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AHELO moves forward Content and assessment experts from 14 countries around the world have made significant progress towards investigating the feasibility of an international Assessment of Higher Education Learning Outcomes (AHELO). The AHELO Feasibility Study is determining whether it is possible to measure at the international level what undergraduate degree students know and can do. The assessment aims to provide better information than is currently available to higher education institutions, governments, and other stakeholders including students and employers. ACER is leading a consortium of international organisations in the design and implementation of the feasibility study on behalf of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). Chair of the AHELO Feasibility Study Technical Advisory Group and Vice President at the USA National Centre for Higher Education Management Systems (NCHEMS), Dr Peter Ewell, believes AHELO is significant because it is the first time anyone has tried to compare tertiary outcomes internationally. “If institutions see a similar institution achieving better outcomes they want to know ‘what are we doing differently and how can we do things like them?’,” said Dr Ewell. “Through AHELO we can start finding out what works.” The AHELO Feasibility Study focuses on Economics, Engineering and Generic Skills. Progress is occurring at a rapid pace in each of the modules, with enormous interest and goodwill among both academic experts and countries, including those who are not directly participating. In early 2011 the test instruments will be translated into the languages of participating countries and shown to focus groups. The feedback gained from students and faculty from a range of institutions in participating countries will be used to refine and improve the instruments. The Educational Testing Service (ETS) in Princeton New Jersey has developed an Economics instrument which tests the skills and knowledge of final-year bachelor degree students. The framework and items are being revised in preparation for adaptation, translation and validation in 2011. AHELO’s Economics Expert Group is chaired by Cecilia A. Conrad, Vice President and Dean of Pomona College in California, where she is also the Stedman-Sumner Professor of Economics. Professor Conrad said she is happy that the Economics Expert Group was able to work out what questions would work across borders. “With AHELO, we can learn what students need to gain a better understanding about so they will be able to compete with and work with graduates from other institutions around the world,” said Professor Conrad. ACER has been working with colleagues from Japan’s National Institute for Educational Policy Research and the University of Florence to develop a framework and test for the field of Engineering. AHELO’s Engineering Expert Group has reviewed 12 draft test units; each developed around a key engineering problem with a range of multiple choice and written response items. The best four items were selected and revised. The Expert Group also analysed a large set of items from the licensing exam for civil engineers in Japan and selected those most suitable to include in AHELO’s engineering test. ACER worked with partner organisations to refine and validate the items in preparation for adaptation, translation and validation in 2011. The AHELO Feasibility Study Engineering Expert Group is chaired by Robin King, Emeritus Professor of Engineering at the University of Technology, Sydney, and Executive Officer of the Australian Council of Engineering Deans. In developing instruments for the assessment test in Civil Engineering, Professor King stresses the need for instruments that can measure both technical knowledge and how graduating civil engineers look at problems. “We need to measure their technical capability to solve them and their understanding of the broader impacts of civil engineering in society, such as the social and environmental impacts of locating a dam,” said Professor King. Despite the challenge of developing instruments which acknowledge the differing philosophies of engineering education around the world, and the need to ensure that all questions are appropriate to students in all countries, Professor King is optimistic about the potential for the AHELO Feasibility Study. “Measuring the outcomes of education is very difficult but it’s really important,” said Professor King. « Back to eNews
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Content and assessment experts from 14 countries around the world have made significant progress towards investigating the feasibility of an international Assessment of Higher Education Learning Outcomes (AHELO).

The AHELO Feasibility Study is determining whether it is possible to measure at the international level what undergraduate degree students know and can do. The assessment aims to provide better information than is currently available to higher education institutions, governments, and other stakeholders including students and employers.

ACER is leading a consortium of international organisations in the design and implementation of the feasibility study on behalf of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).

Chair of the AHELO Feasibility Study Technical Advisory Group and Vice President at the USA National Centre for Higher Education Management Systems (NCHEMS), Dr Peter Ewell, believes AHELO is significant because it is the first time anyone has tried to compare tertiary outcomes internationally.

“If institutions see a similar institution achieving better outcomes they want to know ‘what are we doing differently and how can we do things like them?’,” said Dr Ewell. “Through AHELO we can start finding out what works.”

The AHELO Feasibility Study focuses on Economics, Engineering and Generic Skills. Progress is occurring at a rapid pace in each of the modules, with enormous interest and goodwill among both academic experts and countries, including those who are not directly participating.

In early 2011 the test instruments will be translated into the languages of participating countries and shown to focus groups. The feedback gained from students and faculty from a range of institutions in participating countries will be used to refine and improve the instruments.

The Educational Testing Service (ETS) in Princeton New Jersey has developed an Economics instrument which tests the skills and knowledge of final-year bachelor degree students. The framework and items are being revised in preparation for adaptation, translation and validation in 2011.

AHELO’s Economics Expert Group is chaired by Cecilia A. Conrad, Vice President and Dean of Pomona College in California, where she is also the Stedman-Sumner Professor of Economics.

Professor Conrad said she is happy that the Economics Expert Group was able to work out what questions would work across borders.

“With AHELO, we can learn what students need to gain a better understanding about so they will be able to compete with and work with graduates from other institutions around the world,” said Professor Conrad.

ACER has been working with colleagues from Japan’s National Institute for Educational Policy Research and the University of Florence to develop a framework and test for the field of Engineering.

AHELO’s Engineering Expert Group has reviewed 12 draft test units; each developed around a key engineering problem with a range of multiple choice and written response items. The best four items were selected and revised. The Expert Group also analysed a large set of items from the licensing exam for civil engineers in Japan and selected those most suitable to include in AHELO’s engineering test.

ACER worked with partner organisations to refine and validate the items in preparation for adaptation, translation and validation in 2011.

The AHELO Feasibility Study Engineering Expert Group is chaired by Robin King, Emeritus Professor of Engineering at the University of Technology, Sydney, and Executive Officer of the Australian Council of Engineering Deans.

In developing instruments for the assessment test in Civil Engineering, Professor King stresses the need for instruments that can measure both technical knowledge and how graduating civil engineers look at problems.

“We need to measure their technical capability to solve them and their understanding of the broader impacts of civil engineering in society, such as the social and environmental impacts of locating a dam,” said Professor King.

Despite the challenge of developing instruments which acknowledge the differing philosophies of engineering education around the world, and the need to ensure that all questions are appropriate to students in all countries, Professor King is optimistic about the potential for the AHELO Feasibility Study.

“Measuring the outcomes of education is very difficult but it’s really important,” said Professor King.

AHELO moves forward