ESFY
First-Year Initiative Survey
We will again be using the First Year Initiative survey (FYI) as part of our assessment of First-Year Seminars (LEC 100). We have chosen this survey because of its alignment with the goals and strategies of the College's First-Year Seminar.
The FYI study was created by The Policy Center on the First Year of College headed by John Gardner, in partnership with Educational Benchmarking, Inc. (EBI). The instrument is administered to students at the end of the first-year seminar and provides institutions and individual instructors with information regarding seminar outcomes. The student survey includes perceptions of the first college year seminar, perceived gains in academic skills, and self-reported behaviors relating to issues addressed in many first-year seminars. The instrument is based on the work of John Gardner, who worked closely with us as we developed the Engaging Student in the First Year (ESFY) initiative.
The FYI is a benchmarking survey built around questions supported by research literature on retention, good practices in undergraduate instruction and student learning, human development theory, and learning theory. Specifically, questions are asked about campus activities, development of skills/abilities, course content and instruction, relationships and self perception, teaching effectiveness and the overall seminar's effectiveness. The survey captures the seminar's influence on student performance in other courses, allowing for evaluation of the real impact of the seminar on overall academic performance and social integration. The UWC will also receive reports which include comparative data with selected peer schools and with other study participants.
This study will not only provide the UWC an opportunity to compare our first-year seminars with those offered by other schools, but also provides a comprehensive look at students' perceptions over time. The longitudinal analysis will identify how current performance compares with past performance. An ongoing feedback process supports continuous improvement through reassessment. The longitudinal analysis identifies, over time, the extent to which the First-Year Seminar is achieving its intended goals. For more information about the FYI, please visit Educational Benchmarking, Inc.
Procedure for Distributing and Administering the FYI Study
In early November, First-Year Seminar instructors will be receiving the FYI survey forms. The forms will be delivered via campus mail. Instructors: If your class ends before November, or if you would like to receive the survey on an earlier date, please contact Sharon Brickl in the Office of Academic Affairs, and she will forward a packet of forms to you.
The SSI results from First-Year Seminar classes are not considered in evaluating instructors. However, students' comments are used to help us identify patterns and trends in the students' experiences with this class. Each campus should forward copies of the students' comments only to Lisa Seale (UW Colleges Office of Academic Affairs) or Chris Taylor (UW-Waukesha).
Student Survey of Instruction — Analysis
This presentation by Greg Lampe is available as a Microsoft PowerPoint document, as well as a QuickTime Movie.