AHELO
The Assessment of Higher Education Learning Outcomes (AHELO) Feasibility Study is a major OECD project. Its objective is to determine a robust approach to measuring learning outcomes in ways that are valid across cultures and languages, and across the diversity of institutional settings and missions. Further detail relating to the project can be found at the OECD website.
The international AHELO project involves the testing of students in three strands – Generic skills, Economics and Civil Engineering. For the Feasibility Study, Australia is participating in the Civil Engineering strand. In addition to these assessments, contextual dimension instruments will be deployed to students, faculty and institutional staff at all participating institutions.
The Australian participation is being managed by the Australian National Project Manager, Dr Daniel Edwards from the Australian Council for Educational Research. This position is funded by the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations.
To date, Australian participation in the AHELO project has involved a number of activities involving the participation of 10 universities; coordination of focus group; undertaking an academic review of assessment instruments; marking of student responses; and the collation and communication of feedback from institutions and students. The next phase of the study will include liaison with participating universities; training institutional personnel; sampling of up to 150 students and a number of staff per institution; administration of a full AHELO assessment program; data collection and analysis; and reporting.
