academic challenge, active learning and student-faculty interaction. Two other

benchmarks measured engagement relevant to the college, including enriching

educational experiences and supportive campus environment. As the latter two

benchmarks were relevant to the college and not the classroom, they were not utilized in

this study. Said differently, they were not measuring engagement practices directly

attributed to the student and the faculty member.

 The NSSE benchmarks of interest are described as follows: level of academic

challenge-time spent preparing for class, amount of reading and writing, and use of

higher order thinking skills; active learning-participating in class and working

collaboratively with other students inside and outside the classroom and student-faculty

interaction-talking with the faculty member, discussing ideas outside of class with the

faculty member, getting feedback from the faculty member, and conducting research with

the faculty member (Kuh, Hayek, Carini, Ouimet, Gonyea & Kennedy, 2001, p. 5). More

detail of the NSSE is provided in Chapter 3.

Summary of Learning and Engagement

 Student's have a limited amount of time and effort to apply in accomplishing a

learning goal (Astin, 1984). However, faculty members may be the "single most

important" factor in engaging the student to learn. Although the student is responsible for

engaging in learning, the faculty member is accountable for facilitating student

engagement. The study of student engagement primarily entails identifying teaching

practices that increase student engagement and surveying students to determine if

teaching practices are being used.

 Many researchers have examined the relationship learning styles have with

academic achievement. However, an emphasis on increasing student engagement (Lunde,