Pulse Survey Approach: Immediate, Actionable Data to Promote Student Success

Abstract

Assessment data play a crucial role in facilitating informed decision-making. In the context of student affairs professionals aiming to empirically demonstrate the significance of connection, belonging, and wellness within a holistic campus learning environment, the need for formative data is becoming increasingly valuable. The article outlines standard characteristics that define the format and principles of pulse surveys for data collection to establish a theoretical framework that prioritizes student needs while providing actionable data to decision-makers. A pulse survey is defined and operationalized as a concise, frequent, consistent set of questions that can be efficiently distributed, answered, and analyzed to support real-time decision-making. A single-site case study is presented, drawing upon two years of data to illustrate the outcomes of a pulse-based assessment approach. The findings from this study are discussed within the context of existing literature and the theoretical framework, addressing challenges, opportunities, and implementation considerations associated with pulse surveys.