Applying Pluralistic Ignorance to Student Engagement: One Item Set, Two Studies

Friday, February 23, 2024

Pluralistic ignorance generally refers to “erroneous cognitive beliefs shared by two or more individuals about the ideas, feelings, and actions of others” (O’Gorman, 1986, p. 333). This is a classic construct in social psychology, generally known as a means of exploring negative or risky behaviors of college student populations like drug and alcohol use (Suls & Green, 2003) or sexual behaviors (Kuperberg & Padgett, 2017). But how might it relate to a more modern and positive college student experience? 

NSSE Accreditation Toolkit Updates: Considerations for Equity & Educational Quality

Friday, November 17, 2023

Accreditation’s dual purpose - upholding standards for educational quality and expectations for continuous improvement in colleges and university - aligns with NSSE goals. As such, many NSSE participating institutions indicate that accrediting agencies are the primary external audience with whom they share their NSSE results. Student engagement results are vital measures of educational quality and can be a stimulus for and evidence of institutional improvement initiatives.

NSSE 2023 Institutional Results Released

Tuesday, August 15, 2023

NSSE 2024 Registration Now Open

Friday, July 07, 2023

We are pleased to invite your institution to participate in the 2024 administration of the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE). 

NSSE Announces New Director Dr. Leonard Taylor

Friday, May 12, 2023

We are thrilled to announce that Dr. Leonard Taylor will assume the NSSE Director role starting July 1, 2023. The announcement from Indiana University’s School of Education highlights Leonard’s scholarly accomplishments and enthusiasm to begin the role.   

NSSE Publishes 2022 Annual Results Stories

Monday, May 01, 2023

NSSE is pleased to release the final of three data-informed stories and, as a result, the completed 2022 Engagement Insights—Survey Findings on the Quality of Undergraduate Education, an annual series detailing important and timely NSSE findings.  

Webinar Notes: Lessons from the 2022 NSSE Advising Topical Module

Friday, April 28, 2023

Good academic advising is central to student success. Yet, students’ advising experiences can be uneven and advising tends to be one of the more under-supported campus services. This may be why only about half of students responding to NSSE describe the quality of the advising they receive as very good or excellent. This webinar offers an opportunity to consider the most recent results about first-year students’ academic advising experience from NSSE 2022 and the Academic Advising Topical Module. We will highlight salient results across three institutional types – doctoral, masters and liberal arts – and discuss the dimensions of advising practice that deserve attention as institutions across the country invest in improving academic advising to provide holistic support.  

Using Effect Coding to Study Minoritized Populations

Friday, April 28, 2023

Put simply, effect coding allows researchers to compare groups of data to the average (mean) of the sample, as opposed to another group of data (Mayhew & Simonoff, 2015). This contrasts with indicator (dummy) coding, which uses a single group as a reference group. This is particularly useful when comparing groups of participants, separated by identity.

HIP Quality: Second Annual Results 2022 Story Published

Friday, March 24, 2023

The National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) is pleased to release the second of three data-informed stories in Engagement Insights—Survey Findings on the Quality of Undergraduate Education, an annual series detailing important and timely NSSE findings.

FSSE 2023 Survey Launches March 14

Tuesday, March 14, 2023

We are pleased to announce that the Faculty Survey of Student Engagement (FSSE) 2023 survey launches March 14. During this administration, 83 institutions will participate. Since 2003, more than 350,000 instructional staff from more than 900 institutions have responded to FSSE. 

Is Achievement Goal Orientation Related to HIP Participation?

Tuesday, February 28, 2023

This study used NSSE data to explore achievement goal orientation as a predictor of participation in high-impact practices for first-year and senior students, using binary logistic regression models that also controlled for other student identities and experiences. 

Rebounding Engagement? First Annual Results 2022 Story Published

Tuesday, February 14, 2023

The National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) is pleased to release the first of three data-informed stories in Engagement Insights—Survey Findings on the Quality of Undergraduate Education, an annual series detailing important and timely NSSE findings.

NSSE 2023 launches on February 22

Friday, February 10, 2023

NSSE is pleased to announce that the 2023 survey administration will launch on February 22.  Participating institutions have reached a three-year high, at 543, the most since 2020, and more than 2 million students will be invited to participate. In 2022, 469 institutions participated and 252,336 of the 1.1 million invited students completed the survey.  

The NSSE Report Builder Customizes Your Engagement Results

Tuesday, January 24, 2023

NSSE recently updated its popular Report Builder tool with data from the 2022 administration. The Report Builder currently includes data going back to 2009, including data from all U.S. and Canadian participating institutions. 

Involving Faculty in NSSE Recruitment

Friday, December 09, 2022

As institutions gear up for their NSSE administration, schools are exploring a variety of ways to increase student participation in the survey. While many schools are tailoring their recruitment messages, deploying incentives, or using their Learning Management Systems (LMS) for more customized invitations, which have been found to be effective in boosting survey response, an additional recruitment strategy schools can pursue that is not cost-restrictive is to involve faculty and staff on their campuses.

FAQ: Preparing NSSE Promotions

Wednesday, November 30, 2022

NSSE Project Services answers Frequently Asked Questions regarding promoting and customizing the NSSE survey experience.

Tips & Tricks to Customize NSSE 2023 to Your Institution's Needs 

Friday, November 18, 2022

At this point in the NSSE participation process, you’ve likely registered for the 2023 administration. That is a significant step toward hearing from your students regarding engagement on your institution’s campus, but it doesn’t end there!  

Intersectionality and Sense of Belonging: Unpacking the Student Veteran Experience

Thursday, November 10, 2022

Over the last decade, a concerted effort has been made to transition, support, and graduate student veterans through national and campus policies and improvements. However, few studies have examined student veteran engagement, belonging, and campus integration at a national scale.

New Content for NSSE 2023

Tuesday, November 08, 2022

NSSE staff focused heavily on reviewing the core questionnaire for the 2023 administration, with a critical eye toward inclusion and equity. In consultation with internal and external experts, we implemented a series of edits, both large and small, to help ensure that students see themselves reflected in response options and make the survey more relevant for today’s undergraduates

Seniors’ Plans for Unconventional Careers: How Creative Coursework and Creative Confidence are Related

Thursday, October 06, 2022

The Journal of Education and Work recently published an article exploring how exposure to creative coursework, as well as confidence in creative thinking, were able to predict students plans for self-employment and starting a business.

Honoring the Life and Work of Russell “Russ” Edgerton

Thursday, September 29, 2022

Russell “Russ” Edgerton, a foundational contributor to the philosophy that comprises modern undergraduate student engagement and success, passed away Wednesday, Sept. 21, 2022, at the age of 84. He was, as the Director of Education for the Pew Charitable Trusts in 1997, the mind behind the original idea for the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE).

NSSE To Continue Providing Early Raw Data Downloads in 2023

Monday, September 26, 2022

During the 2023 administration, NSSE will offer early access to survey data for the second consecutive year.

Blog– NSSE 2023 Experiments Announced: Customizable Modules & Non-Responder Short Survey

Monday, September 19, 2022

NSSE constantly searches for ways to meet institutional needs for new assessment data as well as to improve data quality. 

NSSE 2022 Institutional Results Released

Thursday, August 11, 2022

Results for 469 colleges and universities in NSSE 2022 are now available to participating institutions. Participating institutions are encouraged to Register for "Your NSSE Institutional Report 2022: Step-by-Step" to learn more about their reports.

Registration for NSSE 2023 is Open!

Friday, July 01, 2022

Colleges and universities are invited to participate in the 2023 administration of the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE)

Blog– Factors Influencing the Likelihood to Participate in Undergraduate Research

Thursday, June 30, 2022

Several researchers have found that student participation in undergraduate research is positively related to student learning outcomes, such as critical thinking, problem-solving, and intercultural effectiveness. The study aims to examine what factors influence student participation in undergraduate research in three STEM fields.

Blog—Measuring Achievement Goal Orientation Across Student Subgroups

Wednesday, June 22, 2022

This study used NSSE data to investigate achievement goal orientation in honors and general education undergraduate students, exploring the factor structure of a commonly used assessment and looking at ability level differences using two types of statistical analyses.

Honoring the Life and Work of Alexander “Sandy” Astin (1932–2022)

Monday, May 23, 2022

Dr. Alexander “Sandy” Astin, a giant in higher education research and a dedicated mentor to students and colleagues, passed away May 18, 2022.

AIR Forum Phoenix 2022 NSSE and Student Engagement Related Sessions

Wednesday, May 18, 2022

We’re excited to see NSSE users, friends and colleagues at the upcoming AIR Forum conference in Phoenix, June 6-9, 2022. Search the AIR Forum 2022 Schedule Builder and add the following sessions to your Personal Calendar.

NSSE & FSSE 2023: Allocate current year unspent funds to participate

Wednesday, May 11, 2022

Institutions wishing to use unspent funds from the current fiscal year towards a 2023 administration may request an early invoice - email nsse@indiana.edu for more information.

Apply to the Summer Institute for Improving Undergraduate Education, July 11-14, 2022

Friday, April 01, 2022

NSSE participating institutions are encouraged to consider sending a team to The Evergreen State University, July 11-14, 2022, for the 23rd Annual Summer Institute for Improving Undergraduate Education.

Blog—Considering Critical Quantitative Research

Wednesday, March 30, 2022

NSSE’s postdoctoral scholar Christen Priddie and colleague Rachel Renbarger hosted a symposium at ASHE 2021

Annual Results 2021 Release: Using NSSE Results in Diverse, Equitable, and Inclusive (DEI) Assessment Practices

Friday, March 11, 2022

NSSE’s third release, Using NSSE Results in Diverse, Equitable, and Inclusive (DEI) Assessment Practices, provides insights about how colleges and universities can use their NSSE results to intentionally consider DEI-related issues in their assessment practices and initiatives. Each section of the story conveys how institutional stakeholders can explore and use their results through equity-centered methodologies and components of the survey (using student comments and our new, disaggregated disability item).

NSSE 2022 Survey Launches!

Wednesday, February 23, 2022

On February 23, the NSSE 2022 survey launched at about 20 of the 474 NSSE participating institutions.  FSSE 2022 survey will launch later this spring. 

Annual Results 2021 Release: Teaching and Learning in A Year of Disruption

Tuesday, February 22, 2022

NSSE released the second Annual Results 2021 release, Flexible and Adaptable: Teaching and Learning in A Year of Disruption.  This release discusses teaching and learning during the pandemic and the flexibility it demanded among faculty and students. Instructional practices and student engagement adapted to suit changing campus conditions, for which institutions provided varying levels of support.

Annual Results 2021 Release: The Pandemic and Student Engagement

Wednesday, February 02, 2022

NSSE released the first Annual Results 2021 release, The Pandemic and Student Engagement: Trends, Disparities, and Opportunities. It looks at how COVID-19 brought about stark changes to student engagement for the 2020-21 academic year, including unprecedented numbers of students taking courses in online and hybrid formats. Data from the “Coping with COVID” module, focusing on pandemic-related disparities in mental wellness, academic opportunities, and other life concerns across course types, and by age and gender are discussed, along with how engagement in 2021 differed from before the pandemic.

Blog– The NSSE Honors Education Consortium: How Did It Start? What Have We Learned?

Wednesday, January 19, 2022

The NSSE Honors Education Consortium began as a partnership with the National Collegiate Honors Council. Consortium items address motivation, academic exploration and risk-taking, tolerance of ambiguity, curiosity, personal and career goals, and physical and mental well-being, with the intention of making comparisons between honors and non-honors students at participating institutions.

NSSE Career & Workforce Preparation data featured in Strada Report

Thursday, December 09, 2021

NSSE results from the new Career & Workforce Preparation Topical Module are featured in the Strada Foundation report, Understanding Undergraduates’ Career Preparation Experiences. The Strada Foundation is partnering with NSSE to support module development and new lines of research on work and career preparation. We’re grateful to the more than 90 institutions that chose this module and hope this report, the webinar recording, and our blog, Graduating During a Pandemic: Seniors’ Views About Their Career & Workforce Preparation, help advance institutional assessment activities.

NSSE announces leadership change, director search

Wednesday, November 24, 2021

With the nearing retirement of Dr. Alex McCormick, NSSE announces that Drs. Cindy Ann Kilgo and Jillian Kinzie will serve as Interim Co-Directors. Alex will remain as Director till his retirement date in early February. The School of Education is committed to doing a search for a tenure-track NSSE Director in the coming year.

NSSE 2021 Institutional Results Released

Monday, September 13, 2021

Results for 353 colleges and universities participating in NSSE 2021 are now available. Participating institutions are encouraged to Register for "Your NSSE Institutional Report 2021: Step-by-Step" to learn more about their reports.

New Students are Mentally Exhausted but Eager for College: BCSSE Results 2021

Monday, August 16, 2021

New Students are Mentally Exhausted but Eager for College: BCSSE Results 2021 & Webinar

NSSE Data Highlight Positive Impact of Residential Campus Experience

Monday, July 19, 2021

In the most comprehensive study of student housing experience in decades, students who participated in a residential college experience were more likely to persist year-over-year than those who did not. “The Case for Campus Housing” was sponsored by the Association of College and University Housing Officers – International (ACUHO-I) and is the result of a multi-year NSSE study.

Registration for NSSE 2022 Now Open!

Thursday, July 01, 2021

The National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) is a trusted and widely used instrument for assessing the quality of undergraduate education—providing institutions diagnostic, actionable information that fosters and catalyzes evidence-based improvement efforts. Register now for NSSE 2022!

NSSE at AIR Forum May 25-28, 2021

Thursday, May 13, 2021

NSSE staff will present and be available in the virtual exhibit hall at the AIR Forum, May 25-28, 2021. We look forward to talking with NSSE users and friends about plans for NSSE and FSSE 2022 and report customization for institutions participating in NSSE 2021.  #AIRForum

NSSE Pulse Findings Released

Monday, April 12, 2021

NSSE Pulse, a short survey of students’ experience in a pandemic disrupted fall semester, are now available.  Learn more about the conditions for online learning, students concerns about study spaces, and ratings about quality of interaction.

Happy 20th, NSSE! Entering NSSE’s Third Decade: Retrospective and Prospective

Thursday, April 01, 2021

NSSE Annual Results 2020 releases the fifth and final data-informed story in Engagement Insights—Survey Findings on the Quality of Undergraduate Education, reflecting on NSSE’s beginnings and future directions.

Lessons from the Field Dispatch #2 Showcases NSSE Use at Four Institutions

Thursday, February 25, 2021

See how four colleges and universities – Marian University, Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University, University of Rhode Island, and Indiana University Northwest – effectively use student comments, create readable reports, use data to understand a unique student population, and implement a “sandbox” for faculty and staff to learn more about NSSE and student assessment.

Annual Results Release: The Trust Gap Among College Students

Thursday, February 18, 2021

NSSE is pleased to release the fourth of five data-informed stories in Engagement Insights—Survey Findings on the Quality of Undergraduate Education, an annual series detailing important and timely NSSE findings. The Trust Gap Among College Students examines a special data collection on notions of trust—a fundamental factor that permeates student life and decision-making.

FSSE Racial Justice Research Grant

Monday, February 15, 2021

FSSE grant to highlight challenges and successes of Black women in higher education

Annual Results 2020 Release: High-Impact Practices: Interrogating Quality and Equity

Friday, January 29, 2021

The third installment in Annual Results 2020 examines rates of participation in six HIPs—and includes an exploration of the quality of HIPs, results from the faculty survey, and examples from colleges and universities demonstrating their continued assessment and improvement of HIPs.