Learning gain

Independent research in 2015 concluded that measuring learning gain needed testing within the sector to explore how valid and feasible different approaches to measuring learning gain are.

Key findings from the research

• The English higher education sector has some awareness of learning gain. But understanding varies across the sector, and measuring it is in its early stages.
• Learning gain can be measured in different ways to suit different purposes.
• The research defines learning gain as the ‘distance travelled’, or the improvement in knowledge, skills, work-readiness and personal development students can show at two points in time.
• A high-quality student experience can potentially be measured in different ways. Learning gain is just one of these ways.

Methodologies

Through independent research, we have defined five ways to categorise methodologies for measuring learning gain. These are:

• standardised tests  
• grades 
• self-reporting surveys  
• other qualitative methods 
• mixed methods.