NSSE 2009
Thank you for taking the time to learn more about Springfield College and the National Survey of Student Engagement, (NSSE). The NSSE is an annual survey which collects information from hundreds of four-year colleges and universities nationwide about student participation in programs and activities that institutions provide for the students' learning and personal development. The results provide an estimate of how undergraduates spend their time and what they gain from attending college. Survey items on the NSSE represent empirically confirmed "good practices" in undergraduate education.
Over the past three years, Springfield College’s NSSE scores have indicated that the College meets or surpasses the benchmark scores of our peer institutions for all five measures of effective educational practice.
Specific highlights of the 2009 Springfield College results include:
Supportive Campus Environment
 Both first-year and senior students feel that Springfield College is not only committed to student success, but also promotes positive working and social relations among different groups on campus. Compared to students at our peer institutions, our students are satisfied with campus support services to help them succeed academically, to thrive socially, and to cope with non-academic responsibilities. In addition, our students are more positive about the quality of their relationships with other students, faculty members, and administrative personnel than their counterparts at other institutions.
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Active and Collaborative Learning
 Springfield College students are active and collaborative learners inside and outside the classroom. Specifically, compared to other students at our peer institutions, Springfield College first-year and senior students are more actively engaged in their learning. They reported, more often than students at our peer institutions, making class presentations, working with fellow students on projects during class, working on assignments with peers outside of class, and participating in service-learning as part of a course.
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Student-Faculty Interaction
 Faculty at Springfield College are considered more than instructors, interacting with students as mentors and serving as guides for continuous, life-long learning. In particular, our first-year and senior students report discussing ideas from readings or class with a faculty member outside of class, talking about career plans with a faculty member, and working with faculty members on activities other than coursework more often than students at our peer institutions.
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Enriching Educational Experiences
 Complementary learning opportunities enhance academic programs, and this is evident in a number of ways at Springfield College. For example, compared to students at our peer institutions, our first-year students and senior students report greater levels of participation in co-curricular activities and community service or volunteer work. In addition, towards the end of their college experience, seniors report higher levels of engagement than their peers at other institutions in: 1) practicum, internship, field experience, co-op experience, or clinical assignment opportunities; 2) foreign language coursework; 3) participation in a learning community; and 4) use of an electronic medium to discuss or complete an assignment.
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Level of Academic Challenge
 Springfield College promotes high levels of student achievement and personal development through challenging intellectual and creative work, which are central to student learning. Compared to students at peer institutions, our first-year students report greater use of cognitive skills such as analyzing, synthesizing, making judgments, and applying concepts to new situations in their academic coursework. Our seniors report use of these same cognitive skills at levels similar to that reported by students at our peer institutions.
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A Cut Above the Rest!
 Overall, both first-year students and seniors think very highly of the educational opportunities, campus environment, learning opportunities, and interactions with faculty at Springfield College especially when compared to other first-year and senior students at our peer institutions.
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