Interview Findings

Round One Interviews - Winter 2010

Round Two Interviews - Winter 2011

Round Three Interviews - Winter 2012 

 

Round One Interviews - Winter 2010

Focus

Round one focused on numerous aspects of the first-year undergraduate experience including:

  • Motivation and goals
  • Orientation and advising
  • Transition to post-secondary
  • Teaching and learning
  • Engagement in campus life
  • Student services

Interviews

For the first round of the Mount Royal Assessment Seminar, the interview instrument contained 23 open-ended questions.  Ninety-seven baccalaureate students were interviewed by trained student interviewers. 

Analysis

Ten data teams were assigned ten transcripts each from which to extract and summarize themes, words, phrases and quotes. Following a review of all ten "first pass" summaries by the Assessment Seminar Committee, several key themes emerged, including:

  • An overwhelming endorsement of small class sizes
  • The primacy and influence of the student-faculty relationship
  • Specific student views about teaching and learning
  • Perspectives on general education
  • Challenges in transition to post-secondary
  • Student services - low awareness, yet among users, high satisfaction
  • Low levels of involvement in campus life

The committee concluded that deeper and more comprehensive analysis was warranted in three areas that were institutional priorities and also generated significant interview commentary: first year transition; involvement in campus life; and general education. Ad hoc working groups were struck, with representation from stakeholders in each of the three areas.

Reports

With input from the Committee, the three working groups noted above prepared final reports in each of their subject areas:

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 Round Two Interviews - Winter 2011

Focus

Round two focused on various aspects of the learning experience of students having completed the third year of their baccalaureate program, including:

  • Goal orientation / intentionality
  • Academic challenge
  • Teaching and assessment
  • Curricular elements
  • Extracurricular involvement
  • Growth and development as a learner

Interviews

The second round interview instrument contained 28 open-ended questions.  Fifty-four degree seeking students completing the third year of their program were interviewed by a team of nine trained student interviewers. 

 Analysis and Reports

Analysis of Round 2 interviews was undertaken by four data analysis teams comprised of volunteers from the Assessment Seminar membership.  Each team's report and an integrated final report is available below. 

Round 2 Data Analysis Team 1 Report

Round 2 Data Analysis Team 2 Report

Round 2 Data Analysis Team 3 Report

Round 2 Data Analysis Team 4 Report

Round 2 Summary Q 3 "Powerful Learning Experiences"

Round 2 Summary Q 8 & 9 "Student Goals and Goal Evolution"

Round 2 Final Integrated Report, May 2012

 

Round Three Interviews - Winter 2012

 Focus

Round three interviews were conducted with final-year baccalaureate students about to graduate from their program.  Interviewees were asked to reflect back on their Mount Royal experience as a whole, and to talk about their future plans, immediate and longer-term.  More specifically, the Round 3 interview protocol probed students 'perspectives'' around:

  • the most positive and least positive aspects of their Mount Royal experience
  • strengths and weaknesses of their program/major
  • key obstacles or impediments to completing their degree
  • their personal and professional growth and development
  • influential individuals in their undergraduate experience
  • short-term and longer-term plans
  • overall satisfaction

 Interviews

The Round 3 interview instrument contained 22 open-ended questions.  Ninety-six final-year students were interviewed by a team of 11 student and staff interviewers (members of the Mount Royal Assessment Seminar).

 Analysis and Reports

Thirty-two members of the Assessment Seminar Group divided into five teams to analysis the Round 3 data.  Each of the five team's final reports is below and an integrated final report is in progress.

Round 3 Data Analysis Team 1 Report

Round 3 Data Analysis Team 2 Report

Round 3 Data Analysis Team 3 Report

Round 3 Data Analysis Team 4 Report

Round 3 Data Analysis Team 5 Report

 

 

 

 

 

 

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