ZHCES is organising a Seminar by Dr. Prashant Loyalka

 

 

Abstract: Policymakers and researchers know little about the extent to which students learn academic and higher order thinking skills in higher education and how skill gains compare across national systems of higher education. They also lack generalizable knowledge about which factors help students develop skills. The absence of evidence in these critical areas hinders efforts to improve the quality of higher education. As such, the goals of this research study are to (1) measure gains in academic and higher order thinking skills among university students in a number of countries (currently: China, India, Russia); (2) examine which factors (institutional, faculty, instructional, peer, student) affect learning outcomes; (3) understand how and why learning outcomes differ for students of various backgrounds. In this presentation, I share initial findings on these questions from three countries: China, India and Russia (and provide occasional comparisons with the United States). Using data collected from nationally representative samples of STEM undergraduate students, I first show how academic and higher ordering thinking skill levels and gains differ between countries, between institutions within countries, and by gender. I also present causal evidence on the impact of faculty qualifications and behavior on student achievement. Finally, I present various issues to consider when conducting international comparative testing in higher education.