Evaluating Faculty Perceptions of Student Learning Outcomes: A Rasch Measurement Analysis

Abstract

Background: The importance of assessing student learning outcomes has demanded attention from most everyone involved in the higher education enterprise, as accreditation and funding implications are often linked to the results. Faculty, however, are often critical of the assessment process because outcomes assessment is costly with regard to time, energy and other resources, and evidence of its effectiveness is not always noticeable.

Purpose: The purpose of this article is to evaluate faculty perceptions of various student learning outcomes in order to determine which types outcomes are most valued by faculty.

Setting: United States.

Intervention: Not applicable.

Research Design: The HERI Faculty Survey was utilized to capture a nationally representative snapshot of faculty perceptions of student learning outcomes.

Data Collection and Analysis: The Rating Scale Model, a Rasch measurement model, was used to analyze survey data of 7,356 respondents.

Findings: Faculty from virtually all disciplines are primarily concerned with the intellectual growth of students. All other types of student learning outcomes (i.e., social, emotional, cultural growth) are of lesser concern. These findings suggest higher education institutions seeking “faculty buy-in” may want to consider focusing more on intellectual types of outcomes as these outcomes appear to best resonate with faculty, and in turn may result in less faculty resistance.  

Keywords: outcomes evaluation, Rasch Measurement, Rating Scale Model, item response theory, faculty, student learning outcomes, higher education assessment