Community College Survey
of Student Engagement
(CCSSE)
and
Conversations on Student
Success
Dr. Judith Carter
A Summary
Dr. Lana Jackson
Dr. Kathy Wetzel
CCSSE and CCFSSE Studies
The CCSSE team was charged with reviewing the student
and faculty engagement surveys and preparing a report of
observations and recommendations from the data.
Dr. Judith Carter, Chair
Heather Atchley
Tyler Grisham
Lynae Jacob
Patsy Lemaster
Aimee Martin
Anthony Najar
Judy Jackman
Kara Larkan-Skinner
Julie Mann
Adam Moore
Mark Usnick
CCSSE and CCFSSE Studies
The team looked at the five benchmarks the survey
measures:
 active and collaborative learning,
 student effort,
 academic challenge,
 student-faculty interaction, and
 support for learners.
CCSSE and CCFSSE Studies
Positive Conclusions:
 Students are provided with the financial support
needed to afford their education.
 Students frequently visit academic advising/planning.
 Students frequently access career counseling.
 Students frequently use skills labs (writing, math, etc.).
 Students are challenged by examinations to do their
best work.
CCSSE and CCFSSE Studies
Primary Concerns:
 Students need to make class presentations.
 Students should work with other students on projects
during class.
 Students should work on a paper or project that
requires integrating ideas or information from various
sources.
CCSSE and CCFSSE Studies
Recommendations to Administrators:
 Make student writing an institutional priority for the College.
 Maintain small class sizes to encourage an increase in all
forms of communication, especially writing, in the classes.
 Develop an extended orientation for students as developed
by the First-Year Experience Committee.
 Schedule the CCSSE and CCFSEE for every two or three
years when new contracts for the surveys are made.
CCFSSE (faculty) vs. CCSSE (students) Studies
Differing Perceptions:
 Faculty perceive that students ask questions and
contribute in class; students say that they are less
engaged than the faculty perceive.
 Few faculty say that students are preparing two or
more drafts of a paper or assignment prior to
submission for grading; students say that they are
completing two or more drafts prior to submission for
grading.
 Almost all faculty believe their feedback (written or oral)
is prompt; a majority of students disagree.
CCSSE and CCFSSE Studies
Recommendations to Division Chairs, Department Chairs,
Program Directors, and Program Coordinators:
 Institute a lunch and learn workshop for students and
faculty.
 Encourage faculty to educate students on different
perceptions between faculty and students.
 Encourage faculty to learn assessment of communication in
all forms.
 Emphasize Best Practices in teaching methodology and
provide training and funding for faculty development.
Conversations on Student Success
The Conversations team will identify challenges and
opportunities for improving student success at Amarillo College
by examining institutional data and applying Best Practices
found in research literature. Based on collected evidence and
a series of conversations on student success, provide insights
into the AC community and student success which may be
used for long-term institutional planning.
The team met nine times throughout the year to discuss
AC data and Best Practices research.
Conversations on Student Success
Tyler Adams
Becky Burton
Brandi Clark
Dr. Mary Dodson
Charlotte Goebel
Victoria Hughes
Alexa Maples
Bob Mathews
Anthony Najar
Hailey Robertson
Joe Wyatt
Dr. Lana Jackson
Jennifer Bartlett
Judy Carter (Speech)
Cara Crowley
Dr. Shawn Fouts
Ann Hamblin
Dr. Alan Kee
Jan Martin
Susan McClure
Ernesto Olmos
April Sessler
Dr. Steven Weber
Dr. Kathy Wetzel
Conversations on Student Success
The team participated in nine discussion forums:
 Completers (Graduation and Transfer)
 First-generation Students
 Critical Thinking
 Experiential Learning
 Technology Literacy
 Oral Presentations
 Information Literacy
 Employment/Career Focus
 Development Education Students/At-risk Students
Each meeting culminated with a list of the top 3 challenges, as
determined by large group consensus, for enhancing Student
Success in the topic under discussion. Recommendations for Best
Practices, as identified in the research literature, were identified in
small group discussions and reported on the Meeting Notes.
Conversations on Student Success
The team hosted Secrets of our Success: A Student
Conversation with 16 student participants representative of
diverse demographic groups. The students engaged in small
group discussions moderated by a Conversations team
member. Question prompts were provided to encourage the
participants to engage in discussions related to the following
topics:
 Creating Student Success
 Life Challenges
 Classroom Experiences
 Advice to Peers
Consensus Building
The two teams (CCSSE & Conversations) met in May to
identify the three main areas of concern for improving
Student Success at Amarillo College.
Using the CCSSE Report, Conversations Meeting Notes, and
the Student Conversation Meeting Notes, the combined team
concluded the top three areas of concern to be:
 Critical Thinking
 Student Engagement
 Under-preparedness
Consensus Building: Critical Thinking
Challenges:
 Deficit in Critical Thinking activities, projects.
 Deficit in key assignments (paper or project) that require integrating
ideas or information from various sources.
 Low participation levels of students who ask questions or contribute
in class.
Opportunities:
 Collaborate on defining CT on an instructional level.
 Provide models for faculty incorporation of CT activities/projects into
classroom (ex. video examples of master teacher).
 Train faculty on how to implement a rubric for CT assessment.
 Place student projects on the Web as examples of CT development.
Note:
Improving Critical Thinking skills is interrelated with providing experiential learning
opportunities and improving the integration of ideas from various sources (ex. class/oral
presentations, group projects).
Consensus Building: Student Engagement
Challenges:
 Deficit in student engagement with each other, with faculty, and with college
as a whole.
 Disparity in perceived response time between students and faculty.
Opportunities:
 Increase student engagement through the development of –
 sticky spaces,
 student success classes tailored to career clusters, and
 an expanded FYE program to include at-risk and 1st generation students.
 Modify the advising process – adviser should serve as facilitator for student,
and, when appropriate, faculty should advise students.
 Control class sizes and faculty load assignments to allow more time for
written assignments/class projects.
 Encourage relationship building opportunities through: learning
communities, online communities, student clubs, etc.
 Encourage faculty/staff to focus on students. Do not cross-train with IT or
business office responsibilities.
Consensus Building: Under-preparedness
Challenges:
 Students are under-prepared for college-level work.
 Students are unprepared for college culture.
 Deficit in technology literacy.
Opportunities:
 Provide extended orientation for students in each division, covering time
management, stress reduction, connection to a class, goals, organizational
skills, transfer issues, etc.
 Build social support network through learning communities, clubs, sticky
spaces, etc.
 Assess for and provide training in technology literacy.
 Provide 24/7 access to technological support and equipment.
 Encourage students to “complete” and “transfer”.
 Connect student with “real world” mentors.
 Employ latest proven techniques for enhancing student success in existing
student services package, including activities that incorporate extended
family into educational setting, early academic intervention practices, and
career assessment/advising techniques.
Next Steps
Top three areas of concern will be presented to the President’s
Cabinet for selection of a Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP)
topic for SACS Re-affirmation of Accreditation.
Identified findings/challenges and research-based Best
Practices may be used in developing goals and strategies for
the new Strategic Plan.
The CCSSE Committee Report and Meeting Notes from all Conversations on
Student Success may be found at:
http://cis7.actx.edu/aclibrary/student_success