NSEE: A New Way of Assessing Student Learning

The acronym—pronounced “Nessie”—sounds identical to the nickname for the Loch Ness monster. But the National Survey of Student Engagement is no mystery. Instead, the poll is a welcome addition to the many assessment measures used in higher education.

NSSE is unique in that it gauges to what extent students use the resources institutions provide for learning and development. The survey includes 41 questions—from how often students have asked questions in class to how involved they are in such activities as internships and community service. “NSSE is giving schools insight into the student experience that they don’t have from other institutional data,” says NSSE developer George Kuh, professor of higher education and associate dean of the faculties at Indiana University at Bloomington.

NSSE is a heavy hitter on the assessment front. A “who’s who” of organizations funds the project: the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, the Pew Forum on undergraduate Learning, Indiana University, the Lumina Foundation for Education, and the Pew Charitable Trusts. In addition, U.S. News & World Report recently began incorporating NSSE findings into its annual survey of colleges.

In both 2001 and 2002, Lewis & Clark first-year students and seniors participated in the survey. Students are asked questions in five cluster areas called “benchmarks.” These are: 1) level of academic challenge, 2) active and collaborative learning, 3) student interactions with faculty members, 4) enriching educational experiences, and 5) supportive campus environment.

In both study years, Lewis & Clark students demonstrated their satisfaction with their undergraduate experience. In the 2002 survey, more than 68 percent of first-year students and more than 56 percent of seniors said that Lewis & Clark provides enriching educational experiences. (The national average is 56 percent for first-year students and 48 percent for seniors.)

Additional highlights from the 2002 report include:

• Fifty-eight percent of first-year students and nearly 62 percent of seniors found the College offered challenging intellectual and creative work to promote high levels of student achievement (compared with national figures of 53 percent and 57 percent, respectively).

• Forty-six percent of first-year students and 49 percent of seniors found the College gave them an environment of active collaborative learning where they are intensely involved with their education and collaborate with others in problem solving or discussions (compared with national figures of 41 percent and 49 percent).

• Nearly 40 percent of first-year students and nearly 50 percent of seniors interact with faculty members inside and outside the classroom, setting the stage for continuous, lifelong learning (compared with national figures of 36 percent and 43 percent).

To protect students from “survey fatigue,” the College didn’t conduct NSSE in 2003. However, plans are in the works to administer it again in 2004 and to measure progress.

“The most important thing about NSSE is not the comparisons with other colleges,” says Jay Beaman, director of institutional research. “It’s how we use our NSSE results to bring about internal improvement.”