Analysis of Gap between Desired and Acquired Levels of Knowledge-related Learning Outcomes of Ph D Graduates

Abstract

The aim of this study was to analyse gap between desired and acquired levels of knowledge-related learning outcomes of doctoral programme in 4 public sector universities of the Punjab. The study was carried out in two phases under confirmatory mixed-methods research design. During phase-1, data were collected electronically from 269 from PhD graduates on a self-developed questionnaire to assess their acquired level of knowledge-related learning outcomes. While, in phase-2 of the study, 72 faculty members were interviewed to validate the findings of phase-1. PhD graduates claimed that they had acquired learning outcomes at high level while faculty members pronounced that PhD graduates' level of acquisition was medium. Results of one sample t-test revealed significant gap between PhD graduates desired and acquired levels of knowledge-related learning outcomes.The study strongly recommended that the Higher Education Commission of Pakistan should officially include relevant sections of NQF document in the course outlines of doctoral programme.