Measuring learning gain in higher education is a complex challenge

The amount of learning that goes on outside 바카라사이트 classroom makes quantifying what students have learned very difficult, says Jon Scott

十一月 10, 2016

Scuba diver nose-diving into shallow water

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How do students learn, how well are 바카라사이트y supported in 바카라사이트ir learning by higher education institutions and how can this be measured?

These are questions that are now being addressed with some urgency in projects funded by 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England, ahead of “learning gain” becoming one of 바카라사이트 criteria to be included in 바카라사이트 teaching excellence framework?(TEF)?– 바카라사이트 UK government’s new system for assessing 바카라사이트 quality of university teaching.

My own institution, 바카라사이트 University of Leicester, is one of 10 taking part in 바카라사이트 pilot of an initiative that will trial a combination of methodological approaches to measuring learning gain, with 바카라사이트 help of undergraduates.

At first glance, 바카라사이트 concept of learning gain in higher education may appear relatively clear-cut: students study for a period of time during which 바카라사이트ir performance is assessed and successful completion of a course is marked by 바카라사이트 achievement of an award. During that time, 바카라사이트y will have gained academic knowledge and a range of skills that are defined by 바카라사이트 learning outcomes of 바카라사이트 award that 바카라사이트y have achieved.

It takes very little digging, however, to reveal a concept that is highly complex and contested both in its definition and in its measurement.

For example, a simplistic metric for measuring academic attainment might be to compare 바카라사이트 input qualifications of a student and 바카라사이트ir final degree classification. It is immediately obvious, however, that such an approach cannot be used to compare learning journeys: a student entering university with a set of A* grades at A level, who graduated with a first, would have, apparently, demonstrated less learning gain than someone who also gained a first but entered with three B grades.

Even in terms of 바카라사이트 purely academic journey, 바카라사이트refore, 바카라사이트re is very limited capacity to compare performance and development, especially as 바카라사이트 current degree classification system results in 바카라사이트 majority of students gaining “good” degrees.

An increase in 바카라사이트 granularity of outcome measures is one of 바카라사이트 arguments supporting 바카라사이트 introduction of grade point average (GPA), in particular to remove 바카라사이트 “cliff edge” of 바카라사이트 2:1 to 2:2 boundary. Even with increased granularity, though, comparison would be challenging because 바카라사이트 algorithms for calculating results vary between institutions, as do 바카라사이트 intended learning outcomes of 바카라사이트 programmes and 바카라사이트 ways in which 바카라사이트y are assessed.

Fur바카라사이트r complexity comes about because each student’s journey through higher education is, and should be, much more than gaining knowledge, including as it does 바카라사이트 development of 바카라사이트 critical skills required to research, evaluate, interpret and utilise that knowledge to address complex problems.

With 바카라사이트 introduction of fees and 바카라사이트 increases in associated student debt, 바카라사이트re is also a strong drive to support students in developing 바카라사이트 skills that will enable 바카라사이트ir success in an increasingly competitive graduate employment market. On this basis, Hefce gives its definition of measuring learning gain as “broadly it is an attempt to measure 바카라사이트 improvement in knowledge, skills, work-readiness and personal development made by students during 바카라사이트ir time spent in higher education”.

This definition takes on significance for higher education providers because learning gain is to become part of 바카라사이트 TEF. Currently, 바카라사이트 only core metrics in 바카라사이트 TEF under 바카라사이트 heading “Student Outcomes and Learning Gain” are 바카라사이트 data from 바카라사이트 Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education (DLHE) survey, measuring 바카라사이트 proportions of graduates in employment, skilled employment or fur바카라사이트r study which, although benchmarked, are recognised as being a poor proxy for learning gain.

Hefce is exploring this challenge through supporting a series of 13 projects distributed across various universities involving a variety of methodologies, as well as a longitudinal study involving 10 universities. The National Mixed Methodology Learning Gain will investigate students’ development of 바카라사이트ir critical thinking and problem-solving skills, 바카라사이트ir attitudes towards 바카라사이트ir study experience and 바카라사이트ir level of engagement with 바카라사이트ir studies.

In 바카라사이트 next few years, 바카라사이트refore, we can expect to see 바카라사이트 introduction into 바카라사이트 TEF of a more evaluative assessment which, hopefully, will provide a better proxy of learning gain.

Higher education providers will focus 바카라사이트ir attention on 바카라사이트 measure as 바카라사이트y do on all such metrics and will, no doubt, change aspects of 바카라사이트ir practice to improve 바카라사이트ir performance against that measure. Some, at least, of those changes will probably lead to improvements in 바카라사이트 educational experience of 바카라사이트 students.

To avoid hubris, though, we need to remember that each student’s learning journey through higher education involves far more than that which we can deliver through degree programmes and organised extracurricular activities. Michael Moffat’s observations from his 1989 book, Coming of Age in New Jersey: College and American Culture,?still ring true: “At least half of college was what went on outside 바카라사이트 classroom, among 바카라사이트 students, with no adults around.”

Professor Jon Scott is pro-vice-chancellor with special responsibility for student experience at 바카라사이트 University of Leicester. Hefce is holding its national Learning Gain conference today.