The document summarizes data from the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) regarding international undergraduate students at research universities in the United States. It finds that while international students spend significant time studying, they report moderate levels of interaction with faculty and involvement in collaborative and experiential learning activities. Areas for improvement include increasing social and academic support services for international students and encouraging more interaction between international students and faculty outside of the classroom.

1. Jane N. Irungu, PhD
University of Oregon

2.  New 2010-11:  Total 723, 277
214,490
 Undergraduates  Graduates
291,439 296,574
IIE (2012). Open Doors Report

3. 750000
700000
650000
600000
550000
500000
2000- 2001- 2002- 2003- 2004- 2005- 2006- 2007- 2008- 2009- 2010-
2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011
Total International Students 547867 582996 586323 572509 565039 654766 582984 623805 671616 690923 723277
International students mobility
Institute of International Education (2012)

4. 2010-2011
180000
160000
140000
120000
100000
80000
60000
40000
20000
0
Top sending countries
Institute of International Education (2012)

5.  Cultural diversity
 Tuition dollars
◦ 5th largest service industry in the US
◦ $ 20.2 billion in 2010-2011
NAFSA: Association of International Educators
State by state analysis
The Economic Benefits of International
Education to the United States
www.nafsa.org

6.  Broad range of majors
 Immersion in new culture
 Job placement
 A QUALITY education
 A QUALITY college experience
 Overall SUCCESS in lifelong learning

7.  How are they doing?
 How are they engaged ?
 Are they thriving ?
 Are they well integrated academically ?
 Are they well integrated socially?
 How can we make their experience better?
 What must they do to SUCCEED?
 What must we do to help them SUCCEED?
 What must the institution do to facilitate
SUCCESS ?

8.  Institutional
◦ Enrollment numbers
◦ Retention rates
◦ Graduation rates
◦ Diversity of student body, staff and faculty
◦ Career placement
◦ National rankings
◦ Standardized test results
◦ GPA
◦ Learning outcomes [ observable and measurable ]
◦ Level of student engagement
 institution and students

9.  The Theory of Student Engagement
“the time and energy students devote to
educationally sound activities inside and
outside of the classroom, and policies and
practices that institutions use to induce
students to take part in these activities”
(Kuh, 2003, p.25)
Effort | Purposeful activities | Institutional facilitation
Level of student engagement in educationally purposeful activities is
the best way to measure quality for students and institutions( NSSE)

10.  National Survey on Student Engagement
(NSSE) “nessie”
 Assessing success/learning by use of
self- reports in 5 benchmarks
 Have a series of outcomes in the survey
 http://nsse.iub.edu/
 http://nsse.iub.edu/html/survey_instruments.cfm

12.  1. Number of assigned textbooks, books or book-length packs of course
readings
 2. Number of written papers or reports of 20 pages or more
 3. Number of written papers or reports between 5 and 19 pages
 4. Number of written papers or reports of fewer than 5 pages
 5. The extent coursework emphasized analyzing the basic elements of an
idea, experience, or theory
 6. The extent course work emphasized synthesizing and organizing
ideas, information, or experiences into new, more complex interpretations
 7. The extent course emphasized making judgments about the value of
information, arguments, or methods
 8. The extent course work emphasized applying theories or concepts to
practical problems or in new situations
 9. Worked harder than you thought you could to meet an instructor’s
standards or expectations
 10. Numbers of hours per 7-day week spent preparing for class
(studying, reading, writing, ding homework or lab work, analyzing
data, rehearsing, and other academic activities)
 11. The extent the institution emphasized on you spending significant
amounts of time studying and on academic work

13.  1. How often asked questions in class or
contributed to class discussions
 2. How often made a class presentation
 3. How often worked with other students on
projects during class
 4. How often worked with classmates outside of
class to prepare class assignments
 5. How often tutored or taught other students (paid
or voluntary)
 6. How often participated in a community-based
project (e.g., service learning) as part of a regular
course
 7. How often discussed ideas from your readings or
classes with others outside of class
(students, family members, co-workers, etc.)

14.  1. How often discussed grades or assignments with
an instructor
 2. How often discussed ideas from your readings or
classes with faculty members outside of class
 3. How often talked about career plans with a faculty
member or advisor
 4. How often received prompt written or oral
feedback from faculty on your academic performance
 5. How often worked with faculty members on
activities other than coursework
(committees, orientation, student life activities, etc.)
 6. Worked or plan to work on a research project with
a faculty member outside of course or program
requirements

15.  1. Serious conversations with students who are very different from you in terms
of their religious beliefs, political opinions, or personal values
 2. Conversations with students of a different race or ethnicity than your own
 3. The extent institution emphasized or encouraged contact among students
from different economic, social, and racial or ethnic backgrounds
 4. How many hours per 7-day week spent participating in co-curricular
activities (organizations, campus publications, student government, fraternity
or sorority, intercollegiate or intramural sports, etc?)
 5. How often used an electronic medium (listserv, chat group, Internet, instant
messaging, etc.) to discuss or complete an assignment
 6. Have done or plan to do a practicum, internship, field experience, co-op
experience, or clinical assignment
 7. Have done or plan to do community service or volunteer work
 8. Have participated or plan to participate in a learning community or some
other formal program where groups of students take two or more classes
together
 9. Have done or plan to do a foreign language coursework
 10. Have or plan to study abroad
 11. Have done or plan to do Independent study or self-designed major
 12. Have done or plan to do a culminating senior experience (capstone
course, senior project or thesis, comprehensive exam, etc.)

16.  1. The extent to which institution emphasized
providing the support you need to thrive socially
 2. The extent to which institution emphasized
providing the support you need to help you succeed
academically
 3. The extent to which institution emphasized
helping you cope with your non-academic
responsibilities (work, family, etc.)
 4. Quality of your relationships with other students
 5. Quality of your relationships with faculty
 6. Quality of your relationships with administrative
personnel and offices


17. N=1624
• Undergraduate international students
• Research I universities
Male=769
47.4%
Female=855
52%

18.  Descriptive statistics
◦ Frequencies on benchmark items
◦ Means for each benchmark
◦ Correlations benchmarks against
outcomes
 Regression analysis benchmarks VS
outcomes
◦ To determine which benchmarks account
for, and by what percentage, for various
outcomes

19.  M
 Level of Academic Challenge 57.544
 Supportive Campus Environment 57.119
 Active Collaborative Learning 48.676
 Student-Faculty Interaction 40.652
 Enriching Educational Experiences 39.775

20.  Level of Academic Challenge M: 57.544
◦ International students spend a lot of time studying
 Reading
 Writing
 At the library
◦ Key words: analyzing, synthesizing, making
judgments, application
Challenges:
◦ Language skills [ proficiency and interference ]
◦ Creativity [ difference in pedagogical styles]
◦ Originality [ issues of plagiarism and style]

21.  Supportive Campus Environment 57.119
◦ Campus personnel and offices: 57% helpful
◦ Other students: 76.7% friendly
◦ Providing support you need to succeed
academically
67%
Very Low- not feeling supported
◦ Social support: 66.1% - networking outside class
◦ Help to cope with non-academic issues: 71%
 Work, family

22.  Active Collaborative Learning M: 48.676
◦ Participating
 Asking questions in class 55.8 %
 Collaborative projects/ discussion 48 %
 Peer Advising 27.6 %
 Community based projects- service learning 14.8%
 Advisor Role:
◦ Remind benefits of out of class activities
◦ Guide to relevant opportunities

23.  Work on a research project with a faculty member outside of course or
program requirements NOT DONE* 75.5%
 Worked with faculty members on activities other than coursework
(committees, orientation, student life activities, etc.) *80%
 Discussed ideas from your readings or classes with faculty members
outside of class NOT OFTEN ** 71.5 %
 Worked with faculty members on activities other than coursework
(committees, orientation, student life activities, etc.) ** 80.0%
 Talked about career plans with a faculty member or advisor ** 62.6 %
 Discussed grades or assignments with an instructor ** 50.1%
** Mandatory advising/ referrals; Freshmen Interest Groups; Learning
Communities; Freshmen Seminars; Office hours
** International students’ perception of authority figures
** Cultural lens

25.  Acquiring a broad general education
 Acquiring job or work related
knowledge and skills [ career
development
 Thinking critically and analytically
 Working effectively with others
[interpersonal and intrapersonal]
 Learning effectively on your own
 Understanding yourself
 [ more listed on the survey ]

26. Outcomes Engagement Benchmarks
SCE LAC ACL EEE SFI
Abroad and
general X X X X X
education
Work or job
related X X X X X
knowledge and
skills
Thinking
critically and X X X X X
academically
Working
effectively with X X X X X
others
Ability to learn
effectively on X X X X X
their own
Ability to
understand X X X X X
themselves

27.  Are we changing policies and protocols to
accommodate surging enrollments?
 Are we working with student affairs /
international affairs and other campus
departments to meet advising needs?
 Any intentional programs to monitor or assist
in directing them to purposeful activities
related to satisfaction, persistence, success?
 What are our major concerns as advisors?

28.  Kuh, G. D. (2001). Assessing what really matters to student
learning: Inside the National Survey of Student Engagement.
Change, 33(3), 10-17, 66.
 Kuh, G. D. (2003). What we‟re learning about student
engagement from NSSE: Benchmarks for effective educational
practices. Change, 35(2), 24-32.
 Institute of International Education. (2012). "Top 25 Places of
Origin of International Students, 2009/10-2010/11." Open
Doors Report on International Educational Exchange. Retrieved
from http://www.iie.org/opendoors
 Institute of International Education. (2012). "International
Student Totals by Place of Origin, 2009/10 - 2010/11." Open
Doors Report on International Educational Exchange. Retrieved
from http://www.iie.org/opendoors
 Institute of International Education ( 2011) What International
Students Think About U.S. Higher Education: Attitudes and
Perceptions of Prospective Students in Africa, Asia, Europe and
Latin AmericaRetrieved from http://www.iie.org/opendoors

29. QUESTIONS ?