Annual Results 2021

Engagement Insights: Survey Findings on the Quality of Undergraduate Education

This is the 2021 edition of Engagement Insights, NSSE’s annual dissemination of selected research findings and institutional stories that have broad relevance to the improvement of undergraduate education.

In the winter months of 2022, this page will present three data-informed treatments of important topics for higher education with special value for institutions that participated in NSSE, FSSE, and BCSSE in 2021. In addition to new findings, we feature related webinars, examples of institutional use, suggestions for institutional assessment, faculty insights, and more.

Annual Results 2021 Topics

Latest findings from NSSE, FSSE, and BCSSE in 2021.

Headshots of NSSE co-directors Jillian Kinzie and Cindy Ann Kilgo

A Message From the Interim Co-Directors

We are excited to begin what we hope is a short tenure as Interim Co-Directors of the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE)! While “interim” certainly conveys our provisional status, we are very much envisioning some important changes to aspects of NSSE and are looking forward to being the bridge to NSSE’s next full-time Director. We will do everything we can to sustain the project, enhance our work, and ensure NSSE is well-positioned to attract new leadership.

Read the message

Photo of student wearing a mask and holding a violin at Austin College — Photo courtesy of Austin College

The Pandemic and Student Engagement: Trends, Disparities, and Opportunities

COVID-19 brought about stark changes to student engagement for the 2020-2021 academic year, including unprecedented numbers of students taking courses in online and hybrid formats. We explore data from the “Coping with COVID” module, focusing on disparities in mental health, academic opportunities, and other life concerns across course types, and by age and gender. We also examine how engagement in 2021 differed from prior years.

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Photo of a women in a science lab at Truman State University — Photo courtesy of Truman State University

Flexible and Adaptable: Teaching and Learning in a Year of Disruption

Teaching and learning during the pandemic demanded flexibility among faculty and students. Instructional practices and student engagement adapted to suit changing campus conditions, for which institutions provided varying levels of support. Results from NSSE and FSSE 2021 are informative, and offer considerations for rethinking approaches to teaching and learning.

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Photo of students on bicycles at Boise State University — Photo courtesy of Boise State University

How to Use Survey Results in Assessing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

It is imperative to understand how survey results contribute to continued improvement of diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives at colleges and universities. We examine how NSSE can contribute to these efforts.

Read story 3

Did You Know?

65%of first-year students and 66% of seniors took "mostly remote" courses in 2021.

50%of institutions in 2021 saw large declines (effect size > 0.46) in collaborative learning among first-year students.

55%of entering students identified substantial increases in depression, hopelessness, or loneliness due to COVID.

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