How can Student Learning Data at Institutional Level Support Decision-Making for Educational Improvement for Academic Programme? A Case Study in A Hong Kong University

Year 2017, Volume: 2 Issue: 2, 144 - 169, 30.12.2017

Joseph Chow

https://doi.org/10.30828/real/2017.2.2

Abstract

Student surveys have been commonly used by university administrators for
assessment of student learning outcomes in higher education. The information
collected from such stakeholders’ surveys has only been to use as supporting
documents for the effectiveness of university education. More recently, there
have been calls for utilizing student feedback information to improve quality
of education at the programme level and guide educational leaders and teachers
about implementing data-based decision-making. This study aimed to explore the
learning gains in the undergraduate education perceived by its alumni in one of
Hong Kong universities. The study reported the procedures in examining the
assessment scores and discussed the interpretation of assessment results at the
programme level. The findings showed that interpretation of the student ratings
of perceived learning gains could not be appropriately aggregated at the
programme level. Implications for theory and practice of educational data use
and for educational administration are discussed.

Keywords

Student learning data, decision-making, case study, Hong Kong

References

• Chatman, S. (2007). Institutional versus academic discipline measures of student experience: A matter of relative validity (CSHE.8.07). Berkeley: Center for Studies in Higher Education, University of California.