Tuesday, October 4, 2016
OKLAHOMA CITY – Governor Mary Fallin today complimented the administration of the University of Central Oklahoma (UCO) being nationally recognized for helping their students connect with each other, their community and the world around them.
The Edmond university tied for sixth in a Top 10 list compiled by the Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education College Ranking.
“It’s pleasing to see UCO is considered among the best in the nation at encouraging critical thinking and helping students apply learning to their community and real-life situations,” said Fallin. “This makes students better prepared to adapt to the real world and increase their chances of becoming involved citizens. I congratulate UCO President Don Betz and his faculty and staff for supporting this collaborative learning process.”
The governor said efforts by UCO are similar to her Oklahoma Works initiative, which aims to ensure Oklahoma students have the skills and education necessary to enter the workforce and advance in rewarding careers.
The Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education engagement ranking was derived from seven questions.
Survey questions about engagement explored how challenging classes were, the level to which classes prompted critical thinking and student connections to the real world, the amount of student interaction between faculty and fellow students, and whether students were likely or unlikely to recommend their college or university to a friend. Engagement rankings also included the number of degree program subjects the school offered.
According to the Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education College Ranking, engagement was given a weight of 20 percent because the level of engagement determines how actively students are grappling with concepts and trying to apply them to the real world. If the curriculum is too challenging, or the community too distant, students may disengage. If classes are too easy or life a little too comfortable, they may float passively through school, absorbing little.
A listing of the top six universities may be found here. More information about the ranking can be found here.