Rivard, J. K., Cox, S.J., & Beach, A.L. (2018) How High is the Impact? Engaging student voices in the conversation of High Impact Practices (HIPs) in Higher Education. Paper presented at the Association for the Study of Higher Education (ASHE) Conference, Tampa, FL.

The purpose of this study was to get to the heart of student voices around High Impact Practices (HIPs) as reflected in the National Study of Student Engagement (NSSE) at a large, public, higher research activity, doctoral granting institution in the Midwest. An initial look at institutional history and the literature revealed that, while quantitative data are regularly reviewed, analyzed, and discussed, no work has been done using qualitative NSSE data to examine the student voice—at our institution or nationally. Dugan and Silberstein (2017) discussed rich insights available in the open-ended comments but noted that the data are often overlooked because they can be messy to address. These presenters also suggested use of text analysis for the work but did not do the analysis themselves. Sanchez, Copridge, Clark and Cole (2017) undertook a qualitative thematic analysis that examined student persistence and barriers to persistence, and BrckaLorenz, Yuhas, and Zilvinskis (2017) did some limited qualitative analysis to assess the language of the NSSE open-ended questions. An in-depth literature search affirmed the dearth of this type of analysis; little to nothing is being done overall with the qualitative NSSE data (Chambers, 2010). Disregarding or only superficially reviewing qualitative data silences and excludes the student voice from discussions of whether and how HIPs and other practices are contributing to the student experience. This work examined those qualitative comments in light of the quantitative results, with a stronger focus on the former in order to amplify student voices.

Dechano-Cook, L. M., Deranek, J., & Cox, S. J. (2017). Connecting Physical Geography Content with Career and Life Aspirations. Michigan Academician, 44(3), 304-318.

Students often have a difficult time understanding how general education course content is beneficial to them. Content in geography courses is very diverse but often very relatable for students. This research examined students’ perceptions of the link between the content in physical geography and their intended careers and life. A content analysis of paired essays revealed that course content was very relevant to students’ intended careers and lives. The process used to create the coding scheme employed for this study and the related results are discussed. Overall, students were able to make a greater connection of the course material to their intended careers and their lives at the end of the semester. These findings suggest that professors should be intentional with helping students relate course content to various careers and life situations in order to improve the applicability of course material.

Other examples of presentations or publications available upon request.