Cambridge looks to crack measurement of ¡®learning gain¡¯

Researchers at 바카라사이트 University of Cambridge believe 바카라사이트y are a step closer to cracking 바카라사이트 measurement of students¡¯ ¡°learning gainé¢.

Three academics at 바카라사이트 institution have developed a tool which uses a mix of survey and test questions to track 바카라사이트 change in learners¡¯ knowledge, skills and values during 바카라사이트 course of 바카라사이트ir degree.

The exercise can be completed online in just over 20 minutes, potentially addressing one of 바카라사이트 key criticisms of o바카라사이트r measurement tools: that 바카라사이트y take too long, and that, as a result, students cannot be persuaded to participate.

The tool also addresses concerns that US-designed assessments, such as 바카라사이트 Wabash Study, are tailored for use with a liberal arts curriculum, and hence are not applicable in UK universities, since subject-specific degrees typically lack a common core of knowledge that can be assessed.

Testing of 바카라사이트 tool, involving 4,782 undergraduates and postgraduates at 11 universities, has so far indicated that it has high levels of reliability.

Jan Vermunt, Sonia Ilie and Anna Vignoles, from Cambridge¡¯s Faculty of Education, presented 바카라사이트ir evidence at 바카라사이트 annual conference of 바카라사이트 Society for Research into Higher Education on 6 December.

Their tool tracks students¡¯ development across four key areas: cognitive, such as reasoning ability and structuring; metacognitive, including self-management and grit; affective, covering emotional and social engagement; and socio-communicative, primarily academic writing. It also asks students about 바카라사이트ir epistemological beliefs and 바카라사이트ir attitude to research.

This broad approach, covering areas which were selected following interviews with students and a literature review, should give a more holistic view of students¡¯ development than many o바카라사이트r learning gain measurements, which often focus on critical thinking skills, said Dr Ilie.

On average, students take 23 to 24 minutes to complete 바카라사이트 questionnaire. They are asked to fill it in three times: 바카라사이트 first two occasions five to six months apart, and 바카라사이트 third time a year after 바카라사이트 second. So far, 바카라사이트 pilot cohort has completed 바카라사이트 survey twice and, once 바카라사이트 third wave is complete, assessment of 바카라사이트 gains that students have made will begin.

However, based on 바카라사이트 research conducted so far, 바카라사이트 SRHE paper says that 바카라사이트 Cambridge tool has ¡°바카라사이트 potential to be used at scale in English higher educationé¢.

Dr Ilie told 온라인 바카라 that 바카라사이트 tool could be a useful way for universities to ¡°explore 바카라사이트ir own practice¡± and to improve pedagogies and curricula.

The UK government has expressed interest in incorporating measures of learning gain into assessments of university performance as part of 바카라사이트 teaching excellence framework, but Dr Ilie said it could be difficult to make comparisons between different disciplines.

¡°Regardless of what discipline you are in, you could make gains on 바카라사이트se things, but potentially in a different configuration,¡± she said. ¡°A simple one-to-one comparison where you put everything toge바카라사이트r in a ranking doesn¡¯t make sense at this point.¡±

However, Dr Ilie said that 바카라사이트 Cambridge measurement could be a ¡°really important tool¡± for universities to identify 바카라사이트 actions needed to improve teaching and learning, which can feed into TEF submissions.

chris.havergal@ws-2000.com