Reflections on the state of student engagement data use and strategies for action
Kinzie, J., Cogswell, C. A., & Wheatle, K. I. E.
Although the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) collects responses from hundreds of participating colleges and universities every year, its ultimate goal is not to collect data but to catalyze improvement in undergraduate education. Launched in 2000 by the Pew Charitable Trusts in response to growing national and local pressures for higher education to focus on measures of education quality and for colleges and universities to engage in meaningful improvement, the NSSE has become a leader in a campaign to focus attention on a number of relatively clear characteristics of effective environments for teaching and learning. The NSSE‘s process indicators related to good practices in undergraduate education provide diagnostic information about concrete activities that can guide interventions to promote improvement. By 2014, more than 1,500 institutions had participated in the NSSE, and over 4.5 million students had completed the questionnaire. In addition, the launch of two complementary instruments, the Faculty Survey of Student Engagement (FSSE) and the Beginning College Survey of Student Engagement (BCSSE), have furthered efforts to encourage the use of data for improvement by equipping institutions with information about faculty perceptions and entering students‘ expectations for engagement. Given these noble goals and all the student engagement data, what impact has the NSSE had on the use of data for improvement on campuses? And what lessons does this work suggest for the improvement agenda in higher education?
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Lessons from the field—Volume 2: Moving from data to action
National Survey of Student Engagement
In this publication we highlight approaches different types of institutions have taken to improve the undergraduate experience. Because NSSE focuses on student behavior and effective educational practice, colleges and universities have found many productive ways to use survey results: accreditation self-studies, benchmarking, curricular reform, faculty and staff development, grant writing, institutional research, retention, and state system comparisons. The stories about data use illustrate various ways that assessment can be a worthwhile undertaking when meaningful data are generated and discussed with a wide campus audience, and results are used to inform efforts to improve educational effectiveness. Understanding how colleges and universities use results and achieve improvements in undergraduate education is important. to advancing systemic improvement in higher education. The examples in this volume provide ample inspiration for encouraging institutions to move from collecting data to taking action.
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Sense of Belonging and the First-Year Experience
Cole, Jim; Kinzie, Jillian
With the turmoil and uncertainty of this past year, a students’ sense of belonging is now more critical than ever. This presentation will use NSSE and BCSSE-NSSE combined data to highlight the important connections between sense of belonging, student expectations, intention to persist, quality of relationships with advisors, faculty, and other students, academic engagement, as well as other important aspects of the first-year student experience. This session will include opportunities for discussion and reflection, as well as include current institutional examples of data use.

Mining and maximizing NSSE data to advance student success
Kinzie, J. (NSSE, Indiana University Bloomington), Castellino, L. (Humboldt State University), Swarat, S. (California State University Fullerton), & Shindledecker, E. (San Francisco State University)
Student engagement data provides colleges and universities useful insights into aspects of the undergraduate experience that matter to understanding the whole student and, importantly, what the institution does to promote their success. Yet making full use of institutional National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) data is challenging. This session highlights the varied approaches undertaken by institutional research professionals at several CSUs to maximize NSSE data use and mine results to address the system's Graduation Initiative 2025. Participants will learn from effective examples of sharing data in a "Did You Know?" campaign, the use of first-year student data to influence retention, approaches to studying the benefits of high-impact practices, and efforts to interpret qualitative student comments, and will reflect on practices for their own institution.

Celebrating NSSE's 20th: Making the most of student engagement data
Gonyea, R. M., & Kinzie, J.
In this session, Bob Gonyea and Jillian Kinzie share NSSE‘s achievements, highlight effective institutional reporting and data uses, and preview plans for assessment in the project‘s next several years.

Maximizing survey data for outreach, assessment, programming, and beyond
Miller, A. L., & Dumford, A. D.
This presentation provides a variety of real-life examples of how institutions have used survey data collected from students, faculty, and alumni within multiple contexts. Examples are drawn from institutions participating in the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE), the Beginning College Survey of Student Engagement (BCSSE), the Faculty Survey of Student Engagement (FSSE), and the Strategic National Arts Alumni Project (SNAAP). The types of data use cover numerous categories: sharing on campus; recruitment; academic and career advising; publicity, alumni relations, and donor outreach; planning, assessment, and accreditation; program and curricular change; and advocacy and public policy. Attendees will learn about ways that they can optimize the use of available survey data for many different audiences, allowing the institutional research office to serve as a bridge that connects other stakeholders with available data.

Maximizing survey data for outreach, assessment, programming, and beyond
Miller, A. L., & Dumford, A. D.
This presentation provides a variety of real-life examples of how institutions have used survey data collected from students, faculty, and alumni within multiple contexts. Examples are drawn from institutions participating in the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE), the Beginning College Survey of Student Engagement (BCSSE), the Faculty Survey of Student Engagement (FSSE), and the Strategic National Arts Alumni Project (SNAAP). The types of data use cover numerous categories: sharing on campus; recruitment; academic and career advising; publicity, alumni relations, and donor outreach; planning, assessment, and accreditation; program and curricular change; and advocacy and public policy. Attendees will learn about ways that they can optimize the use of available survey data for many different audiences, allowing the institutional research office to serve as a bridge that connects other stakeholders with available data.

Getting to use: What stimulates and impedes use of student engagement results?
Kinzie, J., McCormick, A., Olsen, D., Blaich, C., & Wise, K.
The ultimate goal of assessment projects, including the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE), is not to gather data. It‘s to catalyze improvement in undergraduate education. Yet, moving from data to campus action is challenging. This session addresses the challenges of data use, blending expert panelist insights with focused audience discussion about what stimulates and impedes action. With the updated NSSE in mind, panelists and the audience consider broad topics about using evidence, including sharing results, anticipating evidence use, striving for perfect data, involving students, and planning for action, and also discuss what promotes effective data use.

The updated NSSE: Exchanging ideas and examples of data use
Gonyea, R. M., & Kinzie, J.
NSSE‘s updated survey, modules, new customization options, and redesigned reports offer participating institutions more refined ways to assess educational quality. This session provides an opportunity to highlight features and the use of student engagement results and for participants and NSSE staff to exchange ideas about the project and reports. Current and new users are encouraged to attend and share ideas!

The updated NSSE: Exchanging ideas & examples of data use (NSSE Sponsor Session)
Gonyea, R., & Kinzie, J.
NSSE recently launched an updated survey and redesigned reports. This session provides an opportunity to highlight innovative uses of student engagement results and for participants and NSSE staff to exchange ideas about the survey project and new reports. Current and new users are encouraged to attend and share ideas!

Putting Results to Use: Inclusiveness and Engagement with Cultural Diversity
In Engagement Insights: Survey Findings on the Quality of Undergraduate Education—Annual results 2017
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Advancing Campus Diversity and Equity Goals
In Engagement Insights: Survey Findings on the Quality of Undergraduate Education—Annual results 2017
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Using BCSSE to Better Understand Student Success
In Engagement Insights: Survey Findings on the Quality of Undergraduate Education—Annual results 2017
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Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology: Assessing the Effectiveness of Campus Programs and Services for First-Year Students and Seniors
In Engagement insights: Survey findings on the quality of undergraduate education—Annual results 2016
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Oregon Institute of Technology: Exploring General Education and Learning Outcomes
In Engagement insights: Survey findings on the quality of undergraduate education—Annual results 2016
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Winthrop University: Improving Retention and Graduation for Special Populations
In Engagement insights: Survey findings on the quality of undergraduate education—Annual results 2016
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Carlow University: Assessing Learning with Technology to Enhance Instructional Practice
In Engagement insights: Survey findings on the quality of undergraduate education—Annual results 2016
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A Report from the First Annual Teaching and Learning National Institute: Using Evidence for Improvement
In Engagement insights: Survey findings on the quality of undergraduate education—Annual results 2015
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Your NSSE Institutional Report 2020: Step-by-Step
Bob Gonyea and Jillian Kinzie
Recording

NSSE 2020 Follow-Up Webinar: Using Results Collected During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Alex McCormick, Jillian Kinzie, Bob Gonyea, Allison BrckaLorenz, Shimon Sarraf and Jennifer Brooks, NSSE and FSSE Project Staff
Recording

CSU and BCSSE: Introduction to administration, reports and data use
Presenters: Jim Cole, BCSSE Project Manager
Recording

Overview of BCSSE 2019 Updates
Jim Cole
Recording

An Overview of BCSSE 2017 Updates and Data Uses
Jim Cole, BCSSE Project Manager and Research Analyst
Recording

Increase dissemination and discussion of results: Introducing the NSSE Data User's Guide
Amy Ribera, Research Analyst, and Cindy Cogswell, NSSE Institute Project Associate
Recording