Achieving Student Learning Outcomes
May 2013
Thank you to the participants in the April discussion of the senior survey results. As a follow up to this
discussion, this newsletter includes a summary of the votes cast regarding priorities for achievement of
student learning outcomes and comparisons of responses given by graduating seniors and recent alumni.
Senior Survey Results
March, 2013
Number of Responses = 334
Response Rate = 47%
Caveats: Survey respondents are not a representative sample of the graduating class. Females and
students with high G.P.A.s comprise a larger portion of the sample than they do the population of
students who will graduate in May.
To what extent did your education at Mines contribute to your development of the following
skills/abilities?
Students’ Ratings
Outcome
Think critically about a wide range of crossdisciplinary issues
Convey technical/scientific information, in
writing, to a variety of audiences
Appreciate diverse approaches to solving
society’s problems
Orally communicate technical/scientific
information to a variety of audiences
Retrieve and interpret technical information
Appreciate diverse approaches to
understanding society’s problems
Be dedicated to stewardship of the
environment
Find new information and use it effectively
Develop a commitment to enhance the
profession through leadership and service
Work effectively in a diverse work
environment
Adjust to an ever-changing professional
environment
Communicate information graphically
Work effectively in an international
environment
Faculty votes
regarding
importance of this
outcome
Number
of
Votes
Percent
of
Total
Votes
Very
Much
Somewhat
Not
at
All
59%
36%
5%
28
19%
69%
27%
5%
19
13%
40%
47%
13%
15
10%
58%
78%
36%
21%
6%
1%
14
13
10%
9%
36%
52%
12%
13
9%
32%
62%
52%
35%
17%
3%
9
8
6%
5%
41%
48%
10%
7
5%
40%
48%
12%
7
5%
45%
61%
48%
36%
7%
3%
6
5
4%
3%
24%
43%
32%
2
1%
1
Comparison of
Senior Survey Results (March 2013)
and Alumni Survey Results (Fall 2012)
Senior Survey
Number of responses = 334
Response rate = 47%
Caveats: Survey respondents are not a representative sample of the graduating class. Females and
students with high G.P.A.s comprise a larger portion of the sample than they do the population of
students who will graduate in May.
Alumni Survey
Number of responses = 633
Response rate = 28%
Includes graduates from 2007-2012
1. What is your gender?*
Male
Female
Seniors
61%
39%
Alumni
71%
29%
2. Major field of study/specialty*
Applied Mathematics
Chemical and Biochemical Engineering
Chemical Engineering
Chemistry
Chemistry - Biochemistry
Chemistry - Environmental Chemistry
Computer Science
Economics
Engineering - Civil Engineering
Engineering - Electrical Engineering
Engineering - Environmental Engineering
Engineering - Mechanical Engineering
Engineering Physics
Geological Engineering
Geophysical Engineering
Metallurgical and Materials Engineering
Mining Engineering
Petroleum Engineering
Statistics
Total (includes students/alumni with multiple majors)
Number
of
Seniors
7
24
25
7
0
0
16
5
34
20
16
70
29
23
8
21
5
37
5
352
Percent
of
Total
2%
7%
7%
2%
0%
0%
5%
1%
10%
6%
6%
20%
8%
7%
2%
6%
1%
11%
1%
100%
*Differences between seniors and alumni are statistically significant (p ≤ .05).
2
Number
of
Alumni
7
16
52
24
3
3
35
24
67
38
16
117
75
34
17
39
25
64
4
660
Percent
of
Total
1%
2%
8%
4%
0%
0%
5%
4%
10%
6%
2%
18%
11%
5%
3%
6%
4%
10%
1%
100%
3. How well did your education at Mines contribute to your development of the following
skills/abilities?
Retrieve and interpret technical information
Seniors
Alumni
Convey technical/scientific information, in writing, to a variety
of audiences*
Seniors
Alumni
Find new information and use it effectively
Seniors
Alumni
Communicate information graphically*
Seniors
Alumni
Think critically about a wide range of cross-disciplinary issues
Seniors
Alumni
Orally communicate technical/scientific information to a variety
of audiences*
Seniors
Alumni
Adjust to an ever-changing professional environment
Seniors
Alumni
Develop a commitment to enhance the profession through
leadership and service*
Seniors
Alumni
Work effectively in a diverse work environment
Seniors
Alumni
Appreciate diverse approaches to solving society’s problems*
Seniors
Alumni
Appreciate diverse approaches to understanding society’s
problems
Seniors
Alumni
Be dedicated to stewardship of the environment
Seniors
Alumni
Work effectively in an international environment
Seniors
Alumni
Very much
Somewhat
Not at All
78%
75%
21%
23%
1%
3%
69%
55%
27%
40%
5%
5%
62%
62%
35%
36%
3%
2%
61%
51%
36%
44%
3%
5%
59%
65%
36%
32%
5%
3%
58%
46%
36%
48%
6%
6%
45%
45%
48%
44%
7%
11%
41%
36%
48%
46%
10%
18%
40%
38%
48%
52%
12%
10%
40%
34%
47%
52%
13%
14%
36%
33%
52%
53%
12%
14%
32%
27%
52%
54%
17%
19%
24%
22%
43%
49%
32%
29%
*Differences between seniors and alumni are statistically significant (p ≤ .05).
3
4.
How useful were the following experiences in preparing you for current career and/or
attendance at graduate school?
Courses in your major field of study*
Seniors
Alumni
Field session/field camp*
Seniors
Alumni
Internship
Seniors
Alumni
Laboratory experiences as a part of a course*
Seniors
Alumni
Capstone experience/project*
Seniors
Alumni
Interactions with faculty outside of class
(excluding research)*
Seniors
Alumni
Courses in the core curriculum*
Seniors
Alumni
Research with a faculty member
Seniors
Alumni
Cooperative education*
Seniors
Alumni
Overseas/international study
Seniors
Alumni
Very
Useful
Somewhat
Useful
Not
Useful
Not
Applicable
78%
60%
21%
32%
1%
4%
0%
4%
66%
49%
26%
32%
7%
14%
1%
5%
45%
46%
17%
18%
3%
2%
36%
33%
41%
35%
49%
47%
9%
11%
2%
7%
37%
22%
47%
33%
9%
13%
8%
32%
35%
26%
44%
42%
8%
9%
13%
23%
26%
37%
62%
46%
12%
13%
0%
4%
19%
20%
13%
16%
5%
4%
64%
60%
6%
11%
24%
36%
5%
5%
66%
49%
5%
5%
4%
5%
3%
5%
88%
85%
5. Please indicate your level of agreement or disagreement with the following statements.
Strongly
Agree Agree
My education prepared me to work/live
in a society that is experiencing rapid
technological change
Seniors
Alumni
Resources and facilities (research
laboratories, teaching labs, libraries,
etc.) supported student learning*
Seniors
Alumni
Faculty provided the support I needed
to succeed academically*
Seniors
Alumni
Neutral
Disagree
Strongly
Disagree
30%
32%
45%
41%
18%
20%
6%
5%
2%
2%
29%
38%
56%
53%
10%
5%
4%
3%
1%
1%
27%
38%
50%
45%
14%
12%
6%
4%
3%
1%
*Differences between seniors and alumni are statistically significant (p ≤ .05).
4
Strongly
Agree Agree
My education prepared me to work/live
in a global society
Seniors
Alumni
My academic advisor assisted me with
planning my academic program*
Seniors
Alumni
My education prepared me to work/live
in a diverse society
Seniors
Alumni
My academic advisor assisted me with
exploring career/graduate school
options
Seniors
Alumni
Neutral
Disagree
Strongly
Disagree
24%
21%
42%
39%
25%
30%
7%
8%
2%
2%
19%
18%
28%
24%
25%
21%
15%
28%
12%
9%
17%
23%
43%
39%
26%
27%
11%
9%
2%
1%
16%
14%
21%
17%
28%
29%
20%
26%
16%
13%
6. If you could make your college choice over, would you still choose to enroll at Mines?*
Yes (and I would complete the major that I completed)
Yes (but I would pursue a different major)
Unsure
No
Seniors
67%
13%
12%
9%
*Differences between seniors and alumni are statistically significant (p ≤ .05).
Note: Rows/columns may not sum to 100% due to rounding.
5
Alumni
72%
15%
8%
5%