NSSE 2013
High-Impact Practices
Kansas State University
IPEDS: 155399
NSSE 2013 High-Impact Practices
About This Report
About Your High-Impact Practices Report
Due to their positive associations with student learning and retention, certain
undergraduate opportunities are designated "high-impact." High-impact practices
(HIPs) share several traits: They demand considerable time and effort, facilitate
learning outside of the classroom, require meaningful interactions with faculty and
students, encourage collaboration with diverse others, and provide frequent and
substantive feedback. As a result, participation in these practices can be life-changing
(Kuh, 2008). NSSE founding director George Kuh recommends that institutions
should aspire for all students to participate in at least two HIPs over the course of
their undergraduate experience—one during the first year and one in the context of
their major (NSSE, 2007).
NSSE asks students about their participation in the six HIPs shown in the box at
right. This report provides information on the first three for first-year students and all
six for seniors. Unlike most questions on the NSSE survey, the HIP questions are not
limited to the current school year. Thus, seniors' responses include participation from
prior years.
High-Impact Practices in NSSE
● Learning community or some other formal
program where groups of students take two
or more classes together
● Courses that included a community-based
project (service-learning)
● Work with a faculty member on a research
project
● Internship, co-op, field experience, student
teaching, or clinical placement
● Study abroad
● Culmina ng senior experience (capstone
course, senior project or thesis,
comprehensive exam, portfolio, etc.)
Report sections
Participation Comparisons (p. 3)
Displays HIP participation for your first-year and senior students compared with that of students at
your comparison group institutions. Two views present insights into your students' HIP participation:
Overall HIP Participation
Displays the percentage of first-year and senior students who participated in one HIP and in two
or more HIPs, relative to those at your comparison group institutions.
Statistical Comparisons
Comparisons of participation in each HIP and overall for your first-year and senior students
relative to those at comparison group institutions, with tests of significance and effect sizes
(see below).
Response Detail (pp. 5-7)
Participation by Student
Characteristics (p. 8)
Provides complete response frequencies for the relevant HIP questions for your first-year and senior
students and those at your comparison group institutions.
Displays your students' participation in each HIP by selected student characteristics.
Interpreting comparisons
The "Statistical Comparisons" section on page 3 reports both statistical significance and effect size. Effect size indicates the practical
importance of an observed difference. An effect size of .2 is generally considered small, .5 medium, and .8 large.
HIP participation varies more among students within an institution than it does between institutions, like many experiences and
outcomes in higher education. As a result, focusing attention on overall participation rates amounts to examining the tip of the
iceberg. It’s equally important to understand how student engagement (including HIP participation) varies within your institution.
The table on page 8 provides an initial look at how HIP participation varies by selected student characteristics. The Institutional
Report Builder and your Major Field Report (both to be released in the fall) offer further perspectives on internal variation and can
help you investigate your students’ HIP participation in depth.
Kuh, G. D. (2008). High-impact educational practices: What they are, who has access to them, and why they matter. Washington, DC: Association of American Colleges and Universities.
National Survey of Student Engagement (2007). Experiences that matter: Enhancing student learning and success—Annual Report 2007. Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Center for
Postsecondary Research.
2 • NSSE 2013 HIGH-IMPACT PRACTICES
NSSE 2013 High-Impact Practices
Participation Comparisons
Kansas State University
Overall HIP Participation
The figures below display the percentage of students who participated in high-impact practices. Both figures include participation
in learning communities, service-learning, and research with faculty. The senior figure also includes participation in internships or
field experiences, study abroad, and culminating senior experiences. The first segment in each bar shows the percentage of
students who participated in at least two HIPs, and the full bar (both colors) represents the percentage who participated in at
least one.
First-Year Students
Seniors
K-State
64%
26%
40%
Land Grants w/o Med
65%
22%
13%
44%
Carnegie Class
61%
24%
12%
46%
NSSE 2013
60%
24%
K-State
13%
Land Grants w/o Med
15%
Carnegie Class
NSSE 2013
0%
51%
25%
50%
Participated in two or more HIPs
75%
0%
100%
Participated in one HIP
25%
50%
Participated in two or more HIPs
75%
100%
Participated in one HIP
Statistical Comparisons
The table below compares the percentage of your students who participateda in a high-impact practice, including the percentage
who participated overall (at least one, two or more), with those at institutions in your comparison groups.
K-State
Land Grants w/o
Med
Carnegie Class
Effect
NSSE 2013
Effect
Effect
First-Year Students
%
%b
size c
%b
size c
11c. Learning community
13
23 ***
-.26
18 ***
-.12
60
43 ***
.34
49 ***
.23
52 ***
.16
.06
5 ***
.10
5 **
.09
12. Service-learning
11e. Research with faculty
7
6
%b
15
size c
-.05
Participated in at least one
65
55 ***
56 ***
.17
58 ***
.14
Participated in two or more
13
15
-.05
13
.02
12
.05
23
27 **
-.07
24
-.01
24
-.01
67
54 ***
.27
11e. Research with faculty
22
29 ***
-.14
24
-.04
11a. Internship or field exp.
52
54
-.03
50
.05
11d. Study abroad
14
18 ***
-.11
14
11f. Culminating senior exp.
41
44 **
-.07
43 *
Participated in at least one
89
87 **
Participated in two or more
64
65
.19
Seniors
11c. Learning community
12. Service-learning
.08
-.03
58 ***
.18
.00
60 ***
23
48 ***
13
.13
-.01
.09
.03
-.05
45 ***
-.08
85 ***
.14
84 ***
.16
61 *
.06
60 ***
.09
a. Percentage of students who responded "Done or in progress" except for service-learning which is the percentage who responded that at least "Some"
courses included a community-based project.
b. *p<.05, **p<.01, ***p<.001 (z-test comparing participation rates).
c. Cohen's h: The standardized difference between two proportions. Effect size indicates the practical importance of an observed difference. An effect size
of .2 is generally considered small, .5 medium, and .8 large.
Note: All results weighted by gender and enrollment status (and by institution size for comparison groups).
NSSE 2013 HIGH-IMPACT PRACTICES • 3
This page intentionally left blank.
4 • NSSE 2013 HIGH-IMPACT PRACTICES
NSSE 2013 High-Impact Practices
Response Detail
Kansas State University
First-Year Students
The figures below display further details about each high-impact practice for your first-year students and those of your
comparison groups.
Learning Community
Which of the following have
you done or do you plan to do
before you graduate?
Participate in a learning
community or some other
formal program where groups
of students take two or more
classes together.
K-State
13%
Land Grants w/o Med
21%
30%
23%
Carnegie Class
18%
18%
NSSE 2013
23%
15%
0%
35%
26%
32%
28%
31%
25%
32%
25%
50%
Done or in progress
Plan to do
29%
75%
Have not decided
100%
Do not plan to do
Service-Learning
About how many of your
courses at this institution have
included a community-based
project (service-learning)?
K-State
7%
52%
Land Grants w/o Med
5%
Carnegie Class
7%
NSSE 2013
8%
40%
38%
57%
42%
0%
51%
44%
25%
48%
50%
Most or all
75%
Some
100%
None
Research with a Faculty Member
Which of the following have
you done or do you plan to do
before you graduate?
Work with a faculty member on
a research project.
K-State
7%
31%
Land Grants w/o Med
6%
35%
Carnegie Class
5%
35%
NSSE 2013
5%
34%
39%
25%
Done or in progress
20%
37%
33%
0%
27%
22%
38%
50%
Plan to do
24%
75%
Have not decided
100%
Do not plan to do
Note: Results weighted by gender and enrollment status (and institutional size for comparison groups).
NSSE 2013 HIGH-IMPACT PRACTICES • 5
NSSE 2013 High-Impact Practices
Response Detail
Kansas State University
Seniors
The figures below display further details about each high-impact practice for your seniors and those of your comparison groups.
Learning Community
Which of the following have
you done or do you plan to do
before you graduate?
Participate in a learning
community or some other
formal program where groups
of students take two or more
classes together.
K-State
23%
Land Grants w/o Med
8%
27%
10%
58%
9%
59%
6%
Carnegie Class
24%
8%
11%
56%
NSSE 2013
24%
9%
13%
55%
0%
25%
50%
Done or in progress
Plan to do
75%
Have not decided
100%
Do not plan to do
Service-Learning
About how many of your
courses at this institution have
included a community-based
project (service-learning)?
K-State
Land Grants w/o Med
9%
57%
6%
Carnegie Class
48%
9%
NSSE 2013
33%
46%
49%
11%
42%
50%
0%
40%
25%
50%
Most or all
75%
Some
100%
None
Research with a Faculty Member
Which of the following have
you done or do you plan to do
before you graduate?
Work with a faculty member on
a research project.
K-State
22%
Land Grants w/o Med
13%
29%
Carnegie Class
24%
NSSE 2013
23%
0%
13%
14%
13%
25%
Done or in progress
Note: Results weighted by gender and enrollment status (and institutional size for comparison groups).
6 • NSSE 2013 HIGH-IMPACT PRACTICES
13%
52%
13%
15%
16%
45%
46%
49%
50%
Plan to do
75%
Have not decided
100%
Do not plan to do
NSSE 2013 High-Impact Practices
Response Detail
Kansas State University
Seniors (continued)
The figures below display further details about each high-impact practice for your seniors and those of your comparison groups.
Internship or Field Experience
Which of the following have
you done or do you plan to do
before you graduate?
Participate in an internship,
co-op, field experience, student
teaching, or clinical placement.
K-State
52%
26%
Land Grants w/o Med
54%
24%
Carnegie Class
50%
NSSE 2013
6%
25%
48%
0%
6%
7%
24%
25%
Done or in progress
8%
50%
Plan to do
15%
17%
18%
20%
75%
Have not decided
100%
Do not plan to do
Study Abroad
Which of the following have
you done or do you plan to do
before you graduate?
Participate in a study abroad
program.
K-State
14%
Land Grants w/o Med
7%
18%
Carnegie Class
14%
NSSE 2013
13%
10%
7%
8%
7%
0%
69%
9%
66%
11%
67%
12%
68%
25%
Done or in progress
50%
Plan to do
75%
Have not decided
100%
Do not plan to do
Culminating Senior Experience
Which of the following have
you done or do you plan to do
before you graduate?
Complete a culminating senior
experience (capstone course,
senior project or thesis,
comprehensive exam,
portfolio, etc.).
K-State
41%
24%
9%
26%
Land Grants w/o Med
44%
25%
9%
22%
Carnegie Class
43%
26%
9%
22%
NSSE 2013
45%
24%
10%
21%
0%
25%
Done or in progress
50%
Plan to do
75%
Have not decided
100%
Do not plan to do
Note: Results weighted by gender and enrollment status (and institutional size for comparison groups).
NSSE 2013 HIGH-IMPACT PRACTICES • 7
NSSE 2013 High-Impact Practices
Participation by Student Characteristics
Kansas State University
Percent Participation in High-Impact Practices by Student Characteristics
The table below displays the percentage of your students who participateda in each HIP by selected student characteristics.
Examining participation rates for different groups offers insight into how engagement varies within your student population.
Gender
Female
Male
Culminating
Senior Experience
Study
Abroad
Internship or
Field Experience
Research with
Faculty
ServiceLearning
Seniors
Learning
Community
Research with
Faculty
ServiceLearning
Learning
Community
First-Year Students
%
%
%
%
%
%
%
%
%
15
12
63
57
6
9
24
23
70
64
21
24
51
54
16
12
40
42
—
—
21
16
—
13
—
21
13
—
—
68
57
—
60
—
62
58
—
—
12
8
—
6
—
13
17
—
30
26
31
—
24
—
13
25
—
64
63
65
—
67
—
84
54
—
30
25
35
—
22
—
18
22
—
52
43
52
—
55
—
24
49
—
22
5
13
—
14
—
24
12
—
35
33
46
—
42
—
22
37
14
11
62
47
6
12
26
14
70
57
25
12
58
31
16
6
45
26
13
15
62
58
7
7
25
21
68
67
24
21
58
45
15
12
45
36
12
14
44
61
12
7
17
25
54
69
15
23
36
54
9
15
27
43
12
15
54
64
8
6
23
27
67
70
22
29
52
57
13
22
41
49
12
10
3
26
16
15
16
14
12
25
19
53
53
43
65
72
70
61
55
63
75
72
4
11
0
2
4
7
9
9
5
15
7
21
22
9
19
21
32
45
26
15
49
—
55
60
56
62
74
79
92
57
70
94
—
24
30
33
36
13
26
11
28
18
14
—
37
68
41
41
46
60
58
69
41
51
—
20
24
24
17
16
17
15
8
8
3
—
60
27
47
44
39
57
48
54
15
43
—
13
60
7
23
67
22
52
14
41
Race/ethnicity or international
American Indian or Alaska Native
Asian
Black or African American
Hispanic or Latino
Native Hawaiian/Other Pac. Islander
White
Other
Foreign or nonresident alien
Two or more races/ethnicities
Age
Traditional (FY < 21, Seniors < 25):
Nontraditional (FY 21+, Seniors 25+)
First-generationb
Not first-generation
First-generation
Enrollment
Part-time
Full-time
Residence
Living off campus
Living on campus
Major categoryc
Arts & humanities
Biological sciences, agriculture, natural res.
Physical sciences, math, computer science
Social sciences
Business
Communications, media, public relations
Education
Engineering
Health professions
Social service professions
Undecided/undeclared
Overall
Notes: Results unweighted, except for overall percentages which are weighted by gender and enrollment status.
a. Percentage of students who responded "Done or in progress" for all HIPs except service-learning, where they reported at least "Some" of their courses included a community-based project.
Gender, enrollment status, and race/ethnicity are institution-reported variables. Percentages are not reported (—) for row categories containing fewer than 10 students.
b. Neither parent holds a bachelor's degree.
c. These are NSSE's default related-major categories, based on students' first reported majors. Institution-customized major categories will be included on the Major Field Report, to be
released in the fall. Excludes majors categorized as "all other."
8 • NSSE 2013 HIGH-IMPACT PRACTICES