The Anatomy of Academic Rigor: The Story of One Institutional Journey

Abstract

The National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) draws from student feedback to gauge the level of academic challenge at particular institutions (Kuh 2009 ). Inspired by attempts to understand the implications of NSSE data on other campuses (Payne et al. 2005 ), a cross-disciplinary research group at our institution developed a multidimensional model of academic rigor. We argue that learning is most rigorous when students are actively learning meaningful content with higher-order thinking at the appropriate level of expectation within a given context. The model allows instructors and institutional decision-makers to aim towards increased levels of academic rigor in classrooms, departments, and across campus.[PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]