CCSSE provides colleges with student-reported information about the academic, social, and support experiences of students who have progressed beyond the earliest weeks of college.
Results help colleges understand where students are actively engaged in their learning, where they are receiving effective support, and where barriers or differences in the student experience may require attention.
Academic Challenge and Learning
Colleges gain insight into the academic expectations students encounter, including:
The amount and complexity of their academic work
The extent to which courses emphasize analysis, problem-solving, and application
The knowledge, skills, and confidence students believe they are gaining
Active and Collaborative Learning
CCSSE helps colleges understand how actively students participate in learning, including:
Contributing to discussions and making presentations
Working with other students during and outside of class
Applying course content through projects, service learning, and other experiences
Student Effort and Outside Responsibilities
Colleges learn how students spend their time and what may affect their progress, including:
Time spent preparing for class and meeting instructors’ expectations
Work, caregiving, commuting, and other responsibilities
Financial and personal circumstances that may interfere with enrollment or coursework
Student-Faculty Interaction
CCSSE provides information about students’ interactions with instructors, including:
Discussing grades, assignments, and course content
Receiving feedback on their academic performance
Discussing education and career plans and receiving support from instructors
Advising, Support, and the College Environment
Colleges gain insight into how students navigate college and experience institutional support, including:
Academic goals, planning, advising, and understanding program requirements
Awareness and use of academic, financial, career, and student support services
Relationships, belonging, and whether students feel welcomed and supported
Differences in the Student Experience
CCSSE results allow colleges to:
Examine findings across available student characteristics and enrollment patterns
Identify groups that may need stronger connections, clearer information, or additional support
Compare institutional results with similar colleges and the CCSSE Cohort
Using CCSSE Results
Colleges can use CCSSE results to:
Identify strengths and gaps in the student experience
Support conversations among faculty, staff, and college leaders
Inform strategic planning, accreditation, and institutional improvement
Strengthen teaching, advising, and student support
Monitor changes across administrations and connect engagement with persistence and completion efforts
The Research Behind CCSSE
In 2006, CCCSE completed a major validation research study on the version of the CCSSE instrument that was administered from 2005 to 2016. This study examines the relationship between student engagement and community college student outcomes. While the connection between student engagement and student success has been emphasized in a number of major studies and reports on the undergraduate experience, the extant literature has focused almost exclusively on students in four-year colleges and universities — until now. This report on a three-pronged collection of studies validates the relationships between student engagement and a variety of student outcomes in community colleges — including academic performance, persistence, and attainment.
Student Engagement and Student Outcomes: Key Findings from CCSSE Validation Research
Working Paper: CCSSE Validation Research 2006
For information about the research related to the items on CCSSE, view the Annotated Bibliography.
