Vol. 2, No. 3, December 1997

 

1997 Graduating Seniors
Learning, Satisfaction and Life after Graduation

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"In Focus" is a vehicle for sharing information about learning and assessment in the George Mason community. "In Focus" is prepared by the Office of Institutional Assessment and is intended to make assessment-related information widely available. Comments and suggestions are welcome.

I. About This Survey And The Respondents

The graduating senior survey is administered annually by the Office of Institutional Assessment with cooperation from academic departments. This year, 1,136 seniors responded to the survey for a university response rate of 41%. Fall 1996 (16%), spring 1997 (63%), and summer 1997 (21%) graduates were included in the survey population.

Survey respondents are similar to the graduating population in terms of sex (60% female respondents compared to 58% in population) and ethnicity. The table below shows that the Hispanic, African and Asian Americans who responded to the survey mirror their proportions in the graduating senior population. White Americans are somewhat under represented among respondents probably due to the number of survey respondents indicating they were of "multiple ethnicity" or "other" ethnic categories. (This category also includes nonresident aliens -NR.) (Native Americans represent less than one percent of the graduating senior population and the respondents and are not shown in the above bar graph.)

Typically, graduating seniors' responses are reported by school/college. However, the relatively low overall response rate for this survey and in most schools/colleges did not allow for reliable comparisons by school/college: CAS (42%, n=664), SOM (32%, n=151), SITE (40%, n=81), IOA (70%, n=30), NURS (39%, n=85).

II. Teaching Methods That Help Students Integrate Learning

Students were asked how often several learning activities (exams, lectures, class discussions, etc.) challenged them to integrate learning or find connections between seemingly unrelated subject matter, knowledge, or skills. "In-class discussions" (83%), "papers" (83%), and "research projects" (81%), all activities that require active learning on the part of the student, were endorsed by the highest proportion of seniors as "often" or "sometimes" encouraging the integration of learning. Faculty lectures (77%), exams or quizzes (72%) and in- or out-of-class group projects (65%) were reported by nearly two-thirds to three-quarters of students as supporting the integration of learning.

III. What Learning Activities Lead To Lasting Learning?

When asked to choose one learning activity that resulted in the most significant, the most lasting or comprehensive learning, seniors reported "in-class discussions" (n=231), "internships" (n=151), "research projects" (n=146), "faculty lectures" (n=133), and "writing papers" (n=124). Students wrote about in-class discussions saying, "It makes you listen, think, and verbalize your ideas all at the same time" and "You not only get a stronger grasp of subject matter, but a broader view of it." Regarding internships, one student wrote, "This style of learning [requires you to] know information and how to use it." Commenting on research projects, another said, "Often I learned things that I was unaware of which caused me to see differently, creating more insight and broadening my understanding." Appendix 3 of Department and University Graduating Senior Reports provides all students' comments on why a particular learning activity leads to significant learning.)

IV. Development of Academic Skills

Seniors were asked the extent to which their Mason experience contributed (very much, somewhat, a little, not at all) to their growth in various skill and academic areas. Most likely to be developed "very much" or "somewhat" through the Mason experience are skills in "critical thinking and analysis" (86%), "communication (speaking, reading and writing effectively)" (82%), and "problem solving (identify problems and solve them)" (78%). Approximately two-thirds of seniors said Mason contributed to their development of skills in "valuing (develop own values while recognizing the values of others)" (67%), "global perspective (aware of differences biological, social, and economic)" (67%) and "social interaction (getting things done in groups)" (66%). To a lesser extent, seniors said they developed skills in "aesthetic reasoning" (55%) and "effective citizenship" (46%). In fact, 18% of seniors said that GMU contributed "not at all" to their development of effective citizenship, while 14% said "not at all" to the development of aesthetic reasoning.

V. Computer Literacy

Seventy-eight percent of seniors report that computer literacy was "very/somewhat essential" to their success as Mason students, while 88% expected it to be essential in post graduation employment. Over two-thirds also thought that computer literacy was essential to their student employment (69%). (Apparently alumni agree. Half of all alumni respondents to a recent survey, including 53% from CAS and nearly two-thirds from SOM (64%), said they would cultivate more technological or computer skills if they had it to do again.)

A. Becoming Computer Literate

Over three-quarters (77%) of George Mason's seniors said that a "very"or "somewhat important" aspect of developing computer literacy or proficiency came from spending "free" time on the computer at home or on campus. Other seniors said that "GMU classes that required work by computer" (70%) and "employment related computer activities" (62%) were "very" or "somewhat important" to achieving computer literacy. The contribution of other factors to students' computer literacy are highlighted in Table 1.

B. Computer Applications In The Curriculum

Students were asked the extent to which (none, a few, several and many) various computer applications (e.g. word processing) were incorporated into GMU classes. In 1997, 82% said that word processing was incorporated into 6 or more classes. Seventy-two percent of 1996 seniors responded similarly. E-mail and the Internet were incorporated into substantially more classes in 1997 (45%, 39%, respectively) compared to 1996 when only 28% said e-mail was incorporated into 6 or more classes and 14% said the Internet was incorporated into 6 or more classes. These trends will continue to be tracked over time.

VI. Writing Experiences At Mason

The Writing Across the Curriculum initiative was passed by the George Mason Faculty Senate in 1993 and implemented in fall 1995. The initiative required at least one writing intensive course in each student's major program of study and two outside a student's major program (e.g., English 101 and 302).

Several questions were asked for the first time on the 1997 graduating senior survey to ascertain students' writing experiences at Mason. Specifically, questions focussed on the extent to which students are engaged in writing activities and skills are developed during this process. These are, of course, self reported data.

A majority of seniors (57%) reported that they had four or more courses in their major program of study that required them to revise a paper, project or assignment. However, 8% said they had no courses in their major program that required revision. Forty-five percent of seniors said that courses in their major program of study that required revision or rewriting helped them to "very much" improve their writing, while 41% said that their writing was improved "somewhat" by these courses.

A. What Sources Of Feedback Help Students To Revise Written Work?

Eighty-five percent of students said that they "sometimes" or "frequently" revise written work before handing it in to be graded, sometimes based on feedback and sometimes based on their own review. Sixty-four percent said they relied ("frequently" or "sometimes") on instructor feedback to aid in the revision of written work, but virtually the same proportion (63%) also said that they frequently or sometimes "rely on themselves only." A majority (55%) reported that they received feedback from peers outside of class and others said there were opportunities for in-class peer feedback (42%), both of which were used to help revise writing.

B. Skills Developed Through Writing

Skills that a majority of seniors identified as being "very much" developed through the writing process included organization (59%), critical thinking (56%), and confidence to begin and complete a writing assignment (51%). See Table 2 below.

VII. Satisfaction With . . .

A. Educational Quality

Asked to rate their satisfaction with the educational quality at GMU, only 31% of seniors were "very satisfied" with the quality of education in general at GMU and only 42% were "very satisfied" with the quality of education in their major field. These figures are similar to those reported in 1996, when 32% of seniors were "very satisfied" with their education in general and 43% were satisfied with their education in their major field.

B. Support Services (e.g. Advising)

Seniors were somewhat more satisfied with support services in their major department (63%) when compared to support services in general at GMU (58%). However, very few students were "very satisfied" with either. In 1996, the responses were nearly identical. Twenty-four percent of seniors reported that they were "very satisfied" with departmental support services and 15% reported that they were "very satisfied" with support services in general.

C. Satisfaction With Campus Life And Sense Of Belonging To GMU

Seniors' satisfaction ("very much" or "somewhat") with "campus life" and their "sense of belonging to the GMU community" has decreased over time. In 1993 and 1994, a majority of seniors were satisfied with "campus life," but only 39% were satisfied in 1997. Similarly, while 49% of students were satisfied with their sense of belonging in 1993 and 1994, only 39% of 1997 seniors were satisfied. Among 1997 graduates, only 7% are very satisfied with campus life and only10% with a sense of belonging.

D. Overall Mason Experience

Even with more than half of the seniors dissatisfied with campus life and sense of belonging to GMU, 21% reported being "very satisfied" and 57% said they were "somewhat satisfied" with their overall GMU experience. Twenty percent, however were "somewhat dissatisfied."

E. Satisfaction With Departmental Faculty

Eighty-nine percent of students rated the quality of faculty as either "excellent" or "good." This compares similarly to previous years when 91% of departmental faculty were rated "excellent/good" by 1996 seniors.

VIII. Working While Enrolled

A majority of seniors (53%) worked 20 or more hours per week during their last semester of enrollment at GMU. Seniors' level of agreement with various statements concerning their reasons for working and the impact of work on their education is shown in Table 3 below.

IX. More About Seniors . . .

* 62% transferred to Mason from either a 4 or 2 year institution.

* 32% lived on campus at some time during their tenure at Mason. 64% if those lived on campus for four or fewer semesters.

* Seniors averaged 15.6 hours per week on study/homework and 18.2 hours per week on care for or interaction with their families.

X. Life After GMU

A. Graduate School

Over half (51%) of graduating seniors planned to pursue graduate school in the fall of 1997. While 24% planned to enroll full-time, a higher proportion (27%) will enroll part time. Forty-six percent of those planning to go to graduate school said they would pursue their education at GMU.

B. Living And Working After Graduation

Over three-quarters (76%) of GMU's 1997 graduates planned to live in Northern Virginia the first year after graduation. Further, two-thirds (67%) planned to work in Northern Virginia within their first year of graduation.