Expected Learning Outcomes of Undergraduates in the Field of Educational Sciences: A Qualitative Study

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Master's student in educational research, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Tehran

2 Associate Professor, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Tehran

Abstract

Identifying and measuring learning outcomes is a developing approach to higher education that is applied to evaluate and improve its quality. The aim of this study was to identify and categorize the Expected Learning Outcomes of undergraduates in the field of educational sciences. For this purpose, a qualitative approach and a systematic plan of grounded theory at the level of conceptual ordering have been used. In this study, several data collection sources including the curriculum of the undergraduate course of educational sciences approved in 2016 and the views of key experts including faculty members of the University of Tehran, employers of related jobs, and undergraduates of the University of Tehran were used. The qualitative data collection was performed through semi-structured in-depth interviews and with a snowball sampling strategy The data saturation was obtained with 37 interviews. Analysis of qualitative data was performed using software MAXQDA2018 and Strauss open coding and led to the identification of learning outcomes in 4 categories including: cognitive, skill, mental-emotional and social. The findings of this study could form a basis for multiple applications such as curriculum development and revision, tool designing, and quality assessment of Expected Learning Outcomes to improve and ensure the quality of teaching-learning activities in higher education.

Keywords

Main Subjects


Abaabaaf, Z., Faraasatkhaah, M., & Ghoddoosi, F. (2020). Teaching Competencies from the Perspective of a Group of Educational Activists: Commonalities and Differences. Education, 36 (1), 83-106.
URL: http://qjoe.ir/article-1-2251-fa.html. {in persian}
Abaabaaf, Z. (2017). Curriculum Knowledge of Faculty Members: Neglected Professional Competency in Higher Education. Higher Education Curriculum Studies, 7 (14), 103-130. {in persian}
Aminpour, S. (2018) .Development and validatation of education undergraduates employability rubrics [Master’s thesis, Faculty of Education and Psychology]. Shahid Beheshti University. {in persian}
Anderson, L. et al. (2001). A Taxonomy for Learning, Teaching, and Assessing: A Revision of Bloom’s Taxonomy of Educational Objectives. New York: Longman.
Ardin, L. (2014). Identifying The Learning Outcomes Of Educational Planning (MA) Program From The Point Of View Of The Professinals [Master’s thesis, Faculty of Psychology and Education]. University of Tehran. {in persian}
Asim, H. M., Vaz, A., Ahmed, A., & Sadiq, S. (2021). A Review on Outcome Based Education and Factors That Impact Student Learning Outcomes in Tertiary Education System. International Education Studies, 14 (2), 1-11. ISSN 1913-9020 E-ISSN 1913-9039.
Bazargan, A., & Farasatkhah, M. (2019). Monitoring and Evaluation in Higher Education. Tehran: Samt. {in persian}
Bigdely, M., Keramati, M., & Bazargan, A. (2012). The Relationship between Education and Employment Status of Psychology and Educational Sciencesâ Alumnus in Tehran University. Research and Planning in Higher Education, 18 (3), 111-131. {in persian}
Brintha, N. C., Ebenezer, G., Francis Saviour Devaraj, A., Sivapragasam, C., & Winowlin Jappes, J. T. (2021). Improving Student Outcome through Flexibility in Teaching and Evaluation Methods. Engineering Education Transformations, 34, 380-383. E-ISSN 2394-1707.
 Dolnicar, S., Kaiser, S., & Matus, K. (2018). Measuring learning outcomes in higher education: A review of relevant frameworks and tools. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management, 35, 1-11. doi:10.1016/j.jhtm.2017.11.004
Esmaeili Mahani, H., Motaharinejad, H., & Lesani, M. (2016). Evaluation of the Importance of the Generic Competencies Required for the Students’ Success in their academic and professional life. Educational Measurement and Evaluation Studies, 6 (15), 167-197. {in persian}
Farahani, M. (2014). Investigating some factors affecting the learning achievements of undergraduate course in electrical engineering education (power orientation) through the construction and implementation of a learning achievement measurement tool [Doctoral dissertation, Faculty of Psychology and Education]. University of Tehran. {in persian}
Farasatkhah, M. (2020). Humanities and the Problem of Social Impact. Tehran: Institute for Humanities and Cultural Studies. {in persian}
Farasatkhah, M. (2019). Qualitative research method in social sciences with emphasis on grounded theory (GTM). Tehran: Agah. {in persian}
Farzaneh, M., Zeinabadi, H., & Darabi, F. (2018). Analysis of the Competencies of Educational Administration Graduates for Working in the Training Sector and Development of Human Resources in Industrial Organizations. Educational Measurement and Evaluation Studies, 7 (20), 73-102. {in persian}
Hedayat, A., Maleki, H., Sadeghi, A., & Sadipour, I. (2015). Expected Competencies of Master degree of curriculum graduates: a qualitative study. Educational management innovations, 10 (3), 51-71. {in persian}
Hennink, M. M; Kaiser, B. N; & Marconi, V. C. (2017). Code Saturation Versus Meaning Saturation: How Many Interviews Are Enough? Qualitative Health Research, 27 (4), 591-608. DOI: 10.1177/1049732316665344.
Holmes, A. G. (2019). Learning Outcomes – A Good Idea, Yet with Problems and Lost Opportunities. Educational Process: International Journal, 8 (3), 159-169.
Huba, M. E; & Freed, J. E. (2000). Learner-centered assessment on college campuses: Shifting the focus from teaching to learning. Allyn & Bacon.‏
Jafari, S., & abdesharifi, F. (2014). A Structural Model of Faculty Member's Perceived Teaching Competencies and the Academic Gains of University Students. Studies in Learning & Instruction, 6 (1), 47-66. {in persian}
Jordan, A., Carlile, O., & Stack, A. (2019). Approaches to Learning; A Guide for Teachers (E. Hejazi, & R. Shahabi, Trans). Tehran: University of Tehran. (Original work published 2008).
Kadkhodaie, M. S., Akhavan Tafti, M., Khademi Ashkezari, M., Ahmadi, P., & Rezayat, G. H. (2017). The necessity of rethinking university education models in Humanities with an emphasis on social constructivism approach: A proposed model. Research in Teaching, 5 (1), 87-106. {in persian}
Kennedy, D. (2006). Writing and using learning outcomes: a practical guide. Cork: University College Cork.‏
Lile, R., & Bran, C. (2014). The assessment of learning outcomes. Procedia- Social and Behavioral Sciences, 163 (2014), 125-131. DOI: 10.1016/j.sbspro.2014.12.297.
Maarefvand, Z., Shams, G., & Sabaghyan, Z. (2018). A Pathology of the Learning Culture in the Students of Humanities. Studies in Learning & Instruction, 10 (1), 131-167. {in persian}
Ministry of Science, Research and Technology. (2015). Curriculum for the bachelor's degree in educational sciences. Council of Development and Promotion of Human Sciences. {in persian}
Mirkamali, S. M., Keramati, M. R., Arefi, M., & Mokhtarian, F. (2019). Learning Outcomes at the PhD level of Educational Administration, from the Viewpoint of the Faculty Members and Employers: a Qualitative Research. Educational Measurement and Evaluation Studies, 9 (27), 169-202. {in persian}
Mohammadi, R., Khodaie, E., & Zafaripour, T. (2018). An analytical study on evaluation policies and improvement of upstream documents. First Conference on Governance and Public Policy, Tehran. https://civilica.com/doc/801055. {in persian}
Mohammadi, M., Naseri Jahromi, R., Rahmani, H., & Moeini Shahraki, H. (2012). Presenting an explanatory model for students' understanding of the quality of professors' responsibilities, hidden curriculum and their achievements of studying at the university. Curriculum research, 2 (1), 153-181. {in persian}
Mokhtarian, F. (2017). Designing and validating the MSc and PhD curriculum model in educational management based on the expected learning outcomes [Doctoral dissertation, Faculty of Psychology and Education]. University of Tehran. {in persian}
Momeni Mahmouei, H., & Shariatmadari, A. (2009). A competency based curriculum model for undergraduate course on primary education. Management and Planning in Educational Systems, 2 (2), 128-149. {in persian}
Nabavi, S. M., Aminbeidokhti, A., & Jafari, S. (2018). The Mediating Role of Cooperative Learning in Relation with Teaching Qualification and Professional Competence of Faculty Members with Students’ Academic Achievement. Educational Sciences of Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, 25 (1), 145-164. {in persian}
Naderi, A. (2019). Advanced Topics in Economics of Education: External Efficiency & Effectiveness. Tehran: University of Tehran. {in persian}
Naderi, A. (2016). Assessment and Evaluation of Human Capital Based on the Integrated Model. Tehran: University of Tehran. {in persian}
Nakkeeran, R., Babu, R., Manimaran, R., & Gnanasivam, P. (2018). Importance of Outcome Based Education (OBE) to Advance Educational Quality and enhance Global Mobility. International Journal of Pure and Applied Mathematics, 119 (17), 1483-1492.
Narenji Sani, F., amoee, N., & Hejazi, S. (2021).The relationship between the community of inquiry and the students' learning outcomes in e-learning environments. Information and Communication Technology in Educational Sciences, 11 (3), 65-85. {in persian}
Neyazi, H. R., Abolghasemi, M., & Bakhtiari, M. (2020). Investigating the effect of learning outcomes assessment on students’ academic achievement in higher education. Studies in Educational Evaluation, 67, 100868. doi:10.1016/j.stueduc.2020.100868
Owji, A., & Marzooghi, R. (2013). Investigation of the relationship between individual characteristics and students' experiences with their academic achievements in Shiraz non-profit higher education institutions. Research in Curriculum Planning, 10 (11), 56-71. {in persian}
Paolini, A. (2015). Enhancing Teaching Effectiveness and Student Learning Outcomes. Effective Teaching, 15 (1), 20-33.
Say, B. (2015). Developing Learning Outcomes in Professional Writing and Technical Communication Programs: Obstacles, Benefits, and Potential for Graduate Program Improvement. Programmatic Perspectives, 7(2), 25-49.
Secolsky, C., & Denison, D. B. (Eds.). (2018). Handbook on Measurement, Assessment, and Evaluation in Higher Education (Second Edition). New York: Routledge.
Shahjavan, M., & Momeni Mahmouei, H. (2019). Typology of Teachers’ Mentality toward Curriculum Requirements Based on the Outcomes from Application of Qi Method in Higher Education. Higher Education Curriculum Studies, 10 (20), 207-236. {in persian}
Sharifi Asadi Malafe, F., Khorasani, A., Fathi Vajargah, K., & Salehi Omran, E. (2019). Employability skills of Academic Graduates: an Exploratory Mixed Approach. Theory & Practice in Curriculum, 7 (13), 29-52. {in persian}
Sharifzadeh, A., & Mahboobi, M. (2012). An Analysis of the Expected Outcomes of Internship Course in Agricultural Education: A Case Study of Gorgan University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources. Iranian Journal of Agricultural Economics and Development Research, 2-42 (4), 681-691. {in persian}
Sharepour, M., Salehi, S., & Fazeli, M. (2001). Evaluation of principal competencies for students, (case studies: Sharif University of Technology, University of Tehran and University of Mazandaran). Social Sciences Letter, 18 (18), 63-88. {in persian}
Shojaei, A. A., Arefi, M., Fathi Vajargah, K., & Shams Morakani, Gh. (2019). Designing an Entrepreneurship-based Competency Model for Graduates in Educational Sciences. Science & Technology Policy, 11 (1), 77-88. {in persian}
Torkzadeh, J., Marzooghi, R., Mohammad, M., & Kermaj, V. A. (2018). The Relationship Between the Competencies of the Instructors and the Experiences of the Course and Academic Achievements of the Students of Farhangian University. Research in Teaching, 6 (1), 99-119. {in persian}
Van Rensburg, E. J., & Nieuwenhuis, J. F. (2018). Measuring critical thinking skills in higher education: review and meta-analysis. African Journal of Research in Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 22(1), 1-12. doi:10.1080/18117295.2018.1446888
Yamani Douzi Sorkhabi, M. (2019 A). Higher Education Development Planning. Tehran: Samt. {in persian}
Yamani Douzi Sorkhabi, M. (2019 B). The Quality in Higher Education. Tehran: Samt. {in persian}
Yeganeh, M. (2014). Rcognition Entrepreneurship education Learning Outcomes of the Faculty of Entrepreneurship’s Alumni [Master’s thesis, Faculty of Entrepreneurship]. University of Tehran. {in persian}
Yousefi Afrashteh, M. (2014). Development and validation of a test to measure learning outcomes for undergraduate Laboratory Science [Doctoral dissertation, Faculty of Psychology and Education]. University of Tehran. {in persian}
Yousefi Afrashteh, M., Ghazi Tabatabaei, M., Gharavi, M. J., Bazargan, A., & Shokouhi Yekta, M. (2014). Need to define and measure "learning outcomes" in medical education. Medical Education, 14 (3), 266-275. {in persian}