Higher Education Commons^™

Children’S University In Australia And New Zealand: Reach And Impact, Katherine Dix, Shani Sniedze, Tamara Van Der Zant

Higher education research

This report presents a comprehensive overview of the reach and impact of Children’s University in Australia and New Zealand. The Australian Council for Educational Research compiled available evidence to consolidate the evidence of the Children's University outreach program's extent and influence across the Australasian partnership. The independent evaluation synthesises information from existing research, reports, operational data, social media, and other documentation to provide a current snapshot of the Children's University's reach and impact, guided by the following research questions. How is the program underpinned by evidence-based best practice? What is the reach of the program in Australia? What does the …

Australian University Outcomes: A National Study Comparing Ibdp And Non-Ibdp Students, Kylie Hillman, Daniel Edwards, Leyna Clarke

Higher education research

This study compares the university outcomes of students who completed the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme (DP) in Australia compared to non-DP students nationally. The findings are based on population-level data for all students who applied to and entered universities in Australia between 2013 and 2018. To address differences in DP and non-DP student characteristics, the researchers further examined outcomes by groups within the populations that are more alike, for example, by gender and socio-economic status. Across all cohorts, DP students gain offers of university admission, continue to their second year of study, and complete university for all check points …

Global Tracer Facility Longitudinal Global Tracer Survey 2023 (Year 8) - Survey Instrument, Australia Awards Global Tracer Facility

Australia Awards Global Tracer Facility

This survey instrument for the Year 8 Global Tracer Facility (GTF) Global Tracer Survey 2023 outlines the survey sections, area of focus, type of question and response options.

The Australian Council For Educational Research (Acer) Response To The Australian Universities Accord Panel Interim Report, Australian Council For Educational Research (Acer)

Higher education research

The Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) recognises the importance of universities, and the higher education sector more broadly, to the prosperity and success of Australia. ACER welcomes the intent and focus of the Universities Accord in creating a system that enables all Australians to consider the option of university education and be supported in embracing this opportunity. In our submission to the Accord Panel, we would like to provide reflection and insight into the following key areas:

• Recognising the higher education ‘life cycle’ begins well before university enrolment.
• Continuing to build the emphasis on equality of opportunity and equity-focussed …

International Comparison Of Tertiary Education Systems, Ian Teo, Michelle Hsien, Sarah Buckley, Anita Roberts

Higher education research

This report is designed to review high performing tertiary systems internationally (Germany, Norway, the United Kingdom, Korea, Singapore and New Zealand) and compare these systems to Australia. This review highlights best practice in international tertiary education systems as well as system weaknesses by considering the following criteria for each country of interest: Tertiary education system performance, including participation, attainment, labour market outcomes, and public and private returns for tertiary education; The national context, including the shape of the broader education system, and relevant demographic and economic characteristics; The structure of tertiary education systems, including linkages between higher education and vocational …

Gtf Global Tracer Survey 2022 (Year 7) - Survey Instrument Items, Australia Awards Global Tracer Facility

Australia Awards Global Tracer Facility

This survey instrument for the Year 7 Global Tracer Facility (GTF) Global Tracer Survey 2022 outlines the survey sections, area of focus, type of question and response options. The questions in the survey relate to the Australian development scholarship/fellowship which participants have previously completed.

Rethinking Assessment In Response To Generative Artificial Intelligence, Jacob Pearce, Neville Chiavaroli

Higher education research

The use of decision-making support tools during assessments, such as electronic differential diagnosis in examinations, is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to how technology is currently changing assessment practice. We have reached a transformative stage in the development of artificial intelligence (AI). We can no longer rely on non-invigilated assessments and submitted ‘artefacts’ to demonstrate student learning and competence. This is bringing many long-term demands on educators, course coordinators and curriculum designers, forcing us to rethink assessment approaches. Going forward, we see an important distinction between ‘assisted’ assessments and ‘unassisted’ assessments. With the recent increase and …

Australian General Practice Training Program: National Report On The 2022 National Registrar Survey, Rebecca Taylor, Leyna Clarke, Ali Radloff

Higher education research

The Australian General Practice Training National Registrar Survey (AGPT NRS) is an annual, national survey of GP registrars currently training in the AGPT program. It collects information via an online questionnaire about registrar satisfaction, experience and future career plans. It also collects information about registrars’ demographics and training contexts and other aspects of their training experience. This survey is part of the Department of Health and Aged Care’s (the Department) monitoring and quality improvement activities. From June 27 until August 12, 2022, the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) administered the AGPT NRS to registrars enrolled in active training on …

A Formative Evaluation Of The Program For Student Representatives In A University Discipline Panel, Diana Genevive Layag

International Conference on Assessment and Learning (ICAL)

The university employs a representation of different sectors in the academic community when dealing with major student conduct violations. Among them is the representative of the students. At the time of the study, the student representatives were qualified students who were recruited and trained to become part of the university discipline case conference panel. Upon successful completion of the training, these students were appointed to be members of a program for the pool of student representatives who sit as part of the university adjudicating body, which makes decisions for the university student discipline cases. Terminally, the researcher wanted to improve …

Confirmatory Factor Analysis Of The Perception Of Academic Stress Scale (Pas), Damajanti Kusuma Dewi, Miftakhul Jannah, Ira Darmawanti

International Conference on Assessment and Learning (ICAL)

Stress is a condition that must be experienced by humans, including students. This happens because every student will always be faced with a condition to meet the demands of the environment. Students will experience stress if they feel they do not have the ability to meet these academic demands. Therefore, an instrument is needed that can measure academic stress felt by students. This study aims to test the construct validity of the Perception of Academic Stress Scale (PAS)-Adaptation of Bedewy & Gabriel. Before conducting factor analysis, the adaptation and modification process of the instrument was carried out. The adaptation process …

Australian General Practice Training Program: National Report On The 2021 National Registrar Survey, Rebecca Taylor, Leyna Clarke, Ali Radloff

Higher education research

The Australian General Practice Training National Registrar Survey (AGPT NRS) is an annual, national survey of GP registrars currently training in the AGPT program. It collects information via an online questionnaire about registrar satisfaction, experience and future career plans. It also collects information about registrars’ demographics and training contexts and other aspects of their training experience. This survey is part of the Department of Health’s (the Department) monitoring and quality improvement activities. The information collected in the AGPT NRS can be used to assure the quality of training provision in the program, enables continuous improvement and allows responses to be …

Australian General Practice Training Program: National Report On The 2020 National Registrar Survey, Rebecca Taylor, Leyna Clarke, Ali Radloff

Higher education research

The Australian General Practice Training National Registrar Survey (AGPT NRS) is an annual, national survey of GP registrars currently training in the AGPT program. It collects information via an online questionnaire about registrar satisfaction, experience and future career plans. It also collects information about registrars’ demographics and training contexts and other aspects of their training experience. This survey is part of the Department of Health’s (the Department) monitoring and quality improvement activities. From October 12 to December 9, 2020, the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) administered the AGPT NRS to registrars enrolled in active training on the AGPT program …

A Man Of Measure And More: John P. Keeves 1924-2020, Petra Lietz Ed., Katherine Dix Ed., Juliet Young-Thornton Ed.

Shannon Research Press

John Philip Keeves was an eminent researcher with a lifelong quest to improve teaching and learning by being a researcher, teacher, supervisor and mentor. He produced a myriad of scholarly publications, many on topics of research design, comparative research and educational measurement. In 1962, John was recruited to the Australian Council for Educational Research and he moved to Melbourne, later becoming Associate Director from 1972 to 1977 and then Director until his retirement in 1984. During this time, he also undertook research fellowships at the Australian National University and the Institute of International Education in the University of Stockholm. After …

Systematic Review Of The Literature On Professional Education Accreditation, Neville Chiavaroli, Kate Reid, Pru Mitchell, Jenny Trevitt

Higher education research

This report is critical and systematic review of the literature on professional education accreditation models, associated methods, and the effectiveness and impact of each model. The review was conducted to inform a review and update of the Royal College of Vetinerary Surgeons (RCVS) standards of accreditation for veterinary degrees. The purpose of the study was to rapidly appraise the evidence for the effectiveness, impact, and feasibility of different accreditation approaches, in order to inform best practices for the accreditation of professional education programs. The study focused on accreditation for programs which produce practice-ready graduates, including for veterinary programs. The authors …

Revision Or Re-Vision: Exploring Approaches To The Differentiation Of Qualification Types In The Australian Qualifications Framework, Kate Perkins, Justin Brown, Paul R. Weldon, Louise Wignall

Transition and Post-School Education and Training

In March 2019, the Department of Education commissioned the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) to conduct a conceptual analysis of the most appropriate way to develop and present a taxonomy of learning outcomes within a qualifications framework; and a technical analysis and revision of the Knowledge, Skills and Application of Knowledge and Skills descriptors used in the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF). Later this was extended to development of two alternative models that: (a) reflect the new conceptual base developed in Part I; (b) comprise a set of revised domain definitions (along with a new typology for each domain); and …

International Graduate Outcomes Survey 2018 Final Report, Darren Matthews, Ali Radloff, Jo Doyle, Leyna Clarke

Higher education research

The 2018 International Graduates Outcomes Survey (IGOS) provides an insight into international graduates from Australian universities post-study employment, work readiness, and reflections on course experiences, study motivation and overall satisfaction. Over 10,000 international students who graduated from an Australian university in the last decade (international graduates) were asked a range of questions about their current employment status and their opinions on their Australian qualification. In brief the results indicate that: 90 per cent of graduates who are available for employment are currently employed - incorporating 93 per cent who returned home and 85 percent who were still in Australia; 77 …

Australian Higher Education Equity Ranking Project: Final Report, Tim Pitman, Paul Koshy, Daniel Edwards, Liang-Cheng Zhang, Julie Mcmillan

Higher education research

This report details the findings of a feasibility study for the Department of Education and Training (DET) into the development of a higher education student equity ranking index. The purpose of study was to determine whether it was possible to measure higher education equity performance at the institutional level and convey each institution’s relative performance through an ‘equity rank’. The ranking was to be based on institutional performance in regard to equity-group students, including students from low socio-economic backgrounds; students from regional/remote areas of Australia; Indigenous students; students with disability; and students from non-English speaking backgrounds.

Australian General Practice Training Program National Report On The 2018 National Registrar Survey, Rebecca Taylor, Leyna Clarke, Daniel Edwards

Higher education research

The Australian General Practice Training National Registrar Survey (AGPT NRS) is an annual, national survey of GP registrars currently training in the AGPT program. It collects information via an online questionnaire about registrar satisfaction, experience and future career plans. It also collects information about registrars’ demographics and training contexts and other aspects of their training experience. This survey was previously known as the AGPT Registrar Satisfaction Survey (AGPT RSS). From July 31 to September 7 2018, the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) administered the AGPT NRS to registrars enrolled in active training on the AGPT program across 11 training …

The Japan University Experience Survey (Jues), Darren Matthews, Leyna Clarke

Higher education research

An overview of the Japan University Experience Survey (JUES) including its background and aims, and the ACER - Kawaijuku Group partnership. The presentation discusses the development, delivery, reporting and results of the survey, and considers Japanese and Australian UES/SES comparisons and the potential for benchmarking.

Assessment Of University Support Services For Regional And Remote Students On Transition To University: Final Report, Darren Matthews, Gina Milgate, Leyna Clarke

Higher education research

This report details the development and piloting of an Assessment of university support services for regional and remote students on transition to university. The project forms part of the Australian Government’s response to the Independent Review into Regional, Rural and Remote Education led by Emeritus Professor John Halsey. In its recommendations, the Review highlighted how critical it is to “Support RRR [regional, rural and remote] students to make successful transitions from school to university, training, employment and combinations of them”. In relation to this recommendation, this project is designed to support the Australian Government’s response to the Halsey Review by …

Designing Rubrics For Authentic Assessment, Kathryn Richardson, Anne-Marie Chase

Teacher education

This presentation looks at the steps in developing authentic rubrics, from determining the constructs that will be assessed; breaking down the constructs into a set of broad capabilities that need to be observed; transferring capabilities into indicative behaviours (indicators or criteria); and determining the different levels of proficiency.

Australian General Practice Training Program National Report On The 2017 National Registrar Survey, Rebecca Taylor, Ali Radloff, Daniel Edwards, Leyna Clarke

Higher education research

The Australian General Practice Training National Registrar Survey (AGPT NRS) is an annual, national survey of GP registrars currently training in the AGPT program that collects information about registrar satisfaction, experience and future career plans. This survey is part of the Department of Health’s (the Department) monitoring and quality improvement activities and the information can be used to assure the quality of training provision, enable continuous improvement and allow results to be benchmarked nationally. Previously known as the AGPT Registrar Satisfaction Survey (AGPT RSS), the AGPT NRS also collects information on registrars’ demographics and training contexts and other aspects of …

Review Of The Postgraduate Research Experience Questionnaire (Preq): Final Report, Ali Radloff, Darren Matthews, Yan Bibby, Daniel Edwards

Higher education research

A review of the Postgraduate Research Experience Questionnaire (PREQ) was conducted by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) on behalf of the Commonwealth Department of Education and Training. The PREQ was developed in 1999 to collect information on core aspects of the HDR experience, and is currently administered as part of the Graduate Outcomes Survey (GOS) which is conducted with recent graduates from Australian higher education institutions. The PREQ currently provides information to government, universities and other stakeholders that help inform improvements to the quality of HDR training. This project was conducted in two phases. Phase 1 of the …

Final Report: Development Of An Online Engagement Scale, Darren Matthews, Ling Tan, Daniel Edwards

Higher education research

The Commonwealth Department of Education and Training commissioned the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) to review the Learner Engagement Scale (LES), a key measure of student experience. It is administered as part of the Student Experience Survey, an annual survey of a sample of the 400 000 first and final year undergraduates studying at Australian Higher Education institutions – 80 per cent on-campus and around 8 per cent off-campus. Over the years, LES results have consistently shown substantially lower engagement levels in off-campus students – far in excess of the variation between teaching modes that might be expected – …

The Case For Urgency: Advocating For Indigenous Voice In Education, Kevin P. Gillan, Suzanne Mellor, Jacynta Krakouer

Australian Education Review

In 2004 the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) published an Australian Education Review (AER) on Indigenous Education: The Case for Change: A review of contemporary research on Indigenous education outcomes, AER 47 (Mellor & Corrigan, 2004). In the 13 years since its publication, the state of Indigenous education outcomes has remained substantially unaltered. All the social indicators demonstrate that Australia’s First Nations people continue to be the most socio-economically disadvantaged population cohort in Australian society. This is after decades of continued policy efforts by successive Commonwealth, state and territory governments to ameliorate Indigenous education disadvantage. We still struggle with …

Assessment And Feedback In Higher Education: A Review Of Literature For The Higher Education Academy, Brad Jackel, Jacob Pearce, Ali Radloff, Daniel Edwards

Higher education research

This literature review has been undertaken for the Higher Education Academy (HEA). It explores recent scholarly contributions in the area of assessment and feedback in higher education (HE). The report is structured as follows. The introduction provides some background and a context for the approach taken to developing this review and the ‘lens’ through which the review was undertaken. The review then comprises three broad sections: ‘The fundamentals’ – a section that explores the significant principles underpinning best practice in assessment. ‘Practice and innovations’ – an exploration of recent literature that demonstrates the kinds of assessment practice currently being undertaken …

Infographic: Girls’ Confidence, Jo Earp

Teacher infographics

A new survey suggests girls' confidence is sky high in primary school, but it nose-dives as they progress through secondary school and beyond.

Investigating The Relationship Between Equity And Graduate Outcomes In Australia, Sarah Richardson, Dawn Bennett, Lynne Roberts

Higher education research

Australian higher education equity policy focusses mostly on access and participation with the implicit assumption that disadvantage will be ameliorated through educational achievement. Less is known as to whether patterns of disadvantage continue post-completion. In a context in which graduate employability is becoming an important yardstick against which to measure institutional effectiveness, this question is of fundamental importance to higher education equity practitioners and policymakers. This study employed Commonwealth graduate outcome data to investigate relationships between disadvantage and graduate outcomes in Australia, with disadvantage defined as a graduate belonging to one or more of the following groups – low SES, …

Higher Education Standards Panel Consultation : Transparency Of Higher Education Admissions Processes: Response From The Australian Council For Educational Research, Daniel Edwards, Brad Jackel, Australian Council For Educational Research (Acer)

Higher education research

This document has been prepared by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) in response to the Higher Education Standards Panel’s Consultation on the Transparency of Higher Education Admissions Processes. In developing the document, ACER has drawn on previous experience working in admissions research and admissions testing, and on discussions over time with universities in Australia as a result of this work relating to the issues of relevance to this consultation. This document explores four key areas identified by ACER as critical to improving the admissions processes of higher education providers in Australia. In developing this document, we have approached …

Mapping Researcher Mobility: Measuring Research Collaboration Among Apec Economies, Ali Radloff

Higher education research

Researcher mobility is an important form of cross-border education (CBE). It has the potential to generate significant benefits for economies as expert scholars and scientists come together to solve some of the most pressing challenges in the contemporary world. Among members of the Asia-Pacific Economic Community (APEC) researcher mobility can strengthen ties between economies and enable the minimisation of barriers to economic growth and sustainability. There are not currently any comparable or rigorous data available on researcher mobility among APEC economies. Proxy measures are needed to gain a sense of the extent to which researchers in APEC economies are collaborating …