Tracking Classroom Teaching and Learning: An SPC Application

ABSTRACT

The importance of measuring performance in higher education has long been understood by all stakeholders, including teachers, students, administrators, and researchers. However, the majority of indicators used for this purpose focus on educational outputs (e.g., graduation rates) and outcomes (e.g., final examination scores), rather than processes that create such outcomes and outputs. The problem with this focus is that the output and outcome data usually become available far too late in order to effectively respond to a problem. Because the process of knowledge transfer is an important function of educational organizations, tracking this process while it actually happens represents an on-going, rather than a post-mortem measurement strategy, and can help in the detection of existing and impeding troubles in the teaching and learning processes. This paper illustrates a model for measuring classroom performance which makes use of Statistical Process Control (SPC) in combination with classroom assessment techniques (CATs). The purpose of the model is to measure both the teacher's contribution to increasing student knowledge and the student learning outcomes. Examples of SPC charts that were used to monitor teaching and learning performance in an undergraduate engineering management course are given, together with an analysis of the obtained results. Recommendations and guidelines for an effective and efficient application of the model are provided, including an implementation algorithm, suggestions for CAT design, and a discussion of some important statistical issues. The paper is concluded with several considerations for future research.

Keywords:

• Engineering education
• Statistical process control (SPC)
• Classroom assessment.