Polk State students and faculty to be surveyed on college experience

Posted on by Polk Newsroom

What constitutes quality in the community college experience? Research shows that for many groups of students, the more actively engaged they are the more likely they are to learn, to persist with their studies, and to attain their academic goals. Student engagement, therefore, is a valuable measure for assessing the quality of colleges’ educational practices and identifying ways they can help more students succeed. Polk State College is joining in this effort.

Students at Polk State and many community colleges across the nation will have the chance to share their views by participating in the Community College Survey of Student Engagement (CCSSE). The CCSSE survey is a versatile, research-based tool appropriate for multiple uses. Survey items focus on how students spend their time, the nature and quality of their interactions with faculty members and peers, and what they have gained from their classes and other aspects of their college experience. Results from the survey will be used to inform ongoing improvement efforts at Polk State.

In addition, faculty members teaching courses at Polk State will be asked to complete a similar survey, called the Community College Faculty Survey of Student Engagement (CCFSSE). This survey elicits information from faculty about their teaching practices, the ways they spend time both in and out of class, and their perceptions regarding students’ educational experiences. Results from CCFSSE will allow Polk State to review like-items on both surveys and engage faculty in discussions about the results and solicit their suggestions for improving educational practices.

Students can complete the survey in Canvas. Faculty will receive an email from the CCFSSE with the link to their survey.

Additional information about CCSSE and CCFSSE is available at www.ccsse.org. Contact the Center for Community College Student Engagement at info@cccse.org or 512-471-6807. To speak with the CCSSE representative at your institution, contact Melinda Swanson at swanson@cccse.org.