What we're learning about student engagement from NSSE

Abstract

For years, judgments about the quality of the undergraduate experience have turned on evidence about an institution's reputation and resources: students' SAT scores, faculty credentials, library holdings, and so on. But students can be surrounded by impressive resources and not routinely encounter classes or take part in activities that engage them in authentic learning. A more meaningful approach to evaluating an institution is to determine how well it fosters student learning. The National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) was launched upon the premise that to assess the quality of the undergraduate education at an institution, we need good information about student engagement. This article outlines NSSE's evolution, summarizes some of what has been learned so far about engagement patterns of different groups of students, and discusses some of the questions and challenges the NSSE results raise.