Wabash study participants take next round of surveys

03/31/09 -Last night more than 70 University of Rhode Island freshmen filled the seats of Edwards Auditorium to participate in the Wabash National Study of Liberal Arts Education.The study, open exclusively to freshmen, requires participants take a battery of surveys during their first two semesters and one during their senior year to assess their opinions, abilities and experiences at URI in comparison to 48 other participating colleges and universities.

Offered through URI's Office of Student Learning, Outcomes Assessment, and Accreditation, taking this survey keys the university into how the student educational experience can be improved. According to the study's Web site, the surveys are "a longitudinal study which investigates critical factors that affect the student outcomes of a liberal arts education through both institutional and student data."

"We want to find out the overarching student experience at the University of Rhode Island," graduate assistant Kristen Weissinger said. "The main thing we tried to stress on the students last year is that they're leaving a legacy," Weissinger added.

Students who submit data allow URI to use the information to tailor the learning experience for future students, making it most effective.

The surveys take most students less than an hour to complete and gathers information about student's political stances, well-being, critical thinking and moral judgment abilities, as well as demographic statistics about students' backgrounds and high school experiences. In addition, it gages their perception of faculty, diversity and educational practices at the university.

Data from 2007's freshmen concludes that compared to nine other large universities, URI students are more likely to give presentations in class and prepare multiple drafts, but do less reading and writing. Comparatively, more URI students have participated in diversity events or workshops than those at similar universities.

Researchers also found that freshmen reported an increase in critical thinking abilities from their first to second semesters. Binge drinking is also higher at URI than comparative institutions.

"The theme here is measurement and assessment," director Elaine Finan said. "We're looking to see how we can impact the outcomes by measuring through silent feedback."

The number of freshman who took the survey was almost double that of last year. However some freshmen who took the survey their first semester do not return the following semester. Weissinger said that so far about 40 percent of students have returned.

The incentive to take the survey is an early registration privilege. Freshmen who participate can sign up for next semester's classes on April 8. In addition the Office of Student Learning, Outcomes Assessment, and Accreditation is also giving five random students $100 on their RAM accounts.

Biology major Melanie Leary said taking the surveys were simple. "You really didn't have to use your brain if you didn't feel like it," she said.

Leary finished her survey in about 50 minutes. Many of the questions, she said, simply had to be read and analyzed.

John Dao, 19, said, "It's not that much time and this is a really good cause in my opinion."

Dao said the early class registration privilege was definitely a perk. "I got into all my classes, and the opportunity to do it again? Why not?"

The Wabash study began at Wabash College in Crawfordsville, Ind. in 2006.

This is the second year that URI has participated in the study that is partially grant-funded and provost-funded.

There are five more opportunities for freshmen who took the survey in the fall to take the spring portion. Students who took the survey in the fall have until Thursday to complete this semester's counterpart.