A Cost‐Effectiveness Model for the Assessment of Educational Productivity

Abstract

An educational productivity initiative at Worcester Polytechnic Institute illustrates cost‐effectiveness analysis techniques.

Table of Contents

“…Although there is considerable literature pertaining to the costs associated with effective learning strategies (Callan, Ewell, Finney, and Jones, 2007;Catterall, 1998;Ehrmann and Milam, 1999;Levin and McEwan, 2001) as well as the issue of general cost management and control in higher education (Fonte, 1987;McClain, Krueger, and Kangas, 1989;McPherson, Schapiro, and Winston, 1993 ;Sherr and Lozier, 1991;Simpson, 1991), few articles provide the requisite granular detail necessary to craft a cost-reporting scheme for assessment. One exception is Ewell and Jones's monograph The Costs of Assessment, published by the National Center for Higher Education Management Systems, which focused on "deriving typical direct costs associated with establishing a comprehensive institutional-assessment program" (Ewell and Jones, 1985, p. 9).…”

New Modes of Productivity for Student Learning

“…Traditional educational research provides some indications about how higher learning goals can best be achieved (for example, Astin, 1993Astin, , 1996Chickering and Gamson, 1987;Pascarella and Terenzini, 1991;Levin and Kosky, 1998). That literature emphasizes the importance of student involvement and classroom interaction with teachers and peers.…”

“…Faculty members were not allowed to achieve productivity in any way that seemed good to them but instead had to incorporate the required pedagogy. Another limit on faculty and departments was a strict accountability and assessment requirement: faculty submitted data on their course costs and outcomes, and the institution supported development of accounting models to determine productivity (Catterall, 1998).…”