1. National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE)
Katy Tufts, Matthew Tripsas, Frank Lopez and Aaron Reistad

2. What is NSSE The College Student Report
Collects information about student
participation in programs and activities
Surveys for behaviors associated with desired outcomes of college
Categories include:
Participation in educationally purposeful activities
Institutional requirements and nature of coursework
Perceptions of the college environment
Estimates of educational and personal growth since starting college
Background and demographic information
Beginning College Survey of Student Engagement (BCSSE) and the Faculty Survey of Student Engagement (FSSE)
NSSE collects information from four-year institutions and universities about student participation in programs and activities
Surveys for the behaviors by students and institutions that are associated with desired outcomes of college

3. Who is Involved
Governed by Indiana University Bloomington Institutional Review Board (IUB IRB)
Surveys first-year and senior students
Four million students have completed the survey since 2000
Since 2000, 4 million students have completed the survey with 371,284 student completions in 2013.

4. NSSE History and Timeline
Conceived in 1998 as a new approach to gathering information about collegiate quality
Piloted in 1999 with funding from The Pew Charitable Trusts
NSSE is a year-round project
Registration occurs between June and September
Schools prepare for and customize the survey through the fall and winter
The survey begins late winter and through the spring
Reports and findings are put together late spring and through the summer, and then released in August through November
The annual report is sent out in early November
2013 Survey
1999- Organized a group of scholars to explore ways institutions use teaching practices in which students engage in educationally purposeful activities

5. Where is NSSE Administered
Participation
Since 2000, 1,554 institutions have participated
For NSSE 2013, 621 institutions participated
Bachelors degree granting colleges and universities in the United States and Canada
Private and Public
Community colleges or other two-year institutions are excluded
Upon approval Institutions are in charge of dispersing the survey at their own institution

6. Why does it Matter Gauges student behaviors and institutional features
Five Benchmarks
Powerful contributors to learning and personal development
Learning more about how students spend their time at different colleges and universities and what they gain
Demonstrates the need for colleges and universities to monitor emerging issues
How trends facing today’s college students affect ability to thrive and succeed
Within the broader survey, NSSE has identified five Benchmarks of Effective Educational Practice that are particularly important indicators of learning and student development. NSSE benchmark scores reflect responses of first-year and senior students to questions from the survey in the following areas:
Level of Academic Challenge
Enriching Educational Experiences
Student-Faculty Interaction
Supportive Campus Environment
Active and Collaborative Learning
Learning about how they spend their time: Used by prospective students, parents, college counselors, academic advisors, institutional research officers

7. Findings of the Survey Study Time
First-year students averaged 15 hours per week
Seniors averaged 15.5 hours per week
Students at four-year bachelors degree-granting colleges
averaged 1-3 more hrs/week than other types of institutions
First-Year Students and BCSSE
Foundation for successful student engagement during
the first year of college
Benefit from a supportive campus environment
Transfer- including supportive campus environment, participated less in internships, study abroad, and research/interactions with faculty
HS- Prior high school engagement is seen as the
Students at all levels of participation in high school engagement

8. Findings of the Survey Financial Stressors
3:5 first-year students regularly worried about paying for college
1:2 seniors worried frequently
1:3 students believed that financial concerns interfered with academic performance
Social Networking
89% of students used social networking
Students who engaged in social media with faculty and peers utilized four out of five benchmarks

9. Limitations of the Survey
Inconsistency in institutional participation
Self reporting system
Based on individual student perception
Overgeneralization of the data
Lack of qualitative measurement

10. Potential Use in Higher Education
Comparison of students as self-selected groups
Ex: Snapshot, Engagement Indicators
Improvement of the undergraduate experience
Changes in policies and practices
Comparisons available for individual survey questions and the five NSSE Benchmarks
Internal evaluation
External evaluation
Multi-year analysis
External evaluation- Comparisons among other institutions and institutional types

11. Resources
Kuh, G. D., Cruce, T. M., Shoup, R., Kinzie, J., & Gonyea, R. M. (2008). Unmasking the effects of student engagement on first- year college grades and persistence. Journal of Higher Education, 79(5),  
National Survey of Student Engagement. Retrieved on October 27, 2013, from
National Survey of Student Engagement. Retrieved on October 27, 2013, from
Pike, G. R. (2006). The Dependability of NSSE Scalelets for College-and Development-Level Assessment. Research in Higher Education, 47(2),