An Overlooked Factor? How Religion and Spirituality Influence Students’ Perception of the Campus Environment
Fosnacht, K. & Broderick, C.
Journal of College and CharacterJournal of College and Character, 21(3), 186-203, 2020.
Postsecondary institutions are frequently forced to respond to discriminatory acts, including those against religious minorities. Such actions can create the perception of a hostile campus for students, which impinges on their learning and development. Research on the campus environment has traditionally focused on race and sex but has largely neglected other important aspects of students’ identities like religion and spirituality. This study investigates how the religious/spiritual aspects of the campus environment influenced students’ perceptions of the overall campus environment using data from a multi-institutional sample of first-year and senior undergraduates. The multivariate results show that the religious/spiritual dimensions of the campus environment account for a significant proportion of the variance in students’ campus environmental perceptions.

Full version of the paper.

How to reorient assessment and accreditation in the time of COVID-19 disruption
Kinzie, J.
Assessment Update, 32(4), 4-5, 2020.
Among the many issues facing higher education during COVID-19 is uncertainty about the status of student learning outcomes assessment and accreditation. Will necessary shifts in course assignments and assessments affect completion, particularly for those scheduled to graduate this year? Will a suspension (or slowdown) of program-level assessment put the institution out of compliance with state regulations or accreditation requirements? If accreditation visits are postponed, will the institution find its federal funding in jeopardy? All of these concerns are understandable, and it is good to have them aired and discussed. However, the disruptions caused by COVID-19 may also provide an occasion for some useful rethinking of assessment. What those disruptions underscore is that decisions about assessment and accreditation must, above all, be sensitive to current realities and do what is best for students and faculty. Rather than aiming for compliance, or sticking with the plan to “just give students the exam and asterisk the results,” now is the time to prioritize what people need and embrace compassion-driven assessment, and reassess the fundamental goals of assessment. To help think about the issues at hand, I offer some practical suggestions for course- and program-level assessment and accreditation demands. Then I suggest we take advantage of this moment to make some meaningful improvements to assessment and accreditation.

Full version of the paper.

Pick and Choose
Gonyea, Robert; Fosnacht, Kevin; Graham, Polly
Talking Stick, 37(5), , 2020.
Getting a roommate is one of the first milestones of a student’s campus experience. Is there a best way to manage this process and support students of color?

Full version of the paper.

Information Literacy’s Influence on Undergraduates’ Learning and Development: Results from a Large Multi-institutional Study
Fosnacht, Kevin
College & Research Libraries, 81(2), 272-287, 2020.
This paper investigated the reliability and validity of the National Survey of Student Engagement’s Experiences with Information Literacy module, an assessment instrument developed in collaboration with a group of instructional librarians. After identifying three information literacy–related factors in the module, it assessed the relationship between the factors and students’ engagement in Higher-Order Learning and Reflective and Integrative Learning activities and students’ perceived gains. The results from these analyses indicated that information literacy activities were positively and significantly correlated with student engagement and students’ perceived gains.

Full version of the paper.

NSSE's Quest for Quality: Seven Lessons in Designing a Better Survey
Gonyea, Robert M. and Sarraf, Shimon
Assessment UpdateAssessment Update, 32(2), 6-14, 2020.
In 20 years NSSE has learned much about how to manage a successful survey administration, and how to continuously improve the questionnaire, data collection tools, and reporting. This article includes seven lessons that may help assessment professionals improve their own surveys.

Full version of the paper.

The National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) at Twenty
Ewell, P. and McCormick, A.C.
Assessment UpdateAssessment Update, 32(2), 1-16, 2020.

Full version of the paper.

Twenty Years of NSSE Data Use: Assessment Lessons for the Collective Good
Kinzie, J. and Franklin, K.
Assessment UpdateAssessment Update, 32(2), 4-15, 2020.

Full version of the paper.

Expectations for Engagement: What 1st-year Students and Transfers Say
Cole, J. S., & Kinzie, J.
Washington, DC: , 2020.
Understanding entering student expectations is critical to assure that staff can align appropriate institutional resources for each student. This session will include how the Beginning College Survey of Student Engagement (BCSSE) provides comprehensive information about your entering first-year and transfer student’s prior academic experiences, as well as their expectations and beliefs regarding the upcoming academic year. Participants will learn how other institutions use BCSSE for academic advising, retention efforts, faculty and staff development, and other activities. Participants will be encouraged to share their campuses current practices and how BCSSE could facilitate best practices on their campus.

Full version of the paper.

Examining the Meaning of Vague Quantifiers in Higher Education: How Often is “Often”?
Rocconi, L.M., Dumford, A.D., & Butler, B.
Research in Higher Education, 61, 229-247, 2020.
Researchers, assessment professionals, and faculty in higher education increasingly depend on survey data from students to make pivotal curricular and programmatic decisions. The surveys collecting these data often require students to judge frequency (e.g., how often), quantity (e.g., how much), or intensity (e.g., how strongly). The response options given for these questions are usually vague and include responses such as “never,” “sometimes,” and “often.” However, the meaning that respondents give to these vague responses may vary. This study aims to determine the efficacy of using vague quantifiers in survey research. More specifically, the purpose of this study is to explore the meaning that respondents ascribe to vague response options and whether or not those meanings vary by student characteristics. Results from this study indicate a high degree of correspondence between vague and numeric response and suggest that students seem to adapt the meaning of “sometimes,” “often,” and “very often” based on the appropriate reference for the question. Overall, findings provide evidence of the utility and appropriateness of using vague response options. Some differences by student characteristics and the implications of these differences are discussed.

Full version of the paper.

The Relationship of First-Year Residence Hall Roommate Assignment Policy with Interactional Diversity and Perceptions of the Campus Environment
Fosnacht, K., Gonyea, R. M., & Graham, P.
The Journal of Higher Education, , , 2020.
A heterogeneous student body is valued in part because diverse interactions among students help create educated and competent citizens and promote learning and development. Campus housing is a primary setting for diverse interactions as students navigate living with individuals who differ from themselves. This study investigated how the roommate assignment process influences interactional diversity and perceptions of the campus environment for first-year students living on campus, and if these relationships differ by race/ethnicity and national origin. On average, students whose roommates were assigned by the institution (as opposed to choosing their own roommates) did not interact with diverse others more often. At the same time, however, Asian, Black and multiracial students who were assigned roommates by the institution perceived a substantially less welcoming campus environment than their same-race peers who chose their roommates. This difference was not observed for White students.

Full version of the paper.

Graduate Student Instructors, the Courses They Teach, and the Support They Value
Allison BrckaLorenz, Rong Wang, Thomas F. Nelson Laird
New Directions for Teaching & Learning, 2020(163), 25-34, 2020.
This chapter presents a study exploring the diverse characteristics of Graduate Student Instructors (GSIs) employed at eight research universities in the United States and investigates the ways in which these characteristics impact the value GSIs place on types of professional development and support in teaching.

Full version of the paper.

Teaching honors courses: Perceptions of engagement from the faculty perspective
Miller, A., Silberstein, S., & BrckaLorenz, A.
Journal of Advanced Academics, , , 2020.
Research suggests that honors students are more likely to be engaged in some, but not all, aspects of the college experience, although there is less information available from the faculty perspective. This study presents findings from the Faculty Survey of Student Engagement (FSSE), comparing various engagement-related practices between faculty who teach honors courses and those who do not. Along with core FSSE items, this study uses responses from 1,487 faculty members at 15 institutions on two items about teaching honors courses. A series of ordinary least squares regression analyses suggest that faculty who teach honors courses are more likely to encourage engagement in the areas of student–faculty interaction, learning strategies, and collaborative learning, even after controlling for other demographic and institutional variables. These findings are considered within the context of existing research and theory, connecting knowledge from higher education and gifted education.

Full version of the paper.

The relationship between residential learning communities and student engagement
Hurtado, S. S., Gonyea, R. M., Graham, P. A., & Fosnacht, K.
Learning Communities Research and Practice, 8(1), 5, 2020.
Residential learning communities (RLCs) are residence hall environments designed to deliver academic and social benefits. For decades, many have argued RLCs are an effective means for increasing student success. Yet substantial changes in the defining characteristics of campus housing and student diversity have led to new questions about the impact of living on campus and the benefits of RLCs in particular. Consequently, we investigated the continued efficacy of RLCs as an effective educational practice. Using data from a diverse, multi-institution sample of first-year and sophomore students, this study provides insight into the relationships between RLC participation, student engagement, and perceived gains in learning.

Full version of the paper.

Reassessing disparities in online learner student engagement in higher education
Paulsen, J., & McCormick, A. C.
Educational Researcher, 49(1 January-February), 20–29, 2020.
Online learning is the fastest growing segment in U.S. higher education and is increasingly adopted in public and private not-for-profit institutions. While the impact of online learning on educational outcomes is becoming more clear, the literature on its connection with student engagement is sparse. Student engagement measures identify key aspects of the learning process that can improve learning and outcomes like retention and achievement. The few studies investigating the link between online learning and student engagement found positive benefits for online learners compared to face-to-face learners in terms of perceived academic challenge, learning gains, satisfaction, and better study habits. On the other hand, face-to-face learners reported higher levels of environment support, collaborative learning, and faculty interaction. However, these studies did not effectively account for the differences in background characteristics like age, time spent working or caring for dependents, and enrollment status. Further, they did not consider the increasingly large population of students who enroll in both online and face-to-face courses. In our study, we used propensity score matching on the 2015 National Survey of Student Engagement data to account for the disparities in these groups’ demographics variables. After matching, we found that some of the previous literature’s differences diminish or disappear entirely. This suggests differences in supportive environments and learning strategies have more to do with online student characteristics than learning mode. However, online learning still falls well below other modes in terms of collaborative learning and interaction with faculty.

Supporting LGBQ+ students with disabilities: Exploring the experiences of students living on campus
BrckaLorenz, A., Fassett, K. T., & Hurtado, S. S
The Journal of College and University Student Housing, 46(3), 78–90, 2020.
Students with multiple oppressed identities, such as LGBQ+ students with disabilities, face a multitude of barriers on college campuses due to heterosexism and ableism, sometimes even from those in-group. This large-scale, multi-institution comparative quantitative study of LGBQ+ students with disabilities living on campus examines these students’ experiences with belonging and discrimination. Guided by the Model of Multiple Dimensions of Identity, we compare the experiences of students in the intersections of sexual and ability identities to guide housing and residence life practitioners in supporting students with complex identities. A series of chi-square (χ2) analyses and adjusted standardized residuals allowed us to explore the experiences of students who identify as LGBQ+ and without a disability, as well as students who identify as straight with or without a disability, in order to highlight the experiences of LGBQ+ students with disabilities. Findings indicate that LGBQ+ students most frequently report a mental health disorder or multiple disabilities or impairments and that these students feel less physically safe, comfortable being themselves, like part of the campus community, and valued by their institution than their peers. Most troubling is the large proportion of LGBQ+ students with a disability who have personally experienced offensive behavior, discrimination, or harassment at their institution based on their sexual orientation. Implications focus on creating partnerships with mental health, disability services, and LGBTQ/Pride Center professionals; evaluating roommate matching policies; the proactive creation of support systems; and applying concepts of Universal Design.

Full version of the paper.

How valid is grit in the postsecondary context? A construct and concurrent validity analysis
Fosnacht, K., Copridge, K., & Sarraf, S.
Research in Higher Education, 60(6), 803–822, 2019.
College admissions leaders increasingly desire to incorporate non-cognitive factors like grit into admissions decisions. Consequently, we examined the validity of the short grit scale (Grit-S) using data collected on undergraduates attending 38 colleges. Using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), we found that Grit-S does not possess adequate model fit; however, a modified version of the scale does possess this property. Using multi-group CFA, we also found that Grit-S is relatively invariant across multiple demographic groups. Next, we examined the concurrent validity of grit with students‘ engagement, perceived gains, time spent studying, and grades. These results confirmed previous research that most of the predictive power of grit is contained in its perseverance of effort, not consistency of interest, dimension.

Full version of the paper.

Behavior-based student typology: A view from student transition from high school to college
Mu, L., & Cole, J.
Research in Higher Education, , , 2019.
Several recent studies have successfully identified college student typologies based on individuals‘ behaviors. One limitation of past studies has been their reliance on one-time cross-sectional assessments. As a result, we are left to ponder the stability of students‘ behavioral types as their academic years move forward. This study used longitudinal student data from high school to college, to investigate the stability of a behavior-based student typology. Guided by findings in behavioral consistency from personality psychology, this study explored the associations of higher education institution‘s structure, and supportive elements of the environment and the transition of students‘ behavior-based types. The results showed that, in high school and higher education settings, students‘ behaviors in a variety of activities classified students into four types. In the higher education setting, about half of the students were of the same behavioral type while the remaining students engaged in changes as compared with their behavior-based types in high school. Students‘ background characteristics and institutional environment demonstrated an association related to these shifts.

Full version of the paper.

Effective advising: How academic advising influences student learning outcomes in different institutional contexts
Mu, L., & Fosnacht, K.
The Review of Higher Education, 42(4), 1283–1307, 2019.
Using survey data from 156 bachelor‘s-granting institutions, this study explored the relationship between academic advising services and seniors‘ grades and self-perceived gains. We found advising experiences has a positive relationship with students‘ grades and self-perceived gains. In addition, our results indicate that the institutional advising climate is positively correlated with perceived gains, but not grades. The results also showed that the relationships between advising and students‘ learning and development varied across institutions. Implications for policy and practice were discussed.

Full version of the paper.

How does faculty research motivation type relate to success? A test of self-determination theory
Stupnisky, R., BrckaLorenz, A., & Nelson Laird, T. F.
International Journal of Educational Research, 98, 25-35, 2019.
Studies show institutional, demographic, and social-environmental factors to be incomplete predictors of professor research productivity; meanwhile, the effects of motivation on faculty research are relatively understudied. The current study tested the extent to which self-determined motivation served as a predictor of faculty research success. Analysis of 1,846 U.S. faculty from 19 institutions using structural equation modeling found autonomous motivation (enjoyment, value) positively related to self-reported research productivity and number of publications, beyond demographics and position details. The basic needs of autonomy and competence predicted autonomous motivation, and indirectly predicted achievement. External motivation (rewards) had relatively smaller positive relationships with research productivity, while introjected motivation (guilt) had no relationships. The results contribute to both the faculty development and motivation research literatures.

Full version of the paper.

Opening the activism and postsecondary education black box: Relating high-impact practices and student identity with activist behaviors
Morgan, D. L., Zilvinskis, J., & Dugan, B.
Journal of Political Science Education, , , 2019.
Faculty and administrators at postsecondary institutions continue to grapple with understanding the dynamic nature of student activism. In response, the National Survey of Student Engagement administered a supplemental item set following the 2016 presidential election, in which more than 3,000 respondents were asked about their involvement in activism. Leveraging these data, this study employed multilevel modeling to measure the relationship between activist behaviors and student backgrounds, high-impact practice (HIP) participation, involvement in student activities, and institutional characteristics. The present study adds nuance to and models the connection among HIPs, student identities (e.g., queer, black or African American), and student activism. Implications for practice and research are shared that outline a renewed understanding of student activism as a pillar of civic learning and democratic engagement work in higher education.

Full version of the paper.

The within-group differences in LGBQ+ college students’ belongingness, institutional commitment, and outness
BrckaLorenz, A., Duran, A., Fassett, K. & Palmer, D.
Journal of Diversity in Higher Education, Advance online publication, , 2019.
Although scholars have examined how lesbian, gay, bisexual, and queer (LGBQ +) students perceive their collegiate environments, few quantitative studies disaggregate data to see how populations within the LGBQ + community experience certain outcomes. The purpose of this quantitative study was to investigate how student subgroups within the LGBQ + community differed in their perceptions of belongingness, institutional commitment, and outness. Using large-scale, multi-institution data from thousands of first-year and senior undergraduates, we examined how these important affective outcomes differ by sexuality groups (e.g., gay/lesbian, bisexual, or queer) and when the intersections of sexual and racial/ethnic identities are considered. Findings suggest that within-group differences exist in LGBQ + student populations that are not necessarily visible when understanding these communities in monolithic ways. We then offer implications for research and student affairs practitioners.

Full version of the paper.

Time well spent: Flipped classrooms and effective teaching practices.
Fassett, K., BrckaLorenz, A., Strickland, J., & Ribera, A.
In E. Alqurashi Fostering Student Engagement with Instructional Technology in Higher Education ICI Global, 2019.
Good teaching practices are the crux of student education and require constant evaluation to meet current generations' learning needs. Flipped classrooms have sought a foothold in higher education to provide opportunities for deep learning through the delivery of content online prior to attending class while having activities related to processing and applying the information during class. Using a large-scale, multi-institution study of faculty teaching flipped courses, this study empirically links flipped procedures to other forms of effective educational practice and additionally focuses on the motivations and impacts on the faculty side of this pedagogical practice. Findings indicate numerous learning and development benefits for students with implications for supporting and motivating faculty across disciplines, faculty identities, and course types.

Full version of the paper.

Do working students buy into HIPs? Working for pay and participation in high-impact practices
Zilvinskis, J., & McCormick, A. C.
Journal of College Student Development, 60(5 September-October), 543–562, 2019.
High-impact practices (HIPs), a set of distinctive educational experiences associated with a range of educational benefits, have garnered the attention of educators, policy makers, and researchers alike. Concerns exist regarding who has access to HIPs, and one possible impediment is paid employment. We investigated the relationship between student employment and participation in two HIPs: service-learning and undergraduate research. Using data from 207,925 respondents to the 2015 and 2016 administrations of the National Survey of Student Engagement, we examined patterns of HIPs participation when considering the differing circumstances of part-time and full-time senior undergraduates with regard to paid employment on campus, off campus, and both. The findings can guide institutional practice, such as the design of campus employment opportunities as well as academic advising to promote HIPs participation.

Engagement insights: Survey findings on the quality of undergraduate education--Annual results 2018
National Survey of Student Engagement
Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Center for Postsecondary Research, 2018.
This year‘s Annual Results examines how colleges and universities are preparing students for work and careers. Our analyses investigated the importance of educational context—with special attention to major—in shaping students‘ development of workplace-relevant skills such as working with others and solving real-world problems, as well as basic skills valued by employers such as critical thinking and effective writing and speaking. We also asked a subset of respondents a set of targeted questions about their career goals and their use of career planning resources and related activities. Finally, we used results from NSSE‘s Topical Module on First-Year Experiences and Senior Transitions to study seniors planning to take less-traveled paths after college.

Full version of the paper.

The benefits of living on campus: Do residence halls provide distinctive environments of engagement?
Graham, P. A., Hurtado, S. S., & Gonyea, R. M.
Journal of Student Affairs Research and Practice, 55(3), 255–269, 2018.
The changing landscape of on- and off-campus undergraduate residential options underline the need to reexamine the impact of on-campus living. Using multi-institutional survey data from first-year students, this study investigates the relationship of residential status with engagement and perceived gains in learning and development. Results indicate, after controlling for student and institution characteristics, that on-campus residence has small positive effects on some outcomes but not on others where effects might be expected.

Full version of the paper.

Engaging in the margins: Exploring differences in biracial students' engagement by racial heritage
Harris, J. C., BrckaLorenz, A., & Nelson Laird, T. F.
Journal of Student Affairs Research and Practice, 55(2), 137–154, 2018.
The research presented in this article utilizes data from four years of the National Survey of Student Engagement to shed light on the biracial student population and their engagement practices in postsecondary contexts. Specifically, this study explored the ways in which biracial students with different racial heritages engage differently from one another and from their monoracial peers on campus. Study findings complicate the ideology that biracial individuals are a monolithic group, fostering a conversation concerning multiraciality in higher education and providing critical implications for future research and practice.

Full version of the paper.

Faculty members' motivation for teaching and best practices: Testing a model based on self-determination theory across institution types
Stupnisky, R., BrckaLorenz, A., Yuhas, B., & Guay, F.
Contemporary Educational Psychology, 58, 15-26, 2018.
This study tested a conceptual model based on self-determination theory to examine how university faculty members‘ motivation for teaching predicts their utilization of teaching best practices, and explored if faculty at various higher education institution types are differentially motivated for teaching. Data from a national online survey of 1,671 faculty from 19 universities was analyzed using structural equation modeling. Support for the overall model showed faculty autonomy, competence, and relatedness positively predicted autonomous motivation (intrinsic, identified), but not controlled motivation (introjected, external). Autonomous motivation, in turn, predicted greater incorporation of effective teaching strategies, namely instructional clarity, higher-order learning, reflective and integrative learning, and collaborative learning. There were no differences found across faculty at doctoral, master‘s, and bachelor‘s institutions in terms of autonomous motivation mean levels, nor for the predictive effects of autonomous motivation on teaching best practices. The findings have implications for the faculty motivation and teaching research literatures, as well as for faculty development initiatives aimed at improving teaching effectiveness.

Full version of the paper.

The role of religion and institution type in seniors' perceptions of the religious and spiritual campus climate
Fosnacht, K., & Broderick, C.
Journal of College and Character, 19(1), 18-31, 2018.
This study investigated the correlates of two measures that capture students‘ perception of the religious and spiritual campus climate. It focuses on how the factors, religious identity and attending a religiously affiliated institution, influence students‘ perception of the respect for their beliefs and comfort in expressing their views on campus. The results indicate few differences by religious identity in students‘ perception of the respect for their beliefs, but significant differences by religion in their comfort in expressing their views. Additionally, attending a religiously affiliated institution was positively associated with students‘ comfort in expressing their beliefs.

Full version of the paper.

A meta-analysis of queer-spectrum and trans-spectrum student experiences at U.S. research universities
Greathouse, M., BrckaLorenz, A., Hoban, M., Huesman, R., Rankin, S., & Stolzenberg, E.
In Krista M. Soria Evaluating Campus Climate at U.S. Research Universities: Opportunities for Diversity and Inclusion Palgrave MacMillan, 2018.
Queer-spectrum and trans-spectrum students remain a significantly underserved population within higher education, despite the presence of significant disparities related to campus climate, academic engagement, and health outcomes. In this chapter, the authors explore the climate for queer-spectrum and trans-spectrum undergraduate students attending US Public Research Universities within higher education through a meta-analysis of 2016 and 2017 national datasets assessing campus climate, academic outcomes, and health outcomes—each of which has incorporated sexual identity and gender identity demographics within their respective survey instruments.

Full version of the paper.

Activists, non-activists, and allies: Civic engagement and student types at MSIs
Fassett, K. T., Priddie, C., BrckaLorenz, A., & Kinzie, J.
Frontiers in Education, 3(103), , 2018.
Although civic engagement has been examined across various student groups, there is limited research on the impact of civic engagement at minority-serving institutions (MSIs). This study uses a large-scale, cross-sectional approach to analyze college students' participation in civic engagement activities at 24 MSIs from 2013 to 2017 using data from the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE). Aspects of civic engagement examined include students' participation in events that address social or political issues, frequency of interactions with diverse others, participation in leadership and service-learning activities, and perceptions of their institution's contribution to their growth in areas such as becoming an informed and active citizen. Additionally, researchers explored students' ability to resolve conflicts that involve bias and prejudice and contribute to the well-being of their community; how frequently students inform themselves of state, national, or global issues; and how they may organize others around a common cause.

Full version of the paper.

Contextualizing effect sizes in the National Survey of Student Engagement: An empirical analysis
Rocconi, L. M., & Gonyea, R. M.
Research and Practice in Assessment, 13(Summer/Fall), 22-38, 2018.
The concept of effect size plays a crucial role in assessment, institutional research, and scholarly inquiry, where it is common with large sample sizes to find small relationships that are statistically significant. This study examines the distribution of effect sizes from institutions that participated in the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) and empirically derives recommendations for their interpretation. The aim is to provide guidelines for researchers, policymakers, and assessment professionals to judge the importance of an effect from student engagement results. The authors argue for the adoption of the recommendations for interpreting effect sizes from statistical comparisons of NSSE data.

Full version of the paper.

Do high achieving students benefit from honors college participation? A look at student engagement for first-year students and seniors
Miller, A. L., & Dumford, A. D.
Journal for the Education of the Gifted, 41(3), 217–241, 2018.
This study investigates findings from the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE), comparing various aspects of student engagement between honors college and general education students. Responses from 1,339 honors college students and 7,191 general education students across 15 different universities suggest a positive impact for honors college participation on reflective and integrative learning, use of learning strategies, collaborative learning, diverse discussions, student-faculty interaction, and quality of interactions for first-year students, even when controlling for student and institutional characteristics. For senior students, honors college participation was related to more frequent student-faculty interaction. Potential experiential and curricular reasons for these differences are discussed, along with implications for educators, researchers, parents, and students.

First-year students' time use in college: A latent profile analysis
Fosnacht, K., McCormick, A. C., & Lerma, R.
Research in Higher Education, 59(7), 958–978, 2018.
Students‘ time expenditures influence their learning and development. This study used latent profile analysis to identify a taxonomy of how first-year students spend their time using a large multi-institution sample. We identified four time usage patterns by first-year students titled Balanced, Involved, Partiers, and Parents. Sex, expected major field, on-campus residency, age, Greek-life membership, and standardized test scores were predictive of students‘ time use patterns. Holding a range of student and institutional factors constant, members of the involved group, on average, reported higher levels of engagement than the Balanced group, while Partiers reported lower levels of engagement. Implications for policy and practice are discussed.

Full version of the paper.

Focus on the finish line: Does high-impact practice participation influence career plans and early job attainment?
Miller, A. L., Rocconi, L. M., & Dumford, A. D.
Higher Education: The International Journal of Higher Education Research, 75(3), 489–506, 2018.
High-impact practices (HIPs) are important co-curricular educational experiences in postsecondary education, as they promote learning, development, and persistence among students. The goal of this study was to extend the research on HIPs to explore potential connections with HIP participation and career outcomes. Using data from the National Survey of Student Engagement, this study explores whether HIP participation influences college seniors‘ post-graduation plans for career and further education, and whether HIP participation has a positive impact on early job attainment for these students. Results suggest that even after controlling for a variety of demographic and institutional factors, HIP participation is a statistically significant predictor of future career plans and early job attainment. HIP participation can give students a career-related advantage through transferable skill development, engaging in learning opportunities, and generating “stories” for potential employers.

High-impact practices and student-faculty interactions across sexual orientations
Garvey, J. C., BrckaLorenz, A., Latopolski, K., & Hurtado, S. S.
Journal of College Student Development, 59(2), 211-226, 2018.
The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between high-impact practices and student–faculty interactions for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and questioning (LGBQ) students. Results yield few differences in participation of high-impact practices for LGBQ students compared to heterosexual students. Results also demonstrate the significant influences of student and institutional characteristics on high-impact practice participation for LGBQ students, and in particular student–faculty interactions.

Full version of the paper.

International student engagement: An exploration of student and faculty perceptions
Wang, R. & BrckaLorenz, A.
Journal of International Students, 8(2), 1002-1033, 2018.
An increasing number of faculty have brought up questions and concerns about supporting international students’ academic engagement and success. However, little is known about faculty’s approaches to international student engagement and how they may differ from international students’ self-reported engagement at four-year institutions. Using data from the National Survey of Student Engagement and Faculty Survey of Student Engagement, both large-scale and multi-institutional datasets, this study explores international student engagement in learning strategies, collaborative learning, and student-faculty interaction as well as international student engagement from the perspectives of faculty and students. Recommendations on supporting international student engagement from an individual faculty level, department level, and institutional level are discussed.

Full version of the paper.

Looking across high-impact practices: First-year student democratic awareness and democratic participation
Weiss, H. A., & Fosnacht, K.
Journal of the First-Year Experience and Students in Transition, 30(2), 45–64, 2018.
Creating educated and informed citizens for our diverse democracy has long been one of the objectives of the U.S. educational system. Traditionally, service-learning has been the primary tool for colleges and universities to promote civic outcomes; however, other practices, particularly those requiring substantial student investments of time and energy, also hold the potential to improve civic outcomes. Using data from nearly 13,000 first-year students who responded to the National Survey of Student Engagement's Civic Engagement module, we found that service-learning, learning communities, and research with faculty were positively and significantly correlated to two measures of democratic engagement. The results have important implications for how postsecondary institutions promote civic outcomes.

Full version of the paper.

Queer-spectrum and trans-spectrum student experiences in American higher education: The analysis of national survey findings
Greathouse, M., BrckaLorenz, A., Hoban, M., Huesman, R., Rankin, S., & Stolzenberg, E.
New Brunswick, NJ: , 2018.

Full version of the paper.

Reimagining student engagement: How nontraditional adult learners engage in traditional postsecondary environments
Rabourn, K., BrckaLorenz, A., & Shoup, R.
Journal of Continuing Higher Education, 66(1), 22-33, 2018.
Adult learners are a growing population in U.S. postsecondary education who experience distinct barriers to academic success. However, higher education institutions continue to create and adhere to policies that favor traditional college students. Thus, adult learner experiences must be better understood to ensure this population is supported. This study used data from the 2013 and 2014 administrations of the National Survey of Student Engagement to identify characteristics of adult learners and compare their engagement with traditional-aged students. Our regression analysis revealed that adult learners were more likely to take their classes online, begin their education at another institution, and enroll part-time. Adult learners also were more engaged academically and had positive perceptions of teaching practices and interactions with others, despite reporting fewer interactions with faculty and peers and less supportive campuses. These findings challenge institutions to continue to seek a deeper understanding of how adult learners engage with postsecondary education.

Full version of the paper.

The dependability of the updated NSSE: A generalizability study
Fosnacht, K., & Gonyea, R. M.
Research and Practice in Assessment, 13(Summer/Fall), 62–74, 2018.
This study utilized generalizability theory to assess the context where the National Survey of Student Engagement‘s (NSSE) summary measures, the Engagement Indicators, produce dependable group-level means. The dependability of NSSE group means is an important topic for the higher education assessment community given its wide utilization and usage in institutional assessment and accreditation. We found that the Engagement Indicators produced dependable group means for an institution derived from samples as small as 25 to 50 students. Furthermore, we discuss how the assessment community should use NSSE data.

Full version of the paper.

The role of creative coursework in skill development for university seniors
Miller, A. L.
Global Education Review, 5(Creativity & Education Special Issue 1), 88–107, 2018.
Previous research suggests that creativity training can be effective in academic settings and that teachers in particular can have an impact on creativity. Furthermore, creativity is one of many transferable skills in higher education that will benefit students when they enter the workforce. This study extends research on creativity training and transferable skills in higher education, using data from the Senior Transitions topical module of the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE). Responses from over 48,000 seniors at 227 different U.S colleges and universities were used to explore curricular differences across disciplinary fields as well as how exposure to creative coursework can predict confidence in numerous skills and abilities. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis provided support for a measure of exposure to creative coursework, and an ANOVA suggested significant differences by major fields, with arts majors showing a distinct advantage. Results from ordinary least squares regression models found that even after controlling for several demographic and institutional characteristics, creative coursework is a significant positive predictor of confidence in several different skills and abilities that are important for adapting to traditional and non-traditional work settings, including creative thinking, critical thinking, entrepreneurial skills, and networking abilities. Potential reasons for these patterns of results are discussed. These findings can help to inform curricular and programming enhancements for college students across all major fields, helping to better prepare them for their futures in various workplace settings.

Full version of the paper.

With retention, the key is "act locally"
Cole, J. S., Gonyea, R. G., & Rocconi, L.
In R. Feldman (Ed.) The first year of college: Research, theory, and practice on improving the student experience and increasing retention Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 2018.
The authors build on retention theory to show how data from the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) and the Beginning College Survey of Student Engagement (BCSSE) can be used to understand and potentially affect retention. Emphasizing the fact that solutions must be local and taking into account the unique characteristics of an institution, they highlight the ways in which retention outcomes can be improved by considering multiple variables that impact performance.

Full version of the paper.

Promoting democratic engagement during college: Looking beyond service-learning
Howe, E. C., & Fosnacht, K.
Journal of College and Character, 18(3), , 2017.
Preparing students to be engaged participants in our democratic society has long been an important college outcome. Over the past few decades, postsecondary institutions have primarily attempted to improve civic outcomes by integrating service activities into their curricula. While research on the effects of service-learning are plentiful, research on how other educationally beneficial activities influence democratic outcomes is scarce. In this study, we find that service-learning may not be the only means for promoting democratic outcomes because other high impact practices, most prominently learning communities, have greater or equivalent relationship to two dimensions of democratic engagement.

Full version of the paper.

Black, White, and biracial students’ engagement at differing institutional types
Harris, J. C., & BrckaLorenz, A.
Journal of College Student Development, 58(5), 783-789, 2017.
The purpose of this research is to fill a large gap in the literature on college student engagement by exploring differences in engagement for White students, Black students, and Black/White biracial students within and between institutional types. To achieve this purpose, this study explores how engagement compares for Black, White, and biracial students with Black and White heritage within HBCUs and non-HBCUs and how engagement compares for these same biracial students between HBCUs and non-HBCUs.

Full version of the paper.

Undergraduate financial stress, financial self-efficacy, and major choice: A multi-institutional study
Fosnacht, K., & Calderone, S. M.
Journal of Financial Therapy, 8(1), Article 7, 2017.
Over time, undergraduates students been increasingly forced to assume a greater portion of college costs. For most students, this means borrowing larger sums and cutting back on expenses to fulfill their college dreams, which often leads to financial stress. Using financial self-efficacy theory, we sought to better understand how a lack of financial confidence and a diminished sense of financial well-being may serve to undermine students‘ intended short and long-term goals. To this end, we examined the predictors of financial stress based upon a multi-institutional sample of senior undergraduates and focus on the role of the earnings potential of different majors.

Full version of the paper.

Information literacy's influence on undergraduates' learning and development: Results from a large multi-institutional study
Fosnacht, K.
In D. M. Mueller, (Ed.) At the helm: Leading transformation: The proceedings of the ACRL 2017 conference, March 22–25, 2017, Baltimore, Maryland Chicago, IL: Chicago, IL: Association of College and Research Libraries, 2017.
This paper investigated the reliability and validity of the National Survey of Student Engagement‘s Experiences with Information Literacy Topical Module, an assessment instrument developed in collaboration with a group of instructional librarians. After identifying three information literacy related constructs in the module, it assessed the relationship between the constructs and students‘ engagement in Higher-Order Learning and Reflective and Integrative Learning activities and students' perceived gains. The results from these analyses indicated that information literacy activities are positively and significantly correlated with student engagement and students‘ perceived gains.

Full version of the paper.

A glimpse of global learning: Assessing student experiences and institutional commitments
Kinzie, J., Helms, R. M., & Cole, J.
Liberal Education, 103(2), , 2017.
What do we know about the extent to which institutions are designing international activities, providing students with direct experience of different cultures and courses on global topics, and ensuring that graduates acquire global learning outcomes? To provide this information, the American Council on Education (ACE) and the Center for Postsecondary Research at the Indiana University School of Education collaborated on a study that takes advantage of national surveys administered by each organization. In this article, we discuss preliminary findings from a study of combined results from the 2016 administration of the ACE Mapping Internationalization on U.S. Campuses survey and the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) Global Learning Topical Module.

Full version of the paper.

Concluding comments about student transition to higher education
Cole, J. S.
Higher Education: The International Journal of Higher Education Research, 73, 539–551, 2017.
This special issue of Transition to Higher Education contained studies from nine countries across the globe. The following provides a brief review of all nine studies, identifying common themes. These common themes include the importance of student expectations regarding their first-year experiences, as well as the importance of student academic and social integration. Another common theme was first-year stagnation, where some students experience little to no growth regarding motivation or deep approaches to learning. This section concludes by stressing the need for campuses to utilize their local data to better understand the factors that facilitate or undermine successful student transition on their campus.

Exceeding statements: How students and faculty experience institutional missions
Graham, P. A., Ribera, A., BrckaLorenz, A., & Broderick, C.
Journal of College and Character, 18(4), 246-263, 2017.
While the importance of institutional mission is acknowledged within the higher education community, there is a lack of empirical evidence investigating how missions are experienced. Using survey data from students and faculty, this study investigates perceptions of mission engagement at religiously affiliated and independent institutions. Implications for practice are discussed.

Full version of the paper.

Frequency of first-year student interactions with advisors
Fosnacht, K., McCormick, A. C., Nailos, J. N., & Ribera, A. K.
NACADA Journal, 37(1), 74-86, 2017.
Although acknowledged that academic advising helps students adjust to and deal with the challenges of college, little is known about students' frequency of interactions with advisors. Using data from 52,546 full-time, first-year students at 209 diverse institutions, we examined the frequency with which students met with academic advisors and the way these interactions vary by student and institutional characteristics. We found that the typical first-year student met with an advisor 1 to 3 times during his or her first college year; however, the number of meetings varied across student subpopulations and institutional types.

Full version of the paper.

High-impact practices and student-faculty interactions for gender-variant students
BrckaLorenz, A., Garvey, J. C., Hurtado, S. S., & Latopolski, K.
Journal of Diversity in Higher Education, , Advance online publication, 2017.
The vast amount of research on student success and engagement in college focuses on a narrative for majority student populations that does not account for unique experiences across social identities. This article examines the experiences of gender-variant students (i.e., students who do not identify as either cisgender men or women) regarding engagement in high-impact practices and student–faculty interactions using a large-scale, multi-institution quantitative data set collected from the 2014 administration of the National Survey of Student Engagement. Although high-impact practice participation was similar for gender-variant and cisgender students, positive student-faculty interaction was found to be a significant predictor for increased high-impact practice participation for gender-variant students. Results from this study may also point to chillier climates of certain major fields for gender-variant students. Implications for these findings focus on investigating major choice as a mediating factor for high-impact practice participation and advocating for the inclusion of different gender identities in surveys, institutional data, and higher-education research.

Full version of the paper.

How important are high response rates for college surveys?
Fosnacht, K., Sarraf, S., Howe, E., & Peck, L. K.
The Review of Higher Education, 40(2), 245–265, 2017.
Surveys play an important role in understanding the higher education landscape. However, declining survey participation rates threaten this source of vital information and its perceived utility. Although survey researchers have long assumed that the best way to obtain unbiased estimates is to achieve a high response rate, many survey researchers have begun to question the widely held assumption that low response rates provide biased results. Due to the prevalence of survey data in higher education research and assessment efforts, it is imperative to better understand the relationship between response rates and data quality. This study investigates this assumption with college student assessment data. It utilizes data from hundreds of samples of first-year and senior students with relatively high response rates using a common assessment instrument with a standardized administration protocol. It investigates how population estimates would have changed if researchers put forth less effort when collecting data and achieved lower response rates and respondent counts.

Full version of the paper.

How writing contributes to learning: New findings from a national study and their local application
Anderson, P., Anson, C. M., Fish, T., Gonyea, R. M., Marshall, M., Menefee-Libey, W., Paine, C., Palucki Blake, L., & Weaver, S.
Peer Review, 19(Winter, 1), , 2017.
This article summarizes findings from NSSE Consortium for the Study of Writing in College by which three writing constructs were derived – Interactive Writing Processes, Meaning-Making Writing Tasks, and Clear Writing Expectations. Authors describe how to use the constructs to create better writing assignments, and provide examples from three institutions in their application.

Full version of the paper.

Indirect assessments in higher education
Nelson Laird, T. F. & BrckaLorenz, A.
In T. Cumming & M. D. Miller Enhancing Assessment in Higher Education: Putting Psychometrics to Work Stylus Publishing, LLC, 2017.
Assessment and accountability are now inescapable features of the landscape of higher education, and ensuring that these assessments are psychometrically sound has become a high priority for accrediting agencies and therefore also for higher education institutions. Bringing together the higher education assessment literature with the psychometric literature, this book focuses on how to practice sound assessment. This volume provides comprehensive and detailed descriptions of tools for and approaches to assessing student learning outcomes in higher education. The book is guided by the core purpose of assessment, which is to enable faculty, administrators, and student affairs professionals with the information they need to increase student learning by making changes in policies, curricula, and other programs. The book is divided into three sections: overview, assessment in higher education, and case studies. The central section looks at direct and indirect measures of student learning, and how to assure the validity, reliability, and fairness of both types. The first six chapters (the first two sections) alternate chapters written by experts in assessment in higher education and experts in psychometrics. The remaining three chapters are applications of assessment practices in three higher education institutions. Finally, the book includes a glossary of key terms in the field.

Full version of the paper.

Sense of peer belonging and institutional acceptance in the first year: The role of high-impact practices
Ribera, A. K., Miller, A. L., & Dumford, A. D.
Journal of College Student Development, 58(4), 545–563, 2017.
This study examines the role that high-impact practices play in shaping first-year students‘ sense of belonging as it relates to peers and institutional acceptance. Using data from the National Survey of Student Engagement (n=9,371), results reveal troublesome gaps for historically underrepresented populations in their sense of belonging among their peers and affiliation with the institution. Yet, when students participated in certain high-impact practices (learning communities, service learning, research with faculty, and campus leadership), positive associations were found, even after controlling for other institutional and student-level characteristics. Implications for first-year programming are discussed.

The journey or the destination: Exploring engagement patterns of disabled student veterans
Kraus, A., Nicholls, R. C., & Cole, J. S.
In D. DiRamio (Ed.) What’s next for student veterans? Moving from transition to academic success Herndon, VA: Stylus, 2017.
Higher education has worked in recent years to create more inclusive campus practices for student veterans, and disability is an important aspect of this community. An estimated 25% of student veterans have a disability, and student veterans are twice as likely as their non-veteran peers to have at least one disability. To address the unique characteristics of student veterans, including those with disabilities, college and university professionals have developed vet-friendly campuses across the country with services such as dedicated spaces for student veterans to gather and seek refuge from the hectic nature of campus, Veterans Affairs work-study positions, and participation in the Yellow Ribbon program to more seamlessly facilitate the approval of transfer credit. Also, to respond to the concerns of military-connected students, campuses are identifying points of contact across important student services such as counseling and psychological services, financial aid, and disability services. However, little research has been conducted to help us understand the impact of these programs and services on student engagement. While we understand general trends and characteristics of student veterans, we do not have a clear sense with respect to involvement or engagement of what makes these students successful in higher education. Even less descriptive information is available to help us understand the behaviors and experiences of disabled student veterans. This chapter uses findings from the 2015 National Survey of Student Engagement as well as individual interviews to explore the engagement patterns of disabled student veterans in their final year of university to better understand how and why these students persist to graduation.

Full version of the paper.

The use of student engagement findings as a case of evidence-based practice
Kinzie, J.
New Directions for Higher Education, 2017(178), 47–56, 2017.
The chapter considers student engagement to discuss the use of assessment evidence to advance evidence-based practice and to illustrate a scholarship of practice.

Full version of the paper.