behavior online and its relationship to persistence and achievement. A total of 13 sections of three undergraduate, general education courses provided the setting for the study. Three hundred fifty-four students were used in the data analysis. Using student access computer logs, student behaviors defined as frequency of participation and duration of participation were documented for eight variables. The descriptive data revealed significant differences in online participation between withdrawers and completers and between successful completers and non-successful completers. A multiple regression analysis was used to evaluate how well student participation measures predicted achievement. Approximately 31% of the variability in achievement was accounted for by student participation measures, and three of the eight variables were statistically significant.

A typology of student engagement for american colleges and universities

Abstract: The Carnegie classification system has served as a framework for research on colleges and universities for more than 30 years. Today, the system’s developers are exploring criteria that more effectively differentiate among institutions. One approach being considered is classifying institutions based on students’ educational experiences. This study explored whether it is possible to create a typology of institutions based on students’ experiences. Results indicated that such a typology could be created, and the types were somewhat independent of institutional mission (i.e., Carnegie classification)

A Comparison of International Student and American Student Engagement in Effective Educational Practices

Abstract: American society is more diverse now than at any previous time (Keller, 2001). It is no surprise, then, that knowledgeable observers both inside and outside the academy say that an important goal of higher education is to prepare culturally competent individuals with the ability to work effectively with people from different backgrounds (Carnevale, 1999; Mori, 2000; Sandhu, 1995; Smith & Schonfeld, 2000). Promising approaches include creating learning environments that promote and value diversity, as well as intentionally exposing students to multiple and sometimes competing perspectives that challenge previously unexamined assumptions. When imbedded in appropriate pedagogy, such challenges can promote high levels of intellectual and personal development (Astin, 1977, 1993; Chickering & Reisser, 1993; Keniston & Gerzon, 1972; Kuh et al., 1991; Sanford, 1962). Thus, diversity on college campuses is not a gratuitous or idealistic goal; it is essential in order for college students to learn how to live and work effectively with others who differ from themselves (Gurin, 1999; Smith & Schonfeld, 2000). International students constitute an increasingly relevant and important source of diversity on college campuses. Attending a school enrolling substantial numbers of international students may advantage American students in the marketplace, to the extent that the experience increases their cultural sensitivities and skills in working with people from different backgrounds (Calleja, 2000; Carnevale, 1999). The good news is that more American students may now be getting these opportunities. In 2001, the total international student enrollment at colleges and universities in the U.S. was nearly 550,000, a 6.4% increase over 2000 and the biggest single-year jump in 20 years (Institute of International Education, 2002). International students represent almost 5% of all students (Digest of Educational Statistics, 2001). About 237,000 are under-graduates, almost 3% of the total number of undergraduates in the U.S. (Marcus & Hartigan, 2000). Asian students comprise over half (56%) of all international enrollments, followed by students from Europe (14%), Latin America (12%), the Middle East (7%), Africa (6%), and North America and Oceania (5%) (Institute of International Education, 2002). Although U.S. colleges and universities enroll more international students than any other country in the world (Marcus & Hartigan, 2000), most of what is reported in the literature about students' experiences emphasizes the challenges they face in adapting to a foreign living and learning environment. Most international students report some degree of culture shock when they arrive and begin their studies (Furnham, 1988; Olaniran, 1996, 1999; Selvadurai, 1992; Thomas & Althen, 1989). That shock is typically manifested as stress, anxiety, and feelings of powerlessness, rejection, and isolation (Oberg, 1960). Being exposed to new values, attitudes, and behavior patterns is not necessarily debilitating, however; indeed, the experience can be transformative. In fact, some research shows that international students seem to be able to cope relatively well when faced with other stressful life events (Leong, Mallinckrodt, & Krolj, 1990; Parr & Others, 1992). Friendship networks seem to be a critical factor in how well international students deal with stress (Furnham & Alibhai, 1985). Those who have a strong social support system tend to adjust to college life in their host country more quickly and effectively (Al-Sharideh & Goe, 1998; Boyer & Sedlacek, 1988; Schram & Lauver, 1988). International students indicate a stronger preference for making friends from the same country or students from other nations over students from the host county (Furnham & Alibhai, 1985). At the same time, those international students who do cultivate friendships with American students tend to adapt and adjust more easily (Bochner et al. …

Student experiences with information technology and their relationship to other aspects of student engagement

Abstract: Colleges and universities have made considerable effort to get students to use information technology productively. This study uses data from the 2003 administration of the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) to investigate the relationships between student uses of information technology and other forms of student engagement. There appears to be a strong positive relationship between using information technology for educational purposes and involvement in effective educational practices such as active and collaborative learning and student–faculty interaction. The results also point to the prospect that particular areas of involvement with information technology could be viewed as forms of engagement in and of themselves. In addition, when students use information technology it may increase their opportunities for other types of engagement.

Measurement and analysis of student engagement in university classes where varying levels of PBL methods of instruction are in use

Abstract: Students participate more in a classroom and also report a better understanding of course concepts when steps are taken to actively engage them. The Student Engagement (SE) Survey was developed and used in this study for measuring student engagement at the class level and consisted of 14 questions adapted from the original National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) survey. The adapted survey examined levels of student engagement in 56 classes at an upper mid‐western university in the USA. Campus‐wide faculty members participated in a program for training them in innovative teaching methods including problem‐based learning (PBL). Results of this study typically showed a higher engagement in higher‐level classes and also those classes with fewer students. In addition, the level of engagement was typically higher in those classrooms with more PBL.

Safe Space: Student Perspectives on Classroom Environment

Abstract: Based on data from a survey of 121 baccalaureate and master of social work students at a western university, this study explores students' perspectives of "safe" and "unsafe" classroom environments. The majority reported that being in a safe classroom changed both what and how much they learned. Students offered a wide range of instructor, fellow student, personal, and classroom characteristics that contribute to the creation of safe and unsafe spaces. Responses about such characteristics were relatively consistent across genders, race (measured as being White or of color), and program level. Implications for social work education and research are offered.

Non-response in student surveys: The Role of Demographics, Engagement and Personality

Abstract: What causes a student to participate in a survey? This paper looks at participation across multiple surveys to understand survey non-response; by using multiple surveys we minimize the impact of survey salience. Students at a selective liberal arts college were administered four different surveys throughout the 2002–2003 academic year, and we use the number of surveys participated in to understand how student characteristics such as demographics, engagement and Holland personality type affect cooperation. We find that survey respondents are more likely to be female and socially engaged, less likely to be on financial aid, more likely to be an investigative personality type and less likely to be an enterprising personality type.

From hearing voices to engaging in dialogue: problematising student participation in school improvement

Abstract: This article explores the value of student voice to school improvement, suggesting that it is often assumed to be a good thing. The article describes six trends that have contributed to this unexamined assumption. It is suggested that two dimensions of any claim that student voice can contribute to school improvement need to be analysed: the degree to which students are regarded as being active in participation in school life, and the purposed for which their voice is being used. A distinction is drawn between those that are for community purposes, such as the improvement of learning, and institutional purposes such as improvement in the appearance of the school. The various ways in which student voice can be used to coerce teachers of students into compliance are identified. An analytic matrix is presented. A dialogic model is proposed as the form of participation that will contribute most towards improvement. The article concludes with accounts of three projects in which student participation has been encouraged through dialogue about learning.

A Case for School Connectedness

Abstract: Although connecting students to school is important at all grade levels, it's especially crucial during the adolescent years. In the last decade, educators and school health professionals have increasingly pointed to school connectedness as an important factor in reducing the likelihood that adolescents will engage in health-compromising behaviors. A connected school environment also increases the likelihood of academic success.

Sport Education: physical education for the new millennium?

Abstract: The purpose of this review was to establish what is currently known about the effect of the Sport Education (SE) curriculum model (Siedentop, 1994a) on various indices of student learning in physical education A total of 62 peer-reviewed journal articles pertaining to the SE model were collected and separated into two broad categories of theoretical/application articles (n = 34) and data-based empirical studies (n = 28) This review of the 28 empirical SE studies highlights the effectiveness of the model in facilitating student engagement within student-centered learning tasks of the curriculum Evidence suggests that SE, with its emphasis on persistent team membership, promotes personal and social development in the form of student responsibility, cooperation and trust skills Student leadership within the model has been identified as potentially problematic for effective content development and the promotion of equitable participation Further research is required to examine the dynamics of peer intera

Engagement tracing: using response times to model student disengagement

Abstract: Time on task is an important predictor for how much students learn. However, students must be focused on their learning for the time invested to be productive. Unfortunately, students do not always try their hardest to solve problems presented by computer tutors. This paper explores student disengagement and proposes an approach, engagement tracing, for detecting whether a student is engaged in answering questions. This model is based on item response theory, and uses as input the difficulty of the question, how long the student took to respond, and whether the response was correct. From these data, the model determines the probability a student was actively engaged in trying to answer the question. The model has a reliability of 0.95, and its estimate of student engagement correlates at 0.25 with student gains on external tests. We demonstrate that simultaneously modeling student proficiency in the domain enables us to better model student engagement. Our model is sensitive enough to detect variations in student engagement within a single tutoring session. The novel aspect of this work is that it requires only data normally collected by a computer tutor, and the affective model is statistically validated against student performance on an external measure.

Relation of academic support from parents, teachers, and peers to Hong Kong adolescents' academic achievement: the mediating role of academic engagement.

Abstract: The author tested a model hypothesizing that students' self-perceived academic support (from parents, teachers, and peers) is related to their achievement directly and indirectly through their own perceived academic engagement. The participants were 270 adolescents (M age = 15.41 years, range = 14-20 years) from 3 grade levels (Forms 3-5, equivalent to Grades 9-11 in the United States) in a Hong Kong secondary school. The school principal and teachers helped to collect data based on these adolescents' responses to a self-report questionnaire, consisting of a demographic profile and 4 scales assessing their self-perceptions of the extent of parental, teacher, and peer support, and their own academic engagement. Academic achievement was measured by self-reported grades in math, English, and Chinese. Structural equation modeling analyses revealed that adolescents' perceived parental, teacher, and peer support were all indirectly related to their academic achievement mediated by their own perceived academic engagement. The strength of the relationships, however, varied by support system, with perceived teacher support to achievement being the strongest, followed closely by perceived parental support, and then perceived peer support. In addition, both perceived parental support and perceived teacher support were directly related to academic achievement. However, perceived teacher support made the most total (direct and indirect) contribution to student achievement. Perceived peer support had the smallest, nonetheless significant, indirect relationship to academic achievement. However, the negative, direct influence of perceived peer support canceled out its positive, indirect influence on academic achievement.

The Career Planning, Athletic Identity, and Student Role Identity of Intercollegiate Student Athletes

Abstract: The purpose of this study was to examine the career planning of university student athletes and relationships between their career planning and athletic and student role identities. Two retrospective in-depth interviews were held with four male and four female university student athletes. Participants entered university with vague or nonexistent career objectives and invested heavily in their athletic roles. In the latter years of their college career, the participants discarded their sport career ambitions and allowed the student role to become more prominent in their identity hierarchies. The current findings support Brown and Hartley's (1998) suggestion that student athletes may invest in both the athlete and student role identities simultaneously and that investing in the latter may permit the exploration of nonsport career options.

Uses and Effects of Mobile Computing Devices in K–8 Classrooms

Abstract: This preliminary study employed mixed methodologies to explore students’ use of mobile computing devices and its effects on their motivation to learn, engagement in learning activities, and support for learning processes. Data collected from students in four elementary and two seventh grade science classes in Northeast Ohio included usage logs, student work samples, student and teacher interviews, and classroom observations. Findings highlight the personalization of learning afforded by such devices both in terms of individuals and individual classroom cultures, as well as their usefulness in extending learning beyond the classroom. They also suggest that increased motivation due to mobile device use leads to increases in the quality and quantity of student work.

Promoting Teacher Efficacy for Working With Culturally Diverse Students

Abstract: Teachers exert a potent influence over the achievement of all students, low-income culturally diverse students in particular. Although recent research has confirmed that teacher involvement is critical for promoting academic engagement of low-income and ethnically diverse students, other literature suggests that teachers have lower expectations for and fewer interactions with these children. These findings have prompted calls for promoting teacher self-efficacy for working with children from diverse backgrounds. The purposes of this article are (a) to summarize briefly the literature that examines the effect of teacher efficacy on academic and behavioral outcomes of students, especially culturally diverse students; (b) to disseminate the findings of a teacher-training program designed to promote teacher efficacy in relation to culturally diverse students; and (c) to provide teachers, administrators, and teacher trainers with methods to increase teacher efficacy when working with culturally diverse learners.

Training Teachers to Give Effective Commands: Effects on Student Compliance and Academic Behaviors.

Abstract: . This study examined the effects of effective command training with teachers on students' compliance rates and academic engagement. Three target students were selected who were exhibiting compliance rates substantially below peers. The students' teachers were taught how to provide effective commands. Results indicated that students' rates of compliance increased with increased use of effective commands. When verbal praise was added contingent on compliance, students' rates of compliance increased even more. In addition, academic engagement was shown to increase as student compliance increased and disruptive competing behaviors decreased. Implications for consultation and intervention in the classroom to increase student compliance and academic behaviors are discussed. ********** Teachers are challenged to set the tone for instruction in their classrooms and to engage their students in academic lessons. It is important that students are compliant to teachers' instructions so that available learning time is not wasted. Managing students' inappropriate behaviors is a time-consuming task that reduces the amount of time teachers spend on teaching and the amount of time students spend on academic tasks. In urban school districts, student behavior that is incompatible with academic responses and on-task behaviors occupies 15% to 25% of class time in first through fourth grades (Greenwood, 1991). Rhode, Jenson, and Reavis (1993) suggest that compliance rates below 40% may prevent a child from benefiting from instructional opportunities. Effective classroom management can help ensure student compliance and establish and maintain an orderly learning environment (Doyle, 1985). Previous research has demonstrated positive correlations between well-managed classrooms and student engagement in academic tasks, more rapid pace of progression in academic material, and higher levels of academic achievement (Brophy, 1983; Gettinger, 1986; Good, 1979). Strategies to help teachers gain student compliance and increase the amount of time students are engaged in academic activities are needed. Consulting with teachers to improve the effectiveness of teacher commands may be one such strategy. There is a long history of research on the use of effective commands by parents that demonstrates increases in child compliance (Forehand, 1977; Forehand & McMahon, 1981; Forehand & Scarboro, 1975; Peed, Roberts, & Forehand, 1977; Roberts, McMahon, Forehand, & Humphreys, 1978; Roberts & Powers, 1988; Schoen, 1986; Williams & Forehand, 1984). Effective commands are defined based on their effect on child behavior. In essence, commands that increase the probability of child compliance are effective whereas commands that do not positively affect child compliance are not effective. Previous research has delineated some of the qualities of commands that are important to establishing child compliance (Forehand, 1977; Forehand & McMahon, 1981; McMahon & Forehand, 2003). In particular, Forehand and McMahon (1981) identified effective commands as those that are directly stated, are specific and consist of one step, are developmentally appropriate, are phrased positively, and are given one at a time (e.g., there is at least a 5-second wait time between commands). Training parents to issue effective commands to improve child compliance is important, as parents often do not naturally provide high rates of effective commands relative to typically high rates of ineffective commands (Shriver & Allen, 1997). Unlike the research conducted in clinical settings, there is much less research on the use of effective commands in classrooms. A few studies have examined the inclusion of command training with teachers as part of a multicomponent intervention package to improve student behavior in the classroom (DeMartini-Scully, Bray, & Kehle, 2000; Musser, Bray, Kehle, & Jenson, 2001). The command format used in these studies was derived from the work of Forehand and McMahon (1981). …

Enhancing academic engagement: Providing opportunities for responding and influencing students to choose to respond

Abstract: Although educators often provide opportunities for students to engage in active academic responding, in many situations, students either cannot or will not respond. In the current article, we analyze the reasons students fail to respond. Practical procedures educators can use to prevent can’t do problems are provided. Won’t do problems are conceptualized as choice behaviors. Both applied and theoretical research on choice behavior provides the basis for recommendations designed to enhance the probability of students choosing to engage in active accurate academic (AAA) responding. Such procedures can increase skill development and achievement while decreasing inappropriate behaviors that are incompatible with AAA responding. School psychologists may utilize this information during the initial stages of collaborative problem solving (e.g., consultation) to help conceptualize problems. This conceptualization may then guide the assessment and intervention processes. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Transgender Issues on College Campuses.

Abstract: Colleges and universities are beginning to consider the needs of transgender students, but few understand how to offer support to this segment of the campus community. This chapter address issues and provides suggestions for student affairs professionals.

Assessing Conditions to Enhance Educational Effectiveness: The Inventory for Student Engagement and Success

Abstract: PREFACE. ABOUT THE AUTHORS. PART ONE: Student Success in College: Why It Matters and What Institutions Can Do About It. CHAPTER 1: Why Focus on Student Success? Student Engagement: A Key to Student Success. Project DEEP: A Window into Effective Educational Practice. Putting DEEP to Work. Are You Ready for ISES? CHAPTER 2: Guiding Principles for Using the Inventory for Student Engagement and Success. Context Is Everything. The Whole Is Greater than the Sum of the Parts. Evidence Is Essential: The More, the Better. Test Prevailing Assumptions. Cast a Wide Net. Use Outsiders to Ask Hard Questions. Focus on What Matters to Student Success. Stay the Course. PART TWO: Inventory for Student Engagement and Success. CHAPTER 3: Using ISES to Assess the Properties and Conditions Common to Educationally Effective Colleges. A "Living" Mission and "Lived" Educational Philosophy. Unshakeable Focus on Student Learning. Environments Adapted for Educational Enrichment. Clear Pathways to Student Success. Improvement-Oriented Ethos. Shared Responsibility for Educational Quality and Student Success. "Ultimately, It's About the Culture". CHAPTER 4: Using ISES to Assess Effective Educational Practices. Academic Challenge. Active and Collaborative Learning. Student-Faculty Interaction. Enriching Educational Experiences. Supportive Campus Environment. CHAPTER 5: Using ISES for Institutional Improvement. Logistical Issues. Applications of ISES. A Last Word. REFERENCES. APPENDIX A: ISES: Suggested Interview Protocols. APPENDIX B: DEEP Site Visit Report Timeline. INDEX.

Does Technology Enhance Actual Student Learning? The Case of Online Discussion Boards

Abstract: Despite widespread acceptance of technology in the classroom, there is little empirical research on the effectiveness of students' use of technology in enhancing their learning. To date, studies suggest that students perceive technology to be a useful learning tool; however, research has not linked the use of technology to actual student performance measures. In this study, the authors examined the degree to which technology enhanced actual student learning and whether individual characteristics of the student population moderated this relationship. The results suggest that the incorporation of technology in the classroom does enhance actual student learning and that this relationship is moderated by student characteristics.

The Authentic Assessment Toolbox: Enhancing Student Learning through Online Faculty Development

Abstract: To support learning about assessment for all educators, I wrote, created and published online the Authentic Assessment Toolbox, a how-to text on creating authentic tasks, rubrics and standards for measuring and improving student learning. The site can assist faculty development by exposing educators to the process and rationale for an alternative (authentic) model of assessment in which students are asked to perform real-world tasks which demonstrate meaningful application of essential knowledge and skills, and by describing and providing examples of how to construct such authentic assessments. Additionally, the Toolbox can benefit student learning by suggesting methods for promoting student engagement in substantial learning that connects to real-world applications students will recognize and value, and by describing tools (e.g., rubrics) that students can apply to their own work to gauge progress and achievement.