The National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) collects information from first-year and听senior students at participating baccalaureate-granting institutions in the United States and Canada.听 NSSE is used by institutions听to measure of the extent to which students engage in effective educational practices linked to learning, professional development, and other outcomes such as persistence, satisfaction and graduation.听 Cape Breton University first participated in NSSE in 2011.
At Cape Breton University, NSSE results are used in institutional planning and reviews.听 NSSE reports allow the comparison of results听with similar institutions regionally, as well as nation-wide.听 Internally, programmatic differences allow the identification of strengths and opportunities.听 NSSE data has been used to assess such things as supports to students, campus life, quality of relationships, and quality of the learning experience.
The tables below provide summary NSSE results for CBU in the form of three different reports:
NSSE Snapshot 鈥�听The snapshot is a concise collection of key findings from a given administration, with summary comparisons between CBU and other participating Canadian universities.
NSSE Engagement Indicators 鈥�听The NSSE Engagement Indicators combine results from related survey items to offer information about 10 distinct aspects of student engagement:听Higher Order Learning, Reflective and Integrative Learning, Learning Strategies, Quantitative Reasoning, Collaborative Learning, Discussions with Diverse Others, Student-Faculty Interaction, Effective Teaching Practices, Quality of Interactions, and Supportive Environment.
NSSE High Impact Practices (HIPs) 鈥�听High Impact Practices have been identified as being particularly effective in promoting student learning and retention.听 HIPs demand considerable time and effort, facilitate learning outside the classroom, require meaningful interactions with faculty and students, encourage collaborations with diverse others, and provide frequent and substantive feedback.听 It is recommended that institutions aim for all students to participate in at least two HIPs over the course of their undergraduate experience.
Significant changes were made to the NSSE instrument in 2013. Prior to this, NSSE results were reported in the form of five听Benchmarks of Effective Educational Practice:听Level of Academic Challenge, Active and Collaborative Learning, Student-Faculty Interaction, Enriching Educational Experiences, and Supportive Campus Environment.
