Individual Components of the 5 Benchmarks of Effective Educational Practice
Level of Academic Challenge
Academic and Intellectual Experiences
Worked harder than you thought you could to meet an instructor's standards or
expectations
Mental Activities
Analyzing the basic elements of an idea, experience, or theory, such as examining
a particular case or situation in depth and considering its components
Synthesizing and organizing ideas, information, or experiences into new, more
complex interpretations and relationships
Making judgments about the value of information, arguments, or methods, such
as examining how others gathered and interpreted data and assessing the soundness
of their conclusions
Applying theories or concepts to practical problems or in new situations
FY
SR
FY
SR
FY
SR
FY
SR
FY
SR
FY
SR
WIU % of Carnegie Masters
2005
2006
2007
2008
92%
102%
92%
94%
97%
98%
96%
97%
96%
100%
106%
99%
95%
94%
98%
96%
96%
97%
92%
95%
96%
101%
98%
103%
96%
103%
93%
94%
93%
92%
94%
94%
97%
95%
95%
97%
97%
97%
99%
100%
105%
99%
96%
98%
97%
99%
99%
98%
97%
98%
92%
96%
90%
101%
104%
109%
99%
99%
94%
92%
96%
105%
111%
113%
96%
100%
97%
96%
89%
106%
106%
111%
98%
99%
94%
98%
91%
105%
107%
113%
95%
98%
95%
95%
97%
97%
89%
96%
92%
96%
85%
94%
98%
95%
99%
98%
94%
95%
90%
98%
94%
91%
89%
94%
92%
98%
80%
92%
97%
101%
88%
95%
102%
99%
91%
98%
93%
98%
102%
99%
87%
96%
99%
100%
98%
100%
103%
102%
112%
98%
102%
98%
97%
99%
86%
97%
98%
99%
91%
99%
96%
98%
111%
100%
90%
96%
97%
99%
83%
96%
98%
95%
90%
97%
95%
95%
100%
93%
92%
95%
Reading and Writing
Number of assigned textbooks, books, or book-length packs of course readings
FY
Number of written papers or reports of 20 pages or more
FY
Number of written papers or reports between 5 and 19 pages
FY
Number of written papers or reports of fewer than 5 pages
FY
Time Usage
Preparing for class (studying, reading, writing, doing homework or lab work,
analyzing data, rehearsing, and other academic activities)
Institutional Environment
Spending significant amounts of time studying and on academic work
Active and Collaborative Learning
SR
SR
SR
SR
FY
SR
FY
SR
FY
SR
Academic and Intellectual Experiences
Asked questions in class or contributed to class discussions
Made a class presentation
Worked with other students on projects during class
Worked with classmates outside of class to prepare class assignments
Tutored or taught other students (paid or voluntary)
Participated in a community-based project (e.g. service learning) as part of a
regular course
Discussed ideas from your readings or classes with others outside of class
(students, family members, co-workers, etc.)
FY
SR
FY
SR
FY
SR
FY
SR
FY
SR
FY
SR
FY
SR
Student-Faculty Interaction
FY
SR
WIU % of Carnegie Masters
2005
2006
2007
2008
97%
119%
99%
100%
100%
107%
106%
100%
Academic and Intellectual Experiences
Discussed grades or assignments with an instructor
Talked about career plans with a faculty member or advisor
Discussed ideas from your readings or classes with faculty members outside of
class
Received prompt feedback from faculty on your academic performance (written or
oral)
Worked with faculty members on activities other than coursework (committees,
orientation, student life activities, etc.)
Enriching Educational Experiences
Work on a research project with a faculty member outside of course or program
requirements
Enriching Educational Experience
Academic and Intellectual Experiences
Used an electronic medium (listserv, chat group, Internet, instant messaging, etc.)
to discuss or complete an assignment
Had serious conversations with students of a different race or ethnicity than your
own
Had serious conversations with students who are very different from you in terms
of their religious beliefs, political opinions, or personal values
Enriching Educational Experiences
96%
102%
106%
102%
95%
97%
96%
102%
97%
105%
108%
104%
113%
102%
110%
104%
106%
103%
115%
110%
96%
103%
104%
105%
97%
102%
97%
102%
103%
111%
97%
101%
107%
101%
97%
97%
98%
98%
105%
106%
66%
87%
85%
86%
140%
100%
99%
91%
120%
100%
91%
89%
100%
88%
88%
87%
95%
99%
95%
98%
97%
99%
105%
101%
113%
101%
103%
100%
93%
95%
89%
94%
95%
99%
89%
98%
93%
95%
95%
100%
SR
37%
80%
74%
100%
47%
48%
84%
46%
139%
111%
63%
78%
70%
41%
86%
69%
77%
102%
68%
58%
100%
64%
133%
118%
53%
92%
50%
38%
86%
77%
94%
104%
89%
52%
133%
80%
100%
125%
31%
75%
50%
48%
75%
73%
81%
93%
56%
59%
100%
50%
100%
120%
44%
88%
150%
40%
FY
110%
123%
118%
113%
SR
110%
125%
125%
119%
FY
95%
99%
107%
103%
102%
100%
97%
95%
FY
SR
FY
SR
FY
SR
FY
SR
FY
SR
FY
SR
FY
SR
FY
SR
FY
SR
FY
SR
Practicum, internship, field experience, co-op experience, or clinical assignment
FY
Community service or volunteer work
FY
Foreign language coursework
FY
Study abroad
FY
Independent study or self-designed major
FY
Participate in a learning community or some other formal program where groups of
students take two or more classes together
Culminating senior experience (capstone course, thesis, project, comprehensive
exam, etc.)
Time Usage
Participating in co-curricular activities (organizations, campus publications,
student government, social fraternity or sorority, intercollegiate or intramural
sports, etc.)
Institutional Environment
Encouraging contact among students from different economic, social, and racial or
ethnic backgrounds
FY
SR
SR
SR
SR
SR
SR
FY
SR
Supportive Campus Environment
FY
SR
WIU % of Carnegie Masters
2005
2006
2007
2008
97%
106%
98%
102%
102%
106%
104%
101%
Quality of Relationships
Relationships with other students
Relationships with faculty members
Relationships with administrative personnel and offices
FY
SR
FY
SR
FY
SR
99%
99%
95%
99%
102%
104%
102%
101%
102%
101%
103%
108%
97%
102%
97%
102%
100%
107%
101%
99%
99%
101%
104%
104%
96%
100%
97%
102%
102%
104%
102%
102%
109%
107%
108%
108%
96%
101%
101%
103%
102%
105%
100%
98%
105%
102%
103%
103%
Institutional Environment
Providing the support you need to help you succeed academically
FY
Helping you cope with your non-academic responsibilities (work, family, etc.)
FY
Providing the support you need to thrive socially
SR
SR
FY
SR
denotes Western achieving greater than comparative Carnegie class norm