N.S.S.E.
National Survey of Student Engagement
Overview: The Pew Charitable Trusts convened a working group of higher education leaders in 1998 to discuss college ranking systems. One conclusion of the group was that results of a survey of undergraduate quality, if available, could provide colleges and universitie--as well as a potential range of stakeholders--with far more valuable information about institutional quality than established measures of reputation.This initiative, now known as the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE), is designed to query undergraduates directly about their educational experiences.
An extensive research literature relates particular classroom activities and specific faculty and peer practices to high-quality undergraduate student outcomes. For example, we know that level of challenge and time on task are positively related to persistence and subsequent success in college. Another conclusion of this body of research is that the degree to which students are engaged in their studies impacts directly on the quality of student learning and their overall educational experience. NSSE is administered by the Indiana University Center for Postsecondary Research.
Use at WC: Westminster freshmen and senior students completed the NSSE for the first time in 2003. NSSE is now completed each spring semester.