By: Kristy Firebaugh, Assistant Vice Provost, Student Success & Leslie Cramblet Alvarez, Assistant Vice Provost, Teaching and Learning
What is NSSE?
In spring 2024, DU participated in the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE), (pronounced “Nessie”) which collects information about undergraduate first-year and senior students’ participation in programs and activities that contribute to engagement and thriving. NSSE is administered every 2-3 years at DU, and the current results include comparison data going back to 2014. It compares first-year students to senior students at the same snapshot of time (in this case spring 2024) and compares DU students to students at similar institutions.
These results provide a window into what our students are telling us about their experiences at DU, how those experiences compare to students at similar schools, and how student responses have changed over time. Of particular relevance to faculty is that this survey focuses heavily on students’ learning and classroom experiences.
NSSE structures their survey around four major themes, each of which include multiple engagement indicators:
What are some relevant findings?
- Overall Satisfaction: Seniors rate their entire educational experience lower than first-year students do.
- Higher-order Learning: In both their first year and senior year, students report in high numbers that their coursework emphasized higher-order learning (such as applying knowledge to practical problems or new situations; analyzing a line of reasoning in depth by examining its parts; or evaluating a point of view, decision, or information source).
- Learning Strategies: Both first year students and seniors are spending less and less time preparing for class and reading for class over the last ten years.
- Collaborative Learning: Both first year students and seniors are spending less time learning collaboratively and having discussions with diverse others than they did ten years ago (though there are some increases in these areas from a low point in 2021).
What does all this mean?
Keeping in mind that only 14% of first-year and 11% senior DU students completed the NSSE, it’s hard to make sweeping conclusions (though we do know that these response rates are high enough to use the data to inform our understanding of student experiences). However, we can celebrate where we see good news—courses are emphasizing higher-order thinking and both first-years and seniors are reporting this. And, we can reflect on areas where there might be space for growth. For example, if you’re noticing students as less prepared for class than they were in the past, you’re not just imagining things. NSSE data tells us that this is, in fact, the case. So then, what is actionable about this information that can help create supportive learning environments that set our students up for success?
How can we connect this information to our teaching practices?
When it comes to the finding about preparation and study strategies, if students are less prepared, are there small adjustments that can be made like explicit instruction about how to succeed in class? Are there plenty of formative assessment opportunities that encourage frequent studying in preparation for larger, summative assessments later on?
When it comes to collaborative learning and discussions with diverse others, are you offering opportunities to learn and discuss together? If not, are there small changes that will allow students to engage across difference? Are you setting up course expectations in a way that encourages dialogue and establishes conversation norms like ground rules?
The NSSE helps us make some concrete connections to teaching practice and overall student feedback.
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 our upcoming series of 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.
