CLEI
The CLEI is an instrument designed to measure individual attitudes, behaviors, and dispositions that may impact student learning success.
Studies indicated significant relationships between the CLEI scales and academic performance and retention:
- Higher GPA was significantly associated with higher scores in the six CLEI scales (A study of 579 undergraduate students enrolled at Kansas State University during academic year 2006-2007).
- A predictive model indicated that the CLEI scales are significant predictors of GPA, Overall Life Satisfaction, and Persistence Intentions at the institution (A study of 579 First-Year students in fall 2008 at Kansas State University).
- An intervention class of students admitted on warning status that utilized the CLEI as an assessment tool resulted in improved GPA and retention rate (A study at Concordia College, MN. Year 2007-2009).
"Through utilization of the CLEI with our probation students, we have felt we have had more
in relevant conversations and have been able to dig deeper into students' concerns earlier in
our sessions. Our academic success plans appear to be better thought out and supported by
the CLEI assessment, which makes sense to the students."
—Amy Sannes
Director of the Academic Enhancement Center & Assistant to the Dean of Student Development
Concordia College · Moorhead, MN
Example CLEI Profile
The Scales
- Academic Self-Efficacy
(ASE Scale: 14 items, Alpha = .87*)
Expressing confidence in academic ability, awareness of effort toward study, and expectation for success in college attainment. - Organization and Attention to Study
(OAS Scale: 8 items, Alpha = .81*)
The organization of tasks and structuring of time to set goals, plan, and carry out necessary academic activity. - Stress and Time Press
(STP Scale: 6 items, Alpha = .77*)
Dealing with pressures of time, environmental concerns, and the academic demands that impact academic study. - Involvement with College Activity
(ICA Scale: 9 items, Alpha = .81*)
Belonging to organizations and participating in activities, including informal gatherings of friends and classmates, within the campus environment. - Emotional Satisfaction
(ES Scale: 7 items, Alpha = .72*)
Degree of interest and emotional response to academic life including people and environment. - Class Communication
(CC Scale: 6 items, Alpha = .68*)
Both verbal and non-verbal effort to engage in class activity.
CLEI Evolution and Function
This instrument was developed because a group of professionals (counselors and advisors) identified the need for a tool to explore what was described as personal/social influences that impacted learning performance. Over 300 items were originally developed through both the inductive experience in working with students and through the collective published information on college student learning. During the past eight years, three versions of this developing instrument were made and tested on a large number of students. The result is the CLEI with 50 items that cluster into six scales.
[Details of the CLEI development can be found from the article published in College Student Journal: Kim, E., Newton, F.B., Downey, R.G., & Benton, S. (2010). Personal factors impacting college student success: Constructing College Learning Effectiveness Inventory (CLEI). College Student Journal. 44(1), 112-125.]
The CLEI can function as a tool of exploration for students to increase their awareness of personal strengths and weaknesses as a learner and be able to make changes that may improve academic performance. It may be most effective with professionals trained to assist students with academic problems (counselors, advisors, learning center staff). However, it is also being tested as a self-help on-line survey.