Using NSSE in Accreditation and Quality Improvement Plans

1. Using NSSE in Accreditation and Quality Improvement Plans Jillian Kinzie NSSE Institute NSSE User Workshop October, 2005

2. Overview • Introduction and Rationale for Using NSSE in Accreditation • NSSE and Regional Accreditation Timelines • Mapping NSSE to Accreditation Standards • Institutional Examples • Discussion of best practices • Questions One of the most common institutional uses of NSSE data is for accreditation.

3. Using NSSE for Public Accountability: Prospective Students Parents Alumni Media Public Accountability Fund- raising Accrediting Bodies State Policy Makers Focus on “Right Things” Governing Boards Performance Indicators

4. Introduction: Using NSSE in Accreditation • Accreditation agencies de-emphasize indicators of institutional resources, and mandate evidence of student learning • Regional and discipline-specific standards encourage use of data in ongoing, strategic reviews of institutional effectiveness and improvement plans

5. Rationale for Using NSSE in Accreditation • Measures effectiveness in key areas of interest • Systematically identifies areas of strength and needs for improvement • Serves as example of documenting assessment efforts • Enables institutions to benchmark against similar and aspirational peer comparison groups • Results reveal widely held assumptions about students and how they use institutional resources to enhance learning • Results are accessible and understandable by various internal and external stakeholders

6. Using NSSE in Accreditation • NSSE as evidence • Provides student learning process and outcomes indicators • Benchmarking • Participation in survey demonstrates ongoing evaluation, institutional improvement, and effectiveness activities • NSSE in quality improvement efforts • Catalyst for institutional action • Guide for improvement plan • Baseline and outcomes measures to assess improvement

7. Types of Measures • Outcomes measures -- Evidence of what students have learned or can do • Process Measures -- Evidence of effective educational activity by students and institutions

8. Benchmarking Two Approaches: • Normative - compares your students’ responses to those of students at other colleges and universities. • Criterion - compares your school’s performance against a predetermined value or level appropriate for your students, given your institutional mission, size, curricular offerings, and so forth. • Longitudinal – compare you student’s scores over time

9. NSSE Accreditation Tool-kit • Background information on using student engagement in accreditation • Customized to each of the six regional accrediting bodies • Complete map of NSSE items to accreditation standards • Vignettes from other institutions on using NSSE in accreditation National Survey of Student Engagement Accreditation Tool-kit Guide to help maximize use of NSSE data for accreditation

10. NSSE and Regional Accreditation Timelines EXAMPLE: Standard Reaffirmation SACS – 10 year cycle • Years 1-4 Preplanning: Review accreditation principles, past reaffirmation materials; prepare Impact Report; Register for & administer NSSE (1 or 2 times) to assess institutional effectiveness and impact [ex. NSSE years 3 & 4] • Year 5 Impact Report due from previous reaffirmation Consider additional NSSE administration (or other assessment tools) • Year 7 Orientation of Accreditation Leadership Team Use NSSE results as evidence for Compliance and to identify areas for institutional engagement and reflection in the QEP • Year 8Compliance Certification due; off-site peer review • Year 9 Quality Enhancement Plan due • Year 10 Reaffirmation decision NSSE administration to demonstrate impact of QEP [NSSE year following full implementation of QEP goals, no later than year 13] • Year 15 Impact Report due

11. NSSE and Regional Accreditation Timelines • Short Cycle • Due in less than three years? • Year one – administer NSSE • Years two and three – review and share NSSE results with internal and external stakeholders • Long Cycle • Seven to Ten Year Cycle • Year one or two – administer NSSE • Year three or four – administer NSSE • Allows time to implement assessment results, review impact

12. NSSE and Regional Accreditation Timelines • Coming up for Reaffirmation in a Year or Two? • September - register for NSSE • Spring - NSSE administered • August - results available • Use the information as a baseline for areas of strength and improvement

13. Accreditation Timeline Considerations • Plan to administer NSSE once, and perhaps twice, to establish baseline data • Develop a communication plan for disseminating data to internal and external audiences and keep them abreast of progress • websites, annual reports, presidential speeches, retreats, student organizations, etc.

14. Developing “Actionable” Plans NSSE and Accreditation • The “Actionable” Plan • 2003: register for NSSE • 2004: administer NSSE (Spring) • 2004- 05: review NSSE results; developed action plan and area of focus • 2005: attend Summer Academy, • 2005-06: refine and implement the action plan • 2006: register for 2007 NSSE (to assess action plan area of focus) • 2007: administer NSSE, determine impact of changes on area of focus • What Cycle has worked for your campus??

15. Mapping NSSE to Accreditation Standards • Begin with an audit of evaluation practices and extant data that can be used for accreditation • Always use multiple sources of data • NSSE can be linked as evidence of meeting certain accreditation standards • NSSE is most meaningful when coupled with other forms of formative and summative evaluation

16. NSSE Items Mapped to HLC – NCA Criteria

17. NSSE Items Mapped to HLC – NCA Criteria

18. Using NSSE for Accreditation: Institutional Examples North Central Association • Lawrence Technological University • Improvement plan included NSSE results which indicated a need to more closely study the types and amounts of required writing • University of Missouri-St. Louis • Self-study included 2000 – 2004 NSSE results to support evidence of compliance with life-long learning

19. Using NSSE for Accreditation: Institutional Examples Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities • Southern Utah University • Used NSSE 2001 and 2002 results to develop self-study for 2003 discipline-specific accreditation • Portland State University • Used online portfolio, filled with bar graphs, to depict peer and aspirational comparisons

20. Using NSSE for Accreditation: Institutional Examples Middle States Commission on Higher Education • Saint Francis University • NSSE data were used to foster academically innovative measures that reflected essential skills indicated in MSA’s Standard 12 (general education) • Shippensburg University • NSSE data were included in the accreditation report to demonstrate compliance with emphasis on ongoing planning and utilization of assessment for institutional renewal (MSA’s Standard 2)

21. Using NSSE for Accreditation: Institutional Examples Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) • Radford University • NSSE 2001 – 2003 results were used to develop the QEP around student engagement and higher levels of performance and learning • Agnes Scott College • Used results from 2002 and 2003 administrations to frame QEP and will administer NSSE in 2006 to assess impact of improvement initiatives in the first year experience

22. Using NSSE for Accreditation: Institutional Examples Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) • California State University, Monterey Bay • NSSE results included as an electronic appendix to a supportive essay submitted for the Educational Effectiveness Review (Standard 2.5) • Chapman University • Used NSSE to illustrate academic programs were designed to facilitate student learning outcomes

23. NSSE and Accreditation Final Thoughts • Results are one direct indicator of what students put into their education and an indirect indicator of what they get out • Items can be used to appraise effectiveness of mission fulfillment • Data are actionable and easily understood by internal and external constituents • Share data widely • Use FSSE to identify areas of strength and to stimulate discussions related to improving teaching and learning

24. Discussion and Comments NSSE Institute Indiana University Center for Postsecondary Research 1900 East 10th Street Eigenmann Hall, Suite 419 Bloomington, IN 47406 Ph: 812-856-5824 Fax: 812-856-5150 nsse@indiana.edu www.iub.edu/~nsse

25. One of the most common institutional uses of NSSE data is for accreditation. But Why?

26. Rationale for Using NSSE in Accreditation • Measures effectiveness in key areas of interest • Systematically identifies areas of strength and needs for improvement • Serves as example of documenting assessment efforts

27. Rationale for Using NSSE in Accreditation (cont’d) • Enables institutions to benchmark against similar and aspirational peer comparison groups • Results reveal widely held assumptions about students and how they use institutional resources to enhance learning • Results are accessible and understandable by various internal and external stakeholders

28. NSSE and Regional Accreditation Timelines EXAMPLE: Standard Reaffirmation WASC – 10 year cycle Preplanning: Register for and administer NSSE Use NSSE to identify areas for institutional engagement and reflection in the proposal and review • Year 1 Proposal approved • Year 1 & 2 Analyze NSSE results, incorporate into Capacity and Prep. Review, demonstrate use of results to improve practice • Year 3 Capacity and Preparatory review Possible second NSSE administration to use in the Educational Effectiveness Review • Year 4 Educational effectiveness review • Year 9 Preparing for new proposal or possible Special Visit Register for and administer NSSE to demonstrate ongoing review or change based on improvement plan • Year 10 Progress report or new proposal submitted

29. Using NSSE for Accreditation: Institutional Examples New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) • Gordon College • Used NSSE results as evidence of learning outcomes and general education achievements (NEASC 4.19) • Plymouth State University • Used NSSE as evidence of institutional assessment activities (NEASC Standard Two) in combination with other sources of data