Students Give Knox High Marks for Classes, Campus Experiences

Knox College scored above national norms on all five of the key areas considered benchmarks for a successful educational experience, according to findings from the 2008 National Survey of Student Engagement released this week. Knox also scored higher than liberal arts colleges in its peer group of national liberal arts colleges.

The survey queried 380,000 first-year and senior students at 722 four-year institutions around the United States. Known as "Nessie" (NSSE), the survey is designed to help refocus "the discussion of college quality squarely on teaching and learning (and away from reputation, resources, and the characteristics of entering students)," according to the NSSE report. Questions on the survey are aggregated into benchmarks, or categories, which provide colleges with "actionable data that can be used to... enable all students to succeed in college and to advance the national conversation about college quality," the report says.

"Knox students have always built their educations around a wide range of activities both in and beyond the classroom," explains Lawrence B. Breitborde, Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of the College. "The NSSE results help Knox evaluate the full range of experiences that make up a student's education and develop ways to enrich that experience." The five benchmarks are considered strong indicators of excellent educational practices. Schools with high benchmark scores provide outstanding preparation for success in college and beyond. "The high marks in all five categories tell us that we're making the Knox experience better and better each year," Breitborde adds.

Changes from First-Year to Senior Year
The report includes an assessment of student activities that contribute to learning both at the first-year level and the senior level, allowing colleges to discover discrepancies and make adjustments during a student's tenure.

For first year students, Knox College's highest scores appeared in the academic challenge and supportive campus environment categories. The level of academic challenge benchmark measures the activities that reveal a challenging intellectual and creative environment, including time spent preparing for class, the number of assigned texts, the number of papers assigned, and course work that analyzes and synthesizes information in new and complex ways. The supportive campus environment benchmark measures the quality of relationships that provide support and encouragement, opportunities to seek assistance, and an environment that is alert to such needs.

"These benchmark scores show that new students find Knox a challenging environment but not without the resources and support to help a student success," adds Breitborde.

For seniors, Knox College's scores were significantly higher than the first-year scores in the enriching educational experience and student-faculty interaction categories.

"These scores reflect the wide variety of opportunities Knox students partake in - overseas travel, independent research, internships, and community involvement," Breitborde explains. "All of which deepen the student's learning." The enriching educational experience category measures learning opportunities that complement classroom experiences, such as community service, internships, foreign language work, and interactions with students from different backgrounds. Sixty-seven percent of seniors have completed an independent study or self-designed major, compared with only 38 percent of the college's peer institutions, and only 18 percent of the full NSSE complement. Likewise, 93 percent of seniors completed foreign language coursework, compared with 76 percent of Knox's peers and only 41 percent of the full NSSE complement.

According to the Chronicle of Higher Education, "Students who participate in collaborative learning and educational activities outside the classroom and who interact more with faculty members get better grades, are more satisfied with their education, and are more likely to remain in college."

Founded in 1837, Knox is a national liberal arts college in Galesburg, Illinois, with students from 48 states and 42 nations. Knox's "Old Main" is a National Historic Landmark and the only building remaining from the 1858 Lincoln-Douglas debates.

The NSSE Benchmarks

Level of academic challenge
Measures the activities that reveal a challenging intellectual and creative environment. High scoring colleges set high expectations and emphasize academic effort. Measures include time spent preparing for class, the number of assigned texts, the number of papers assigned, and course work that analyzes and synthesizes information in new and complex ways.

Active and collaborative learning
Measures time spent in collaborative efforts, community based work, discussions with teachers and other students outside of class time.

Student-faculty interaction
Measures of student-faculty discussions outside of class-time, work on research, and work with faculty on projects outside of course or program requirements.

Enriching educational experiences
Gauges complementary learning experiences, including student-initiated projects, internships, study abroad opportunities, and use of technology.

Supportive campus environment
Measures the quality of relationships that provide support and encouragement, opportunities to seek assistance, and an environment that is alert to such needs.