NSSE - Enriching Educational Experiences

Complementary learning opportunities in and out of class augment academic programs. Diversity experiences teach students valuable things about themselves and others. Technology facilitates collaboration between peers and instructors. Internships, community service, and senior capstone courses provide opportunities to integrate and apply knowledge.

	UW-L	UW-System		Carnegie Peers
	Mean (a)	Mean	Effect Size (b)	Mean	Effect Size
Freshmen	24.5	22.5**	.17	25.8*	-.10
Seniors	40.1	38.6		37.4**	.15

a) Scores are averages based on a 100 point scale on which higher scores indicate higher levels of endorsement. * = p < .05, ** = p < .01, *** = p < .001

b) Effect size indicates “practical significance” of the mean difference. In practice, an effect size of .2 is considered small, .5 moderate, and .8 large. Effect sizes below .2 generally do not suggest means are practically significant.

Enriching Educational Experiences

Data based on 2006 NSSE. UW-L First-Year n = 974, Senior n = 846.

Enriching Educational Experiences Items

Participating in co-curricular activities (organizations, publications, student government, sports, etc.)
Practicum, internship, field experience, co-op experience, or clinical assignment
Community service or volunteer work
Foreign language coursework and study abroad
Independent study or self-designed major
Culminating senior experience (comprehensive exam, capstone course, thesis, project, etc.)
Serious conversations with students of different religious beliefs, political opinions, or personal values
Serious conversations with students of a different race or ethnicity
Using electronic technology to discuss or complete an assignment
Campus environment encouraging contact among students from different economic, social, and racial or ethnic backgrounds
Participate in a learning community or some other formal program where groups of students take two or more classes together