NSSE: NSSE: Retrospective Retrospective and and Prospective Prospective George Kuh George Kuh SCSU NSSE Users Conference SCSU NSSE Users Conference October 19, 2006 October 19, 2006
Feb 22, 2016
NSSE:NSSE:Retrospective Retrospective
and and ProspectiveProspective
George KuhGeorge KuhSCSU NSSE Users ConferenceSCSU NSSE Users Conference
October 19, 2006October 19, 2006
OverviewOverview
1.1. Why student engagement Why student engagement mattersmatters
2.2. What we’ve learnedWhat we’ve learned3.3. Using NSSE dataUsing NSSE data4.4. Current activitiesCurrent activities
We value what we measureWe value what we measure
Wise decisions are Wise decisions are needed about needed about whatwhat to to measure in the context measure in the context of campus mission, of campus mission, values, and desired values, and desired outcomes. outcomes.
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, Pascarella & Terenzini, How College How College Affects StudentsAffects Students, 2005, p. 602, 2005, p. 602
Foundations of Student EngagementFoundations of Student EngagementTime on task Time on task (Tyler, 1930s)(Tyler, 1930s)
Quality of effort Quality of effort (Pace, 1960-70s)(Pace, 1960-70s)
Student involvement Student involvement (Astin, 1984)(Astin, 1984)
Social, academic integration Social, academic integration (Tinto,1987, 1993)(Tinto,1987, 1993)
Good practices in Good practices in undergraduate education undergraduate education (Chickering & Gamson, 1987)(Chickering & Gamson, 1987)
College impact College impact (Pascarella, 1985)(Pascarella, 1985)
Student engagement Student engagement (Kuh, 1991, (Kuh, 1991, 2005)2005)
Good Practices in Good Practices in Undergraduate EducationUndergraduate Education
(Chickering & Gamson, 1987; Pascarella & Terenzini, 2005(Chickering & Gamson, 1987; Pascarella & Terenzini, 2005))
Student-faculty contactStudent-faculty contact Active learningActive learning Prompt feedbackPrompt feedback Time on taskTime on task High expectationsHigh expectations Experiences with diversityExperiences with diversity Cooperation among studentsCooperation among students
The Student Engagement TrinityThe Student Engagement Trinity
What students What students dodo -- time and energy -- time and energy devoted to educationally purposeful devoted to educationally purposeful activitiesactivities
What institutions What institutions dodo -- using -- using effective educational practices to effective educational practices to induce students to do the right induce students to do the right thingsthings
Educationally effective institutions Educationally effective institutions channel student energy toward the channel student energy toward the right activitiesright activities
National Survey of National Survey of Student EngagementStudent Engagement(pronounced “nessie”)
Community College Community College Survey of Student Survey of Student EngagementEngagement(pronounced “cessie”)
College student surveys that assess the extent to which students engage in educational practices associated with high levels of learning and development
NSSE’s Survey InstrumentThe College Student ReportThe College Student Report
Student Behaviors
Institutional Actions & Requirements
Reactions to College
Student BackgroundInformation
Student Learning &
Development
Effective Educational PracticesEffective Educational Practices
Level of Level of Academic Academic ChallengeChallenge
Active & Active & Collaborative Collaborative
LearningLearning
EnrichingEnrichingEducational Educational ExperiencesExperiences
SupportiveSupportiveCampusCampus
EnvironmentEnvironment
StudentStudentFaculty Faculty
InteractionInteraction
Documenting Documenting Good PracticeGood Practice
Institutional Institutional ImprovementImprovement
Public Public AdvocacyAdvocacy
NSSE Core PurposesNSSE Core Purposes
NSSE EvolutionNSSE Evolution
Year Colleges & Universities
2000 2762001 321 2002 366 2003 437 2004 4732005 5302006 557
NSSE 2006 Participating Colleges NSSE 2006 Participating Colleges and Universitiesand Universities
NSSE Project ScopeNSSE Project Scope
1,000,000+ students from 1,000+ 1,000,000+ students from 1,000+ different schools different schools
80% of 4-yr U.S. undergraduate 80% of 4-yr U.S. undergraduate FTE FTE
50 states, Puerto Rico, Canada50 states, Puerto Rico, Canada
70+ consortia70+ consortia
State & University ConsortiaState & University Consortia
California State U California State U U of New Hampshire U of New Hampshire CUNY CUNY New JerseyNew JerseyConnecticutConnecticut U of North CarolinaU of North CarolinaGeorgiaGeorgia North Dakota North Dakota U of HawaiiU of Hawaii Ontario (CA)Ontario (CA)Indiana UIndiana U South DakotaSouth DakotaKentuckyKentucky TennesseeTennesseeMarylandMaryland Texas A&M Texas A&M U of MassachusettsU of Massachusetts U of TexasU of TexasU of MissouriU of Missouri U of WisconsinU of Wisconsin
West VirginiaWest Virginia
Customized Institutional ReportCustomized Institutional ReportOverviewOverviewInstitutional dataInstitutional dataMeans and frequenciesMeans and frequencies1st year students and 1st year students and
seniorsseniorsComparisons by peers, Comparisons by peers,
Carnegie, nationalCarnegie, nationalNational benchmarks National benchmarks Data use tipsData use tipsCD with raw data, etc.CD with raw data, etc.And more!And more!
What have weWhat have welearned so far?learned so far?
Student Success QuizStudent Success Quiz
What percent of first-year high What percent of first-year high school students complete school students complete college six years after high college six years after high school graduation? school graduation?
(a) 18% (b) 27% (c) 40% (d) 68% (a) 18% (b) 27% (c) 40% (d) 68% (e) none of the above(e) none of the abovea. 1818%% (“participation rate”)
or e. – none of the abovenone of the above
Student Success QuizStudent Success Quiz
What percent of high school What percent of high school seniors have college-level seniors have college-level reading skills?reading skills?
(a) 51% (b) 59% (c) 68% (d) 77% (a) 51% (b) 59% (c) 68% (d) 77% (e) none of the above(e) none of the above
a. 5151%% (ACTACT, 2006)
Student Success QuizStudent Success Quiz
True or false:True or false:About $300 million is spent About $300 million is spent annually on postsecondary annually on postsecondary remediation coursework.remediation coursework.
FalseFalse. $1-2 . $1-2 billionbillion
Student Success QuizStudent Success QuizTrue or false:True or false:
25% of first-year first-time frosh 25% of first-year first-time frosh at two-year colleges are at two-year colleges are required to take one or more required to take one or more remedial courses in college.remedial courses in college.
False.False. 60% 60%
Student Success QuizStudent Success Quiz
What percent of students who What percent of students who take at least one remedial course take at least one remedial course in in readingreading do not earn a do not earn a certificate or degree within 8 certificate or degree within 8 years of first enrollment? years of first enrollment?
(a) 18% (b) 33% (c) 43% (a) 18% (b) 33% (c) 43% (d) 61% (e) 70%(d) 61% (e) 70%
e. e. 7070%%
Grades, persistence, Grades, persistence, student satisfaction, and student satisfaction, and engagement go hand in engagement go hand in handhand
First-year students* Seniors*
Academic Challenge .60 .46
Active & Collaborative Learning .23 .09
Student Faculty Interaction .28 .37
Enriching Educational Experiences .53 .48
Supportive Campus Environment .38 .26
NSSE & Graduation RatesNSSE & Graduation Rates
*All correlations are significant at p<.01*All correlations are significant at p<.01
Behold the Behold the compensatorycompensatory effects of engagementeffects of engagement
Does institutional size matter to Does institutional size matter to engagement?engagement?
Yes, Yes, size matters.size matters.
Smaller Smaller isis generally generally betterbetter..
Benchmark Scores for All Students by Benchmark Scores for All Students by Undergraduate EnrollmentUndergraduate Enrollment
Benchmark Scores for All Students by Undergraduate Enrollment Intervals
25
35
45
55
65
0 -1000
1001 -1500
1501 -2000
2001 -2500
2501 -3000
3001 -4000
4001 -5000
5001 -7500
7501 -10000
10001 -15000
15001 -20000
20001 -25000
25001 -highest
Enrollment Intervals
Level ofAcademicChallenge
Active andCollaborativeLearning
StudentInteractionswith FacultyMembersEnrichingEducationalExperiences
SupportiveCampusEnvironment
Academic Challenge, Active Learning, & Academic Challenge, Active Learning, & Student-Faculty Interaction by EnrollmentStudent-Faculty Interaction by Enrollment
20
30
40
50
60
186 1238 1921 3060 6337 11343 29426Enrollment
Level of Academic ChallengeActive and Collaborative LearningStudent Interactions with Faculty Members
Student engagement varies Student engagement varies more more withinwithin than between than between institutions.institutions.
Supportive Campus Environment:Supportive Campus Environment: Seniors at Master's InstitutionsSeniors at Master's Institutions
0
20
40
60
80
100
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14Master's Institutions
Percentile 10
Percentile 50Percentile 90
Academic Challenge by Institutional TypeAcademic Challenge by Institutional Type
Seniors
25
30
35
40
45
50
55
60
65
70
75
DocExt
DocInt
MA BacLA
BacGen Nation
First-Year Students
25
30
35
40
45
50
55
60
65
70
75
DocExt
DocInt
MA BacLA
Bac Gen
Nation
Ben
chm
ark
Scor
es
Academic Challenge at Two Public UniversitiesAcademic Challenge at Two Public Universities
T-test: p<.000; Effect Size: -.29
Active/Collaborative Learning
4843
0
20
40
60
80
100
Started Here
Transfer
Senior Scores by Transfer StatusSenior Scores by Transfer Status
T-test: p<.000; Effect Size: -.28
Supportive Campus Environment
56 53
0
20
40
60
80
100
Started Here
Transfer
Senior Scores by Transfer StatusSenior Scores by Transfer Status
Worth PonderingWorth Pondering
How do we reach How do we reach our least engaged our least engaged students?students?
Who’s more engaged?Who’s more engaged? WomenWomen Fraternity & sorority membersFraternity & sorority members Full-time studentsFull-time students Students who live on campusStudents who live on campus Learning community studentsLearning community students Students with diversity Students with diversity
experiencesexperiences Distance learnersDistance learners
Effects of Learning Communities on EngagementEffects of Learning Communities on Engagement Standardized Standardized Regression Regression CoefficientCoefficient Sig.Sig.
Y-Y-Standardized Standardized
Effect sizeEffect size
Standardized Standardized Regression Regression CoefficientCoefficient Sig.Sig.
Y-Y-Standardized Standardized
Effect sizeEffect size
Engagement ActivitiesEngagement Activities
Academic EffortsAcademic Efforts .16.16 ****** .32.32 .12.12 ****** .28.28Higher Order ThinkingHigher Order Thinking .20.20 ****** .40.40 .15.15 ****** .35.35Academic IntegrationAcademic Integration .19.19 ****** .39.39 .16.16 ****** .38.38Active and Collaborative LearningActive and Collaborative Learning .26.26 ****** .53.53 .24.24 ****** .54.54Interactions with FacultyInteractions with Faculty .30.30 ****** .60.60 .22.22 ****** .51.51Diversity ExperiencesDiversity Experiences .21.21 ****** .41.41 .16.16 ****** .36.36
Perception of Campus EnvironmentPerception of Campus Environment
Quality of Academic AdvisingQuality of Academic Advising .12.12 ****** .23.23 .08.08 ****** .17.17Supportive Campus EnvironmentSupportive Campus Environment .19.19 ****** .37.37 .14.14 ****** .32.32SatisfactionSatisfaction .13.13 ****** .25.25 .10.10 ****** .23.23
Learning OutcomesLearning Outcomes
Gains in Personal and Social Gains in Personal and Social .24.24 ****** .48.48 .18.18 ****** .40.40Gains in Practical CompetenceGains in Practical Competence .22.22 ****** .45.45 .16.16 ****** .36.36General Education GainsGeneral Education Gains .18.18 ****** .36.36 .11.11 ****** .24.24
First-yearFirst-year SeniorSenior
Who Is Most Likely to Who Is Most Likely to Experience Diversity?Experience Diversity?
MoreMoreStudents of color Students of color
Traditional-age Traditional-age studentsstudents
WomenWomen
First-year studentsFirst-year students
LessLessWhite studentsWhite students
Older studentsOlder students
Men Men
Upper-division Upper-division studentsstudents
Diversity Diversity Diversity DiversityDensity Climate In Course- Diversity Density Climate In Course- Diversity
Dependent variable Index Diversity Work Press Index Diversity Work Press
Student EngagementAcademic challenge + + + Higher order thinking + + + + + +Active and Collaborative + + + + + +Diversity-related activities + + + + + + + +Supportive Campus Env.Supportive Campus Env. + + Interpersonal - + Support for learning + + + + + +Satisfaction - + +Gains-Interpers. Dev.Gains - Personal/social + + + + + + +Gains-Social AwarenessGains-Understanding div. + + + + + + + +Gains -Cont. to community + + + + + +Gains-Understand self + + + + + +
First-year students Seniors
College Outcomes QuizCollege Outcomes Quiz
What percent of 1999-2000 What percent of 1999-2000 college graduates attended two college graduates attended two or more institutions? or more institutions?
(a) 14% (b) 26% (c) 33% (a) 14% (b) 26% (c) 33% (d) 42% (e) 59%(d) 42% (e) 59%
e. e. 5959%%
Reasons for Concurrent EnrollmentReasons for Concurrent Enrollment
4%
9%
9%
12%
17%
21%
23%
47%
0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 45% 50%
Prepare to transfer
Take extra courses
Course not availablel
Other reasons
Easier courses
Better course schedule l
Finances
Finish degree sooner
Institutional ReflectionInstitutional Reflection
Areas of Areas of EffectiveEffective
EducationalEducationalPracticePractice
Areas of Areas of Question or Question or ImprovementImprovement
Using NSSE Data:Using NSSE Data:What Can We Do?What Can We Do?
AdministratorsAdministrators
StudentsStudents
Faculty MembersFaculty Members
1. Get the ideas right1. Get the ideas right
Focus on a real problem Persistence Under-engaged students Fragmented gen ed program Tired pedagogical practices Poor first-year experience Low academic challenge Connections to real world Capstone experiences
2. Examine the results from 2. Examine the results from multiple perspectivesmultiple perspectives
Link results to other information Link results to other information about the student experience about the student experience and complementary initiativesand complementary initiatives
PossibilitiesPossibilities Merge NSSE data Merge NSSE data
with school recordswith school records Identify engagement Identify engagement
patterns by student patterns by student characteristicscharacteristics
Predict retention, Predict retention, degree attainment, degree attainment, grades, other grades, other outcomesoutcomes
Track student Track student engagement year to engagement year to yearyear
Compare vs. peer, Compare vs. peer, aspirational, same-aspirational, same-region schools region schools
Program evaluation Program evaluation Accreditation Accreditation Consortium and Consortium and
system data sharingsystem data sharing Student outcomes Student outcomes
researchresearch Public reportingPublic reporting A national reporting A national reporting
template?!?template?!?
Other Data SourcesOther 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 ToolkitNSSE 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 e-mail to communicate with an instructor
10.g. Using computers in academic work
11.g. Using computing and information technology
SACS Standard
3.4.14 The institution’s 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.
Benchmarking ApproachesBenchmarking Approaches
NormativeNormative - compares your students to students at other colleges and universities.
CriterionCriterion - compares your school’s performance against a predetermined value or level appropriate for your students, institutional mission, size, curricular offerings, funding, etc.
0102030405060708090
100
%
Prepare MultipleDrafts
Fac ActivitiesOut-of-Class
Tutored Others Service Learning Faculty CareerPlans
Fac Ideas Out-of-Class
First-Year and Senior Students Responding Never
First-Year Senior
Student Engagement Tip:Student Engagement Tip:Eliminate “Nevers”Eliminate “Nevers”
Inventory to Enhance Inventory to Enhance Educational Educational
EffectivenessEffectiveness
DEEP Practice Briefs
Available: www.nsse.iub.edu
2. Examine the results from 2. Examine the results from multiple perspectivesmultiple perspectives
Link results to other information Link results to other information about the student experience about the student experience and complementary initiativesand complementary initiatives
Don’t allow the numbers to Don’t allow the numbers to speak for themselvesspeak for themselves
Manage the message and the Manage the message and the mediamedia
3. Align initiatives: 3. Align initiatives: Institutional mission, values, and Institutional mission, values, and
cultureculture Student preparation, ability, interestsStudent preparation, ability, interests Resources and reward systemsResources and reward systems Existing complementary effortsExisting complementary efforts
NSSE & BEAMSNSSE & BEAMS AASCU American Democracy ProjectAASCU American Democracy Project AAC&U “Greater Expectations” AAC&U “Greater Expectations” Gen ed reformGen ed reform Carnegie Campus Carnegie Campus
Clusters/SOTL/CASTLClusters/SOTL/CASTL Service learning/Campus CompactService learning/Campus Compact Internationalization and diversityInternationalization and diversity
University of Missouri- St. LouisUniversity of Missouri- St. Louis
NSSE introduced to New NSSE introduced to New Faculty Teaching ScholarsFaculty Teaching Scholars
Workshops held with Workshops held with academic leaders to link academic leaders to link results with University’s results with University’s strategic indicatorsstrategic indicators
NSSE items in course NSSE items in course evaluations evaluations
Open forum to get student Open forum to get student input about ways to improve input about ways to improve learning environmentlearning environment
4. Cultivate grass roots buy-in4. Cultivate grass roots buy-in Leaders endorse, but don’t Leaders endorse, but don’t
dictatedictate Structures not (nearly) as Structures not (nearly) as
important as relationshipsimportant as relationships
Cultivating grass roots buy-in Cultivating grass roots buy-in Make sure faculty and staff Make sure faculty and staff
understand the concept of understand the concept of student engagementstudent engagement
Confirm/corroborate resultsConfirm/corroborate results Drive data down to dept levelDrive data down to dept level Gain consensus on student Gain consensus on student
engagement prioritiesengagement priorities Faculty Survey of Student Faculty Survey of Student
EngagementEngagement
Faculty Survey of Faculty Survey of Student EngagementStudent Engagement
(pronounced “fessie”)(pronounced “fessie”)
FSSE measures FSSE measures faculty expectations faculty expectations and activities and activities related to student related to student engagement in engagement in effective effective educational educational practicespractices
FSSE and NSSE Point to FSSE and NSSE Point to “Disorienting Dilemmas”“Disorienting Dilemmas”
Situations in which usual perspectives or ways of responding do not work or don’t fit are more likely to motivate us to learn and change (Mezirow, 1990)
FSSE-NSSE Gap AnalysisFSSE-NSSE Gap Analysis About two-thirds (65%)
of faculty expect students to spend more than 25 hours preparing for class
Only about one-fifth (20%) thinkthink that students spend this amount of time
Only about one in ten (12%) students actuallyactually spends this much time
Course EmphasisCourse Emphasis
FACULTY report very much or quite a bit of emphasis on memorizing
STUDENTS report very much or quite a bit of emphasis on memorizing
29% | 14%
Lower Division
Upper Division
65% | 63%
1st yr. Students Seniors
Prompt FeedbackPrompt Feedback
FACULTY gave prompt feedback often or very often
STUDENTS received prompt feedback often or very often
93% | 93%
Lower Division
Upper Division
64% | 76%
1st yr. Students Seniors
Faculty Priorities and Student Faculty Priorities and Student EngagementEngagement
AVG STUDENT
AVG FACULTY Academic challenge
Active -collab
Diversity experiences
Stu dent-faculty
Academic challenge emphasis Active -collab practices Emphasis on diversity experiences Emphasis on higher order thinking Importance enriching educ experiences
Faculty Priorities and Faculty Priorities and Selected Student OutcomesSelected Student Outcomes
AVG STUDENT
AVG FACULTY Integrative
learning General
education Personal/
social Practical
comp Academic challenge emphasis Active-collab practices Emphasis on diversity experiences Emphasis on higher order thinking Importance enriching educ experiences
Faculty Who Value Faculty Who Value Effective Educational PracticesEffective Educational Practices
Areas of Emphasis
Characteristics
Academic challenge emphasis
Active-collab
practices
Emphasis on diversity
exp
Emphasis higher order thinking
Importanceenriching educ exp
Faculty of color + + +a + + Women + + + + + Full-time faculty + + + Years teaching -- - a Except for Asian/Pacific Islander faculty
What to Make of This? What to Make of This?
1.1. When faculty members When faculty members emphasize certain educational emphasize certain educational practices, students engage in practices, students engage in them to a greater extent than them to a greater extent than their peers elsewhere.their peers elsewhere.
2.2. Good things go togetherGood things go together
5. Stay the course5. Stay the course
The good-to-great-transformations The good-to-great-transformations never happened in one fell swoop. never happened in one fell swoop. There was no single defining There was no single defining action, no grand program, no one action, no grand program, no one killer innovation, no solitary lucky killer innovation, no solitary lucky break, no miracle moment. break, no miracle moment. Sustainable transformations Sustainable transformations follow a predictable pattern of follow a predictable pattern of buildup and breakthrough…buildup and breakthrough…
(Collins, 2001, p. 186)
5. Stay the course5. Stay the course
Emphasize qualityEmphasize quality Front-load resourcesFront-load resources If it works, consider requiring itIf it works, consider requiring it
Lessons from National Center for Lessons from National Center for Academic TransformationAcademic Transformation
If doing something is important, If doing something is important, require it (first-year students require it (first-year students don’t do ‘optional’)don’t do ‘optional’)
Assign course points to the Assign course points to the activityactivity
Monitor and intervene when Monitor and intervene when necessarynecessary
http://www.thencat.org/Newsletters/Apr06.htm#1http://www.thencat.org/Newsletters/Apr06.htm#1
5. Stay the course5. Stay the course
Emphasize qualityEmphasize quality Front-load resourcesFront-load resources If it works, consider requiring itIf it works, consider requiring it Scale up effective practicesScale up effective practices Sunset ineffective programs Sunset ineffective programs Beware the implementation dipBeware the implementation dip
The Language of Effective The Language of Effective Educational Practices Educational Practices
NSSE Pocket GuideNSSE Pocket Guide
The Language of Effective The Language of Effective Educational PracticesEducational Practices
NSSE Pocket GuideNSSE Pocket Guide High School Survey of Student High School Survey of Student
Engagement (HSSSE)Engagement (HSSSE) Beginning College Student Beginning College Student
Engagement Survey (BCSSE)Engagement Survey (BCSSE) Faculty Survey of Student Faculty Survey of Student
Engagement (FSSE)Engagement (FSSE) Law School Survey of Student Law School Survey of Student
EngagementEngagement (LSSSE)(LSSSE)
NSSE Institute AimsNSSE Institute AimsDocument and share Document and share
success stories to help success stories to help schools improveschools improve
Work with institutions: Work with institutions: workshopsworkshopscampus auditscampus auditsconsultationsconsultationsresearch & research &
evaluation evaluation projectsprojects
Building Engagement and Attainment Building Engagement and Attainment of Minority Students (BEAMS)of Minority Students (BEAMS)
• 5-year project funded by Lumina 5-year project funded by Lumina Foundation for EducationFoundation for Education
• Alliance for Equity in Higher Education Alliance for Equity in Higher Education institutionsinstitutions
• Using student engagement data to Using student engagement data to guide change initiativesguide change initiatives
• Provides resources for improvement Provides resources for improvement initiativesinitiatives
Other Current ActivitiesOther Current Activities NCES NCES What Matters to Student What Matters to Student
Success” Success” synthesissynthesis Wabash National Study of Liberal Wabash National Study of Liberal
Arts EducationArts Education Penn State’s “Parsing the First Penn State’s “Parsing the First
College Year”College Year” AAC&U’s “Bringing Theory to AAC&U’s “Bringing Theory to
Practice”Practice” Linking BCSSE, NSSE & FSSELinking BCSSE, NSSE & FSSE
First-Year Student Use of Campus Services First-Year Student Use of Campus Services
12%
49%46%
43%
51%
34%32%
35%
26%
12%14% 15%
11%
5%7% 8%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Academic advising or planning Career advising or planning Financial aid advising Academic assistance (tutoring,writing center, etc.)
Never
Sometimes
Often
Very often
NSSE VirtuesNSSE VirtuesResearch basedFocus on educationally purposeful
activitiesResults point to areas where Results point to areas where
improvement is desirableimprovement is desirableCompelling face validityEstablished psychometrics Transparent operationsThird party administration
NSSE VirtuesNSSE VirtuesRandom samplingTargeted samplingFlexibility: consortium question,
modulesContributes to value-added Contributes to value-added
estimates when linked to BCSSE, estimates when linked to BCSSE, CLA, other outcomes measuresCLA, other outcomes measures
Benchmarks for peer, national Benchmarks for peer, national and other comparisons and other comparisons
NSSE CautionsNSSE Cautions
Only one source of information Corroborate resultsEngagement skeptics Not an outcomes measureDenial in face of less-than-
desirable resultsEschew rankings
DiscussionDiscussion
www.iub.edu/~nsse