Evidence of Impact: The Use of Engagement Data in Undergraduate Research Program Planning

The benefits of participation in undergraduate research and other learning communities to student development, retention, and enrollment in pro- fessional or graduate school are well established. However, little systematic research has been conducted that establishes differences in the level of student engagement among undergraduate researchers when compared to their undergraduate student counterparts. The construct of engagement is now strongly seated in the lexicon of higher education and its relationship with effective educational practices is well documented. This presentation will report the results of a study, in a large four-year research institution, designed to ask whether junior and senior level students involved in undergraduate research will show higher levels of engagement compared to a control group comprised of a random sample of seniors. The usefulness of the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) as a measure to provide evidence of the value of participation in student learning communities such as undergrad- uate research will be described. The presentation will emphasize the practical application of NSSE results for program improvement and enrichment of the undergraduate student experience. This session is useful to the professional interested in documenting the impact of their undergraduate research program