Transcript Slide 1

AACRAO SEM Conference – Chicago, 2013
Getting Serious About Engagement - Developing a
Campus Plan to Enhance the Student Experience
Clayton Smith, University of Windsor
Susan Gottheil, University of Manitoba
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AACRAO SEM Conference – Chicago, 2013
Student success is both a process and an
outcome of student learning and
engagement
- CAS Learning and Development Outcomes (2008)
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Introductions
 Your name, institution and role
 Why did you sign up for the workshop?
 Have you personally been involved in any student experience-
oriented strategic planning process? If so, in what capacity?
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Our Goals Today
 Establish a common understanding of “student
engagement” and the “student experience”
 Identify some institutional approaches and lessons
learned
 Provide resources you can use
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What are the top three things
you remember most about
your university experience?
AACRAO SEM Conference – Chicago, 2013
Student Experience - UM
The Strategic Planning Framework promises
students an outstanding student and learning
experience.
“The University of Manitoba will be a studentfocused research university from the time of
recruitment: a life-long academic home where
students contribute to a diversity of ideas and
experiences.”
AACRAO SEM Conference – Chicago, 2013
University of Windsor
“Provide an exceptional and supportive undergraduate
experience that emphasizes independent learning,
interdisciplinary opportunities, flexibility in degree
completion pathways, and successful year-to-year
transition.”
Thinking Forward...Taking Action, 2010
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Group Discussion - I
 Does your institutional mission and/or strategic plan talk
about student engagement or the student experience?
 What is meant by that?
 Is this concept widely understood/put into action?
 Is it measured? If so, how?
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What is “An Outstanding Student Experience”?
 Measures not difficult to identify:
⁻ Attracting students who persist through to graduation
⁻ High student satisfaction ratings
⁻ Achievement of institutional and program learning
outcomes (i.e., acquisition of desired knowledge, skills
and competencies)
⁻ Attainment of student’s educational objectives (further
education, employment)
⁻ Alumni loyalty
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What We Know
Students who are:
 Connected
 Involved on campus
 Deeply invested in learning and growth
….are more likely to persist and be satisfied with their
educational experience
The more important question is:
How do we make this happen?
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A TED Talk to Get Us Going
 Simon Sinek: How great leaders inspire action – why,
how and what?
 http://www.ted.com/talks/simon_sinek_how_great_le
aders_inspire_action.html?utm_source=email&source=
email&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=ios-share
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Group Discussion - II
 Why are we (PSE Institutions) focusing on enhancing
student engagement and the student experience?
 Why is it top of mind now?
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AACRAO SEM Conference – Chicago, 2013
Why Now?
 Focus on student retention and success
 Focus on student learning, learning
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outcomes
Demographic shifts, fiscal realities
Concern about outcomes of targeted
populations (international, Indigenous,
first-generation students)
Reputational rankings, comparative
surveys (NSSE, CUSC)
Marketing and philanthropy campaigns
(good “stories”)
Public accountability
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Group Discussion - III
Are the concepts “enhancing
student engagement” and
“enhancing the student
experience” referring to the same
things? If not, what are the
differences?
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What Does the Research Tell Us?
“What matters is the nature of the experiences students have:
the courses they take, the instructional methods their teachers
use, the interactions they have with their peers and faculty
members outside the classroom, the variety of people and ideas
they encounter, and the extent of their involvement in the
academic and social systems of their institution.”
-Pascarella and Terenzini, 2005
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Student Engagement
…student engagement – the time and effort students
devote to their studies and related activities and how
institutions organize learning opportunities and
provide services to induce students to take part in and
benefit from such activities.
- Kuh, 2005
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Student Engagement
Embraces three key student success processes:
1.
Active involvement: time and energy invested in learning
experience inside and outside the classroom [Astin, Tinto, Pace]
2.
Social integration: interaction, collaboration and interpersonal
relationships between students and peers, faculty, staff and
administrators; sense of belonging and community [Tinto]
3.
Personal reflection: think deeply on learning experiences
[Entwistle & Ramsen, Flavell, Svinicki, Vgotsky]
AACRAO SEM Conference – Chicago, 2013
NSSE Benchmarks of Effective Educational Practice
Kuh/NSSE uses “student engagement” as an indicator of
quality of student experience
 Level of academic challenge
 Active and collaborative learning
 Enriching educational experiences
 Supportive campus environment
 Student-faculty interaction
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Importance of Faculty/Classroom
 The most significant measures
of student engagement in NSSE
are those measures that involve
faculty
 Students come to, and stay at,
our institutions because of
academic programs
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Student Success: Research
 Evidence from decades of studies indicates that:
‾ The degree to which students are engaged in their
studies impacts directly on the quality of their learning
and their overall educational experience
‾ The more opportunities a student has to build a
connection to campus, the better their chances of
success
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Important Note
The relationship between student engagement & student
persistence is not linear
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Increased level of academic engagement, when not
connected with high levels of social engagement, is
negatively related to student persistence
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High level social engagement in social activities is
positively connected to student persistence
-
- Hu, 2010
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Student Engagement:
Key Concepts
 Early studies focused on time-on-task behaviors, on
students’ willingness to participate in routine activities,
such as attending classes, submitting required work and
following teachers’ directions in class
 But student engagement can also be inferred from more
subtle cognitive, behavioral and affective indicators
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Do Engagement Measures Predict
Learning Outcomes?
 Yes (Conway, Zhao & Montgomery, 2011)
 Data linkages between NSSE & CCSSE survey responses and
administrative data can provide a deeper understanding of
student engagement, which can then be used to design or
improve engagement strategies
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Group Discussion - IV
What are the Challenges to
Enhancing Student
Engagement
and the Student
Experience?
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Challenges
 Changing student population
⁻ Increasing diversity
⁻ Commuting
⁻ Part-time study
⁻ Work and family responsibilities
⁻ “Swirling”
⁻ Diverse learning styles
⁻ Mental health issues, stress, general lack of well-being
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Challenges...cont’d
 University and learning environment
 Budgetary and resource constraints
 Large class sizes/high student-faculty ratios
 Increased reliance on part-time instructors and TA’s
 Focus on research
 Space constraints
 Impact of technology
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New ways of connecting – opportunities for enhanced
communication, community building
Enhanced service expectations
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Challenges...cont’d
 Students’ pre-entry characteristics and post-entry
experiences: impact access, persistence and engagement
⁻ Preconceived notions of university environment
⁻ Lack of academic preparation, including language and literacy
⁻ Family and community support/role models
⁻ Financial issues: tuition/fees/cost of living; debt aversion; lack of
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student assistance/band funding
Work and family commitments
Institutional policies and processes: admission criteria, advising
Lack of interest, motivation
Poor self-esteem and self-confidence
Lack of general well-being: isolation, stress
Campus climate: perception of unwelcoming/racist community
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Key Point
What happens during the
student’s campus experience is
as,
or more, critical than student
inputs …
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So….
….. How Do We Create an
Enhanced Student Experience
and Engage Our Students?
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Key Services/Programs
 Intentionally and well-implemented academic and
social orientation
 Academic advising
 Supplemental instruction/academic skill development
- Hossler, 2006
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ACT: What Works in Student Retention?
 Increased number of academic advisors
 Advising interventions with selected student populations
 Supplemental instruction
 Summer bridge program
 Program for honour students
 Integration of advising with first-year transition programs
 Training for non-faculty academic advisors
 Faculty mentoring
 Residential living/learning communities
 Program for international students
 Staff mentoring
- Public 4 Year Colleges & Universities
ACT, What Works in Student Retention? (2010)
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NSSE 2013: Engagement Indicators
 Academic challenge
 Learning with peers
 Experiences with faculty
 Campus environment
 High-impact practices
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High-Impact Educational Practices
 First-Year Seminar
 Common Intellectual Experiences (“core” curriculum)
 Learning Communities*
 Writing-Intensive Courses
 Collaborative Assignments and Projects
 Undergraduate Research*
 Diversity/Global Learning/Study Abroad*
 Community Service-Learning*
 Internships and Co-operative Education
 Capstone Courses and Projects*
*Engagement Indicators
-Kuh, 2008
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Revisiting the DEEP Study: 10 Years Later
 High-Impact Educational Practices still important
 Emergence of early alert systems to enhance student
success
 Additional practices of great importance:
⁻ Emphasis on data-informed decision-making; focus on
data that are actionable (not immutable institutional or
student characteristics)
⁻ Better collaboration between academic and student
affairs
⁻ Increasing faculty and staff understanding of conditions
for success
- NSSE Annual Results, 2012
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Quick Takes – NSSE 2012 Annual Results
 Engagement in high-impact practices, particularly doing
research with faculty and service-learning, was positively
related to deep approaches to learning
 Participation in high-impact practices varied considerably
by major
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More NSSE Quick Takes
 1st year students who frequently interacted with peers,
faculty and campus units by way of social media were more
engaged, but those who used social media during class
reported lower grades
 All students reported higher engagement when they also
perceived higher levels of campus support
 Student-faculty interaction varied by field of study
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Group Discussion - V
What are the strategies
your institution has employed
to enhance student
engagement?
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Programs and Strategies
 Student Recruitment
⁻ High school and community partnerships, outreach activities
⁻ On- and off-campus events
⁻ “Student for a Day”
 Student Orientation
 Academic Advising
 Program and Curriculum
⁻ New course development
⁻ Undergraduate/Graduate Program Reviews
⁻ Learning Communities
⁻ Pedagogical support (Teaching and Learning Centres)
 Analyzing DFW Rates
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Programs and Strategies… cont’d
 Academic policies
⁻ Progression and graduation requirements; student
mobility
 Course scheduling/Program Planning
⁻ Use of Summer Session
 Space
⁻ To study, gather, interact, engage
 Supplemental instruction
⁻ Tutoring “student halls”
⁻ Writing Centres
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Programs and Strategies… cont’d
 Experiential Education
⁻ Study abroad programs (student exchanges)
⁻ Community-service learning
⁻ Co-op, internships
 Enriching educational experiences
⁻ Research mentorships
⁻ Field trips, study tours
⁻ Brown bags, lecture series
⁻ Support of student societies
 Mentoring
⁻ Using faculty, alumni, student peers
 Career advising
⁻ Partnership between student affairs and academic programs
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And Some More Strategies…
 Aboriginal student access/retention
 Academic civility
 Bridging programs
 Coaching (case managed access to student services,
coaching first-year students on probation)
 Co-curricular record
 Cross-departmental collaboration
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Strategies…cont’d
 Cultural sensitivity/cultural competency training
 Early Alert
 Emotional Intelligence interventions
 Faculty development
 Financial aid
 Graduate student teaching development workshops
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Strategies… cont’d
 Learning & information commons
 Peer mentor programs
 Planning (staff/faculty retreats and symposia)
 Recognition for staff & faculty
 Residence (academic, bridging and transition
programs)
 Teaching (clickers, critical thinking, early feedback,
hybrid courses, idea incubator, technology in large
classes)
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Vision
AACRAO SEM Conference – Chicago, 2013
University of Windsor
Using NSSE to Create an Action
Plan to Enhance the Quality of
the Student Experience
http://nsse.iub.edu/
ACTION PLAN: TO ENHANCE THE
QUALITY OF THE STUDENT
EXPERIENCE
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Process
 Created a Deans Council NSSE Working Group (2011) to
identify the low-hanging fruit
 Identified “Building an Enhanced Sense of Community” as
the over-riding key issue
 Subsequently identified a number of key issues (some went
beyond NSSE to include Globe & Mail and other surveys
 Built a one-year plan for impacting each of the issues (that
current resources could address)
 Deans Council updates periodically
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Major Areas of Focus
 Sense of community
 Quality of teaching
 Variety and availability of courses
 Quality of academic advising
 Academic support services
 Student residences
 Financing education
 Study spaces in the Library
 Appearance of classrooms and labs
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Areas...cont’d
 Career preparation and services
 Interpersonal skills for faculty and staff
 Housekeeping services
 Food services
 Second year experience
 External student awards
 Recycling and garbage
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Current Status
 Will evaluate status of the plan at year’s end
 Consider looking at how we might address these issues
with new resources
 See many of these issues as taking many years to fully
address (especially sense of community)
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Current Status … cont’d
 Exploring putting our focus on issues that cannot be
addressed by individual departments or units:
⁻ Sense of community
⁻ Quality of teaching
⁻ Academic advising support
⁻ Coordination of information related to academic support
services
⁻ How best to communicate with students
⁻ Career preparation
⁻ Second year experience
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University of Manitoba:
Using the SEM Framework
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What is SEM?
Strategic enrollment management
(SEM) is a concept and process that
enables the fulfillment of institutional
mission and students’ educational
goals.
-Bontrager, 2004
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The Student Success
Continuum
 Traditional Enrolment Perspective
Recruitment/
Marketing
Orientation
Classroom
Experience
Co-curricular
Support
Student’s College/University Career
Admission
Financial
Support
Academic
Support
Attain
Degree/Goal
Retention
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The Student Success Continuum
 The SEM Perspective
Recruitment/
Marketing
Orientation
Classroom
Experience
Co-curricular
Support
Attain
Degree/Goal
Student’s College/University Career
Admission
Financial
Support
Academic
Support
Retention
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SEM is…




The range of activities that influence a student’s initial &
continued enrolment
The programs, policies & processes that impact institutional
enrolment
The organizational framework & structure that supports
institutional & student goals
It is tied into the institutional academic & strategic plan
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UM’s Strategic Planning
Framework: Objectives
 Enhancing academic offerings (6 key areas)
 Providing an exceptional student experience
 Indigenous achievement
 Becoming an employer of choice
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The Student Experience
“…the student experience needs to transcend a rigorous
focus on a particular discipline. Much of the learning that
takes place at university does not occur in its classrooms,
but in the many other opportunities offered for creative
debate, exposure to a multiplicity of view points,
involvement in campus associations and activities and
interactions with other members of the university
community.”
- University of Manitoba
Planning Framework, 2009
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SEM Planning Framework
Strategic Plan notes one of the efforts to achieve an
exceptional student experience should be the
development of an enrolment management plan
Strategic enrolment management (SEM) provides an
opportunity for us to reflect on who we are, where we
have been, and where we want to go. It is a process that
enables us to intentionally plan the size and composition
of our student body, enhance the student experience, and
support student success.
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SEM Planning Framework
 Approved by Senate and Board in June, 2013
 Set enrolment goals for:
 Graduate enrolment
 Indigenous students
 International students
 Persistence, graduation and time-to-completion
 Annual reporting
 Meeting with Deans to set program-level targets, discuss
challenges, identify strategies
 Development of SEM Plan with strategies (many already
underway) has begun
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What have we done?
 Created Office of Student Life
⁻ CCR
⁻ President’s Scholars Program
⁻ Student Leadership and Peers Programs
⁻ Campus-wide transition and orientation activities
⁻ Reorganization of Student Affairs (Student Engagement,
Student Academic Success, Student Support)
 Experiential education initiative
⁻ Community Service Learning Programs
⁻ Work Integrated Learning
⁻ Student exchange and mobility
⁻ Undergraduate research
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What have we done? (Cont’d)
 Blended and E-learning Task Force
 3 R’s review of academic policies and procedures
 Graduate advisor-student guidelines
 Mental health strategy
 Academic advising review
 Review of DFW rates
 Renovations to Dafoe Library
 Enhanced program review process
 Administrative reviews (Aboriginal Student Centre,
Career Services, Chaplains)
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Other Examples …
Your Experience
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Group Discussion VI
What are the obstacles at your institution
for implementing a successful student
experience plan?
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No Blueprint
• In their book, Student Success in College, George Kuh and
associates (2005) assert that, in their study of 20
institutions that performed better than expected with
regard to student retention, there was no definite pattern in
how these institutions succeeded.
“a unique combination of external and internal factors
worked together to crystallize and support an institutionwide focus on student success. No blueprint exists to
reproduce what they do, or how, in another setting”
Kuh et al, 2005, p. 21
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… it seems clear that a genuine desire to improve, coupled
with broad consensus and commitment among those
whose choices most directly impact the undergraduate
experience, are necessary ingredients for positive change.
- Alexander McCormick
Director, NSSE
NSSE Annual Results, 2012
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Why Do Plans Fail ?
 Unclear vision/vague directions
‾ People responsible for executing strategies don’t
understand the big picture & how they contribute/fit
in
 Unmotivated people
‾ No reason to change behaviour/culture
 Unfocused leadership
‾ Fire fighting instead of managing strategically
‾ No accountability
 Disconnected resource allocation
-Copeland, 2009
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Partnership and Collaboration
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“Participation & integration is the most
important factor at both 4-year and 2-year
public institutions in sustaining long-term
SEM success.”
-Smith, 1997
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Educational Innovations and Praxis
“The success of institutional retention efforts
ultimately resides in the institutions’ capacity to
engage faculty and administrators across
campus in a collaborative effort to construct
educational settings, classrooms and otherwise,
that actively engage students (all students, not
just some) in learning.”
- Tinto, 2006
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“It is time for academic and student affairs professionals alike
to realize that it is only through the breaking down of current
barriers—real and perceived—that institutions will achieve the
outcomes they seek. Through strategic collaboration, both
segments…can develop and implement programs and
processes that add value and benefit students.”
-Newton & Smith, 2009
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Some Collaboration is Common
“High levels of collaboration generally exist
between academic and student affairs activities
related to counselling, first-year experience
programs, orientation and recruitment.”
-Kezaar, Hirsh & Burak, 2002
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However…
 Many institutions mistake a series of joint events for
true collaboration
 To truly be competitive and to meet the rigors of
accountability, institutions must go beyond activities
and embrace collaborative
dialogue
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Group Discussion VII
What are the most
important student
engagement components
to work on first at your
institution to enhance the
student experience?
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Wrapping Up
Lessons Learned?
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Wrapping Up
Student Engagement Audit
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Your toolkit
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Materials
 Pre-SEM Workshop PowerPoint
presentation
 Student Engagement Audit
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Resources
 Canadian Undergraduate Survey Consortium (CUSC):
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http://www.cusc-ccreu.ca/home.htm
Canadian Graduate and Professional Student Survey (CGPSS):
http://www.cags.ca/cgpss/
Law School Survey of Student Engagement (LSSSE):
http://lssse.iub.edu/
Common University Data Ontario (CUDO):
http://www.cou.on.ca/statistics/cudo
Community College Survey on Student Engagement (CSSE):
http://www.ccsse.org/
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Resources … cont’d
 National Survey on Student Engagement Website:
http://nsse.iub.edu/html/reports.cfm
 National Resource Center for the First-Year Experience
and Students in Transition Web site:
http://www.sc.edu/fye/
 Canadian SEM Website: www.uwindsor.ca/sem
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Contact Us @
Susan Gottheil - [email protected]
Clayton Smith - [email protected]
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