Dissertation
Examining measurement and structural invariance of the undergraduate Student Experience in the Research University (SERU) survey across peer institutions and academic colleges
University of Iowa
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), University of Iowa
Spring 2025
DOI: 10.25820/etd.007916
Abstract
The accurate assessment of undergraduate student experiences is a critical component of institutional research and improvement efforts, especially at large public research universities. The undergraduate Student Experience in the Research University (SERU) survey is a widely used instrument for capturing undergraduate student engagement, experiences, and satisfaction. Results can be compared across participating institutions to make peer comparisons within academic department or units. However, questions remain about the extent to which this survey operates equivalently across different institutional and college contexts. This study examined the measurement and structural invariance of one key factor from the undergraduate SERU survey—Satsifaction with Educational Experiences—across the University of Iowa’s peer institutions and within three academic colleges: Liberal Arts and Sciences, Business, and Engineering. Establishing survey comparability is essential for drawing valid inferences and supporting institutional benchmarking.
This study employed multiple-group confirmatory factor analysis (MG-CFA) using the 2016 undergraduate SERU survey dataset. Measurement invariance was assessed at four levels: configural, metric, scalar, and residual. Structural invariance was evaluated through tests of homogeneity of latent variances and factor means.
Findings demonstrated measurement invariance—configural, metric, scalar, and residual—across the University of Iowa’s peer institutions, as well as within the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. In the College of Business, measurement invariance was supported at the configural, metric, and scalar levels, although residual invariance was not achieved. The College of Engineering demonstrated configural and metric invariance, along with partial scalar invariance; residual invariance was not supported. However, the pattern of results across all colleges were sufficient to conclude that measurement invariance was generally supported. Structural invariance, defined as the homogeneity of latent variances and factor means, was supported across all models.
These results support the validity of the 2016 undergraduate SERU survey’s Satisfaction with Educational Experiences factor for institutional and sub-institutional comparisons, particularly across peer institutions and with the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. While measurement invariance was generally supported across colleges, the pattern of findings suggests potential differences in how the survey functions within distinct academic contexts. This study contributes to the ongoing refinement of survey-based assessment tools and supports valid, equitable benchmarking of undergraduate experiences across research university contexts
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Examining measurement and structural invariance of the undergraduate Student Experience in the Research University (SERU) survey across peer institutions and academic colleges
- Creators
- Daniela Cardoza
- Contributors
- Jonathan Templin (Advisor)Lesa Hoffman (Committee Member)Won Chan Lee (Committee Member)Liz Hollingworth (Committee Member)
- Resource Type
- Dissertation
- Degree Awarded
- Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), University of Iowa
- Degree in
- Psychological and Quantitative Foundations (Educational Measurement and Statistics)
- Date degree season
- Spring 2025
- DOI
- 10.25820/etd.007916
- Publisher
- University of Iowa
- Number of pages
- xiv, 120 pages
- Copyright
- Copyright 2025 Daniela Cardoza
- Language
- English
- Date submitted
- 04/28/2025
- Description illustrations
- Tables
- Description bibliographic
- Includes bibliographical references (pages 108-117).
- Public Abstract (ETD)
Understanding how undergraduate students experience college is essential for universities seeking to improve learning, engagement, and overall satisfaction. One tool that many large public research universities use is the undergraduate Student Experience in the Research (SERU) survey. This survey helps institutions compare how students feel about their educational experiences. However, before schools can confidently use these comparisons to make decisions, researchers must first make sure the survey works the same way for different types of students, colleges, and institutions.
This study focused on one key part of the undergraduate SERU survey: how satisfied students are with their educational experiences. Using data from the 2016 undergraduate SERU survey, the study tested whether this section of the survey functioned similarly across the University of Iowa’s peer institutions and within three colleges at those institutions—Liberal Arts and Sciences, Business, and Engineering.
The results showed that the survey worked consistently across universities and within the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. It also worked well in the College of Business, although one part of the analysis showed slightly less consistency. In the College of Engineering, some differences were found, suggesting the survey may be interpreted different by those students across institutions. Still, overall, the results support the survey’s reliability for comparing student satisfaction across institutions and colleges.
This research helps ensure that universities use fair and accurate tools when evaluating student experiences. It also provides a foundation for making data-informed decisions that promote student success and improve educational quality.
- Academic Unit
- Psychological and Quantitative Foundations
- Record Identifier
- 9984830727402771
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