NSSE and the College of
Letters and Sciences
Chris Fastnow
Office of Planning and
Analysis
November 7, 2008
An Introduction:
NSSE and the Concept of
Student Engagement
What is Student Engagement?
• What students do -- time and energy
devoted to educationally purposeful
activities
• What institutions do -- using effective
educational practices to induce students to
do the right things
• Educationally effective institutions channel
student energy toward the right activities
Seven Principles of Good Practice in
Undergraduate Education
(Chickering & Gamson, 1987; Pascarella & Terenzini, 2005)







Student-faculty contact
Active learning
Prompt feedback
Time on task
High expectations
Experiences with diversity
Cooperation among
students
National Survey of
Student Engagement
College student survey that assesses the extent
to which students engage in educational
practices associated with high levels of
learning and development
NSSE Survey Content
Student Behaviors in College
Institutional Actions
And Requirements
Student Reactions to College
Student Background
Information
Student Learning
& Development
NSSE 2008 Respondents
by Race and Ethnicity
NSSE 2008
Respondents
NSSE 2008
Population
MSU
Respondents
MSU
Population
National
African American/Black
9%
12%
0%
0%
12%
Amer Indian/Alaska Native
1%
1%
2%
3%
1%
Asian/Asian Amer/Pacific Islander
6%
7%
2%
1%
7%
76%
69%
87%
89%
67%
Hispanic
7%
9%
2%
1%
10%
Other
2%
2%
1%
3%
-
<1%
<1%
2%
-
-
5%
2%
2%
1%
3%
Caucasian/White
Multiracial/Ethnic
International
Totals may not sum to 100% due to rounding. NSSE 2008 population data are provided by
participating institutions. U.S. percentages are unweighted and based on data from the 2007 IPEDS
Institutional Characteristics and Enrollment File. IPEDS and NSSE categories for race and ethnicity
differ. Percentages exclude students whose ethnicity was unknown or not provided.
NSSE 2008 Survey
Population and Respondents
 More than 1.4 million
students were invited to
participate in NSSE 2008,
with 478,079 responding
 3,157 students were
invited to participate,
with 1074 responding
NSSE 2008 Response Rates
 MSU’s response rate = 34%
(up from 25% in 2007
Average Institutional Response Rates
 37% for all NSSE 2008 institutions
 39% for Web-only institutions
BENCHMARK SCORES
NSSE Indicators of
Effective Educational Practice
Active &
Collaborative
Learning
Level of Academic
Challenge
Enriching
Educational
Experiences
Student – Faculty
Interaction
Supportive
Campus
Environment
Level of Academic Challenge
(2008)
100
90
80
70
60
50
51.6
52.9
MSU First Year
Peer First Year
55.3
54.7
MSU Senior
Peer Senior
40
30
20
10
0
Active and Collaborative Learning
(2008)
100
90
80
70
60
50
40
50.7
41.5
40.1
MSU First Year
Peer First Year
47.6
30
20
10
0
MSU Senior
Peer Senior
Student-Faculty Interaction
(2008)
100
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
30.4
32.1
MSU First Year
Peer First Year
39.2
40.8
MSU Senior
Peer Senior
20
10
0
Enriching Educational Experiences
(2008)
100
90
80
70
60
50
42.4
36.3
40
30
20
28.6
21.7
10
0
MSU First Year
Peer First Year
MSU Senior
Peer Senior
Supportive Campus Environment
(2008)
100
90
80
70
60
56.3
60.1
52.5
55.6
50
40
30
20
10
0
MSU First Year
Peer First Year
MSU Senior
Peer Senior
SUMMARY QUESTIONS
To what extent has your experience at MSU contributed to
your knowledge, skills, and personal development in the
following areas?
(1= very little, 4 = very much)
MSU 1st
Year
Peer 1st
Year
MSU
Senior
Peer
Senior
2.99
3.23
*
3.08
3.28
*
2.64
2.82
*
2.99
3.00

Writing clearly and effectively
2.82
2.95
*
2.90
3.02
*
Speaking clearly and effectively
2.65
2.74
*
2.79
2.89

Thinking critically and analytically
3.08
3.21
*
3.32
3.31
Analyzing quantitative problems
2.88
2.99
*
3.14
3.01
*
Using computing and information
technology
2.83
3.07
*
3.26
3.19

Working effectively with others
2.81
2.96
*
3.05
3.10

Acquiring a broad general education
Acquiring job or work-related
knowledge and skills
To what extent has your experience at MSU contributed to
your knowledge, skills, and personal development in the
following areas?
(1= very little, 4 = very much)
MSU 1st
Year
Peer 1st
Year
MSU
Senior
Peer
Senior
Learning effectively on your own
2.72
2.99
*
2.90
3.03
*
Understanding yourself
2.54
2.78
*
2.54
2.81
*
Solving complex real-world problems
2.51
2.68
*
2.70
2.74
Voting in local, state, or national
elections
1.81
2.26
*
1.85
2.10
*
Understanding people of other racial
and ethnic backgrounds
2.25
2.66
*
2.17
2.57
*
Developing a personal code of values
and ethics
2.37
2.66
*
2.40
2.60
*
Contributing to the welfare of your
community
2.15
2.45
*
2.17
2.37
*
Developing a deepened sense of
spirituality
1.80
1.99
*
1.54
1.73
*
Overall, how would you evaluate the quality of
academic advising you have received at MSU?
(1=poor, 4=excellent)
4
3
3.02
2.84
2.60
2.73
2
1
MSU First Year
Peer First Year
MSU Senior
Peer Senior
How would you evaluate your entire
educational experience at this institution?
(1=poor, 4=excellent)
4
3.26
3
3.05
3.06
3.23
2
1
MSU First Year
Peer First Year
MSU Senior
Peer Senior
If you could start over again, would you go to
the same institution you are now attending?
(1=definitely no, 4=definitely yes)
4
3.25
3.36
3.14
3.29
3
2
1
MSU First Year
Peer First Year
MSU Senior
Peer Senior