The purpose of this student-faculty partner research study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a blended four year Bachelor of Education Elementary Program at a Canadian university, from a student perspective, using the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) framework.
The purpose of this student-faculty partner research study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a blended four year Bachelor of Education Elementary Program at a Canadian university, from a student perspective, using the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) framework.
Theoretical Framework
In 1998, the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) was developed as a “lens to probe the quality of the student learning experience at American colleges and universities” (NSSE 2011, p.3). The NSSE defines student engagement as the amount of time and effort that students put into their classroom studies that lead to experiences and outcomes that constitute student success, and the ways the institution allocates resources and organizes learning opportunities and services to induce students to participate in and benefit from such activities.
Methodology
An action research approach was used to direct this study. Stringer (2013) indicates that action research is a reflective process of progressive problem solving led by individuals working with others in teams or as a part of a “community of inquiry” to improve the way they address issues and solve problems. This research approach should result in some practical outcome related to the lives or work of the participants, which in this case is the ongoing redesign of an effective blended B.Ed. program
Data was collected from two cohorts of graduating students from the B.Ed. program in partnership with four Undergraduate Student Research Assistants (USRA). The students in this study completed online surveys and participated in focus groups at the end of their first and fourth years in the program. A constant comparative approach was used to identify patterns, themes, and categories of analysis that “emerge out of the data rather than being imposed on them prior to data collection and analysis" (Patton, 1990, p. 390). Descriptive statistics (e.g., frequencies, means, and standard deviations) were calculated for the online survey items using MS Excel. The additional comments and recommendations from the students were categorized in alignment with the five NSSE benchmarks in a Google Document.
Findings
The study participants provided recommendations for improving the quality of the program based on the original five NSSE benchmarks and the use of digital technologies. For example, student and faculty interactions, outside of the classroom, could be enhanced through the use of web-based conferencing tools to support “virtual” office hours. Course assignments that incorporate peer mentoring activities through the use of social media applications could provide richer opportunities for active and collaborative learning. Creating more intentional connections between academic coursework and field placements through the use of Google applications could help to strengthen the relationship between theory and practice in the program. Enriching educational experiences could be expanded through the use of social media applications to promote and communicate student led academic and social events. And, a supportive campus environment could be improved by the development of a digital “road map” and co-curricular record for the program.
Conclusion
Over the past decade, there has been an increased focus on student engagement in higher education because of rising tuition costs and concerns about student success and retention rates (Kuh et al., 2005). This student-faculty research partnership study demonstrated how departmental and institutional NSSE benchmark data can be evaluated in collaboration with students, faculty, and administration to design and plan the intentional integration of classroom and field-based learning experiences in a blended Bachelor of Education program. As the African proverb suggests “it takes a village to raise a child” to which Saint-Jacques (2013) adds “that a shift toward a ‘we-learning’ conceptualization of education” will benefit us all (p.34).