2008 Woodie Awards
National survey finds MU ranks high in academic challenge, faculty support
Marisa Schnaith
Issue date: 11/13/07 Section: Campus
Findings from the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE), released Nov. 5, report that Miami University first-year students and seniors rank their academic experience higher than those at regional and national peer universities.
According to the annual report posted online, the survey, conducted by the Center for Postsecondary Research at Indiana University, was conducted at 610 private and public four-year colleges and universities in the U.S. and Canada, and is based on information from about 313,000 randomly selected first-year and senior students. Forty-eight other Ohio schools were surveyed-including Otterbein College, Denison University, Ohio State University and Wright State University.
The ultimate purpose of the NSSE study, according to the report, is to show schools where improvements can be made in their curriculum by assessing how well they are facilitating their students' undergraduate learning experience.
The report listed measurements in five key areas of educational performance: 1) level of academic challenge, 2) active and collaborative learning, 3) student-faculty interaction, 4) enriching educational experiences and 5) supportive campus environment.
At Miami, 1,407 students responded to the survey, reporting comparatively high scores in four of the five key areas.
According to the results, Miami scored high in academic challenge areas, collaborative learning, student-faculty interaction and encouraging enriching educational experiences and first-years also did well in the supportive campus environment category, though seniors did not score as highly here.
Miami's scores regarding foreign language and study abroad experience were also high. According to the report, 58 percent of Miami seniors reported having had foreign language course work, compared to 40-43 percent of seniors at regional and national universities. Also 37 percent of Miami seniors have studied abroad, compared to 13 percent at the other universities surveyed.
According to the annual report posted online, the survey, conducted by the Center for Postsecondary Research at Indiana University, was conducted at 610 private and public four-year colleges and universities in the U.S. and Canada, and is based on information from about 313,000 randomly selected first-year and senior students. Forty-eight other Ohio schools were surveyed-including Otterbein College, Denison University, Ohio State University and Wright State University.
The ultimate purpose of the NSSE study, according to the report, is to show schools where improvements can be made in their curriculum by assessing how well they are facilitating their students' undergraduate learning experience.
The report listed measurements in five key areas of educational performance: 1) level of academic challenge, 2) active and collaborative learning, 3) student-faculty interaction, 4) enriching educational experiences and 5) supportive campus environment.
At Miami, 1,407 students responded to the survey, reporting comparatively high scores in four of the five key areas.
According to the results, Miami scored high in academic challenge areas, collaborative learning, student-faculty interaction and encouraging enriching educational experiences and first-years also did well in the supportive campus environment category, though seniors did not score as highly here.
Miami's scores regarding foreign language and study abroad experience were also high. According to the report, 58 percent of Miami seniors reported having had foreign language course work, compared to 40-43 percent of seniors at regional and national universities. Also 37 percent of Miami seniors have studied abroad, compared to 13 percent at the other universities surveyed.
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