Identifying evidence-informed programming (e.g., strategies, activities, pedagogies) facilitates both the intentional offering of programming that should "work" and the use of the outcomes assessment process to evaluate program effectiveness. Evidence-informed programming is more efficient than unsupported programming because the…

We provide an overview of existing and emerging ways that institutional researchers can leverage National Student Clearinghouse data to expand a culture of data-driven decision-making across campus, with a focus on examples from the field.

Purpose: This article examines the state of progress of evidence-based educational policies in Europe and identifies organizations for the generation and dissemination of evidence. Further, it discusses some of the most relevant challenges facing the development of evidence-informed education policies in Europe. Design/Approach/Methods: This…

As the body of scientific evidence about effective policies and practices grows, so does the need to effectively communicate that evidence to policy-makers and practitioners. Clearinghouses have emerged to facilitate the evidence-based decision-making process for education practitioners. While the results and methods for developing and analyzing…

As the body of scientific evidence about effective policies and practices grows, so does the need to effectively communicate that evidence to policy-makers and practitioners. Clearinghouses have emerged to facilitate the evidence-based decision-making process for education practitioners. While the results and methods for developing and analyzing…

This presentation will discuss quality appraisal methods for assessing research studies used in systematic reviews, research syntheses, and evidence-based practice repositories such as the What Works Clearinghouse. The different ways that the methodological rigor and risk of bias of primary studies included in syntheses is assessed means that…

For transfer students, the transfer of credit between institutions creates a barrier to graduation as students' time and money is ultimately wasted when courses do not successfully transfer as credit applicable toward degree requirements at the receiving institution. Understanding the extent to which courses at your institution transfer to other…

The What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) aims to synthesize and disseminate the results of high-quality education research on areas of significant public interest. The WWC has come to serve as a concrete example of the growing willingness of the federal government to shape both the topic and methods chosen by researchers. However, the scope of research…

This article explores the promises and pitfalls of using National Student Clearinghouse (NSC) data to measure a variety of postsecondary outcomes. We first describe the history of the NSC, the basic structure of its data, and recent research interest in using NSC data. Second, using information from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data…

Students, policymakers and institutions all need to have high quality data about how today's students access and pay for higher education--and what contributes to their success. But the data that are available now are woefully inadequate. We need to improve the national postsecondary data infrastructure The report thoroughly explores seven options…

This article provides an overview of current practice and essential infrastructure of campus community engagement centers in their efforts to establish and advance community engagement as part of the college experience. The authors identified key characteristics and the prevalence of activities of community engagement centers at engaged campuses…

This paper reports on progress to date with a project underway in New Zealand involving the extraction of data from multiple government agencies that is then combined into one comprehensive longitudinal integrated dataset and made available to trial participants in a way never previously thought possible. The dataset includes school leaver…

This report summarizes the "first academic year of data (2010- 2011) pooled through a new international data infrastructure. When reading this report, please keep the following points in mind: (1) This data set describes college students seeking treatment in 97 counseling centers; (2) For a comparative data-set on the general college student…

The prominence of discourse on postsecondary degree completion, student persistence, and retention has increased in the national dialogue. Heightened attention to college completion rates by the federal government and pressure to tie state funding to performance metrics associated with graduation rates are catalysts for the discussion.…

The Southern Regional Education Board (SREB)-State Data Exchange is a cooperative effort of the SREB and the statewide higher education governing and coordinating boards in the South. Founded in 1969-1970, it is one of the nation's oldest, most comprehensive sources of comparative data on public higher education. The Data Exchange annually…