As we are starting to implement the SEHEEF across the Australian higher education sector, we would ideally develop a common set of validated measurement scales which are then shared in a database of Supporting Outcomes and can be used by all universities in evaluating their student equity initiatives.
The Student Equity in Higher Education Evaluation Framework (SEHEEF) outlines a comprehensive set of Primary and Supporting Outcomes of student equity programs and services that capture the intended benefits for students who engage with these initiatives. Equity practitioners and program evaluators identify the Primary and Supporting Outcomes of their program or service through developing a Program Logic Model.
Primary Outcomes include long-term student outcomes, such as progression and retention, that have nationally consistent definitions and can be evidenced through analyses of student records data. Supporting Outcomes capture medium-term benefits and are more difficult to define and measure than Primary Outcomes.
To investigate whether Supporting Outcomes are associated with the Primary Outcomes of a program or service, e.g. that a greater sense of belonging is actually correlated with better student outcomes, measurement scales need to be developed and tested for each of the Supporting Outcomes included in a study. In other words, the Supporting Outcomes need to be operationalised for use in program evaluations.
As we are starting to implement the SEHEEF across the Australian higher education sector, we would ideally develop a common set of validated measurement scales which are then shared in a database of Supporting Outcomes and can be used by all universities in evaluating their student equity initiatives. So that we are comparing apples with apples when looking at the effectiveness of the same program in different universities and the same Supporting Outcome across different programs. Similar work is already being undertaken in England led by the Centre for Transforming Access and Student Outcomes in Higher Education (TASO).
Work is currently underway in two universities to develop and test new measurement scales, building on the guidance provided by TASO, and to validate existing scales developed by TASO for use in the Australian context. These relate to the following SEHEEF Supporting Outcomes:
Perception of university as a desirable option (TASO: Higher education expectations)
Perception of university as a viable option (TASO: Academic self-efficacy)
Informed aspirations (TASO: Knowledge of higher education)
Knowledge of occupations and associated pathways (new)
Knowledge of available services and communications channels (new)
Soft and hard skills (academic literacy) to support academic attainment (new)
Soft and hard skills (academic numeracy) to support academic attainment (new)
Capability and motivation to participate in university (TASO: Metacognitive strategies)
Sense of belonging (TASO: Sense of belonging, success/post-entry university alternative)
If you are interested in contributing to the national effort in developing these (or other) measurement scales and testing them with students participating in your equity programs, please do reach out.
TASO’s Access and Success Questionnaire (ASQ) can be found here.
The guidance on how TASO developed these scales can be found here.
