当今美国高等教育质量评估的焦点:学生学习成果评估

The Focus of Institutional Effectiveness Assessment in Contemporary American Higher Education:Student Learning Outcomes Assessment

学生学习成果已经成为当今美国高等教育质量评估的核心内容。学生学习成果评估提供了能够显示每一所院校办学成效的最为重要的证据。高等教育的学习成果按类型可划分为认知性学习成果和情感性学习成果。学生学习成果评估的一个主要环节是运用定性或定量测量等方法获取学习成果的信息和证据。全国性的标准化测试和问卷调查被更多地用于测评一所高校总体的学生学习成果水平和办学成效。当前,学生学习成果评估在实践中面临着一些问题。美国高等教育质量认证要求的变化促使美国高校前所未有地重视学生学习成果的评估和改善。美国学生学习成果评估运动对中国的高等教育评估有一定的启示。

Student learning outcomes have become the core theme of institutional effectiveness assessment in contemporary higher education in the United States. The assessment of student learning outcomes supplies some of the most important evidences demonstrating institutional effectiveness. College outcomes can be divided into two types： cognitive and affective. A key element of learning outcomes assessment is the acquisition of information and evidence of learning outcomes through qualitative or quantitative measures. National standardized tests and surveys are used to measure student learning outcomes and institutional effectiveness. Student learning outcomes assessment faces some practical challenges. Changes in the requirements of accreditation are propelling American high education institutions to place unprecedented emphasis on assessing and improving student learning outcomes. Learning outcomes assessment in the U.S. has implications for higher education assessment in China.