Updated NSSE survey coming in 2013!
We are pleased to announce that an updated version of NSSE – NSSE 2.0 – will launch in 2013. The survey will be released on June 4, 2012 to coincide with the Annual Forum of the Association for Institutional Research. The update will maintain NSSE’s signature focus on providing diagnostic and actionable information related to engagement in effective educational practice, while incorporating what we have learned from more than a decade of research and experience with NSSE.
Look for the following in the updated NSSE instrument:
- Refinements of existing measures and scales, including NSSE benchmarks
- New measures related to effective teaching and learning
- Improved clarity and applicability of survey language, including terms related to online instruction
- Updated terminology, primarily related to technology
The enhancements planned for NSSE reflect our continued commitment to improve and respond to contemporary assessment needs. NSSE 2.0 will advance institutional improvement efforts as it will be built upon both institutional feedback and recent advances in educational and survey research.
Consider the implications of this transition, and review your participation and analysis plans.
Plan Ahead!
2012 will be the last year of the current survey. At some point even the best surveys must be revised and updated, affecting multi-year analyses such as trend studies or pre-post designs. Many measures on the current survey, including benchmarks and individual survey items, are likely to change in 2013. This means trend lines will be interrupted and multi-year results will be less comparable across the two versions. We encourage institutions to consider the implications of this transition and review their plans for participation and multi-year analysis. NSSE staff members are available to consult on these issues, so let us know what we can do to help.
View the archived Webinar, NSSE 2.0 – What to Expect in 2013, recorded on March 6, 2013, to learn more.
Why Update?
Long-time NSSE participants may recall that NSSE was updated regularly in the early years. Starting in 2005, however, we kept the survey largely unchanged as a practical matter for institutions to facilitate year-to-year comparisons. Our intention has been to roll out major updates at longer-term intervals, such as will happen in 2013. This approach balances the need of institutions to have year-to-year comparisons with NSSE’s need to respond periodically to changes in the higher education landscape, informed by a methodical research and development process.
Higher education is constantly changing, and it is important for NSSE to stay relevant to the most salient issues and priorities of institutional assessment and research.
After a decade in the field, we know more about what matters to student success, institutional improvement efforts, and about the NSSE survey itself. At the same time, NSSE must stay relevant to current issues and concerns. Higher education is constantly changing, with increasing demands for diagnostic and actionable data, and rapid adoption of new technologies for learning, distance learning programs, faculty development, high-impact practices, diverse and global curriculum development, and so on. An updated survey will respond to these developments and ensure that NSSE continues to provide institutions with the best available information regarding student engagement.
NSSE 2.0 Development
A multi-year process of planning and testing is well underway. This process is scholarly, rigorous, and collaborative, and involves:
- Consulting with campus users and a variety of field experts
- Gathering ideas and feedback from other interested partners
- Examining NSSE’s psychometric properties, including six years of experimental items
- Conducting cognitive interviews and focus groups with students
- Pilot testing in 2011 and 2012.
Share Your Ideas and Feedback
Opportunities to contribute to NSSE 2.0’s development are available. Here’s how:
- Share your ideas, feedback, and questions in the comment box at the right side of this page, e-mail us at nsse2013@indiana.edu, or call 812-856-5824. We look forward to seeing your ideas and suggestions.
- Meet us in person at a scheduled meeting or event. The Special Meetings and Events box at right will be continually updated with upcoming workshops, webinars, special meetings at national conferences, and so on.
