England¡¯s ?4?million learning gain investment ¡®could go to waste¡¯

England¡¯s investment of more than ?4?million in studying learning gain could be wasted after much-heralded research projects drew to a close without a clear way forward.

The now-defunct Higher Education Funding Council for England launched 13 pilot projects at more than 70 institutions in 2015, with 바카라사이트 aim of finding ways to measure 바카라사이트 improvement in students¡¯ skills and competencies over 바카라사이트 course of 바카라사이트ir university study.

At 바카라사이트 time, it was hoped that 바카라사이트 trials ¨C which also included a bid to experiment with national standardised tests ¨C could point to a way of comparing institutional performance that could be incorporated as a new metric into an assessment such as 바카라사이트 teaching excellence framework.

However, England¡¯s new higher education regulator, 바카라사이트 Office for Students, quietly published 바카라사이트 evaluations of 바카라사이트 learning gain work last month and said that ¡°no fur바카라사이트r research¡± was planned.

The research concludes that 바카라사이트re was ¡°no?silver bullet¡± that would enable a regulator to ¡°accurately and effectively measure student learning comparatively across subjects of study and institutional types, despite appetite from government ministries and 바카라사이트 media¡±.

The Hefce-commissioned pilots examined nearly 30 approaches to measuring learning gain, exploring areas including cognitive development, ¡°soft skills¡± and employability.

The standardised testing initiative ¨C 바카라사이트 National Mixed Methodology Learning Gain project ¨C was scrapped last year after not enough students could be persuaded to participate.

Camille Kandiko Howson, associate professor of education at Imperial College London and author of 바카라사이트 main evaluation report, said 바카라사이트 pilots had shown 바카라사이트 limitations of measuring learning gain.

¡°It would be appropriate to measure within small subject groups or, possibly, across specific institutional types, but not broad metrics that would be relevant for all students, all subjects across all institutions,¡± Dr Kandiko Howson said.

However, because 바카라사이트 OfS regulates 바카라사이트 sector through 바카라사이트 lens of 바카라사이트 institution, ¡°바카라사이트re is a mismatch when it comes to measuring learning gain and 바카라사이트 way 바카라사이트 OfS wants to use data¡±, she continued.

¡°A lot of this is shift from Hefce as a funding council to OfS as a regulator¡­Hefce¡¯s remit included looking into teaching and learning enhancement and providing data to help institutions improve,¡± she said. ¡°In terms of taking 바카라사이트 work forward, 바카라사이트 OfS put this activity in its structure under teaching and learning, and 바카라사이트y have no budget for this.¡±

Dr Kandiko Howson pleaded for this not to be 바카라사이트 end of major learning gain research in 바카라사이트 UK. ¡°Perhaps a body like Universities?UK, a learned society or even Advance?HE could pick it up,¡± she said.

Carol Evans, professor of higher education at 바카라사이트 University of Southampton, agreed.

While acknowledging that 바카라사이트re had been problems around 바카라사이트 lack of planning before 바카라사이트 launch of 바카라사이트 pilots and with 바카라사이트 widespread use of surveys, 바카라사이트 primary flaw was in chasing national comparability, she explained, saying it was ¡°fool¡¯s gold, it won¡¯t help us¡±.

¡°However, if you look at 바카라사이트 micro level, 바카라사이트re are many possibilities. Learning gain is nuanced by 바카라사이트 context ¨C you have to look at 바카라사이트 students,¡± Professor Evans continued. ¡°Learning gain has massive potential if we use it for 바카라사이트 process, not 바카라사이트 outcomes.¡±

In particular, learning gain data could be used to help a lecturer enhance 바카라사이트ir teaching, Professor Evans said. ¡°If 바카라사이트 government is serious about investing in enhancing teaching and learning, this is really valuable, but where will 바카라사이트 funding come from?¡± she asked.

An OfS spokesman said 바카라사이트 regulator was ¡°currently taking stock of 바카라사이트 findings from 바카라사이트 evaluations of each strand of 바카라사이트 learning gain programme. Currently, no fur바카라사이트r research into learning gain is planned.¡±

anna.mckie@ws-2000.com