Factors That Affect Students’ Decisions to Attend Summer Session

Donna M. Fish – SUNY-College at Cortland
Thomas F. Kowalik – Binghamton University-SUNY

A research study was conducted by the presenters to examine the factors that affect students’ decisions to attend Summer Session. The study was made possible by funding from the Theresa Neil Research Consortium of Summer Session Organizations. The findings were outlined at the 40th Annual Conference of the North American Association of Summer Sessions on November 17,2003 in Mesa Arizona and are summarized in the Proceedings of that conference.

Several documents are provided here for members who wish to use the survey at their own institutions, or build upon this model. All rights are reserved to the original authors, and their permission is required for any subsequent publication of materials derived from these.


To: NAASS Members
From: Thomas Kowalik

I have attached a number of materials you might find helpful.
1.A summary describing the design and validation of the survey instruments. (A full article version is in press.)
2.A pdf version of the actual survey used.
3.A Word version of the Kowalik-Fish Summer Session Motivational Inventory, in case you want to use it.
4.A Word version of the Kowalik-Fish Summer Session Institutional Choice Inventory.

I think I still have the factor analysis on my website and there might be other items of interest.

As you can see, you can obtain a great deal of information with this type of survey. Although I have not yet performed the analysis, using the demographic information, I will be able to determine by class, age, gender, etc., the reasons students attend summer session.

I think this survey could be a very powerful tool for anyone interested in performing a bit more sophisticated analysis than we, in the profession, typically perform.

Hope this helps.

Thomas F. Kowalik
Director
Continuing Education & Outreach
Binghamton University
P.O. Box 6000
Binghamton, New York 13902-6000
Phone: (607) 777 – 2792
Fax: (607) 777 – 6661
Website: http://ceo.binghamton.edu/
Email: Kowalik@binghamton.edu
Personal Website: http://ceo.binghamton.edu/kowalik/

Documents to Download

Design and Validation Summary (PDF)

Motivational Inventory (PDF)

Institutional Choice Inventory (PDF)