Viterbo using survey to improve educational experience

The National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) will include Viterbo University this spring semester. The purpose of this survey is to assess the extent to which students are engaged in good education practices and to understand students' perception of what they gain from their college experience, said Naomi Stennes-Spidahl, director of assessment and institutional research.

"In the first 48 hours of the survey, 16 percent of students who received the e-mail had responded," Stennes-Spidahl said. "This is a great start. We would like to exceed the national response rate, and encourage students to give your perspectives in the survey, which takes about 15 minutes. Viterbo's administration and faculty values students' reflections on their experience here—both in and outside the classroom."

The national survey includes over 600 universities around the nation. All undergraduate first-year students and seniors were invited by e-mail to participate in the survey.

The survey will give Viterbo a "good understanding of academic experiences as well as experiences outside of the class," Stennes-Spidahl said. "Our Academic Vice President, Barbara Gayle, is committed to understanding and targeting areas for improvement [at Viterbo].

"The survey is also an excellent opportunity for students to reflect upon their experiences at Viterbo," Stennes-Spidahl said.

Viterbo participated in the NSSE survey in 2006 and 2007 with positive results, Stennes-Spidahl said. Viterbo's response rate in 2006 was 54 percent compared to the national rate of 34 percent. In the 2006 survey, Viterbo students felt there the campus was welcoming and had a good environment to study and live in.

The 2010 survey provides an opportunity to compare responses of the senior class of 2010 with their responses as first-year students in the spring of 2007.

The goal of Viterbo participating in the NSSE is to use the results to make improvements based on the educational practices that are known to be effective, Stennes-Spidahl said. "The survey is entirely web based, and the results are not traced back to individual students. Viterbo will receive the results in August this year."

There are five main areas studied: active learning; student/faculty interaction; academic challenges and growth; campus environment; and personal and intellectual growth.

Contact Naomi Stennes-Spidahl with questions about the survey.