Understanding Student
Engagement at the University of Cincinnati
Presented to the
UC|21 Diversity Task Force
Monday, June 26, 2006
4:00 – 5:30 p.m.
African American Cultural and Research Center
Presented by:
Lee Mortimer
Director, Office of Institutional Research
What is NSSE?
(pronounced “nessie”)
Evaluates the extent to which first-year and
senior students engage in educational practices
associated with high levels of learning and
development
Supported by grants from Lumina Foundation
for Education and the Center of Inquiry in the
Liberal Arts at Wabash College
Co-sponsored by The Carnegie Foundation for
the Advancement of Teaching and the Pew
Forum on Undergraduate Learning
NSSE Project Scope
Almost 1000 distinct Year Colleges/
colleges and Universities
universities
50 states, Puerto 2001 321
Rico, and Canada
2002 366
Data from more than
880,000 students 2003 437
2004 473
2005 529
Survey Administration
Administered to random sample of
first-year & senior students
Paper & Web-based survey
Flexible to accommodate
consortium questions
Multiple follow-ups to increase
response rates
NSSE 2005 Respondent Characteristics
University of Cincinnati
Overall Response Rate
UC 34% (1,186/3,523)
Urban 30% (3,666/12,027)
Doc-Ext 32% (13,314/41,834)
NSSE 2005 37% (98,439/266,532)
NSSE Benchmark Dimensions
Academic Challenge: intellectual/creative work; achievement
emphasizes importance of academic effort
Active and Collaborative Learning: learn more when intensely
involved; apply learning to different settings; work with others
to solve problems/master difficult material
Student-Faculty Interactions: in and out of the classroom;
teachers become role models, mentors, guides to lifelong
learning
Enriching Educational Experiences: complementary learning
opportunities in and out of the classroom
Supportive Campus Environment: institutional commitment to
student success
NSSE 2005 Benchmark
Supportive Campus Environment
First Year Students
60
55.7
55
55.5 55.9 55.7 56.6 54.8
50
45
40 Male Female White Black Other
Gender Ethnicity
NSSE 2005 Benchmark
Active and Collaborative Learning
First Year Students
45
43.0 41.2
40 41.9 41.1
40.5
39.1
35
30 Male Female White Black Other
Gender Ethnicity
NSSE 2005 Benchmark
Student-Faculty Interaction
First Year Students
45
43.8 40.7
40 41.2 42.5
40.2 39.9
35
30
25
Male Female White Black Other
Gender Ethnicity
NSSE 2005 Benchmark
Academic Challenge
First Year Students
55
51.9
51.6 52.2 52.5
50
51.2
48.9
45
40
Male Female White Black Other
Gender Ethnicity
NSSE 2005 Benchmark
Enriching Educational Experiences
First Year Students
40
35
30 31.1 28.6
30.1
27.2 28.3 28.5
25
20
Male Female White Black Other
Gender Ethnicity
NSSE 2005 Benchmark
All Categories Combined
First Year Students
50
45 43.6
43.0 44.3 43.5 44.2 43.7
40
35
Male Female White Black Other
Gender Ethnicity
Summary
While there appears to be differences
in the way women and minorities
report engagement, the results are
rarely statistically significantly
More Data
http://www.uc.edu/institutionalresearch/NSSE/nsse.htm