The National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) is an annual survey of first-year and senior students. The NSSE instrument measures the degree to which students participate in educational practices that prior research shows are linked to valued outcomes of college
NSSE surveyed the relationships between participating in learning communities and student engagement in a range of educationally purposeful activities at 365 four-year institutions
They found:
- Experience with a learning community is associated with higher levels of academic effort, academic integration, and active and collaborative learning.
- Learning communities are positively linked with more frequently interacting with faculty members, engaging in diversity-related activities
- Learning communities are also positively associated with student gains in personal and social development, practical competence, and general education.
- Students in learning communities also were more positive about the quality of academic advising and the degree to which their campus was supportive of their academic and social needs, and generally more satisfied with their college experience.
http://www.nsse.indiana.edu/pdf/research_papers/Zhao_Kuh_Learning_Communities.pdf