There is no doubt that research based teaching is beneficial to learning. Probably one can use or develop some tests to evaluate learning outcomes. Are there any such test to be suggested to undergraduates?
Learning outcomes are traditional evaluated with the use of Bloom's taxonomy. There are of course, numerous other methods, but I find this one more generic and easily applicable to many knowledge domains. If nothing else, it is a good place to start.
Here in the England, there has recently been a study completed trying to bring together examples of where students have been used as co-researchers as part of their assessment methods within programmes. See Healy, Jenkins, Lea (I know a book summarising the experiences is coming shortly) or take a look at this site for more info:
http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/resources/detail/heinfe/CBHE-case-studies
If you were after methods for measuring the impacts from different pedagogical approaches, specifically, using research as a teaching method per se then you need to look at the work of Hattie work (1/ Visible Learning: A synthesis of over 800 meta-analyses relating to achievement, 2009; 2/ Visible Learning for teachers: Maximising impact on learning, 2012) - these are excellent pieces of work the 2012 publication goes straight into most effective teaching methods. It uses what is called 'effect size' measurements and considers 'Hawthorne effect'; not surprising its often doing the most basic things well that matters most with 'student feedback' the most effect thing. Also have a look at this site for more info if you don't want to get the books:
http://www.learningandteaching.info/teaching/what_works.htm
Hope this helps?
angus
Angus, thank you so much! That is what I have been looking for.
Sylvia
We are currently using Hattie's effect size as a test of our teaching/learning at a high school in Queensland Australia. It does give some indication of value added but should not be taken at face value. You need to do a lot of thinking about the full set of ideas he puts forward in his books. Effect size is only ever indicative of impact. For a start there are many more profound learnings to consider that may be immeasurable. As well there are questions about the validity of effect size in small number contexts, and issues of what is valued in teaching and considering the effect of the whole pretest/posttest process.
That being said, looking at Hattie's work with a critical perspective can be very informative.
Thank you for very interesting and useful comments, Mark. You are pointing at important issues that should be seriously considered while interpreting evaluation outcomes.
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