ACE > News > Spotlight > Examining National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) Results to Assess the Student Experience (Psychology)

Examining National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) Results to Assess the Student Experience (Psychology)

Every two years, WSU participates in the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) to help assess senior and first-year student engagement in educational practices associated with high levels of learning and development. After each administration, ACE collaborates with WSU’s Office of Institutional Research to disaggregate results by major for undergraduate degree programs and colleges, focusing on responses from seniors, to provide information about the student perspective to help continually improve the learning experience for students.

In 2024, the Psychology Department reviewed 2023 NSSE results from their senior majors across all campuses alongside responses from all WSU seniors. Reviewing these NSSE results helped Psychology faculty examine the student experience in a variety of areas of interest, including:

  • Students’ participation in high impact practices, such as capstone and research experiences
  • Students’ perceived gains in various knowledge, skills, and abilities aligned with Psychology’s program learning outcomes

Additionally, the Psychology faculty compared their NSSE results with the results from their internally developed senior exit survey and other available assessment data as part of a self-study for a comprehensive program review. “Our review of the NSSE data echoed what we learned from our senior exit survey results,” explained Lee Daffin, Psychology’s Associate Chair for Undergraduate Studies. “Both of these measures demonstrate student satisfaction with their development regardless of the campus they are on,” Daffin added.

The process of triangulating self-reported assessment data (to see if the same trends appear) can help increase the validity and credibility of the results. Triangulated findings can also provide more reliable evidence to help program faculty determine strengths and identify opportunities for improvement.

For more information about NSSE at WSU and disaggregated NSSE results for academic programs, see ACE’s NSSE resources. ACE is also available to collaborate with undergraduate degree programs on using NSSE as an indirect measure for program assessment; contact us for additional information.