By Stephen Riley, Director of Academic Assessment
Introduction
The National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE, pronounced “Nessie”) 2024 survey results provide insights into undergraduate students’ engagement and learning experiences at DU. For an overview of the NSSE see our previous blog What is NSSE, and what can we learn from it? For this blog, we will focus on one of the key NSSE themes, Academic Challenge, which includes four indicators:
- Higher-Order Learning: Involves applying facts, theories, or methods to practical problems and new situations, analyzing ideas in depth, and evaluating information critically.
- Reflective & Integrative Learning: Focuses on connecting learning to prior experiences, integrating ideas from various sources, and reflecting on personal and societal issues.
- Learning Strategies: Encompasses identifying key information from readings, reviewing notes, and summarizing what has been learned to reinforce understanding.
- Quantitative Reasoning: Involves using numerical information to solve real-world problems, evaluating others’ conclusions based on data, and drawing conclusions from numerical analysis.
These indicators are derived from students’ responses to questions about their coursework and learning activities, rated on a Likert scale from “Very much/often” to “Never.” The survey results help us understand how students are applying their knowledge, integrating learning across contexts, employing effective study strategies, and using quantitative reasoning in their academic work.
What are some relevant findings?
Higher-Order Learning
- Applying Facts, Theories, or Methods: 80% of first-year students reported they very often or often applied facts, theories, or methods to practical problems or new situations.
- Forming New Ideas: Only 69% of first-year students felt they very often or often formed new ideas or understandings from various pieces of information.
Reflective & Integrative Learning
- Connecting Ideas to Prior Experiences: 86% of seniors reported they very often or often connected ideas from their courses to their prior experiences and knowledge.
- Connecting Learning to Societal Issues: Only 69% of seniors felt they very often or often connected their learning to societal problems or issues.
Learning Strategies
- Identifying Key Information: 81% of first-year students reported they very often or often identified key information from reading assignments, but only 64% reviewed notes after class and 69% summarized what they learned in class or from class materials.
- Reviewing and Summarizing: 80% of seniors reported they very often or often identified key information from reading assignments, but only 46% reviewed class notes and 54% summarized what they learned in class or from course materials.
Quantitative Reasoning
- Using Numerical Information: Only 465 of first-year students and 49% of seniors reported they very often or often used numerical information to examine a real-world problem or issue.
- Evaluating Conclusions: Only 44% of first-year students reported they very often or often evaluated what others have concluded from numerical information.
What does all this mean?
It’s encouraging to see that both first-year students and seniors are engaging in higher-order learning, applying facts, theories, and methods to practical problems, and connecting ideas from their courses to their prior experiences. Additionally, students are identifying key information from reading assignments, which is a crucial skill for academic success.
However, there are areas where students could benefit from additional support. For instance, fewer students feel confident in forming new ideas from various pieces of information, connecting their learning to societal issues, and using numerical information to examine real-world problems. Moreover, a significant number of students are not consistently reviewing their notes or summarizing what they have learned. These insights highlight both the strengths and areas for growth in our students’ academic experiences.
Connecting NSSE Findings to Teaching Practices
Effective pedagogy is crucial for enhancing student learning and engagement. Recognizing the significant time constraints faculty face, it’s important to focus on small, manageable changes that can have a big impact on student success. Here are some specific suggestions for improving student learning in each of the four academic challenge indicators, along with relevant resources from the DU Office of Teaching and Learning (OTL).
Higher-Order Learning
- Encourage Application of Concepts: Design assignments that require students to apply theories and methods to real-world problems.
- Promote Critical Thinking: Use case studies and problem-based learning to help students form new ideas from various pieces of information.
Resources:
Reflective & Integrative Learning
- Use Reflective Prompts: Incorporate reflective writing assignments that encourage students to connect course content to their prior experiences and societal issues.
- Integrate ePortfolios: Utilize ePortfolios to help students document and reflect on their learning journey.
Resources:
Learning Strategies
- Teach Study Skills: Provide explicit instruction on effective study strategies, such as note-taking and summarizing.
- Frequent Formative Assessments: Use low-stakes quizzes and in-class activities to encourage regular review and synthesis of course material.
Resources:
Quantitative Reasoning
- Incorporate Data Analysis: Design assignments that require students to analyze and interpret numerical data related to real-world issues.
- Use Real-World Examples: Provide examples of how quantitative reasoning is used in various professions and everyday life.
Resources:
By implementing these small, targeted changes, faculty can enhance student learning and engagement without the need for extensive course redesigns. For more detailed guidance and support, explore the resources available through the DU Office of Teaching and Learning.
What’s next?
Through 2025, OTL and Student Success are excited to dive into the results and dig into each theme to unpack areas of success and growth. Keep an eye out for next blog posts about NSSE to inform your teaching practices!
Already hungry for more?
Comprehensive NSSE reports can be found in the My4D portal. Go to Data Insights – click on “University Reports” on the left hand side. Then click on “University Surveys” along the top. The second tile on the left called “National Survey of Student Engagement” holds all of the PDF reports we received from NSSE. You can also reach out to studentsuccess@du.edu with any questions about the survey results.
