Student Engagement Survey Research Articles

Investigating student engagement of online experiential learning: a comparison of virtual and in-person winery field trips

ABSTRACT This experimental study investigates the effectiveness of virtual experiential learning in fostering student engagement by comparing the engagement and learning outcomes of two groups of students. One group (n = 69) participated in a virtual field trip to a winery, while the other group (n = 36) completed the field trip in person as part of an undergraduate culinary tourism course. A mixed-method approach was used to collect and triangulate data from a student engagement survey, reflective diaries, and assessment marks, which were analyzed using T-test and ANOVA, thematic analysis and descriptive statistics, respectively. Results showed that experiential learning increased students’ skill and emotional engagement in both groups while having no impact on participation and performance engagement. Skill engagement was significantly higher in the virtual group, while the in-person group scored slightly higher in emotional and performance engagement. Deep learning, however, was only reported by students who completed the in-person field trip.

Assessing the Psychometric Properties of Quality Experience in Undergraduate Research Using Item Response Theory

AbstractUndergraduate research, recognized as one of the High-Impact Practices (HIPs), has demonstrated a positive association with diverse student learning outcomes. Understanding the pivotal quality factors essential for its efficacy is important for enhancing student success. This study evaluates the psychometric properties of survey items employed to gauge the quality of undergraduate research, including alignment with Kuh and O’Donnell’s (2013) eight HIP characteristics, alongside assessments of reliability, validity, and generalizability across demographic groups. The study assesses the validity and reliability of these measures at both the scale and item levels using data from the National Survey of Student Engagement’s (NSSE) HIP Quality Topical Module. The methodological approaches employed include Exploratory Factor Analysis, Parallel Analysis, Item Response Theory, and Differential Item Functioning (DIF). Our findings uncover a misalignment between NSSE’s HIP Quality module items and HIP characteristics, leading to the identification of seven subscales instead of eight. Nevertheless, four subscales—Reflective and Integrative Learning, Real-World Applications, Interactions with Others, and High-Performance Expectations—emerge as valid indicators of undergraduate research experiences. While specific items yield valuable insights at the item level, refinement is recommended for others. Despite the identification of two items exhibiting DIF, their negligible effect sizes suggest that major revisions are unwarranted solely on DIF grounds. This study offers recommendations for item refinement, including the incorporation of new items, wording updates, and tailored utilization of assessment tools within educational institutions. These recommendations are intended to empower educators and researchers to effectively capture the quality dimensions of students’ undergraduate research experiences, thereby fostering their academic success.

Analysis of Extracurricular Programs That Affect College Students' Writing and Speaking Skills

Communication skills such as writing and speaking contribute to learners' satisfaction with school life, academic achievement, and improvement of adaptability. In particular, the extracurricular activities experienced during college affect the acquisition of key qualities necessary for social life. The purpose of this study is to identify the extracurricular programs that affect the writing and speaking ability of college students. To confirm the purpose of this study, data were collected through an online survey conducted from April to May 2022 for current students at 4-year E-University located in Gyeonggi-do. The measurement tool is the Korea-National Survey of Student Engagement (K-NSSE). The Undergraduate Education Satisfaction Survey is a diagnostic tool that can obtain objective information on the quality and performance of undergraduate education by diagnosing undergraduate students' learning participation, learner psychology, high-efficiency program participation, and student performance. For the analysis method, frequency analysis and descriptive statistical analysis were performed. In addition, correlation analysis was performed to examine the validity between variables and to confirm multicollinearity. Finally, multiple regression analysis was performed to verify the influence of the non-examination program on the writing and speaking ability of college students. Results showed that the extracurricular program on the writing ability of college students had an influence in the order of learning mentoring, freshman orientation, professor's research project, and learning community activity. Moreover, the extracurricular program that affected the speaking ability of college students had an influence in the order of learning mentoring, professor's research project, freshman orientation, and learning community activity.

The Effect of Flipped Classroom and Project-Based Learning on Engagement and Learning Outcome in Higher Education

This study aims to determine the impact of the integration of the flipped classroom learning model and project-based learning on student involvement and learning outcomes in multimedia learning. This research is important to fill the gap in empirical data regarding the effectiveness of these learning strategies. The method used is a quasi-experiment design, comparing the experimental group that applies the flipped classroom model and project-based learning with the control group that uses conventional methods and project-based learning. Data collection was carried out through pretest and posttest, as well as student engagement surveys, with one-way ANOVA analysis. The results showed that the experimental class had an average student involvement score of 85.36, an efficacy score of 83.70, and a self-regulated learning score of 79.90. Meanwhile, the control class had an average student engagement of 80.42, an efficacy score of 82.71, and a self-regulated learning score of 77.24. The posttest t-test showed a significance value of 0.035, which was smaller than 0.05 (sig. 0.035 < 0.05), so the null hypothesis (H0) was rejected and the alternative hypothesis (H1) was accepted. This means that there is a significant difference in multimedia learning outcomes between students who use the flipped classroom approach and project-based learning compared to those who follow the conventional model. These results prove that the flipped classroom and project-based learning methods are more effective in improving learning outcomes and student involvement in multimedia learning. These findings provide valuable insights for future learning development.

The paradoxes of U.S. graduate assistantships in education: navigating competing tensions and the impact of stress on graduate wellbeing

Purpose Graduate students employed in graduate teaching and research assistantship positions have a unique experience of the institution because of their status as student-employees. Graduate assistants (GAs) face specific challenges around their well-being as they navigate various relationships and environments throughout their educational trajectory. The purpose of this study is to examine the specific workplace challenges GAs experience and their overall effect on GA wellbeing. Design/methodology/approach This research study examines graduate assistant responses from 12 US research universities to the Faculty Survey of student Engagement for Graduate student Instructors survey. This study’s analysis examined the open-ended responses (n = 493) at the end of the survey that asked participants for additional comments regarding their departmental and/or institutional experiences. Three waves of coding were implemented by the authors to identify common themes and areas of concern on GA working conditions. Findings The findings led to the creation of a concept map on GA working conditions that include three main components: contextual factors, stress and well-being and competing tensions. Within each component are subthemes related to social identity, funding, campus climate, time and priority concerns and assistantship structure and support. The map demonstrates the enmeshed connection across areas. Practical implications Findings suggest institutional investments through programming, system-level changes and interpersonal support to improve GA working conditions and their well-being. Originality/value Research on GA experiences with working conditions and well-being in a US context is limited. This study is valuable because many graduate students who occupy graduate assistantships are asking for increased pay and benefits at their institution. Graduate assistantship labor organizing is occurring alongside institutions’ focus on improving health outcomes for graduate students.

Fostering Digital Communities

As online education expands, fostering digital communities that support networked learning becomes imperative. However, many universities lack comprehensive digital strategies to facilitate engagement and connections in distributed environments. This research examines the development of an inaugural digital master plan at a university where half of the student population is online. Guided by Moore's theory of interactions (1989) and Garrison's Community of Inquiry framework (2017), the plan aimed to enable meaningful student-to-content, student-to-instructor, and student-to-student interactions. The digital master plan was designed to provide high-level guidance on the intentional and purposeful use of the educational technologies, tools, platforms, and systems necessary for a robust online learning experience. It creates a cohesive vision and strategy for the digital learning experience, just as a campus master plan aligns the physical learning spaces. The digital master plan leverages the Community of Inquiry framework as a key reference point in its comprehensive gap analysis. The collaborative process involved multiple methods to assess gaps in the university’s infrastructure including: National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) data, three internal surveys, an external diagnostic analysis and plan, and audits of the learning management system's tools and usage. Quantitative data provided insights into student perceptions, while qualitative findings explored the depth of social relationships and learning networks enabled through digital platforms. Throughout the process, the research team aimed to understand the social learning processes that support how learners develop and utilize technology to learn and foster a sense of belonging (Garrison, 2017). The process harnesses the natural motivations underpinning social network formation - namely information sharing, support seeking, and sense of belonging. Further, it operationalizes these motivations to achieve CoI's high-order learning community goals. Analysis revealed key gaps related to: clearly defining and measuring online student success, expanding engagement opportunities in courses, leveraging technologies to facilitate connections, building a collaborative faculty culture, and improving communication. In response, the final digital master plan put forth five recommendations focused on these priority areas. Implementation and evaluation of digital platforms aligned to the recommendations indicate positive impacts on online students' sense of connectedness, learning experience, and academic performance. This research makes important theoretical and practical contributions by developing a replicable institutional process for assessing and strategically enhancing a digital ecosystem to foster networked learning. The digital master plan provides guidance for the adoption of social technologies and pedagogies to increase community, connectivity, and collaboration. As online education continues to expand, insights from this case study can inform strategic digital planning efforts at other universities striving to overcome transactional distance and cultivate impactful virtual learning communities.

Student Engagement Variations across Institutions and Disciplines: Findings from Azerbaijan

Although student engagement has been a widely researched area known to improve student learning and a topic of scholarly debate for many decades now, this has yet to be the case in Azerbaijan. Data from the National Survey of Student Engagement, conducted among 433 undergraduate students of the 18-23 age range (M = 21.37, SD = 1.43) at eight universities in Azerbaijan, allowed us to examine variations in the conditions meant to foster student engagement, as well as students’ perspectives on improving their educational experiences. Specifically, we looked at differences related to academic challenges, learning with peers, teacher experiences, and campus environment. Student engagement varied across disciplines. Small universities in the capital city provided better collaborative learning conditions. However, students at regional universities were more satisfied with the quality of student-faculty interactions. Nonetheless, students saw a strong need for fundamental changes in higher education in Azerbaijan, focusing on improving the quality of teachers, teaching and the curriculum. The study provided an overview of student engagement variations across institutions and disciplines and how students conceptualise necessary improvements in student experiences. Institutional leaders must understand the variations for seeking essential changes in the HE system to effectively accommodate students’ needs and expectations.

Factors associated with instructor and peer pre-help-seeking interactions among community college students

Community colleges, or 2-year associate-degree granting institutions, tend to enroll large numbers of students deemed misprepared for college-level coursework. Such students may also not be as likely to seek help, a self-regulated activity that is challenging and fraught with social stigma. A key component of active learning and the help-seeking process is social interaction with both peers and instructors throughout the learning process. We conducted structural equation modeling on data from the 2018 Community College Survey of Student Engagement ( N = 17,045 students) to identify the degree to which they engaged in social interactions with instructors and peers and to explore which factors were most predictive of such pre-help-seeking interactions. Various psychological and sociodemographic factors were significantly associated with both instructor and peer interactions. We discuss implications for fostering environments that cultivate active learning interactions and help-seeking cultures.

The fraternity/sorority experience revisted: The relationships between fraternity/sorority membership and student engagment, learning outcomes, grades, and satisfaction with college

Fraternities and sororities are an important part of American higher education. However, some scholars question the value of fraternities and sororities. Recent research on the educational outcomes of fraternity/sorority membership is limited, with more research focused on health and safety issues. The present research addresses the gap in the literature by examining the direct and indirect relationships among fraternity/sorority membership, student engagement, and college outcomes using structural equation modeling and data from the 2017 administration of the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE). Results revealed fraternity/sorority membership had significant, positive direct relationships with student engagement and strong positive indirect relationships with self-reports of learning, and acting through student engagement. Moreover, despite being less diverse than students in general, fraternity/sorority members reported higher levels of interaction with people different from themselves than did other students. In addition, the largest positive effects were generally found for first-year students, arguing against deferring recruitment until the second semester or second year. Membership in a fraternity or sorority was negatively related to self-reported grades, particularly for males and seniors.

Exploring the Peer Tutor Experiential Learning Process

While peer tutoring is a valued experiential activity, little is known about the peer tutoring experience and its relationship to desired 21st century outcomes of college. This paper features the results from a multi-institution study of the characteristics and benefits of peer tutoring for tutors. The National Survey of Student Engagement was administered along with a set of experimental questions specifically designed to interrogate the process of peer tutoring at 30 four-year institutions. In general, peer tutors who identified as seniors in college showed patterns of engagement and gains in learning and personal development that exceeded substantially those of their non-tutor counterparts, especially for those who received training and feedback from supervisors. The findings have implications for tutoring program administrators, experiential educators, and others to enhance the effects of peer tutoring and other experiential learning activities.

Effects of Project-based Learning on Students' Learning Performance and Engagement in Computer Science

Attention has been drawn to the benefits of integrating project-based learning (PjBL) into educational curricula to enhance student engagement. This study investigated how well project-based learning fosters student engagement and achievements in computer science courses. Qualitative and quantitative research methods were used for this experiment. A total of 60 first year undergraduate students included in the study were divided into the two following groups: experimental group (n=30) and control group (n= 30). National Survey of Student Engagement’ (NSSE) based on Coates’ five-dimensional framework theory of student engagement was used to collect the data. The results showed that there was no significant difference in the pretest scores between the experimental group and the control group (p >0.05) before the intervention. However, after the experiment, the post test scores of the experimental group were significantly higher than those of the control group (p <0.01), indicating an improvement in engagement. The mean grades and mean engagement of the experimental group were also higher compared to the control group. The difference in engagement between the experimental group before and after the intervention was statistically significant (Z=-3.522, p <0.05), with the median data after intervention being higher than before. Specifically, students engaged in project-based learning (PjBL) were more actively involved in self-perception and self-worth compared to students in traditional learning settings. These findings suggest that highly contextualized project-based learning has a positive impact on student engagement and achievements.

Convergence Issues for Disability Measures at Public 2-Year Institutions

The purpose of this study is to demonstrate how triangulating responses from the Community College Survey of Student Engagement (CCSSE) with information from the federal Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) exposes data incongruency, specifically when considering the population of students with disabilities at 2-year institutions. Data from 503 CCSSE institutions were aggregated to calculate the average proportion of respondents who use services for students with disabilities, and then were compared to the percent of undergraduates who are formally registered with the institution’s Office of Disability Services, as reported to IPEDS. Pearson correlation coefficients indicated statistically significant relationships, that are yet moderate in strength, between these measures of disability services use (.274 < r < .331), compared to strong correlations of measures of gender, race, and enrollment (.618 < r < .955). These effects indicate an incongruency between measures of disability, compared with other aspects of demography. Accounting for coverage of survey data using a multiple linear regression model did not improve convergence. These findings have implications both for institutional staff to triangulate their data to see if there is a need to review reporting procedures, and for higher education scholars who work with these data to understand the proportion of disabled students in the 2-year sector.

Educational Aspirations of Diverse Groups among Undergraduate Statistics Majors

Understanding the educational aspirations of diverse groups among statistics majors provides insight into the discipline of statistics. This study utilizes multi-institution data from the 2019 and 2020 administrations of the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) to explore educational aspirations for statistics majors through comparisons to other major types as well as among gender identity and race/ethnicity in a sample of 225,892 seniors, including 521 majoring in statistics. Preliminary results from a series of chi-squared analyses suggest that while other STEM majors are more likely to aspire for doctoral or professional degrees, statistics majors are more likely to aspire for a master’s degree. However, among the statistics majors there were no significant differences in educational aspiration by gender identity and race/ethnicity.

Transfer-Intending Women in Computing: An Exploratory Analysis of Trends, Characteristics, and Experiences Shaping Women’s Computing Participation

Objective: Community college transfer pathways are critical for advancing gender equity in STEM. Yet, community college students are often ignored within studies of women’s participation in undergraduate computing. In a first effort to address this gap in the literature, this paper explores the composition of transfer-intending computing students over time (Study One) and gender differences in the characteristics and experiences of transfer-intending computing students (Study Two). Methods: This descriptive paper uses Center for Community College Student Engagement (CCCSE) survey data. Study One relies on a sample of nearly 30,000 transfer aspirants in computing across the United States between 2011 and 2019, allowing us to explore trends over time. Study Two examines a subset of over 9,000 students from the most recent survey cohort, providing a more nuanced snapshot of transfer-intending computing students. Descriptive statistics were used to examine how student experiences differ by gender and race/ethnicity. Results: Study One findings show that women’s representation among transfer-intending computing students has declined over time. Study Two results reveal that, relative to men, women spend more time caregiving, commuting, studying, in student groups, and utilizing advising services, pointing to unique demands on women’s time. We also identify significant differences in how Black and Indigenous women financed their college, relative to other women. Conclusions: While women are underrepresented among transfer-intending computing students, they represent a diverse group to support. We point to recommendations for policy and practice to support transfer-intending women in STEM and future research that considers intersectional identities among this diverse group.

Learning from students: Factors that support student engagement in blended learning environments within and beyond classrooms

Technology is key to making education systems more resilient to disruptions. In the South African higher education sector, technology will continue to play a much larger role than the years preceding the COVID-19 pandemic. Technology, however, cannot replace the value gained through social contact and concerns about relational disengagement in curricular, co-curricular and extra-curricular spaces have been noted. Drawing on large-scale qualitative data collected as part of the South African Survey of Student Engagement, this article explores what students consider as the most important factors in supporting their learning and development and how these factors might be translated to technologically enhanced learning and teaching spaces. Such insights from students’ experiences could inform blended learning and teaching spaces that leverage technology to enhance relational engagement.

That’s your cue: Comparing male and female students’ perceptions of social norms around involvement on campus

Co-curricular activities have been shown to impact many measures of academic success, such as academic self-confidence, leadership abilities, identity development, personal development, and student thriving. Borrowing from established research paradigms on pluralistic ignorance, the current study sought to explore whether first-year and senior students' perceptions of themselves and others vary when it comes to attending and participating in campus activities and whether sex has an impact on those perceptions. Using data from the 2018 National Survey of Student Engagement, the study included 10,512 students attending 33 institutions. The results suggest significant differences across the sexes and within reference group (self vs. other) for attending campus activities and participating in co-curricular activities. These findings can help guide faculty, advisors, and administrators to better understand how students' perceptions of peer co-curricular activities might relate to their own, and how those perceptions might affect their behavior positively and negatively.

Access and Use of Students-Engagement Data to Enhance University Teaching Management

This article addresses the challenge of promoting the access to and use of student engagement and experience information to enhance undergraduate teaching management. The study examines the perceptions of specialists in a sample of universities affiliated with the Chilean Council of Rectors (CRUCH) regarding their capacities to collect, distribute, and utilize data from the National Student Engagement Survey (ENCE by its Spanish acronyms). Findings reveal several gaps and organizational obstacles, alongside good practices and promising opportunities for leveraging information to improve the quality of university education. Conclusions provide guidelines for strengthening information management capabilities and fostering an organizational culture centered around evidence-based-decision-making.

Investigating the Future of ‘Engineer of 2020’ Attributes: Moving from Access to Engagement & Sense of Belonging

Using data from the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE), this study seeks to explore the presence and relevance of NAE’s ‘Engineer of 2020’ competencies and key student learning outcomes (SLOs) among samples of undergraduate engineering majors (UEMs). Data were analysed using a battery of statistical tests assessing UEMs achievement of NAE SLOs, the extent to which SLO achievement in NAE domains influence UEMs’ key outcomes (e.g., grades, satisfaction) and sense of belonging. Follow-up tests explored meaningful differences among groups by race, gender, disability status, to name a few. Implications for future engineering education policy, practice, pedagogy and research are highlighted.

Unlocking Undergraduate Student Success: A Study of High-Impact Practices in a Comprehensive and Diverse College

This study examines undergraduate senior students’ participation in high-impact practices (HIPs) and the relationship of that participation with engagement indicators, perceived gains, and overall satisfaction, as well as institutional outcomes of persistence and graduation based on race/ethnicity, first-generation status, and low-income status. Drawing on multiple years of data from 1,482 undergraduate seniors who completed the 2015 through 2019 National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) and enrolled in a comprehensive four-year state college, this study indicates that HIP participants reported higher levels of engagement, perceived gains, and overall satisfaction. Participation in HIPs is also positively related to improved persistence or graduation, particularly for racially minoritized students. While overall participation patterns were similar regardless of race/ethnicity or first-generation status, low-income students had higher participation rates in HIPs and participated in more kinds of HIPs as compared to their non-low-income counterparts. Implications of implementing and increasing access to HIPs for enhancing student success in similar institutions are discussed.

Relevant, practical and connected to the real world: what higher education students say engages them in the curriculum

ABSTRACT The discourse on preparing job-ready graduates has led to calls for more authentic methods of teaching and learning that allow higher education students to enhance their employability. The literature identifies authentic approaches to teaching as those that situate learning in contexts that correspond to the ‘real world’. However, little is known about whether, or how, students in Irish higher education view their learning as authentic. Drawing on Ireland’s national survey of student engagement, this paper examined the free text responses of 93,743 students over a five-year period when asked what their institutions could do to improve engagement in their learning. Using both an automatic content and manual analysis, it was found that the theme of ‘work’ was strongly represented in the data. Strongly connected to ‘work’ were the concepts ‘real world’, ‘real life’ and ‘group’ with students requesting learning that was relevant, practical, and job- or career-related. While group learning was seen in a positive light, students valued projects that were connected to the world of work. In contrast to the literature, these students don’t frame their narratives in terms of ‘authentic’ learning, rather they speak of learning that has real-world relevance. The paper concludes with suggestions for institutions.