Results (R)

1R3 Reporting Results for Processes with Helping Students Learn

At Western, academic programs and support services work to help students succeed. This section highlights a number of programs and services, including academic advising, tutoring services, developmental placement and programs.

Western uses the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) to assess student engagement, essential to student learning. Applied learning is a part of Western’s statewide mission. This section describes assessment efforts and results in applied learning.

Student Services provides trained faculty and staff advisors who steer students to course work, support services, and programs that best meet their needs. Special program advisors in the Office of Student Services work with A+ (a Missouri vocational scholarship program) and other special needs students. Academic departments typically advise majors. In-house assessments of the quality of advising have been very positive for many years. The Noel-Levitz Student Satisfaction Inventory (SSI) was given in 2005 to 737 Western students. Using the SSI Academic Advising factor, on a scale from 1 (“not satisfied at all”) to 7 (“very satisfied”), Western obtained a mean score of 5.46 compared to a four-year public comparisons group score of 5.16. This difference was statistically significant.

The Center for Academic Support (CAS) provides tutoring and supplemental instruction. Figure 1.15 indicates that approximately 25 percent of students use these services each year. A breakdown of the use of specific services is given for AY 2004/05 (Figure 1.16). Help is sought most in the areas of mathematics and writing.

Section 1P3 provides the course enrollments and grades for students who come to Western under-prepared in the basic academic skills of reading, writing, and mathematics. Indicators other than course grades speak to the success of students
taking developmental courses. Based upon data for the Fall 2004 entering class, students who enroll in a developmental reading course, while also enrolled in a general education course, have a 48 percent probability of receiving a D, F, or W in the general education course. The semester after satisfactorily completing the reading course, the general education D, F, or W grade rate reduced by 20 percent.

Students who complete the developmental English course complete and pass the next English composition course at approximately the same rate as all other students.

While the passing rate (a grade of C or better) in developmental mathematics is lower than desired, over 95 percent of developmental mathematics students who work the 80-100 hours (in- and out-of-class) expected for this course achieve a grade of C or better. After students complete the developmental mathematics program and continue on to general studies mathematics, they pass those courses at the same rate as students whose ACT scores placed them into regular general education mathematics courses.

Using student self-reports, NSSE assesses activities and requirements that reflect student engagement in the learning process and, theoretically, student learning. Western used this instrument in 2004 and 2005 with samples of freshmen and senior students. Figure 1.17 gives the quartile ranking of Western students compared to the American Democracy Project (ADP) normative comparison group on the five major NSSE areas. Generally, these results indicate that Western students scored at about the average of the normative group for both years. In 2004, scores were slightly below average, and in 2005, slightly above average. The consistent exception to this generality is in the area of Level of Academic Challenge, where students (first-year and seniors) consistently report a perception of less academic challenge than those at other institutions.

Western is creating assessments to measure the number and quality of applied learning activities. The number of these experiences (defined as a credit bearing activity, usually an internship/practicum, independent research, musical performance, or art show) is reported annually in reports on the accomplishment of strategic goals. Currently, over 80 percent of all graduates have participated in some form of applied learning experience. Western uses several benchmarking activities to know the quality of applied learning. Qualitative assessments of applied learning experiences from the faculty perspective were conducted by the Director of Applied Learning through interviews with department chairs and front-line faculty in the applied learning initiative. The Director used 5-point Likert-type instruments with subscales for placement quality, application, reflection, and diversity (Figure 1.18). A fifth subscale is unique to the applied learning experience being assessed (service-learning, study away, internship/practicum, or undergraduate research). The data provides insight into opportunities for improvement to the programs to align student experience with Western’s aspirations for them.

Many departments involve students in applied learning, with 88 percent completing independent research, 82 percent involved in internship/practica, 47 percent participating in service learning, and 29 percent completing study abroad programs.

Figure 1.15 Use Data for the Center for Academic Support

¹Indicates the number of separate individuals served. Many students came for multiple visits but were only counted once.

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Figure 1.16 CAS Services Used, AY 2004/05

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Figure 1.17 NSSE Quartile Rank¹ Comparisons between Western and the ADP Peer Group

¹ 1- lowest quartile and 4 = highest quartile.
*Indicates the Western versus ADP comparison is statistically significant at p<.05.

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Figure 1.18 Quality of Applied Learning

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