Gaining Practical Competence in Higher Education: Which Classroom Activities Matter Most?

This study examined specific engagement activities found within the typical college classroom to ascertain their impact upon one particular outcome, that of practical competence. Practical competence was selected both for its relevance to the workplace and to limit the scope of the investigation. The researchers examined items from the 2013 NSSE 2.0 survey relating to intensive learning activities. For this research project, data from both freshmen and senior traditional and non-traditional students who voluntarily completed a web-based NSSE survey during the spring semester of 2013 were used. Results indicated that while only two NSSE items were statistically significant for all aspects of practical competency, other items were statistically significant for several aspects of practice competency. Ramifications for student learning and relevant instructional formats are then explored so as to close the loop with assessment.