Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis
University College First-Year Seminars
Fall 2005 End-of-Course Evaluation Questionnaire
A Qualitative Investigation
Purpose
The purpose of this study was to understand students’ perceptions of course benefits and self-reported
learning outcomes for University College (UC) First-Year Seminar Courses. Quantitative and qualitative
approaches were employed in an effort to gain a comprehensive understanding of the implementations
and outcomes of First-Year Seminar Courses. This report focuses exclusively on a content analysis of
students’ responses to a series of open-ended questions appearing on the UC First-Year Seminar
anonymous course evaluation questionnaires. This qualitative investigation was conducted to more
comprehensively understand how students experienced the course.
Method
Students enrolled in the University College First-Year Seminar Courses were asked to voluntarily respond
to anonymous questionnaires that were administered at the end of the semester.
The qualitative data were analyzed by scanning the comments for themes and then creating categories for
those themes. While the students shared a common experience, the topics they chose to address in this
survey were varied. Though there was great variation, some common themes still emerged. For the
purposes of this study, these themes were considered significant if 5% or more of the students made a
similar documentation. Please note that student comments were essentially “quantified” in an effort to
grasp the key concepts expressed by students. Given the large number of students’ comments, this seemed
like to most reasonable way to summarize students’ perceptions.
Results
A total of 879 students enrolled in a University College First-Year Seminar course during fall 2005.
Among this group, 558 completed the anonymous course evaluation at the end of the semester during
class (yielding a response rate of 63%). Many of these students failed to respond to the open-ended items.
Thus, a limitation of this study is that many students failed to respond to the open-ended items and the
characteristics of the non-responders may be distinctly different compared to the characteristics of
responders. Additionally, many of the written comments were short statements and may not reflect the
students’ in-depth perceptions, which are typically the focus of qualitative investigations.
The number of respondents varied dependent upon the questions:
(Questions)
(Respondents)
1.
Please describe what you found most valuable about this class:
437
2.
Please describe what you found least valuable about this class:
429
3.
What specific suggestions do you have for improving this class?
Please describe:
404
4.
If you intend to return to IUPUI for the next academic year, please describe the single most important reason why you
plan to return:
289
5.
If you intend NOT to return to IUPUI for the next academic year, please describe the single most important reason why
you do not plan to return:
141
Report created by Michele J. Hansen, Ph.D., Director of UC Assessment and Jessica Petersson, Graduate Student Assistant.
1
Table 1: Most Valued Aspects of U110 Fall 2005 (N= 437)
Please describe what you found most valuable about this class:
Most Valuable Aspect
N
%
Examples of Actual Student Responses
78
18%
Meeting new people

“I met new people I now consider friends”

“The most valuable thing I received from this class
was meeting new friends.”

“Meeting new people”

“Create relationships with fellow class mates.”
56
13%
Learning more about

“Learning campus information.”
IUPUI and the campus

“Getting to know IUPUI better”

“Learning about the resources that are available at
IUPUI.”

“Getting to learn about things on campus.”
36
8%
Major and Career

“It exposed all of the majors and careers that relate to
Exploration
my values and interests.”

“Learning about different careers.”

“Researching about the major I am interested in.”

“Exploring different careers.”
Academic Advisor
28
7%



“Helpful mentor, advisor, instructor.”
“The advisor and mentor.”
“I found most valuable having an advisor to talk to
as a freshman some scheduling can be confusing.”
Library Tour
24
5%

“Learning information of the library and resources
that could help me in the future.”
The thing I found most valuable is when we went to
the library and learned about it.”
“Learned library resources.”


Note 1: Percentages rounded to the nearest whole.
Note 2: The remaining responses were so varied that no major categories emerged
Report created by Michele J. Hansen, Ph.D., Director of UC Assessment and Jessica Petersson, Graduate Student Assistant.
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Table 2: Least Valued Aspects of U110 Fall 2005 (N= 429)
Please describe what you found least valuable about this class:
Least Valuable Aspect
N
%
Examples of Actual Student Responses
51
12%
Assignments

“All of the extra busy work.”

“I thought some projects were just busy work.” A
little too much busy work”

“Busy work”

“Constant busy work.”
13
3%
More relation to Linked

“Not being able to study for math in a class linked to
Course
math.”

“I thought it would be more math related but it
wasn’t.”
15
4%
Textbook

“I would have to say the book. I never even used it.”
The text was not used, or

“Our textbook, we didn’t use it at all that often for us
was not used enough in
to have had to buy it.”
the course

“the book. I don’t’ feel like we should have to buy a
textbook. I think would have been handled in
handouts.”
13
3%
Waste of Time

“It felt like a waste of time.”

“Waste of time.”
Note 1: Percentages rounded to the nearest whole.
Note 2: The remaining responses were so varied that no major categories emerged
Table 3: Recommended Improvements for U110 Fall 2005 (N= 404)
What specific suggestions do you have for improving this class? Please describe:
Suggestions
N
%
Examples of Actual Student Responses
33
8%
The Course Should

“Have more structured activities that are useful.”
Incorporate More

“Doing more activities that are interesting and not
Activities
just sitting.”

“Do more activities that get the students up and
moving around.”

“More in-class activities.”
15
4%
More Projects

“Have more group projects.”

“More in class projects.”

“Making smaller projects on a regular basis instead
of doing nothing and then having a few large
projects.”
15
4%
The Course Should Meet

“The class should only be four weeks, and meet
Less Often
twice a week.”

“Make the class time shorter.”

“Not have the class for so long.”
Note 1: Percentages rounded to the nearest whole.
Note 2: The remaining responses were so varied that no major categories emerged
Report created by Michele J. Hansen, Ph.D., Director of UC Assessment and Jessica Petersson, Graduate Student Assistant.
3
Table 4: Reason for Returning to IUPUI next year for U110 Fall 2005 (N= 289)
Please describe your reason for returning to IUPUI next year?
Reason
N
%
Examples of Actual Student Responses
58
20%
Pursuing and Finishing

“To finish my degree”
Degree

“So I can get close to earning a degree and making
money.”

“In order to get my degree.”

“I want my degree so I can have a good job.”
43
15%
Close to Home

“Because it is close to home.”

“I will return to IUPUI because I plan to still live at
home.”

“Easy access to home.”
33
12%
The Cost and Quality of

“I plan to return because it’s the cheapest way to
Education
complete my degree.”

“IUPUI is cheap and close to home still with a good
education program.”

“I enjoy the commuter campus and the low cost.”
31
11%
Major

“I plan to return to work on my major.”

“The quality of the major I chose here.”

“My career and major.”

“Best place for my nursing major.”
11
4%
Scholarship

“I’m planning on returning because of scholarships
and financial aid I wouldn’t get anywhere.”

“I’m going to return because I have scholarship
money here that I wouldn’t have from a different
school.”

“I have a scholarship here.”
Note 1: Percentages rounded to the nearest whole.
Note 2: The remaining responses were so varied that no major categories emerged
Table 5: Reason for Not Returning to IUPUI next year for U110 Fall 2005 (N= 141)
Please describe your reason for not returning to IUPUI next year?
Reason
N
%
Examples of Actual Student Responses
18
13%
Lack of “College Life”

“I don’t plan on returning because I haven’t met a lot
of people here. It is a commuter college and I want a
more campus oriented life.”

“Not the campus life that I wanted.”

“I want a more traditional campus life.”

“More activities- just try and connect to the students a
little more.”

“I want dorm experience.”

“Dry, inactive campus.”
6
5%
Moving Back Home

“I am going back to my hometown.”

“I want to be closer to my family and be closer to my
family.”

“I want to go to school closer to home.”
Note 1: Percentages rounded to the nearest whole.
Note 2: The remaining responses were so varied that no major categories emerged
Conclusion/Highlights:





18% of students found that meeting new people was the most valuable aspect of the course.
12% of students found that the least valued aspect of the course were the assignments. Many
students categorized assignments as “busy work.”
8% of students suggested incorporating more organized and interactive activities in the course.
20% of students said they were returning to IUPUI to pursue and finish their degree. 15% stated
they were returning because it is close to home.
13% of students stated they were not returning due to the lack of “college life.”
Report created by Michele J. Hansen, Ph.D., Director of UC Assessment and Jessica Petersson, Graduate Student Assistant.
4