NSSE:RetrospectiveandProspective George Kuh AAC&U General Education and Assessment Conference March 2, 2007

National Survey of Student Engagement Community College Survey of Student Engagement National Survey of Student Engagement (pronounced nessie) Community College Survey of Student Engagement (pronounced cessie) College student surveys that assess the extent to which students engage in educational practices associated with high levels of learning and development

We value what we measure Wise decisions are needed about what to measure in the context of campus mission, values, and desired outcomes.

Overview 1.Why student engagement matters 2.What weve learned 3.Conversation

What Really Matters in College: Student Engagement Because individual effort and involvement are the critical determinants of impact, institutions should focus on the ways they can shape their academic, interpersonal, and extracurricular offerings to encourage student engagement. Pascarella & Terenzini, How College Affects Students, 2005, p. 602

Foundations of Student Engagement Time on task (Tyler, 1930s) Quality of effort (Pace, s) Student involvement (Astin, 1984) Social, academic integration (Tinto,1987, 1993) Good practices in undergraduate education (Chickering & Gamson, 1987) College impact (Pascarella, 1985) Student engagement (Kuh, 1991, 2005)

Good Practices in Undergraduate Education (Chickering & Gamson, 1987; Pascarella & Terenzini, 2005 ) Student-faculty contact Student-faculty contact Active learning Active learning Prompt feedback Prompt feedback Time on task Time on task High expectations High expectations Experiences with diversity Experiences with diversity Cooperation among students Cooperation among students

The Student Engagement Trinity What students do -- time and energy devoted to educationally purposeful activities What students do -- time and energy devoted to educationally purposeful activities What institutions do -- using effective educational practices to induce students to do the right things What institutions do -- using effective educational practices to induce students to do the right things Educationally effective institutions channel student energy toward the right activities Educationally effective institutions channel student energy toward the right activities

The College Student Report NSSEs Survey Instrument The College Student Report Student Behaviors Institutional Actions & Requirements Reactions to College Student Background Information Student Learning & Development

Effective Educational Practices Level of Academic Challenge Active & Collaborative Learning Enriching Educational Experiences SupportiveCampusEnvironment Student Faculty Interaction

NSSE Project Scope 1,000,000+ students from 1,100+ different schools 1,000,000+ students from 1,100+ different schools 80% of 4-yr U.S. undergraduate FTE 80% of 4-yr U.S. undergraduate FTE 50 states, Puerto Rico, Canada 50 states, Puerto Rico, Canada 70+ consortia 70+ consortia

Documenting Good Practice InstitutionalImprovement Public Advocacy NSSE Core Purposes NSSE Core Purposes

Customized Institutional Report Overview Overview Institutional data Institutional data Means and frequencies Means and frequencies 1st year students and seniors 1st year students and seniors Comparisons by peers, Carnegie, national Comparisons by peers, Carnegie, national National benchmarks National benchmarks Data use tips Data use tips CD with raw data, etc. CD with raw data, etc. And more! And more!

What have we learned so far?

Student engagement varies more within than between institutions.

Academic Challenge by Institutional Type Seniors Doc Ext Doc Int MA Bac LA Bac Gen Nation First-Year Students Doc Ext Doc Int MA Bac LA Bac Gen Nation Benchmark Scores

Behold the compensatory effects of engagement

Association of American Colleges and Universities

Narrow Learning is Not Enough The Essential Learning Outcomes Knowledge of Human Cultures and the Physical & Natural World Intellectual and Practical Skills Intellectual and Practical Skills Personal and Social Responsibility Personal and Social Responsibility Integrative Learning Integrative Learning

Integrating ideas or information from various sources Included diverse perspectives in class discussions/writing Put together ideas from different courses Discussed ideas with faculty members outside of class Discussed ideas with others outside of class Analyzing the basic elements of an idea, experience, or theory Essential Learning Outcome: Integrative Learning Synthesizing & organizing ideas, info., or experiences Making judgments about the value of information Applying theories to practical problems or in new situations Examined the strengths and weaknesses of your own views Tried to better understand someone else's views Learned something that changed how you understand an issue NSSE DEEP LEARNING SCALE

Essential Learning Outcome: Intellectual and Practical Skills NSSE SELF-REPORTED GAINS Acquiring job or work-related knowledge and skills Writing clearly and effectively Speaking clearly and effectively Thinking critically and analytically Analyzing quantitative problems Using computing and information technology Working effectively with others Solving complex real-world problems

NSSE SELF-REPORTED GAINS Voting in local, state, or national elections Learning effectively on your own Understanding yourself Understanding people of other racial and ethnic backgrounds Developing a personal code of values and ethics Contributing to the welfare of your community Developing a deepened sense of spirituality Essential Learning Outcome: Personal & Social Responsibilities

Very much Quite a bit Some Very little

Very much Quite a bit Some Very little

Effective Educational Practices First-Year Seminars and Experiences First-Year Seminars and Experiences Common Intellectual Experiences Common Intellectual Experiences Learning Communities Learning Communities Writing-Intensive Courses Writing-Intensive Courses Collaborative Assignments and Projects Collaborative Assignments and Projects Science as Science Is Done; Undergraduate Research Science as Science Is Done; Undergraduate Research Diversity/Global Learning Diversity/Global Learning Service Learning, Community-Based Learning Service Learning, Community-Based Learning Internships Internships Capstone Courses and Projects Capstone Courses and Projects

Effects of Learning Communities on Engagement

Faculty Time Devoted to Research and Probability of Students Doing Research

Faculty View of Importance of Doing Research with Students and Probability of Students Doing Research Probability of Undergraduate Research Importance of Undergraduate Research

Faculty Priorities and Student Engagement

What to Make of This? 1.When faculty members emphasize certain educational practices, students engage in them to a greater extent than their peers elsewhere. 2.Good things go together

Effective Educational Practices First-Year Seminars and Experiences First-Year Seminars and Experiences Common Intellectual Experiences Common Intellectual Experiences Learning Communities Learning Communities Writing-Intensive Courses Writing-Intensive Courses Collaborative Assignments and Projects Collaborative Assignments and Projects Science as Science Is Done; Undergraduate Research Science as Science Is Done; Undergraduate Research Diversity/Global Learning Diversity/Global Learning Service Learning, Community-Based Learning Service Learning, Community-Based Learning Internships Internships Capstone Courses and Projects Capstone Courses and Projects

Effective Educational Practices Increase Odds That Students Will: Effective Educational Practices Increase Odds That Students Will: Invest time and effort Invest time and effort Interact with faculty and peers about substantive matters Interact with faculty and peers about substantive matters Experience diversity Experience diversity Get more frequent feedback Get more frequent feedback Discover relevance of their learning through real-world applications Discover relevance of their learning through real-world applications

Institutional Reflection Areas of EffectiveEducationalPractice Question or Improvement

Possibilities Merge NSSE data with school records Merge NSSE data with school records Identify engagement patterns by student characteristics Identify engagement patterns by student characteristics Predict retention, degree attainment, grades, other outcomes Predict retention, degree attainment, grades, other outcomes Track student engagement year to year Track student engagement year to year Compare vs. peer, aspirational, same- region schools Compare vs. peer, aspirational, same- region schools Program evaluation Program evaluation Accreditation Accreditation Consortium and system data sharing Consortium and system data sharing Student outcomes research Student outcomes research Public reporting Public reporting A national reporting template?!? A national reporting template?!?

NSSE Virtues Research based Focus on educationally purposeful activities Results point to areas where improvement is desirable Results point to areas where improvement is desirable Compelling face validity Established psychometrics Transparent operations Third party administration

NSSE Virtues NSSE Virtues Random sampling Targeted sampling Flexibility: consortium question, modules Benchmarks for peer, national and other comparisons Benchmarks for peer, national and other comparisons Link/integrate with other measures -- BCSSE, FSSE, CLA, MAPP, portfolios, graduation rates etc. Link/integrate with other measures -- BCSSE, FSSE, CLA, MAPP, portfolios, graduation rates etc.

Other Data Sources Locally-developed measures National instruments –Cooperative Institutional Research Program (CIRP) –Your First College Year (YFCY) –College Student Experiences Questionnaire (CSEQ) –Noel Levitz Student Satisfaction Inventory –ETS MAPP and Major Field Tests –ACT Collegiate Assessment of Academic Proficiency –Collegiate Learning Assessment (CLA) Institutional data -- GPA, financial aid, transcripts, retention, certification tests, alumni surveys, satisfaction surveys… Faculty Survey of Student Engagement (FSSE) and Beginning College Survey of Student Engagement (BCSSE)

NSSE Accreditation Toolkit Links Between NSSE & Accreditation Mapping NSSE to Accreditation Standards Vignettes of Institutional Usage NSSE Questions 1.l.l. Used an electronic medium (list-serv, chat group, Internet, etc.) to discuss or complete an assignment 1.m.Used to communicate with an instructor 10.g.Using computers in academic work 11.g.Using computing and information technology SACS Standard The institutions use of technology enhances student learning, is appropriate for meeting the objectives of its programs, and ensures that students have access to and training in the use of technology.

NSSE Cautions NSSE Cautions Only one source of information Corroborate results Engagement skeptics Not an outcomes measure Denial in face of less-than- desirable results Eschew rankings

Discussion